ALI is the bold all caps fashionista and local super volunteer who has a lot to teach each of us about developing a more complete sense of agency. Born in Long Beach, Long Island, into a Brooklyn based family with roots in Miami, Vegas, & Cuba, she won an academic scholarship to study education & conceptual art at NYU, getting her MFA and also studying a bit at Parson's School of Design. She was a design director at Limited Express (now known as Express) in its early days, and even started her own fashion company, with an exciting life traveling everywhere from Hong Kong to Milan to the Middle East. After moving to Florida for 4 years ago, Ali has discovered how to live a fulfilling life here, filled with volunteer work in spaces and worlds she cares about, from the Miami Beach Botanical Garden to the Perez Art Museum, to the Adrienne Arsht Center, to the New World Symphony, and even to the local jazz station WDNA. She is an inspiration both to other retirees, and to each one of us who has yet to schedule a weekly time for service in our busy calendars. Open to some help finding a fun and rewarding volunteer opportunity? Text DOWNTOSERVE to our Local Voices (Miami) Volunteer Hotline at (833) 901-0927, to figure out what opportunities might sync with your vibe and schedule. Find out what you love and go serve there. We look forward to hearing from you.