Geoffrey Canada

Geoffrey Canada (born January 13, 1952) is an American educator, social activist, and author. He has been the president of the Harlem Children's Zone in Harlem, New York since 1990. As the chairman of Children's Defense Fund's board of directors and a member of The After-School Corporation's board of directors, Canada is dedicated to expanding educational opportunities for students. He advocates for early educational reform using a range of strategies and emphasizes the importance of persistence. Born in the South Bronx, Canada was raised by his mother, Mary Elizabeth Canada, a substance abuse counselor, after his parents' marriage ended in 1956.