Ahmed Knowmadic Ali
CANADIAN SPOKEN WORD CHAMPION | EDMONTON POET LAUREATE 2017–2019
Reshaping minds, transforming communities through words.
Award-winning spoken word artist, educator, and cultural bridge-builder.
From refugee to Poet Laureate. From classrooms to international stages.
15+
Years
3,000+
Students
4
Countries
200+
Workshops
From Mogadishu to Edmonton City Council
Ahmed “Knowmadic” Ali is an award-winning spoken word artist, educator, and civic leader. Born in Mogadishu, Somalia (1984), he fled the civil war at age five, landed in Italy, then immigrated to Canada in 1992. Edmonton became “the first place I touched ground”—not just physically, but emotionally.
The name “Knowmadic” is a deliberate blend: Knowledge + Nomadic. The thinker who roams. The refugee who builds. The artist who embeds in institutions to change them from within.
How We Work Together
Poetry Workshops
Curriculum-aligned programs for students Grades K–12. Five signature workshops. Single-day visits to multi-day programs.
School Residencies
14-day immersive programs that transform school culture. 297 students, 47.3 hours, Poetry Café culmination at Belvedere Elementary (2025).
Keynote Speaking
Conferences, teacher conventions, corporate events, and festivals. Topics include Pedagogy of Failure, Equity in Action, and Student Voice.