Getting to Know Mohammad Ali

In 2004, I made what I consider one of my best decisions—moving from Calgary to Edmonton. (Sorry, Calgary!) What I didn't expect was how one innocent question at a community meeting would change the trajectory of my life.

My kids were playing community soccer, so I joined the Duggan Community League. In August 2005, I attended my first Annual General Meeting and naively asked a financial question. Not only did I get a satisfying answer, but afterward, the board asked to meet with me. Twenty-one years later, I'm proud to say I served as both Vice President and President of that same community league.

Even though I moved to Windermere in 2021, I'm still the Duggan Mothers' Day Soccer Tournament Director. Some connections run too deep to break, and that tournament has become a celebration of community that brings families together every year.

Through all those years of volunteerism, I've been incredibly fortunate to get to know so many wonderful families—the Plouffes, Greenways, Clove­chuks, Elliots, Abbas family, Seckers, Khalils, Grewals, Kumars, Chans, Blacks, Katzels, Krings, Bowins, Misciks, Molstads, Singhs, Lius, and so many more. Our home has truly become a social hub within this beautiful Canadian mosaic, and I couldn't be more grateful.

When I'm not organizing community events, you'll find me out on the trails with horses, exploring Edmonton's waterways by canoe, or working in our garden. There's something grounding about these activities that helps me stay connected to what really matters.

Our house is pretty lively with three pets who each have their own personalities—from Gregy our African Grey parrot who definitely has opinions about city council meetings, to Momo who's the best neighborhood walking companion you could ask for.

Being fluent in Urdu (اردو), Punjabi (ਪੰਜਾਬੀ), and Hindi (हिंدी) means I can have meaningful conversations with neighbors from different backgrounds and truly understand their perspectives. It's this diversity of voices and experiences that makes Edmonton such a special place to call home.