Knowmadic Explained

Ahmed Ali
Birth Date:28 November 1984
Birth Place:Mogadishu, Somalia
Nationality:Somali-Canadian
Known For:Poet Laureate of Edmonton

Ahmed Ali, better known by the pseudonym Knowmadic, is a Somali-Canadian poet, writer, actor, musician, and youth activist.[1]

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.[2] 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.[3] 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.[4]

Career

In 2011, Ali and team Edmonton won the Canadian Festival of Spoken Word championship.[5] 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.[6] In January 2018, Ali hosted the APAP Annual Awards Ceremony, honoring Martin Luther King.[1] He served a two-year term as Edmonton's Poet Laureate, from July 1, 2017, to June 30, 2019, as its seventh Poet Laureate.[7] [8]

Ali sits on community boards including the Edmonton Arts Council where he chairs the equity committee.[9] He also performs speaking engagements at local schools,[10] and has participated in vigils against violence.

Ali is married and has two daughters.[11]

Awards and nominations

Art Residencies

Notes and References

  1. Web site: APAP 2018 Comes To New York January 12th. - Times Square Chronicles. t2conline.com.
  2. Web site: Spoken Word Poet, Ahmed Ali is Africa! - Afrospora. afrospora.com.
  3. Web site: Knowmadic's Immigrant Experience Informs his art and community contributions. February 9, 2017. Vue Weekly.
  4. Web site: Empowering Edmonton Through Spoken Word: A Conversation with @Knowmadic. PassionPassport.com.
  5. Web site: Breath in Poetry Pits Berse Against Verse. avenueedmonton.com.
  6. Web site: Official Election Results (Text View). City of. Edmonton. 28 May 2018. www.edmonton.ca.
  7. Web site: 27 June 2017. Ahmed (Knowmadic) Ali is Edmonton's newest poet laureate.
  8. Web site: Bremness. Rick. June 8, 2019. Edmonton poet Ahmed Ali reaches end of term as poet laureate. 2021-06-26. CBC News.
  9. Web site: Building a Bridge of Understanding. jasminpjoe.com.
  10. Web site: Free webinars aim to help Edmonton schools integrate refugee children. 28 March 2017.
  11. Web site: Edmonton poet laureate ahmed "Knowmadic ali on poetry and life in edmonton over coffee interview. jacanabooks.com.
  12. Web site: Breathing Life into Community. ecfoundation.org.
  13. Web site: Thirty Youth from Alberta and the Global South who are Making a Difference in the World. acgc.ca.
  14. Web site: Cultural Diversity in the Arts Awards. edmontonarts.ca.
  15. Web site: Meet this year's Top 40 Under 40 as chosen by Edmonton's Avenue Magazine. globalnews.ca.
  16. Web site: Edmontonians recognized as human rights heroes. edmontonarts.ca.
  17. Web site: The Young Arts Entrepenuer. fmjf.ca.
  18. Web site: Three African Canadian Youth Selected To Receive Michaëlle Jean Foundation Young Arts Entrepreneur Funding. pridenews.ca.
  19. Web site: Mennonite Centre names first Poet-in-residence. afrospora.com.

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