Hawa Ali, also known as Eve, is a dedicated community organizer focused on housing and social justice. Born in Djibouti, she speaks French, Somali, English, and Arabic. After immigrating to Maine, she canvassed for grassroots campaigns, worked as a paralegal, and provided direct support for adults with intellectual disabilities and behavioral health challenges.

Now an initiative director for the Lewiston-Auburn Working Community Challenge, Eve is also a licensed real estate agent embarking on a new venture: providing affordable housing.

With a loan from Genesis, Eve purchased and began improving eight units of affordable housing in a residential neighborhood in Lewiston near her own home. Her project preserves rental assistance for households with incomes that are among the lowest in Maine, offering families secure housing in a community where she’s connected.