Emily Ratajkowski’s mother, Kathleen Balgley, is a university lecturer.
She earned her PhD in Literature from the University of California in San Diego, and has since taught on UCLA Writing Programs; as a tenured Associate Professor of English at California State University; and at two community colleges.
Balgley won a Fulbright scholarship to live and teach American literature in Poland from 1987 to 1988.
She and her husband – artist John David “J. D.” Ratajkowski – have renovated two homes together: one in Sant Joan, Mallorca and another in Bantry, West Cork, Ireland.
John David grew up in Coronado, California and, as an artist, has had over 25 exhibitions in Europe and the US.
What does Emily say about her mother in My Body?
Per The Blast’s appraisal of her new book, My Body is most shocking in its depiction of Emily’s relationship with her mother.
From an early age, Emily Ratajkowski writes, she felt that she was the “glue” that held her parents’ marriage together.
“I knew that my parents had been on again, off again for years before my mother became pregnant with me and they decided to get married. … I understood that even before I was born my existence was the essential glue of their relationship.”
Blessing Iyamadiken loves the art of storytelling and enjoys creating all types of content from news to entertainment. She is also a feminist and very passionate about Gender Equality. In her spare time, she loves to read or binge on Netflix.