Mustafa Ali-Smith (he/him) is a social justice advocate, organizer, and writer. He is currently an MPA candidate at the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs studying domestic policy and serving as a Social Impact fellow with the New America Political Reform project. In all of Mustafa’s public service work, he centers the praxis of community building, accountability, transformative justice, and the stories of community members in his approach to driving change.

Mustafa previously worked at the Vera Institute of Justice as a Program Associate with the Motion for Justice (MFJ) campaign, pushing elected District Attorneys to end mass incarceration by diverting people from the criminal legal system, addressing racial disparities, and helping them create spaces where they could be more accountable to the communities they serve. In addition to his role at the Vera Institute, Mustafa worked in the Knoxville City Government Office of Community Safety in Knoxville, Tennessee, as a Program Specialist appointed by the Mayor. There, he spearheaded street outreach violence interruption strategies, collaborated on safety innovations across City Departments, and built robust partnerships with local organizations dedicated to enhancing Knoxville’s safety. Through a unique community-centered approach, Mustafa centered community voices in his office’s approach to creating public safety that worked for everyone. Mustafa also previously worked at Juvenile Law Center as a Program Assistant in Philadelphia, PA working towards their mission of harm reduction and the rights of youth within the child welfare and justice systems.

Mustafa received his B.Sc. in Public Administration with a minor in Political Science from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. While at Tennessee, he was initiated into the Mu Rho Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. Mustafa holds an M.A. from the University of Pennsylvania in Liberal Arts with concentrations in Criminal Justice, Education, and Race.

Mustafa’s writing has been featured in The Appeal, Truthout, and Black Youth Project (BYP). In his spare time, you can find him either running/training for a marathon or DJ’ing 60s-80s soul, funk, and house music on vinyl.

Pronouns: Mustafa, He, or Him