Wali Shah facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Wali Shah
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Shah at the 2019 CFC Annual Gala & Auction
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Wali Shah
September 9, 1994 |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Alma mater | University of Toronto |
| Occupation | Speaker Spoken Word Poet |
| Years active | 2013 – Present |
Wali Shah (born September 9, 1994) is a Canadian speaker, poet, musician, and someone who helps others (a philanthropist). He is well-known for talking about important topics like bullying, mental health, and making positive changes in society. He also writes and performs special spoken word poems for his projects.
In 2014, Plan Canada named him one of Canada's "Top 20 Under 20" young leaders. He was the official Poet Laureate for the city of Mississauga from 2017 to 2019. In 2019, he received an award from Canadian Immigrant Magazine as one of the Top 25 Canadian Immigrants.
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Wali Shah's Early Life
Wali Shah's Muslim parents moved from Pakistan to Canada in 1997 when he was three years old. They first lived in Toronto before settling in Mississauga, Ontario. Wali spent many of his younger years in Toronto. He went to Cawthra Park Secondary School. During his teen years, he faced some challenges. However, with good guidance and his own strong will, he decided to change his path. He chose to focus on helping his community. In June 2018, Wali earned an Honours Bachelor's degree from the University of Toronto's Mississauga campus. He studied Sociology and Political Science.
Wali Shah's Career and Impact
Starting with Music and Poetry
In 2013, Wali Shah released his first project called Rhythm & Poetry. This album included a song called "King of the Castle." This song talked about the serious issue of bullying. The music video for "King of the Castle" was used by the Peel Region District School Board. It gained over 100,000 views on YouTube and was even shown on MTV for WeDay 2014. After this, Wali worked with the Peel Board to create another video. It was about preventing bullying and was titled "Change The World."
Speaking at We Day
On October 2, 2014, Wali Shah was a special guest at the 2014 We Day conference. He appeared alongside actress and musician Selena Gomez. He also performed a freestyle rap with music artist Kendrick Lamar. His music video "King of the Castle" was shown at this event. It later aired on MTV Canada.
Awards and Recognition
In 2015, Wali Shah received the 3M National Student Fellowship. This award is given each year to only 10 student leaders across Canada.
In 2016, Maclean's magazine featured Wali Shah. They described him as one of the "new school of social media influencers." These are people who have learned how to use their popularity online and in real life. That same year, Microsoft asked Wali to create and perform a spoken word poem. He performed it for their World Partner Conference in August 2016. This event took place at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto.
Ambassador for Good Causes
In 2017, Wali became a local ambassador for the World YMCA organization. He also received the YMCA Peace Medal from the Greater Toronto chapter. Other people who have received this award include basketball executive Masai Ujiri and mental health advocate Loizza Aquino.
Later in 2017, Joggo Bags worked with Wali Shah, Loizza Aquino, and Diana Smendra. They launched the JOGGO Purpose Backpack. A part of the money from selling these bags helps the Canadian charity, CARE Canada.
Wali Shah is also an ambassador for other important organizations. These include Crime Stoppers International, Bell Let's Talk, and United Way. He has helped raise over one million dollars for these groups.
Continued Influence
On March 30, 2018, Wali Shah received the District 86 Toastmasters Communication and Leadership award.
In early 2019, Wali joined the board of directors for Peace of Mind Canada. This is a Canadian non-profit organization.
On August 7, 2019, Wali Shah spoke at the Canada's Walk of Fame induction ceremony. This event honored Olympic skating champions Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir.
In 2019, Wali Shah spoke at the annual WE Day Toronto event. This event was hosted by WE Charity (formerly Free The Children) at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. He was later invited to speak at other WE Day events across Canada. These included events in Alberta, Vancouver, and Atlantic Canada (Halifax, Nova Scotia).
