Knowmadic

Ahmed Ali, better known by the pseudonym Knowmadic, is an internationally recognized award-winning Somali-Canadian poet, writer, actor, musician, and youth activist.
Biography.
Knowmadic 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, Knowmadic and his 3 older brothers stayed in boarding schools. Upon graduating, he attended Humber College in Toronto, Ontario for Comedy writing and performance. He was introduced to spoken word in 2009 by Titilope Sonuga who curated a regular poetry night called Rouge Poetry where she invited Knowmadic and others to help her found the Breath in Poetry Collective. He is serving a two-year term as Edmonton's Poet Laureate, from July 1, 2017, to June 30, 2019, as its seventh Poet Laureate.
Knowmadic is married and has two daughters.
Career.
In 2011, Knowmadic and team Edmonton won the Canadian Festival of Spoken Word championship. In 2013, Knowmadic 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, he hosted the APAP Annual Awards Ceremony, honoring Martin Luther King.
Knowmadic sits on community boards like the Edmonton Arts Council where he chairs the equity committee. Amongst youth, he promotes Empathy healthy lifestyles and actively supports the community through collaborative efforts. He has participated in vigils against violence and has also worked in attempting to integrate refugee children. Knowmadic works with the provincial government to make Alberta a more inclusive province.