February and Beyond: Moving the Work

This year, as Ontario’s Poet Laureate, February asked me something deeper. How are you moving the work when no one is watching? This question has followed me everywhere. P.E.A.C.E. People Everywhere Actually Coexisting Equally has been doing this work for 15 years. Not as a slogan, but as a practice. Through education, empowerment and community connection we leave footprints everywhere we go. The work is done through workshops, assemblies, trainings and keynotes—yes. However it’s also hallway conversations, eye contact, silence held with care and a person realizing their story matters.

This month, my footsteps trace a living map. Starting early in the morning on February 2 as part of my annual free program give away, arriving at Holy Rosary while the day is still stretching awake. Then off to the afternoon energy at JM Deynes—two different rooms, the same intention, plant something that lasts and kickoff the month strong. I head to St. Bernard of Clairvaux on February 3 then to a couple correctional institutions on February 5 and 6 where poetry becomes less about performance and more about survival. These are the moments that remind me that Black history lives in bodies. It lives in choices. It lives in whether or not we choose to see one another fully.

When I stand at Bishop Allen on February 11, I’ll be offering two assemblies back-to-back, where I’ll keep the energy high and consistent. On February 12 at Queen’s Park, Black History Month carries formality, P.E.A.C.E. teaches us that legacy isn’t what you say once; it’s what you practice daily. So like we say in Hip Hop, Keep It Moving to the K.I.M.!

The journey continues with Wilclay Public School February 13 with three artists brining our styles together. I’ll be at the Jonathan Davies Youth Hub in Malton February 17 for an after school poetry writing workshop, where participants can share their own voice. After that I’ll get a small break from the driving as I do a Halton event virtually February 18, proof that connection doesn’t require a shared room, just shared intention. Next stops are St. Margaret of Scotland February 19 in Mississauga and Ogden Junior PS February 20 in Toronto.

By the time I reach St. Monica February 23 in Brampton, it will be my 44th birthday and I can’t think of better way to celebrate than being with a school to bring them my contagious energy. Then I’ll be with Sts. Peter and Paul February 24 as the month starts to close. This year I’m thinking deeply about footprints. About what we leave behind when we exit a room.

February 25 carries me from St. Francis De Sales in the morning to John Dryden in Whitby by noon—different cities, but the work stays the same. February 26, beatbox and poetry meet at Joseph A. Gibson Public School. We’ll be teaching what textbooks can’t as we have some students participate in the show with us! On February 28, at the Mississauga SDA Church, February doesn’t end—it exhales.

Footprints: It’s All About the Journey. Exploring Black excellence. Honouring resistance. Making room for joy. Reflecting on legacy, not as something we inherit, but something we actively build through everyday actions. This is why the conversation cannot live only in February. No not just in February, but for every day that comes after.

Black history doesn’t clock out, so let us keep the fire burning.

Sincerely,

Matthew-Ray Jones

Ontario’s Poet Laureate

Year One: Poetry, Power & Community Across Ontario

My first year as Ontario’s Poet Laureate has been nothing short of transformative. From classrooms to stages, library halls to festivals, intimate readings to city-wide celebrations, 2024–2025 has been a season of movement, language, and community. I’ve travelled across the province sharing poetry, building connections, and witnessing the powerful ways people show up for art, culture, and each other.

Looking back at the highlights of this first year, I’m filled with profound gratitude. I’m proud to know my name is written in history and I’m excited to continue this great work.

Queens Park – November 26, 2024

A milestone I’ll hold close for the rest of my life. Standing in Queen’s Park with my family, representing my passion for words, art, Hip Hop, and the communities that raised me, affirmed the purpose behind this work.

Speaking at Western University to celebrate the launch of its newly founded Black Studies Major was epic beyond words.

What an accomplishment for the school, for the community, and for the generations who have been pushing for this recognition. I’m blown away by the historical events I got to be a part of in my first year.

Things got beautifully surreal when Dwayne Morgan for “When Brothers Speak” put our faces on a billboard at Sankofa Square. Never in my life did I think I would experience all of these things.

