Dwayne Morgan

"Everyday Excellence is inspirational in nature, and looks at my life, how I think and how we can keep humanity at the core of our decisions."

Q. Thanks for interviewing with us.

Tell everyone who you are and what you do?

A. It is my pleasure. My name is

Dwayne Morgan, and I am a spoken word artist. I use my ability to tell stories to bring a human touch and new perspective to a lot of complex issues that we deal with as people. I produce events, I do photography, and I parent an amazing 14-year-old daughter.

Q. Who motivated you to be the man you are today?

A. My greatest motivation would have to be my grandparents, who were immigrants with nothing, but they gave everything to

those around them. From my grandparents, I learned to serve, and much of my career has been spent serving others and speaking up for those who may not have the same opportunities that I have to reach people with their words and actions.

Q. How was your experience being a national poetry slam champion?

A. There’s a lot of work that goes in to preparing for the competition.

You really have to figure out what the best stories are that you have to tell and dig deep to write them in the most engaging way possible. Winning the title is a great affirmation, but I never put too much weight on the winning and losing, because being able to reach and connect with people is far more valuable of a victory for me.

Q. How was your experience performing for Barack Obama?

A. It was so exciting to get the opportunity to share the same stage as the former President.

We put hours in to writing and rehearsing, and we were so ready for the moment. Being on stage in front of that many people was absolutely exhilarating, but maybe slightly less exciting than getting a few moments to meet with him personally.

Q. Where do you see yourself in the next five years?

A. I used to do a lot of performing internationally and gave that up cold turkey once my daughter was born. Now that I have a teen on my hands, and technology allows us to be in constant contact, I would love to get back to traveling and sharing with people. There’s so much that

I have learned about people and the world from sharing and listening, so in five years, I see bigger stages, new places, and a host of new stories to tell.

Q. What is your most memorable achievement or accomplishment you have received?

A. I don’t think anything really compares to being inducted into the Walk of Fame in my hometown of Scarborough, which boasts the likes of The

Weekend, Mike Myers,

The Barenaked Ladies, and so many more.

To see the impact of my work celebrated in that way is still surreal.

My daughter knows exactly where the star is and shows it off to her friends. The star and induction serve as public recognition that will outlive me and be a part of my legacy.

Q. Tell us about some of your books and the motivation behind them?

A. In the first part of my career, most of my books were just collections of poems with no themes, but over the last few years, I’ve started putting themed collections together. Everyday Excellence is inspirational in nature, and looks at my life, how I think, and how we can keep humanity at the core of our decisions. No

Apologies was a collection of poems, primarily about race, all written during the Obama administration. Period & Other Lessons from My Daughter is my most recent collection, which looks at gender and socialization issues, which will be followed by my next book, All That Remains, which is a collection of poems written in, and inspired by, the events of 2020.

Q. As a male leader what has been the most significant barrier in your career?

A. I think that my most significant barriers have been trying to do something, and not fully knowing what it was, but learning how to be open to personal growth and evolution and tied to that would be developing the confidence in myself necessary to perform and achieve at a high level. Many don’t know that I’m an extreme introvert who would never have chosen to do something that put me center stage in front of people, but I have now developed the confidence that allows me to stand in my purpose.

Q. Are you working on any new events or upcoming projects?

A. I have a number of projects in the works. I mentioned the new collection coming out this year, All That Remains, I have a couple of albums done and ready to be released, I’m about to start working on a documentary exploring my journey over the last three decades, plus a number of other ideas that are in the early stages of their conception.

Q. Where can the readers follow you?

A. I try to stay active on social media, as I find it a great way to connect directly with the people who support me and the work that I do.

On Twitter and Instagram, I’m at @dwayne_morgan or I can always be reached through www.dwaynemorgan.ca