With parents like Al Roker and Deborah Roberts, there's no question that Leila Roker is destined
for great things. So what's the daughter of America's weatherman interested in? Here's
what we know about Leila Roker, who's grown up to be seriously gorgeous.
For some couples, getting pregnant is easy. But for the many other couples who struggle
with infertility, getting pregnant and carrying a baby to term can be extremely difficult.
The latter was the case for Roker and Roberts, who've been open about their reproductive
struggles. That's why, after losing one pregnancy after the two-month mark, they turned to in
vitro fertilization the second time around. It worked, and Roberts got pregnant again.
Roker told Guideposts:
"This time I was afraid to be too happy. I prayed every day, asking God to keep my wife
and our unborn child in his hands."
Nine months later, Roker's prayers were answered, when at 9:17 a.m. on Tuesday, November 17,
1998, Leila Ruth Roker was born. Of course, Roker was overcome with gratitude, saying
in the same interview:
"Science may have helped us on our path to pregnancy, but it couldn't get us all the
way to the end. The only thing that could do that was the power and grace of God."
In 2016, the world got an intimate look at Leila's life on The Today Show, when the pair
ventured out together to Sequoia National Park for their first-ever camping trip. And
both of them admit that they were surprised when Leila agreed to go, given her personality.
As Leila put it:
"I am a city kid, so like, camping? I'm not good at that."
“Listen to that engine purr, baby.” “Let’s drive nice and slow.”
Leila really wasn't lying about being out of her element in the woods, either, observing:
"There are animals and trees everywhere. And I really don't like birds because I'm afraid
one will poop on my head."
City bird or country mouse, Leila couldn't hide her wonder when she and her dad got to
see American black bears up close and personal, just waking up from their winter hibernation.
Plus, watching the duo try and set up a tent? Priceless.
New York City arguably offers some of the best people-watching opportunities in the
world, given that it's an international destination. So it's not surprising that Leila Roker has
become something of a fashionista, able to put together killer looks with the best of
them.
So what's her fashion philosophy? Roker told Footwear News that:
"My style is fluid. Sometimes I like to be girly, and other times I like to be edgier.
Some weeks I'll wear a lot of skirts; other weeks I'll wear tomboyish styles."
Roker may be becoming a trendsetter, but she learned from the very best. She cites several
celeb fashion idols, including Rihanna, Kylie Jenner, and Khloe Kardashian. You can’t
say she’s not ambitious when it comes to fashion!
As is all too real in the age of social media, becoming famous can make you a target of haters
— especially if you're a woman. That's something Roker unfortunately has had to deal with,
although she's not afraid to confront people and shut them down when need be.
In fact, that's exactly what she did in an Instagram post she made in 2017, saying "I
can wear what I want and do what I want,” to clap back against the bullies who called
her names. She also pointed out that she looks a lot better and has done a lot more in life
than her trolls, which is painfully obvious to anyone paying attention.
Still, Roker understands what kind of impact these hateful actions can have, quipping sarcastically
in her Instagram post:
"Thank you for continuing to be the barriers that set women back in being imprisoned by
their looks."
One of the most important decisions in a young adult's life is where to go to college, something
Roker stressed about back in 2016. But of course, any worry she had was unfounded, as
she was accepted to the University of Southern California's class of 2021, according to a
since-deleted post on her Instagram page.
Additionally, because Roker clearly knows how to live, she decided to spend her first
year studying abroad at the American University of Paris. And while that sounded pretty close
to paradise, Roker was open about some of the difficulties she faced, which are more
complex than your usual freshman problems, saying to Forbes magazine:
"By spending my freshman year studying in Europe, I faced an even bigger culture shock.
I was suddenly faced with what it was like to be a young black woman in a predominantly
white European world."
Roker's dad may be America's weatherman, but it doesn't look like she'll be following in
the meteorologist's footsteps. Rather, Roker is shaping up to take after her mother when
it comes to her fledgling career. That's right: She's a self-professed journalist, according
to her LinkedIn page. Looks like her ABC journalist mother Deborah Roberts had a real impact!
