大象传媒

From Sarah Joseph, Editor of a Muslim lifestyle magazine:

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This week 鈥� I鈥檓 focusing on my Mum - Valerie Askew. She鈥檒l reach the Big Eight-Oh on Friday.听 Now to say that she鈥檚 had a right life of it 鈥� would be massive understatement. 听

Born just outside London in 1939, the year World War Two started, she was brought up in a well-to-do middle-class home, my grandfather was an Opera Singer. Her decision to marry a man who was, 鈥淎 little dark, you know鈥� resulted in her receiving all sorts of racism. Denied decent accommodation, she brought up my four older siblings in homes without heating, or hot water, dragging the baby carriage up four flights of stairs鈥� taking in sewing to make ends meet. But was told that she, 鈥淪hould be grateful, given your husband, you know鈥︹�� 听

He served in the RAF, but that mattered not-a-jot in the racism of the 1960s.
Paralysed in her hands, probably from the overwork and exhaustion, she took up modelling in the mid 60s, and then went on to run one of the world鈥檚 top model agencies. Along with my Aunt, she had offices in London, Milan, Tokyo, and Los Angeles.

Her sexist bank manager stories from the 60s and 70s leave me aghast. Forget the carefully drafted business plans鈥� One request by my Mum and Aunt for a loan was met with, 鈥淥ne pair of brown eyes I can resist, two never 鈥� how much do you want?鈥�

Her day to day life included coping with murders, suicides, run-ins with the mafia, yet in the evening she would come home 鈥� put on her apron 鈥� and cook the five of us a meal.听听 Glamourous model agent by day. Single parent, homemaker, by night. I don鈥檛 think us children could understand the enormous pressure, the stress, and the physical exhaustion of keeping it all together. But somehow she did! She was Superwoman, and I reckon her life deserves to be a film!
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When asked who was the most worthy of our companionship, The Prophet replied, 鈥淵our mother, your mother, your mother.鈥� And told his companions, 鈥淧aradise lies at the feet of your mother.鈥�

So good thoughts to all the mothers out there, working hard and keeping things together. And Happy Birthday 80th Birthday to my Mum. Thanks for everything!