Geoffrey Canada

In his 25-plus years with Harlem's Children's Zone, Geoffrey Canada has become nationally recognized for his pioneering work helping children and families in Harlem and as a passionate advocate for education reform. Since 1990, Mr. Canada has been the President and CEO for Harlem's Children's Zone, which The New York Times Magazine called "one of the most ambitious social experiments of our time." In 1997, the agency launched the Harlem Children's Zone Project, which targets a specific geographic area in Central Harlem with a comprehensive range of services. The Zone Project today covers 100 blocks and aims to serve over 10,000 children. The work of Mr. Canada and HCZ has become a national model and has been the subject of many profiles, including the 2010 documentary "Waiting for 'Superman.'" Mr. Canada is the author of the autobiography Fist Stick Knife Gun: A Personal History of Violence. He also wrote Reaching Up for Manhood: Transforming the Lives of Boys in America. His appearance is generously sponsored by Random House, Inc.