Name: Aliya Ali
Pronouns: she/her/hers
District: California-Nevada-Hawaii
Hometown: Las Vegas, Nevada
United States
Key Club name: Ed W. Clark High School Key Club
Year in school: Senior
Clubs or activities outside of Key Club: I am the current National Technical Honor Society president-elect. I am in Orchestra Council, and I have been in an orchestra for the past eight years. In the past, I have participated in cross country but stopped due to COVID-19
Why did you join Key Club?: I joined Key Club my sophomore year of high school as part of a deal with my closest friend: She would come to cross country practice with me, and I would come to Key Club meetings with her. After the first meeting of the school year, I fell in love with Key Club because I felt like I belonged.
Past Key Club International leadership experience: Even with my sophomore year being cut off due to COVID-19, I decided to apply to serve as a news editor on my division’s leadership team, with no prior experience. It was one of the best decisions I have made, and I was very lucky to be a part of that team.
I was appointed to serve on the Diversity and Equity Subcommittee later that year as a member representative.
Why did you decide to run for the international board?: While serving on the Diversity and Equity Subcommittee, I saw the way that Key Club functioned and how much work was put in behind the scenes. I found myself wanting to be part of guiding Key Club into a new era of service and progress.
What are you most looking forward to this year?: I am looking forward to returning to in-person service/events and getting to work with Key Club International Council on future projects.
What do you like most about Key Club International?: I love that Key Club International is so inclusive and caring. I really feel at ease when I am with fellow Key Club members because I can be myself.
What is your favorite Key Club memory and why?: I have so many Key Club memories, but my favorite has to be from fall 2019, when I attended my first service event. It was called “4 The Kids,” and it was a Kiwanis golf tournament. After around six hours of being on the golf course, my partners and I returned to the main building where other Key Club members and Kiwanians gathered to eat lunch. All the Key Club members were caring and even extended a helping hand toward the other members present, including me. I think that is when I decided to attend every meeting I could and become more involved with Key Club.
What is your career ambition?: I want to pursue a career in law/politics.
Hobbies outside of Key Club: I love editing pictures and videos, as well as painting and being a plant mom.
Favorite movie or TV show: My favorite movie would be “Tangled” and TV show would be “The Owl House.”
Favorite book: Currently, my favorite book is “Song of Achilles.”
Favorite food or snack: My favorite snack would be papayas.
Favorite animal: I love cats and sheep. They’re so cuddly.
Somewhere you would like to visit in the future: I would love to visit Russia, specifically Moscow.
Do you collect anything?: Crystals and rocks.
What is something people might not know about you?: I am Ethiopian (an East African country).
What is the best advice ever given to you?: When you make a mistake, don’t beat yourself up. Instead, say “That was very human of me.”
What did you want to be when you grew up?: When I was a child, I wanted to become a pediatrician.
