| Ahmed Ali | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | (1984-11-28) November 28, 1984 (age 40) Mogadishu, Somalia |
| Nationality | Somali-Canadian |
| Occupations |
|
| Known for | Poet Laureate of Edmonton |
| Website | www |
Ahmed Ali, better known by the pseudonym Knowmadic, is a Somali-Canadian poet, writer, actor, musician, and youth activist.
Early life
Ali was born November 28, 1984, in Mogadishu, to a nomadic father and a mother whose family were farmers. His name is a portmanteau of knowledge and nomadic. His family immigrated first to Italy in 1989, then to Canada. While in Italy, Ali and his 3 older brothers stayed in boarding schools. Upon graduating, he attended Humber College in Toronto, Ontario for Comedy writing and performance. Ali was introduced to spoken word in 2009 by Titilope Sonuga, who curated a regular poetry night called Rouge Poetry; She invited Ali and others to help her found the Breath in Poetry Collective.
Career
In 2011, Ali and team Edmonton won the Canadian Festival of Spoken Word championship. In 2013, Ali received an opportunity to be Artist in residence at the Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center in Seattle, Washington, initiating his career as a full-time artist. In 2017, he was runner-up for public school board trustee in Ward A in Edmonton. In January 2018, Ali hosted the APAP Annual Awards Ceremony, honoring Martin Luther King. He served a two-year term as Edmonton's Poet Laureate, from July 1, 2017, to June 30, 2019, as its seventh Poet Laureate.
Ali sits on community boards including the Edmonton Arts Council where he chairs the equity committee. He also performs speaking engagements at local schools, and has participated in vigils against violence.
Ali is married and has two daughters.
Awards and nominations
- Edmonton Artists’ Trust Fund Award
- Top 30 Under 30
- Cultural Diversity in the Arts Awards
- Canadian Champion of Spoken word
- Top 40 Under 40
- Human Rights Champions Award
- Michaëlle Jean Young Arts Entrepreneur Award
Art Residencies
- Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center
- Edmonton Mennonite Centre for Newcomers.
References
- ^ "APAP 2018 Comes To New York January 12th. - Times Square Chronicles". t2conline.com. January 3, 2018.
- ^ "Spoken Word Poet, Ahmed Ali is Africa! - Afrospora". afrospora.com.
- "Knowmadic's Immigrant Experience Informs his art and community contributions". Vue Weekly. February 9, 2017.
- "Empowering Edmonton Through Spoken Word: A Conversation with @Knowmadic". PassionPassport.com.
- ^ "Breath in Poetry Pits Berse Against Verse". avenueedmonton.com. April 8, 2012.
- Edmonton, City of (May 28, 2018). "Official Election Results (Text View)". www.edmonton.ca.
- "Ahmed (Knowmadic) Ali is Edmonton's newest poet laureate". June 27, 2017.
- Bremness, Rick (June 8, 2019). "Edmonton poet Ahmed Ali reaches end of term as poet laureate". CBC News. Retrieved June 26, 2021.
- "Building a Bridge of Understanding". jasminpjoe.com.
- "Free webinars aim to help Edmonton schools integrate refugee children". March 28, 2017.
- "Edmonton poet laureate ahmed "Knowmadic ali on poetry and life in edmonton over coffee interview". jacanabooks.com.
- "Breathing Life into Community". ecfoundation.org. May 27, 2021.
- "Thirty Youth from Alberta and the Global South who are Making a Difference in the World" (PDF). acgc.ca.
- "Cultural Diversity in the Arts Awards". edmontonarts.ca.
- "Meet this year's Top 40 Under 40 as chosen by Edmonton's Avenue Magazine". globalnews.ca.
- "Edmontonians recognized as human rights heroes". edmontonarts.ca.
- "The Young Arts Entrepenuer". fmjf.ca.
- "Three African Canadian Youth Selected To Receive Michaëlle Jean Foundation Young Arts Entrepreneur Funding". pridenews.ca.
- "Mennonite Centre names first Poet-in-residence" (PDF). afrospora.com.
External links
- Official website
- Knowmadic at IMDb
- Knowmadic discography at MusicBrainz
  | This article about a Somali writer or poet is a stub. You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it. |