Each gathering reminded me that poetry is still very much a living, breathing force. Talking about spoken word, purpose, healing, and community through these platforms helped expand the dialogue far beyond the stage. I’m grateful for the articles written about my work and this journey. This year brought deep and meaningful conversations that will live on through time.

If this first year has taught me anything, it’s that language whether spoken, written, or performed has the ability to shift a room, a person and a community. Every event, every occasion, every long drive across Ontario reaffirmed the truth I carry with me everywhere:

Everything is created in language. What we say shapes the world, you are what you say you are!

Thank you to everyone who opened their doors, shared their stories, invited me into their spaces, and reminded me that words are powerful because we the people are powerful.

With tremendous gratitude and love,

Matthew-Ray Jones

Ontario’s Poet Laureate

A Night to Remember: My First Major Event as Ontario’s Poet Laureate

On September 27, 2025 something powerful happened. I had the deep honour

of hosting my first major event as Poet Laureate of Ontario at the Living Arts

Centre in Mississauga, ON. The event was called: A Celebration of Hip Hop and

Poetry – Words. Power. Sound. This gathering wasn’t just a show it was a

movement, a living, breathing celebration of culture, community, and the

transformative power of language and rhythm.

From the very beginning, my vision for this event was clear: bring together a

lineup of artists I love, admire and respect! Voices that have shaped our cultural

landscape, pushed creative boundaries, and uplifted the communities around

them. What happened that night was more than I could have ever imagined.

We laughed. We cheered. We shouted and clapped. We listened. We felt deeply.

Most importantly, We shared space. There was something sacred about the

energy in that room. The stage transformed into more than a platform, it became

an altar. Each performer brought their full selves to the mic, offering pieces of

their heart, their story, their truth. There was a collective reverence in the air, we

all knew we were witnessing something special.

From the jump, DJ Straightgoods laid the foundation with sonic mastery. His

hands on the turntables built the atmosphere, pulling us into the groove, guiding

us through the night with rub-a-dub selection that resonated deep in the soul.

RaSoul, with his unmistakable energy and magnetic smile, kept the momentum

flowing. Whether on stage or among the crowd, he brought a sense of joy and

unity that reminded everyone of the beauty of shared celebration.

I even had a chance to connect with my biological brother PJ, on a piece where

spoken word met martial arts and showcased high level craftsmanship. We

resemble each other so we tried to throw the audience off with the change of

pace. We caught a couple people too! Lol

Britta B took the mic and the room stood still….then they rose to their feet. Her

presence, her brilliance, her command of the stage lit a fire in the audience that

only grew stronger as the night went on.

Then there was Randell, Ontario’s First Poet Laureate and an icon in his own

right. He and I sat down for a heartfelt conversation that touched on his journey,

his challenges, his victories, and the passing of the torch. It was a full-circle

moment for me, something I’ll carry with me forever.

JO Mairs came through and absolutely melted the stage with a performance full

of bars, flow, and swagger that left jaws dropped. And Killabeatz? His vocal

percussion had the crowd shaking their heads in awe. After all the years of

performing with him, how one voice can produce that kind of sound still had me

shook.

If I had to choose a single moment that hit deepest, it would be the final act. It

was when the P.E.A.C.E. team came together, it was myself, RaSoul, and the

queen of P.E.A.C.E. herself, Nilla. The energy was electric. The crowd had their

hands up, shouting and dancing along with purpose and love. Everyone was

fully embracing all the positive vibrations. We didn’t just perform. We connected.

We built something together and it was on full display all night.

For me, this event wasn’t just about showcasing talent. It was about honouring

legacy, celebrating culture, and reminding ourselves and the world, that Poetry

and Hip Hop are not just art forms, they are vessels of truth, healing, and

change.

To my family, my community, and every person who showed up and showed

love, thank you and I appreciate you. To everyone reading this, Make sure not to

miss Volume 2 next year in 2026! We just getting started.

Words. Power. Sound.

Matthew-Ray aka Testament