Meet Alison Austin
Alison Austin was born and raised in District 5. She learned the importance of honesty, values and leadership from her parents Helen & Alphonso Austin. Alison is the product of Miami-Dade County public schools and Florida’s university system. She attended Charles Drew Elementary, Miami Edison Middle and Senior High School. After post-secondary education, Alison began her career as a host of a weekly community issues television show that aired on WLRN. She went on to work for corporate America with Xerox Corporation and then for USAID in the Caribbean and Latin America, where she developed sustainable socio-economic projects.
She developed FIU’s first ecotourism curriculum. At Audubon of Florida, she developed community outreach programs to educate minorities about individual effects on the environment. That program evolved into a corps of inner-city youth Urban Everglades Outreach Specialists, who trained high school students countywide in South Florida ecology, with emphasis on studying science, attending college and seeking environmental careers.
After years of traveling, Austin settled down in Liberty City where she and her family immersed themselves into neighborhood improvement efforts. Austin and her husband Khary Bruyning organized the Lincoln Heights Neighborhood Improvement Association where she served as the first president. Her daughter Imani, attended and graduated from Miami Northwestern Senior High School and the proud parents were very active in the Parent Teacher Association and the Mighty Marching Bulls Band Parent Association.
Today, Alison Austin continues to serves her community as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the historic Belafonte TACOLCY Center (located at 6161 NW 9th Avenue), in the heart of Liberty City. Alison’s experience working in underdeveloped nations has prepared her to interact effectively with people across all socioeconomic, racial, and cultural divides.
View Bio
Please remember to vote on Tuesday, November 2nd!
City of Miami Commission seats are nonpartisan, and so all voters are encouraged to vote in the November 2nd general election. Need an absentee ballot? We’ll get it to you! Just click here to email us your phone and address.