Throughout this year, we will be highlighting individuals or groups that have impacted our work over the last 50 years.

Ali Maclean

POV Advisory Board Member

Ali Maclean first began working with POV when she produced a comedy show in conjunction with Laughing Liberally, at the Improv called Campaign and Suffering. It was in response to vile and inhumane comments about rape that were made by politicians such as Paul Ryan, Todd Aiken, and Richard Murdoch who were in favor of loosening laws that protected victims of violence.

After that show, Ali began producing the yearly comedy charity event Distressed during Denim Day week, to raise money for POV and awareness around domestic and sexual violence. As a survivor of violence herself, Ali wanted to use her skills as a writer and performer and use laughter and empathy to help others as well as inspire them to stand up to rape culture. "I joined the advisory board because I felt that Peace Over Violence was an important organization that not only aided those who were in the midst of crisis and recovery but helped to prevent potential violence in the future by providing key education and intervention programs."

At the time Ali joined the Advisory Board, She was working as a comedy writer. But since then she has transitioned into playwriting. She describes her work as 'definitely more dramatic, often dealing with trauma and how people navigate through it.' Her plays have won multiple awards, (including the John Gassner Award, the Julie Harris Award) and have been published. Last year she was given the David Sedaris Humor Writing Prize. Her play This Will Be Our Year, which deals with themes of sexual violence and toxic relationships, will be remounted next year in Hollywood.

You can find more about Ali's work at alimaclean.co m