Over the past 20 plus years Earline “Mekazin” Alexander has been committed to ensuring that residents in the City of Chicago receive equitable services to improve the quality of their lives: be it housing, health services, economic stability, or any type of inclusion that promotes their wellbeing. She holds a master’s degree in human service administration from Spertus Institute. She has worked in government and the non-profit arena serving children, youth, adults, seniors, and services for the developmentally disabled. Her interest has been working with pregnant women to reduce the infant mortality rate among women of color. She is co-founder and Executive Director of BA NIA Inc., which is a grassroots non-profit organization located on the south side of Chicago. The focus of BA NIA is to educate, encourage, and empower, women of color of all ages to advocate and make informed decisions about their reproductive health. In addition to this, she has created a community garden in Englewood EGMK, focusing on food education, artistic expressions, and community events. Mekazin states that “the challenge is making sure you always provide a continuum of service and that you are doing what is necessary to take people to the next level while addressing their critical needs.”