Often times, we think that we're in this life alone, without realizing just how connected we are to the people around us, those who came before us, and those who are yet to come. Dwayne Morgan began his career as a performer 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 2014, Morgan received the Renaissance Planet Africa Award for Career Achievement, and was acknowledged by the Ontario Black History Society as a Community Trailblazer, following up on his 2013 Scarborough Walk of Fame Induction. Morgan is a member of the Writers’ Union of Canada, a 2012 National Team Poetry Slam Champion, and four-time runner up. Morgan has received both the African Canadian Achievement Award, and the Harry Jerome Award for Excellence in the Arts, and is the winner of 3 Canadian Urban Music Awards (2001, 2003, 2005). In 2005 he was recognized as Poet of Honour at the Canadian Festival of Spoken Word in Vancouver. In 2008, Morgan’s contribution to the Arts and Canadian society were recognized on the Legacy Black History Month poster. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at.