Rather than waiting until finishing college to get real world experience, Roker has been
busy writing for several different outlets. For one, she's contributed several articles
to Peacock Plume, the student newspaper for the American University of Paris for which
she's also served as a deputy editor. Additionally, she's been published in Footwear News and
Forbes, and has interned for Paper Magazine. Notably, in June 2020, she became a freelance
contributor for Today.com. That's a pretty impressive resume for someone her age!
During her first few weeks of college life, Roker saw that something was out of place,
explaining to Forbes:
"I began to realize that many of the people around me held antiquated views on how men
and women should carry themselves, and specifically, what the standards were for acceptable male
behavior."
This, in turn, led to another revelation:
"I was suddenly faced with having to create my own definition of what is considered to
be sexual harassment and assault."
But rather than be overwhelmed or rest on her laurels, Roker sprang into action. She
reached out to It's On Us, a non-profit organization, started by the Biden Foundation. As a digital
fellow, she worked with her university to prevent assault on campus. That is a prime
example of leadership!
In addition to all of her noble pursuits, Leila Roker is no stranger to the gym. And
in June of 2018, she diversified her exercise portfolio, as if she wasn't already busy enough,
saying on Instagram:
"Just completed a yoga teaching program, and in a couple of weeks I'll have yoga teacher
certification."
The certification process was transformative for her, too, bringing positive new energy
into her life. As she put it:
"So thankful for the life changing people and their souls I've met on this journey."
Judging from the way those headstands are coming along, maybe we'll see more yoga selfies
in the future.
When Leila Roker enrolled at the University of Southern California, she figured she'd
attend the school after spending her freshman year abroad. But as it turns out, after living
in Paris for that first year, the city began to grow on her. Leila explained her decision
on her blog:
"I realized that while yes, there were some culture shocks, it still felt like I seemed
to find my niche. My French was flourishing, I was finding promising opportunities, and
meeting students from a different country every day."
It helped that as a journalist interested in fashion, there was no shortage of interesting
events to cover. Paris Fashion Week, anyone?
It's not surprising, then, that Roker made the decision to put her California plans on
the shelf, after doing some serious soul searching, saying, "I finally made the decision Paris
was for me."
While her father was generally supportive of her decision after seeing her so happy
in her adopted home, Roker's mother was less than thrilled. But in the end, her family
agreed that the City of Lights was the place for her.
“Hey Dad! I am in empty Paris, getting some groceries, and I just wanted to check in and
tell you I love you.”
If there's one thing that Leila Roker hasn't been shy about, it's that living as a Black
woman anywhere in the world comes with a unique set of challenges. That's something she's
dealt with for her entire life, thanks to systemic racism. She wrote in an article for
People that:
"From an early age, you start to notice on your own that your teachers and classmates
speak to you a little differently."
So when the world learned about George Floyd's death at the hands of Minneapolis police officers,
Roker just couldn't stay silent. Rather, she implored people to stand up for what's right,
saying:
"It's time for us to go beyond hashtags and take action. It's really important that we
vote, call our local representatives to demand change and make donations if you are not comfortable
protesting."
She added that it's no longer okay to spend time with people who think that everything
is fine and that holding people "accountable" is paramount if you want "real change" to
happen.
While Leila Roker has made Paris her home, she didn't just settle in and never leave
the city. Rather, before the 2020 pandemic hit, Roker was quite the world traveler. In
fact, just before everything shut down in March of 2020, Roker was soaking up the sun
in Tunisia, according to a post on her Instagram page. And just before that in November of
2019, Roker rang in her 21st birthday in Amsterdam.
Additionally, Roker enjoyed time by the sea in Croatia in August of 2019, the perfect
time to visit the country. That same month, she was seen in Greece because, well, why
not if you're just around the corner? That was after visiting Copenhagen in Denmark back
in March of 2019, as well as spending some time in Morocco around the same time. Prior
to this, Roker visited Abu Dhabi with her father on an assignment from Today. We wonder
where she'll go next!
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