ABOUT US
BE Relevant, Inc. is a visionary youth-centered organization dedicated to empowering young people from marginalized communities to become active participants and future leaders in the judicial and civic systems. Our mission is to educate, mentor, and inspire a new generation to engage confidently with the structures that shape their lives — not just as observers, but as decision-makers and changemakers.
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We believe that informed, engaged youth create stronger communities. By fostering civic awareness and leadership at an early age, BE Relevant, Inc. helps students unlock their potential to build a more just, equitable, and vibrant society — one where their voices shape the future.
OUR FOUNDER
DAVID ALI
David Damaureon Ali was born, David Smith, September 29, 1961 in Chicago, Illinois to Frank and Anna M. Smith. He grew up in Ida B. Wells housing development; attended Doolittle West and East Elementary Schools and graduated from Wendell Phillips High School in June 1981. While attending Wendell Phillips, David embraced the vast diversity of personalities that existed in Phillips from all the public housing developments that made up the student body. That created a love of community that can still be found in him today.
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After graduating David attended William I. Dawson Skill Center where he received his certificate in Machine Trades and Tool & Die. In 1982, David began working at the Chicago Board of Education in the Bureau of Visual Education Department. He later went on to start a career at the Chicago Transit Authority in 1995. After 24 years of service as a Bus Operator for the Chicago Transit Authority, David retired.
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David married the love of his life, Janet Marie Ali in 1999. Together they raised three sons, Kevin, Damaureon and Te’Jaan.
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In 2003, David founded the “Fore Father’s” Organization with the purpose of helping Fathers be Better Fathers by being a living example for young fathers and young men to see. Mentoring and working with other youth community organizations. Hosting a yearly Father’s Day Picnic in the Ida B. Wells Ellis Park, where families can gather and celebrate Black Fatherhood, providing a fun/food/music in a sharing environment. In 2015, as President David co-founded with Charlaine Cannon, Vice President, “Group 39”. Organized with the purpose of maintaining and cultivating social relationships with current and previous residents of Chicago’s 28 Public Housing Developments (Ida B. Wells Housing; Darrow Homes; Madden Park Homes; Robert Taylor Homes; State Way Gardens, etc.). Our Social Media platforms with 8.3K members, serve as the communication outreach system and glue that keeps Chicago’s largest communities connected, sharing business, social, education, financial, political and everyday life issues. It is a very important part of Chicago’s entertainment, political and black business networking community.
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In February 2020, David joined the Governing Board as Parliamentarian and Advisory Board of the Wendell Phillips High School Centennial Committee, NFP. In March 2020, David helped Supreme Court Justice, P. Scott Neville Jr., secure votes in the black community, primarily the Low-End. Was successful in producing and airing live meet/questions and answering sessions on Social Media and Radio Interviews with the Supreme Court Justice; providing an introduction/presentation to Illinois residents and he won.