Lap-Band Surgery
Khaliah Ali

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Khaliah Ali

Khaliah Ali has successfully carved out a diverse and well-defined path of her own, but like her father, heavyweight boxing icon and civil rights activist Muhammad Ali, is committed to helping people around the world.

In October 2009, Khaliah and her ten-year-old son Jacob celebrated the 35th anniversary of the historic “Rumble in the Jungle” bout between Ali and George Forman by embarking on a humanitarian visit to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This marked the first time an Ali family member returned to the country where one of sports most historic events took place.

“My father and the Congolese people share a remarkable bond born from an event that empowered a country and supported him as he reclaimed his heavyweight crown. I know that the spirit of the 60,000 people who witnessed the fight live inside his heart to this day,” says Khaliah. “It has been my dream to show my deep affection and gratitude to the Congolese people for the integral part they played in my own family’s history. This trip offered an opportunity to become involved in ongoing relief programs serving the region and to gain a deeper understanding of the progress being made in the western and southern regions and the tragedies that still exist in the east.”

Khaliah and Jacob visited Congo medical facilities as well as several women’s collectives schools created to serve the needs of children orphaned by the country’s ongoing civil wars. They also visited several women’s entrepreneurial schools, in particular a fashion trade organization that teaches women skills so they may become self-sufficient.

In addition to Khaliah’s humanitarian work, she met and spoke with many local Congolese citizens, addressing students at The University of Lubumbashi and Kinshasa, where she became more aware of the diverse needs of the Congolese people. Khaliah and Jacob laid the first stones that are to be the foundation of the Georges Malaika School for Girls in Kalebuka, Katanga. Khaliah was also committed to supporting the ongoing efforts of UNICEF and traveled to more remote areas of the country under their auspices. International fashion model and humanitarian NoellaCoursarisMusunka, native Congolese and founder of the Georges Malaika Foundation hosted the trip.

An author, entrepreneur, TV personality, social activist, motivational speaker and former Ford model, Khaliah’s talent as a passionate communicator is limitless. In Fall 2007, she shared her lifelong struggle and triumph to control and maintain a healthy body weight in her enormously successful book, FIGHTING WEIGHT (HarperCollins). This supremely personal work detailed her decision to choose gastric lap band surgery as a way to put an end to a lifelong battle with weight. Khaliah is committed to helping young women everywhere develop and nurture positive self-image and self-esteem. An in-demand motivational speaker on weight issues, Khaliah, for the past three years has shared this message globally. Nationally, Khaliah is a spokesperson for Allergen Pharmaceutical’s “Moment of Truth Campaign”, an initiative that identifies ways to address the continuing national obesity problem.

For the past two decades, Khaliah has also worked on a number of television programs whose subjects range from sports, fashion, children’s rights, to young adult issues. She has reported for ESPN’s “Cold Pizza” and was host of the weekly BET roundtable show “Teen Summit,” which taught teenagers how to cope with life and peer pressure. She was also nominated for an Emmy Award for hosting “Education is Paramount,” a Philadelphia based public affairs weekly broadcast. Khaliah has served as Associate Communications Director for the “Say No To Drugs – Yes To Education Campaign” national outreach campaign. She worked as Public Relations Consultant for “Big Brothers/Big Sisters.” Additionally, Khaliah was the international on-air spokesperson for “Youth at Risk, Inc. Other affiliations include being Advisory Council Chairperson for the Salvation Army’s “Soup’s On Project.” Advisory Board Member and Spokesperson for “Help,USA .” Chairwoman for “Friends of The Statue of Liberty Foundation.” Director of Development for the “Urban Retrievers Program.”Youth Entertainment Consultant for “Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric Aids Foundation,” and Senior Staff Member with the “Job Core Program, Inc.”

Although Khaliah have received many honors and awards throughout the years for her philanthropic endeavors, she is most proud of the work she has done with children, obesity, and wildlife conservation. In May 2006, the U.S. Department of Justice held its 23rd annual commemoration of National Missing Children’s Day on May 25, 2006, at the Department’s Hall of Justice in Washington, DC. The theme of that year’s observance was “Bringing Our Missing Children Home Safely.” Khaliah was given the National NCMEC Volunteer of the Year award by Ernie Allen, President of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), for her dedication, commitment, and work at the NCMEC. In October 2009, the first HOPE (Harris Obesity Prevention Effort) dinner was held to raise awareness and support for the prevention and treatment of childhood obesity. Khaliah received the first NYU School of Medicine Hope Award at a dinner held in her honor where over $650, 00 was raised for research of childhood obesity. In November 2008, she became U.S. Ambassador for Steve Irwin’s “Wildlife Warriors” traveling to the Australia Zoo with her son Jacob, to bring awareness to wildlife conservation. Khaliah lives in the mainline area of Philadelphia.

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