Living in a war zone during his childhood until he left Iraq, Ali Kadhum was saddened by the lack of smiles on peoples’ faces. Since he arrived in the United States, Ali has worked hard to create hope and a future for refugees and immigrants, who have lost a lot in life. He empowers individuals through counseling and organizing different activities to celebrate their diversity in their new home.nnAli received his Masters in Social Work from the University at Buffalo. He serves as the president of the Buffalo Immigrants and Refugee Empowerment Coalition, and organizes its annual World Refugee Day events. He is also a Supervisory Care Manager for BestSelf Behavioral Health, which provides mental health counseling services to the local community. He lives in Buffalo, New York with his family.