diff --git a/Gemfile b/Gemfile
index 227ae29ba..85517dd7e 100644
--- a/Gemfile
+++ b/Gemfile
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ gem "feedjira", "~> 2.2"
 gem "figaro", "~> 1.1"
 gem "fog", "~> 1.41"
 gem "front_matter_parser", "~> 0.2"
+gem "gemoji", "~> 3.0.0"
 gem "gibbon", "~> 2.2"
 gem "google-api-client", "~> 0.27"
 gem "honeycomb-rails"
diff --git a/Gemfile.lock b/Gemfile.lock
index 87e9860d4..4bc409277 100644
--- a/Gemfile.lock
+++ b/Gemfile.lock
@@ -450,6 +450,7 @@ GEM
     fugit (1.1.6)
       et-orbi (~> 1.1, >= 1.1.6)
       raabro (~> 1.1)
+    gemoji (3.0.0)
     get_process_mem (0.2.3)
     gibbon (2.2.5)
       faraday (>= 0.9.1)
@@ -964,6 +965,7 @@ DEPENDENCIES
   fix-db-schema-conflicts!
   fog (~> 1.41)
   front_matter_parser (~> 0.2)
+  gemoji (~> 3.0.0)
   gibbon (~> 2.2)
   google-api-client (~> 0.27)
   guard (~> 2.15)
diff --git a/app/labor/emoji_converter.rb b/app/labor/emoji_converter.rb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..46b1882b5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/labor/emoji_converter.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+class EmojiConverter
+  attr_reader :html
+
+  def self.call(html)
+    new(html).convert
+  end
+
+  def initialize(html)
+    @html = html
+  end
+
+  def convert
+    html.gsub!(/:([\w+-]+):/) do |match|
+      emoji = Emoji.find_by_alias($1)
+      emoji.present? ? emoji.raw : match
+    end
+    html
+  end
+end
diff --git a/app/labor/markdown_parser.rb b/app/labor/markdown_parser.rb
index cba4ad79e..3ec064de2 100644
--- a/app/labor/markdown_parser.rb
+++ b/app/labor/markdown_parser.rb
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ class MarkdownParser
     html = wrap_all_images_in_links(html)
     html = wrap_all_tables(html)
     html = remove_empty_paragraphs(html)
+    html = EmojiConverter.call(html)
     wrap_mentions_with_links!(html)
   end
 
diff --git a/spec/labor/emoji_converter_spec.rb b/spec/labor/emoji_converter_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a046614c5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/labor/emoji_converter_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+require "rails_helper"
+
+RSpec.describe EmojiConverter do
+  def convert_emoji(html)
+    EmojiConverter.call(html)
+  end
+
+  describe "#convert" do
+    it "converts emoji names wrapped in colons into unicode" do
+      joy_emoji_unicode = Emoji.find_by_alias("joy").raw
+      expect(convert_emoji(":joy:")).to include(joy_emoji_unicode)
+    end
+
+    it "leaves original text between colons when no emoji is found" do
+      emoji_text = ":no_one_will_ever_create_an_emoji_with_this_alias:"
+      expect(convert_emoji(emoji_text)).to include(emoji_text)
+    end
+  end
+end