Maryum Ali dribbled a basketball to one of two nets and made three shots in a row after cutting a silver ribbon to rededicate the Muhammad Ali Athletic Center, named for her famous father, at the Islamic Foundation School in Villa Park on Tuesday.
Maryum Ali was at the school during a week of events to honor Malcolm X as part of Black History Month but also in celebration of the Islamic Foundation Mosque’s 50th anniversary.
As part of the anniversary, the school rededicated its athletic center to Muhammad Ali, the professional boxer and activist, and his eldest daughter was invited to talk to students about her children’s book “I Shook Up The World,” an illustrated story detailing her father’s life, success and perseverance.
“I wrote this book because my father was also an inspiration to me,” she said Tuesday. Boxer Fres Oquendo was also in attendance at a ceremony Tuesday.
The school was started on the Islamic Foundation campus, which is also home to the mosque, a community center, a bookstore and more. The school serves over 500 students from pre-kindergarten to high school.
Maryum Ali, a social worker who spent about 15 years working with at-risk youth in southern Los Angeles, said a big part of her job was teaching children how to control their anger, a trait she said her father learned early in life and a lesson she said is reflected in her book.
“Being able to control that anger no matter what happens and doing something with his life, doing something productive, working it out the way you need to, it was very important to him,” she said. “Taking hardships and saying, ‘This is bad now, but it’s going to get better,’ and having patience and faith in God’s plan.”
Maryum Ali, who was born in Chicago and now lives in the south suburbs, told the story of when her father was about 12 years old and his new bike was stolen. She said for him “it was the worst thing” at the time. When trying to file a police report, he met an officer who was also a boxing coach and who helped Ali use the sport as a way to channel his emotions. “And that’s how he got on the path to boxing and eventually became Muhammad Ali,” she said.
His path to becoming a champion wasn’t without hurdles, Maryum Ali said. Her father was surrounded by people who doubted his abilities because of his size, and he decided to work harder and “be the last person in the gym” every night.
“You have abilities that you don’t even know you have yet, and you’re not going to get them unless you stay in the game,” she told the students. “You have to keep doing what you want to do and learn how to do it.”
Ali Abuhlaleh, the school’s athletic director, said the way Maryum Ali presents her father’s story is “so unique and very influential.” He said it was important to him to honor Muhammad Ali’s name in the school not just as a legendary boxer but also as a Muslim leader.
“Our Muslim students now have a role model to follow,” Abuhlaleh said. “Muhammad Ali’s story is motivating them to see their future. … I feel the power of his story through his daughter’s words.”
Abuhlaleh said he was influenced by Muhammad Ali as a young athlete and a fan.
“All the people who have been successful, they have someone to look up to and follow in their steps,” Abuhlaleh said. “I’m positive that changing our facility’s name is going to impact our students and even probably inspire a love for boxing.”
