Oral history interview with Nazima Ali, 2015

Biographical Note

Nazima (Cindy) Ali was born in San Fenando, Trinidad and Tobago in 1972, the youngest of nine children. She met her husband at a vocational training program, and they were married in 1992. Once they were married, her husband became abusive. Her oldest son was born when she was twenty-three. In 2000, she joined her husband in New York City before returning to Trinidad. Her second son was born in 2001. In 2002, she returned to Brooklyn and remained there. She worked as a daycare provider for children. Her daughter as born in 2008. Domestic violence from her husband continued, and he remained abusive and domineering even after they divorced. She was connected with a domestic violence advocate via a friend, and came into contact with Administration for Children's Services, who recognized that she was being abused. She left home for a Tier 1 shelter in Harlem to evade her ex-husband. After living in two shelters, she was connected with an apartment through public assistance in 2011. That same year, she graduated from the first class of Living Well, a life skills empowerment program for survivors of domestic violence run by the Interfaith Assembly on Homelessness and Housing. She has also participated in a speakers' bureau to help others leave situations with domestic violence.

Scope and Contents

In this two-session interview, Nazima (Cindy) Ali describes her life story, experiences with domestic violence, and the social and housing services that helped her break this cycle. In the first session, conducted by Shelia Gilliam, Ali describes her youth in Trinidad and Tobago, her parents and siblings, and the personalities of her children. She discusses meeting her husband, their marriage against her family's wishes, the surprising start of his abuse, and their life in Trinidad. She describes joining him in the United States, initial impressions of New York City, life in Queens and Brooklyn, and her work as a daycare provider. The largest part of the session is devoted to the story of her marriage: cycles of violence by her husband, infidelity and divorce, engagement with the law, involvement of the Administration for Children's Services (ACS), complications of immigration status, custody suit, and legal aid. She also details the story of entering a shelter for victims of domestic violence and receiving aid in locating a safe apartment for her family. The second session, conducted by Susan Greenfield, revisits aspects of the first session, but also includes more description of Living Well Program of Interfaith Assembly on Homelessness and Housing, experiences with a speakers' bureau, other social service programs, extended memories of Trinidad, Ali's thoughts on Islam and Christianity, and analysis of her family's dynamics

Subjects

• Ali, Nazima, 1972---Interviews.
• Family violence.
• Gilliam, Shelia, interviewer.
• Greenfield, Susan C., interviewer.
• Homeless persons--New York (State)--New York.
• Interfaith Assembly on Homelessness and Housing.
• Interviews.
• Oral histories (literary works)
• Shelters for the homeless--New York (State)--New York.
• Trinidad and Tobago.
• Victims of family violence--Services for--New York (State)--New York.
• West Indian Americans--New York (State)--New York.
• Women's shelters.

Access Conditions

Copyright by Nazima Ali. The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York hold a non-exclusive license to enable library activities