Shakir Ali was born at Cooper Hospital in Camden City, a place that would become central to his formative years working in places such as CamConnect, The Camden Data Collaborative, Camden City Public Works, West Jersey and Virtua Hospital in Camden City and the Camden Empowerment Zone. While Shakir does not consider himself extraordinary, he feels deeply fortunate to have been surrounded by family, friends, teachers, and mentors who nurtured his character and values.
At an early age, Shakir’s father introduced him to PBS’s Eyes on the Prize: America’s Civil Rights Movement documentary. Although he didn’t fully grasp its significance at the time, the seeds of social justice were planted. A pivotal moment came when his father shared a personal story: as an enlisted airman, he took leave to attend the historic March on Washington. Despite threats of court-martial from a commanding officer for being AWOL, if arrested, his father went anyway.
Shakir’s father, Najee Ali, an optician at the Pennsylvania College of Optometry, extended his activism by taking trips to impoverished areas in places such as Mexico, Haiti, and Brazil, where he provided eyeglasses to the poor and those in need. Often, he invited friends he made from these trips to stay with his family for a few weeks at a time, fostering cross-cultural conversations that exposed Shakir to the realities of poverty and privilege. His father’s activism and connection to luminaries like Muhammad Ali further instilled values of service and justice. In 1981, his father was honored with the distinguished “Chapel of Four Chaplains – Legion of Honor Award” for his dedication to humanity, regardless of race, creed, or religion.
Shakir’s mother, Deborah Mimms, worked in the Camden City School District for most of her career, embedding the importance of education in her children. Without a driver’s license, she often relied on public transportation, exposing young Shakir and his brothers to the harsh realities of homelessness. Shakir would sometimes remark on the people he saw sleeping atop steaming sewer grates. His mother always took the time to explain what her children were seeing. Inviting them to ask questions and push back against ideas they were taught about the homeless being lazy or addicts, and how but by the grace of God he didn’t end up in that same position. Her teachings about empathy and gratitude resonated deeply when, as a high school student, Shakir helped distribute peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to homeless families in Love Park. In the Park Shakir didn’t encounter what he presumed would be unkept drug addicts but rather families with children, many of whom were younger than him. The experience shattered his preconceptions and solidified his commitment to service.
Shakir Ali has since become a passionate advocate for community service, leadership, and uplifting others. Inspired by the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Shakir’s volunteer work spans critical areas such as fair housing (having had his parent’s loose his childhood home to foreclosure), food insecurity, neighborhood clean-ups, youth mentorship, and music education. He has played key roles in organizing community events, including Pennsauken’s first annual Autism Awareness event, which connected families to vital resources.
As a music educator, Shakir has shaped the lives of countless children across the Delaware Valley, teaching drum corps, marching band, and drumline. His dedication to youth development extends to mentoring at-risk students at Hatch Middle School and having volunteered as a counselor for the last 22 years at Camp Bright Feathers, a summer program for children affected and effected by HIV/AIDS and violence.
Shakir’s commitment to others is deeply personal, exemplified by his decision to donate a kidney to his ailing father in 2007. This act of love and selflessness is a reflection of the values he lives by daily.
Through his enduring efforts to uplift and empower, Shakir Ali continues to inspire those around him, building a way of living grounded in compassion, resilience, and unity.
