Zulekha Haywood is an American business professional best known as the daughter of supermodel Iman and former NBA player Spencer Haywood. She was born on July 5, 1978.
Unlike her famous parents, Zulekha chose a career away from modeling and professional sports. She has worked in accounting, business analysis, planning, and other business roles. She is also known for speaking openly about her weight loss and gastric bypass surgery.
Zulekha Haywood’s Profile Summary
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full name | Zulekha Haywood |
| Date of birth | July 5, 1978 |
| Age | 48 in 2026 |
| Birthplace | United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Mother | Iman |
| Father | Spencer Haywood |
| Education | Michigan State University |
| Profession | Business professional, accountant, business analyst |
| Husband | Jason Young, reportedly |
| Children | One daughter |
| Daughter | Lavinia Rose Young |
| Net worth | Not reliably known |
Early Life
Zulekha Haywood was born in the United States on July 5, 1978.
She grew up with two famous parents. Her mother was already building a major modeling career, while her father was a professional basketball player.
Zulekha appeared in magazines when she was very young. She appeared with her mother on an ESSENCE magazine cover in 1979 when she was still a baby.
In June 1982, she appeared on another ESSENCE cover with both of her parents.
Her Mother, Iman
Zulekha’s mother is Zara Mohamed Abdulmajid, better known as Iman.
Iman was born in Somalia and became an internationally known fashion model. She later became an actress and businesswoman.
She also created Iman Cosmetics, a beauty company focused on products for women with different skin tones.
Zulekha later worked for her mother’s company, but she did not follow Iman into modeling.
Her Father, Spencer Haywood
Zulekha’s father, Spencer Haywood, is a former professional basketball player.
He played for several teams, including the Seattle SuperSonics, New York Knicks, New Orleans Jazz, Los Angeles Lakers, and Washington Bullets.
He also won an Olympic gold medal and was later inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Iman and Spencer married in 1977. Zulekha was their only child together.
The couple divorced in 1987, when Zulekha was around nine years old.
Her Parents’ Divorce
After Iman and Spencer separated, they became involved in a custody dispute over Zulekha.
Reports say the matter was settled around 1992 and that Zulekha later lived mainly with her father.
Some websites make additional claims about why her parents divorced, but these details are not well enough confirmed to present as fact.
Education
Zulekha reportedly attended Mercy High School in Michigan.
She later studied at Michigan State University. University records support her connection to the school.
Several sources say she studied Human Resource Management, although the exact degree details are less clearly documented.
Career at Iman Cosmetics
Zulekha chose business instead of modeling or sports.
She began her professional career at Iman Cosmetics, where she worked in accounting.
She later moved into more senior positions involving account management, revenue, and demand planning.
Reports say she spent more than a decade with the company.
Working at Iman Cosmetics gave her experience in finance, planning, and business operations.
Her Business Career
After Iman Cosmetics, Zulekha reportedly worked for Jay Manuel Beauty in roles related to project management, brand analysis, and business analysis.
She has also been linked to Taymark Inc. and Portu Sunberg, where she worked in areas such as sourcing and inventory analysis.
Older reports also connect her with McShares, Inc. and Koch Industries.
Her exact employer in 2026 is not publicly confirmed.
Overall, her career has included work in accounting, business analysis, demand planning, inventory, procurement, and customer relations.
Her Weight Loss
Zulekha Haywood has publicly discussed struggling with her weight from childhood.
In a personal article for Glamour, she said she had been on diets from around the age of eight.
At her heaviest, she weighed about 330 pounds.
Her weight began affecting her health. She experienced heel spurs, swollen knees, and pain that made everyday movement difficult.
Being the daughter of a supermodel also affected how she thought about her body. She openly discussed the pressure she felt while growing up.
Gastric Bypass Surgery
Around her 28th birthday, Zulekha decided to have gastric bypass surgery.
Some online biographies incorrectly describe the procedure as gastric band surgery. Zulekha herself identified it as gastric bypass surgery in her Glamour article.
She lost a large amount of weight after the operation.
Her own account is the strongest source for this part of her life.
Zulekha Haywood’s Husband
Zulekha Haywood keeps her relationships away from public attention.
Several sources report that she married her longtime partner, Jason Young, in 2016. Their wedding was reportedly a private event attended by family and close friends.
There is limited mainstream reporting about their marriage, so details about their relationship remain private.
Her Daughter
Zulekha has one daughter.
She is commonly identified as Lavinia Rose Young and was reportedly born in 2017.
Zulekha has shared little public information about her daughter and appears to keep her family life private.
Zulekha Haywood’s Siblings
Zulekha Haywood is the only child Iman and Spencer Haywood had together, but she has several half-siblings.
Through her father, she has three known half-sisters: Courtney Nikkiah Haywood, Shaakira Haywood, and Isis Chanel Haywood.
Through her mother, she has a half-sister named Alexandria Zahra Jones, also known as Lexi Jones.
Alexandria is the daughter of Iman and musician David Bowie.
Is Duncan Jones Her Brother?
Filmmaker Duncan Jones is also part of Zulekha’s extended family.
Duncan is David Bowie’s son from his previous marriage to Angela Bowie.
This means Duncan is Zulekha’s stepbrother, not her biological half-brother.
Some online biographies incorrectly list him as her half-brother.
Her Connection to David Bowie
Iman married British musician David Bowie in 1992.
Bowie therefore became Zulekha’s stepfather.
Iman and Bowie had one daughter together, Alexandria Zahra Jones, in 2000. The couple remained married until Bowie’s death in 2016.
Public Appearances
Zulekha has generally stayed away from celebrity life.
Besides appearing on ESSENCE covers as a child, she has occasionally attended public events with her mother.
In 2011, she attended the BET Honors at the Warner Theatre in Washington, D.C., with Iman.
She has otherwise kept a much lower public profile than her parents.
Social Media
Zulekha Haywood does not appear to maintain a major verified public social media presence.
Some biography websites have linked accounts to her, but their official status is unclear.
She appears to use her public presence mainly for professional purposes rather than celebrity attention.
What Is Zulekha Haywood Doing Today?
Zulekha Haywood continues to be known mainly for her career in business.
Older reports have linked her with companies in Kansas, including McShares and Koch Industries. However, her exact job and employer in 2026 are not reliably confirmed.
She continues to keep her personal and professional life largely private.
Zulekha Haywood’s Net Worth
Zulekha Haywood’s exact net worth is not publicly known.
Some websites estimate her wealth at around $4 million or more, but these figures have not been supported by reliable financial information.
Her salary, investments, property, and other personal assets have not been publicly disclosed.
Facts About Zulekha Haywood
- She was born on July 5, 1978.
- She is the only child of Iman and Spencer Haywood together.
- She appeared on ESSENCE magazine covers as a young child.
- Her parents divorced in 1987.
- She attended Michigan State University.
- She chose a business career rather than modeling or basketball.
- She worked for Iman Cosmetics for many years.
- Her career has included accounting, planning, business analysis, and procurement.
- She publicly discussed her lifelong struggle with weight in Glamour.
- She once weighed about 330 pounds.
- She underwent gastric bypass surgery around age 28.
- She reportedly married Jason Young in 2016.
- She has one daughter, commonly identified as Lavinia Rose Young.
- Alexandria Zahra Jones is her maternal half-sister.
- David Bowie was her stepfather.
- Duncan Jones is her stepbrother
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