Ahmed Ali
Ali speaking at a podium
Born (1984-11-28) November 28, 1984
Mogadishu, Somalia
NationalitySomali-Canadian
Occupations
  • Poet
  • actor
  • musician
  • activist
  • politician
Known forPoet Laureate of Edmonton
Websitewww.ahmedknowmadic.com

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

  • Edmonton Artists’ Trust Fund Award [12]
  • Top 30 Under 30 [13]
  • Cultural Diversity in the Arts Awards [14]
  • Canadian Champion of Spoken word [5]
  • Top 40 Under 40 [15]
  • Human Rights Champions Award[16]
  • Michaëlle Jean Young Arts Entrepreneur Award [17][18]

Art Residencies

References

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


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