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Geoffrey Canada

Education Reform Activist

Harlem Children's Zone

New York, NY USA

“Don’t feel like you’ve abandoned your mission because things are not exactly what you expect. Accept the opportunities that you get...even if it’s not what you want, accept them with glee and not with sadness.”

Videos

By Roadtrip Nation

Geoffrey Canada

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01:12

Geoffrey Canada Highlight

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07:39

Interview

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03:05

Taking An Opportunity To Make A Change In Harlem Even Though It Wasn't Where I Grew Up

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02:01

Overcoming The Struggles Of Living In A Violent Neighborhood

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01:51

Moving To My Grandparents House Saved My Life

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01:42

Getting Out Of A Negative Environment

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01:37

A Bad Environment Can Make Good People Do Bad Things

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01:15

Learning To Take The Opportunities You Get

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01:43

Don’t Give In To Fear, Face It

Milestones

My road in life took a while to figure out.

Born and raised in the South Bronx neighborhood of New York.

His parents split up when he was three years old and his father only played a very small part in his life after that—says he was aware of the violence and chaos in his life from a very young age.

Growing up, violence was such an everyday part of his life, he says kids in his neighborhood used to rank each other based on how well they could fight.

When he was 12, he got a spring-loaded knife—says that knife represented freedom in his neighborhood and was an equalizer between him and the tougher guys on the street.

Says the thing that saved him from a life consumed by violence was moving to live with his grandparents on Long Island, New York, when he was a teenager.

Watching crime, drugs, and addiction destroy his community deeply affected him as a young man and inspired his life's work: to find the solutions to help the youth in communities like his.

After college, he was hired at Rheedlen Centers for Children and Families, which would later evolve into the revolutionary Harlem Children’s Zone under his leadership.

He is now a celebrated educator, author, motivational speaker, and educational reform activist dedicated to expanding educational opportunities for all students.

Keep following my journey

Education

High School

Bachelor
Psychology, General
Bowdoin College

Bachelor
Sociology, General
Bowdoin College

Graduate
Education, General
Harvard University

Career

Education Reform Activist

I am an educator, social activist and author that aims to expand educational opportunities for all students.

Career Roadmap

My work combines:

My work combines:

Education

Non-Profit Organizations

Upholding a Cause and Belief

Day to Day

I work with our teachers and education leaders to increase high school and college graduation rates among students in Harlem by constantly developing new and engaging curriculum. I occasionally do public speaking events and write op-eds for various news publications. I also advise and serve as a board member to several nonprofit organizations.

Skills & Qualities Beyond School

Learn how to face your fears and embrace them so you can use that to your advantage.

Advice for Getting Started

Here's the first step for high school students

You have to be open to accept the opportunities you get because you might not get the opportunities you want.

Recommended Education

Bachelor
Psychology, General

Bachelor
Sociology, General

Graduate
Education, General

Hurdles

The Noise I Shed

From Myself:

"You aren't tough enough to survive this school. "

Challenges I Overcame

Gangs / Violence

Single Parent

Drugs / Addiction

Interviewed By

Beating the Odds

Overcoming barriers as a first-generation college student