Poet Laureate · National Champion · Educator
AhmedKnowmadicAli
Poet. Champion. Leader.
Edmonton’s 7th Poet Laureate and 2011 Canadian Festival of Spoken Word Champion, bringing poetry, workshops, residencies, and civic storytelling into classrooms, stages, and community spaces.
What I do
Poetry, performance, and education.
Keynotes
Conference speaking, teacher professional development, and leadership events.
Music
Poetry meets sound through spoken word recordings, collaborations, and releases.
Media & Press
Photos, interviews, press coverage, and booking materials for organizers.
Who is Knowmadic?
From Mogadishu to Poet Laureate.
Ahmed “Knowmadic” Ali is an award-winning spoken word artist, educator, and civic leader. Born in Mogadishu, Somalia, he fled the civil war as a young child, spent time in Italy, and immigrated to Canada in 1992.
The name Knowmadic is a deliberate blend: knowledge and nomadic. The thinker who roams. The refugee who builds. The artist who embeds in institutions to change them from within.
- Canadian Spoken Word Champion, 2011
- Edmonton’s 7th Poet Laureate, 2017-2019
- Law Enforcement Review Board of Alberta
- Edmonton Arts Council Equity Committee Chair
- International performances in Canada, USA, UK, and Sudan
Know More. Roam More.
Knowmadic = knowledge + nomadic.
Knowledge
The farmer gathering wisdom, building roots, and cultivating depth.
Nomadic
The wanderer crossing borders, exploring worlds, and bridging cultures.
The approach
The intellectual who roams. The refugee who roots. The thinker who translates between worlds.
Poet Laureate
Poetry as civic infrastructure.
Ahmed served as Edmonton’s 7th Poet Laureate from 2017 to 2019, bringing spoken word into classrooms, city spaces, public ceremonies, and community conversations.
Watch, listen, experience
Featured work showcase.
Featured performance
Signature spoken word on identity, belonging, Alberta, and civic imagination.
Poetry meets music
Spoken word and music released as Knowmadic: Throwback, With Love, Smoke Detector, I Am Africa, and Somali Flow.
Image library
Performance, workshop, Poet Laureate, and media images for organizers and press teams.
How we work together
Five pathways into the work.
Poetry workshops
Curriculum-aligned programs for Grades K-12 covering identity, metaphor, sensory writing, performance, and critical thinking.
School residencies
Fourteen consecutive days, daily sessions, trust-building, revision, rehearsal, and a culminating poetry cafe or showcase.
Keynotes & performances
From the Pedagogy of Failure to From Refugee to Poet Laureate, Ahmed speaks and performs for conferences, festivals, assemblies, and galas.
Consulting & advisory
Curriculum development, equity policy, arts strategy, board governance, and youth empowerment program design.
Organizational residencies
Flexible creative programs for non-profits, corporations, and community organizations focused on communication, culture, and storytelling.
Recognized excellence
Verified awards, national championship, civic leadership, and international reach.
2011 Canadian Spoken Word Champion
2013 Cultural Diversity in the Arts Award; Langston Hughes Institute artist-in-residence
2014-2015 Alberta Top 30 Under 30, Young Arts Entrepreneur Award, Northlands Emerging Artist Award, UK Tour, African Voices Festival
2017 Edmonton Top 40 Under 40; appointed Edmonton’s 7th Poet Laureate
2018 Human Rights Champion Award; featured artist at Toronto International Festival of Authors
2023 Outstanding Black Men in Canada, SHIFTER Magazine
In the media
Press, festivals, and institutional recognition.
Where Knowmadic works
Based in Edmonton. Available across Canada and beyond.
Local and regional
Edmonton, Calgary, Alberta schools, festivals, organizations, and public institutions.
National
Available for programs across Canada including BC, Ontario, Quebec, and the Maritimes.
International
Past work includes the United States, United Kingdom, Sudan, and major Canadian festivals.
Resources
Free resources for educators and artists.
Educator resources
Lesson plans, workshop guides, assessment rubrics, and curriculum alignment documents.
Performance resources
Technique guides, video library, gallery materials, and media references.
Frameworks
Pedagogy, equity, empowerment, and poetry-as-critical-thinking resources for schools and organizations.
Ready to work together?
Book Knowmadic for your next project.
Whether you need a keynote speaker, workshop facilitator, school residency, performance, or consulting, let’s create something meaningful.
ahmed@ahmedali.ca · Response: 24-48 hours