Welcome to the 7th episode of my legacy project, Urban Lifestyle Report Podcast and I'm your host Carolyn Morris-Walker. I am ecstatic to have Dwayne Morgan, spoken word poet extraordinaire, writer, speaker, connector and Scarborough Walk of Fame Inductee as my guest on this platform that exemplifies BlackNificence & Black Excellence in our community. Dwayne is a two-time Canadian National Poetry Slam Champion and he began his career as a spoken word artist in 1993. In 1994, he founded Up From The Roots entertainment, to promote the positive artistic contributions of African Canadian and urban influenced artists. In 2019, he founded and co-produced the inaugural Toronto Spoken Soul Festival.
Urban Lifestyle Report is a place and space to showcase the many talents of Black and African people who are often invisible, not acknowledged and not celebrated in popular media for their talents, achievements and accomplishments that contributes positively to the community and the world at large.
So, I am delighted when I meet people in my community who are doing amazing and outstanding work in a plethora of areas as educators, creatives, influencers, game changers, entrepreneurs, innovators, artists, founders, investors change makers, who are igniting, building and transforming our community in a variety of ways and in so many arenas. They are engaging in these activities full-time, part-time, as a side hustle and making their passions and visions come to life. I believe the community needs to hear about YOU!
Dwayne has been recognized and received many awards such as the 2018 winner of the Sheri-D Wilson Golden Beret Award for Career Achievement in the Spoken Word. In 2016, he was a finalist for the Premier’s Award for Excellence in the Arts. In 2013, he was inducted in to the Scarborough Walk of Fame and has received both the African Canadian Achievement Award, and the Harry Jerome Award for Excellence in the Arts, just to name a few, plus he is the author of 12 books such as Fairytales (2018), No Apologies (2016), Before I Was Born (2015), Everyday Excellence (2013).
In January 2020 he and two other spoken poets opened for President Barak Obama when the former president spoke at an event organized by the Economic Club of Canada, in partnership with the Global Institute for Conscious Economics. Dwayne has performed for other notable such as the former Governor General of Canada, The Honourable Michaëlle Jean, the late leader of the NDP, Jack Layton, and has shared the stage with many of Canada’s top artists including Russell Peters, Kardinal Offishal, Jully Black, and Nelly Furtado, while opening for international artists Alicia Keys, and recording with Canadian artists, including Drake.
Dwayne’s work ethic has taken him across Canada, the United States, Jamaica, Turkey, Trinidad, Bermuda, Barbados, England, Scotland, Belgium, Budapest, Germany, France, Norway, Ghana, and Holland. His emphasis on quality has driven his success, and has made him a well-respected component of Toronto’s urban music community, as well as the North American, and Global, spoken word scenes.
So tune-in and enjoy the conversation!
Contact/Social Media info:
https://dwaynemorgan.ca/ FB: /theofficialdwaynemorganpage TWITTER/IG: @dwayne_morgan
Fairytales poem performed by Dwayne & his daughter
Shout outs to:
Randell Adjei @randelladjei & Thunderclaw Robinson @thunderclawrobinsong, 41:30
