Dwayne Morgan facts for kids

Dwayne Morgan is a talented Canadian spoken word artist, a person who performs poetry, often without music. He is also a motivational speaker and organizes many events. Dwayne lives in Toronto, Ontario.

Dwayne Morgan started his journey as a spoken word artist in 1993. He created a company called Up From The Roots Entertainment in 1994. This company helps to promote the amazing artistic work of African Canadian artists and those influenced by city culture. In 1998, Dwayne received two important awards: the African Canadian Achievement Award for Youth Achievement and the Harry Jerome Award for Excellence in the Arts. He has also published several books of his poetry.

As an event producer, Dwayne has organized over 100 events. Some of his biggest annual events are the spoken word concerts When Brothers Speak and When Sisters Speak, along with the Toronto International Poetry Slam.

When Brothers Speak started in 1999. It is the largest and longest-running show in North America for Black male spoken word artists. This event is a special place to celebrate the voices, stories, talents, and experiences of Black men through poetry. When Sisters Speak began in 2000. It is also the largest and longest-running show in North America for Black female spoken word artists.

Dwayne worked with Driftwood Studios to make a short film called Three Knocks. This ten-minute film is based on his poem about domestic violence. It was first shown at the 2006 Reel World Film Festival in Toronto.

In 2007, Dwayne was part of the Toronto Slam Team, which was put together by Up From The Roots. This team came in second place at the 2007 Canadian Festival of Spoken Word in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Dwayne used to host a monthly spoken word show called Diasporic Music on CKLN-FM. He also wrote an advice column for the free daily newspaper, 24 Hours, in Toronto. He helps lead Spoken Word Canada as a representative for the Toronto area. He is also an active member of the Spoken Word Arts Network (SWAN).

In 2013, Dwayne Morgan was honored by being added to the Scarborough Hall of Fame. In January 2024, he received another big honor when he was appointed to the Order of Ontario. This is one of the highest honors a person can receive in the province of Ontario.

Dwayne also ran for politics. He was a candidate for the New Democratic Party in the Scarborough North area during the 2018 Ontario general election. He finished second in that election.

Awards and Recognition

Dwayne Morgan has received many awards for his work in spoken word and for his contributions to the community.

• African Canadian Achievement Award for Youth Achievement, 1998
• Harry Jerome Award for Excellence in the Arts, 1998
• The Evolution, Canadian Urban Music Award for Best Spoken Word Recording, 2001
• Soul Searching, Canadian Urban Music Award for Best Spoken Word Recording, 2003
• "Mother I Understand" from A Decade in the Making, Canadian Urban Music Award for Best Spoken Word Recording, 2005
• Sheri-D Wilson Golden Beret Award for Career Achievement in the Spoken Word, 2018
• Scarborough Walk of Fame Inductee, 2013

See also

• Slam poetry