“Survival” with Zeynab Ali

Zeynab Ali is an author and youth advocate residing in Milwaukee, WI. Zeynab, her parents and two of her siblings were refugees from Dadaab, Kenya and was born in Dagahaley Camp. Her parents are originally from Somalia and were one of the few persecuted people who fled to Kenya for refuge from the horrendous civil war that took place there in 1991. The Ali famly were one of the lucky few to later be given the opportunity to live in the United States. Her parents instilled a deep love of learning and helping others in Zeynab and always reminded her of the importance of staying informed about current events and what is happening around the world.

On December 3rd, 2014, Zeynab was inaugurated as the 9th District representative on the City of Milwaukee Youth Council. As a youth representative she participated in many gun violence prevention summits and conferences along with the Mayor, District Attorney, and other city leaders. Zeynab has won many awards for her work in the community. In 2014, she won the “Unsung Hero Award”, given to individuals making positive change in the community. In October 2015 she won Safe & Sound’s “Youth Leadership” Award and in December 2016 she won the “Young Adult Leader” award from the Interfaith Conference of Greater Milwaukee.