Portland City Councilor Pious Ali has been elected to serve on the National League of Cities (NLC) 2020 Race, Equity and Leadership (REAL) Council.
The 2020 REAL Council leadership team consists of co-chairs Lovely Warren, mayor, Rochester, NY, and Kate Stewart, mayor, Takoma Park, MD and co-vice chairs Jake Spano, mayor, St. Louis Park, MN and Victoria Woodards, mayor, Tacoma, WA.
As a member of the Council, Ali will play a key role in identifying common trends across municipalities, and help develop policy options and responses for cities, towns and villages.
“I am very grateful for the opportunity to represent Portland on this Council,” said Councilor Pious Ali. “I look forward to the sharing of ideas and learning some of the successful best practices used by other cities to eliminate racial disparities, advance racial equity and build an equitable thriving community, where everyone feels they are welcomed and belong to our city.”
An immigrant from Ghana, Councilor Ali was the first African-born Muslim American to be elected to public office in Maine, becoming a member of the city’s elected Board of Public Education in 2013. He is currently serving his second term as Portland City Councilor At-large.
Photo | Tom Bell
