Geoffrey Canada
High Praise for Geoffrey Canada
I wish every city had a Geoffrey Canada. -President Bill Clinton
One of my heroes. -Michelle Obama
One of the few authentic heroes of New York and one of the best friends children have, or ever will have, in our nation. -Jonathan Kozol
Watch Geoffrey on the Colbert Report (12-9-2008)
Geoffrey Canada has a radical new idea: if you really want to change the lives of inner-city kids, change everything all at once—their schools, families, and neighborhoods. As President and CEO of the revolutionary Harlem Children’s Zone in New York City, he has dedicated the past 20 years of his life to helping the most impoverished, at-risk youth beat the odds. Radically ambitious and startlingly simple, Canada’s programs are on the cutting edge of preventing youth violence and fostering community development.
What Canada has done for a 24 block neighborhood in Harlem has been groundbreaking, replicated in communities across the country. Through programs such as the Beacon School, Community Pride Initiative, Harlem Gems, Harlem Peacemakers, and the Promise Academy, a new generation of charter school, he has developed a network of services that reach most of the 6,500 children and their families living in the Harlem Children’s Zone.
The acclaimed author of Fist Stick Knife Gun: A Personal History of Violence in America and Reaching Up for Manhood, a moving vision of hope for young boys, Canada is also East Coast Coordinator for the Black Community Crusade for Children.
Canada knows inner-city life firsthand. Having grown up in the South Bronx, he went on to earn a Master’s Degree in Education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Recently, Canada was honored with the prestigious McGraw Prize for education. In his vibrant, hands-on presentation, he teaches communities about improving the lives of today’s youth, one child at a time.
Canada's ideas and life work are chronicled in New York Times reporter Paul Tough's new book, Whatever It Takes: Geoffrey Canada's Quest to Change Harlem and America. Check out some of Canada's recent media appearances to dicuss the new book:
Topics
The Crisis Facing Youth – What Adults & Communities Can Do to Save Our Children
American youth face problems that many of us never imagined. The issues of violence, gangs, drugs, and failing schools are not confined to one city, or community. You find these problems in urban and rural, rich and poor communities. The answers are not to be found in any one strategy; individuals, families, schools and communities must develop a plan of action to save our children.
An educator and advocate, Canada offers a vision that with hard work, dedication, and a prioritizing of our resources, we can create a safe, caring and stimulating environment for all children.
Leadership is Only as Great as Those Around You
Improving the Lives of Children, One Poor Child at a Time
Leveling the Playing Field, Helping Poor Children to Succeed
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