Image courtesy of Tony Gebrehiwot. Text by Nicole Keen.

Dwayne Morgan is rarely at a loss for words. The Pickering-based writer, motivational speaker and Order of Ontario appointee started honing his craft back in 1993, when he was in high school. Since then, Morgan has earned accolades for writing and performing his own work, as well as for organizing events such as When Sisters Speak, an annual spoken-word showcase featuring Black women artists.

What’s your favourite poem to perform? It’s always changing, but right now it’s “Fairy Tales,” which is also a children’s book that I created. It’s the only poem of mine that my daughter has memorized, so when we’re together, we perform it as a duet.

Speaking of daughters, what’s the best thing about being a father? There’s just so much to learn. And I have to accept that I don’t have all the answers because I’ve never been a girl. Being able to understand the world through her lens has been great for me.

Do you have a favourite poet? Maya Angelou. I was lucky enough to see her the last time she came to perform in Toronto. She really embodied the power of words, the power of storytelling.

What venue do you love to perform in? In Toronto, Lula Lounge. They’ve always welcomed me and poetry into their space. The sound is always on point and the food is great.

What’s the most rewarding part of organizing events like When Sisters Speak? The most rewarding thing is when people reflect back to me what it meant to them, what they got from the event, because there are so few events like it. I love creating this space for other artists to perform.

You’ve travelled extensively throughout your career. Where do you feel most inspired? It might be a tie between South Africa and Jamaica, where my family is from. I’ve been to South Africa twice. Learning the history and experiencing the vibrance of the people was very inspiring. And in Jamaica, it’s hard to be there and not be inspired—the people try to enjoy everything. If there’s a hurricane, they’re going to make a song about it. They’re going to make a dance about it. I think that’s such an inspiring way to live.