Alia Graham (she/her) is the founder and President of Head Up, Inc., a Chicago-based organization established to assist racial and ethnic minority men who are looking to reorganize and take charge of their lives, families, and financial status. She also serves as the Director of Programming for Sisters Working It Out (SWIO), a nonprofit created to address the health care disparities in minority communities with regard to breast cancer care and community advocacy.
Before obtaining her current titles, for nearly 15 years, Alia acted as a Program Specialist for the Young Lawyers Division of the American Bar Association (ABA), one of the largest nonprofit organizations in the country. After a triple-negative breast cancer diagnosis, Alia thought it was time to do more meaningful work. Along with her roles at SWIO and Head Up, Inc., Alia serves as an educator for community health workers and has participated in multiple speaking engagements for breast cancer advocacy work.
Alia holds a B.A. in business management and an A.A. in business administration. She has taken classes toward a dual master’s in business management and public health and is a certified grant writer.
Alia has volunteered as a choreographer, project manager, and mentor in community youth services groups such as Chicago Cares, Freedom Hillside Church Youth Ministries, and The Children’s Place, as well as other charitable organizations. As a breast cancer survivor, she has dedicated a large part of her journey to looking for ways to eliminate health care disparities, in addition to aiding in the advancement of racial and ethnic minority men and eradicating the stigma against Chicago’s South and West Sides.
