Christopher Gil
Associate Director of Marketing and Communications
Mission Economic Development Agency (MEDA)
(415) 282-3334 ext. 152
cgil@medasf.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Harlem Children’s Zone Founder and President Geoffrey Canada to Deliver Keynote Address at ¡VIVA MEDA! 49 Gala
The distinguished educator, activist and author will speak on bridging the divide between schools and the community to break the cycle of poverty
SAN FRANCISCO, SEPT. 6, 2022 — The Mission Economic Development Agency (MEDA) has announced that Geoffrey Canada, Founder and President of Harlem Children’s Zone (HCZ) and co-founder of William Julius Wilson Institute at HCZ in New York City, will deliver the keynote address at their ¡VIVA MEDA! 49 gala. The in-person event, with an anticipated 400 attendees, will take place at the spectacular City View at Metreon in Downtown San Francisco.
A distinguished educator, activist and author, Canada is renowned as a thought leader and passionate advocate for educational equity. Under Canada’s visionary leadership over more than three decades, the Harlem Children’s Zone became a national model of place-based innovation. HCZ started with one ambitious and audacious mission: end intergenerational poverty in Central Harlem and lead the way for other long-distressed communities nationwide and around the world to do the same. The New York Times called HCZ “one of the most ambitious social-policy experiments of our time.” This innovative work aligns with that of MEDA, and the gala theme of Misión Unida (“Mission United”).
Canada has received numerous accolades: In 2011, he was named to the “TIME 100 List of Most Influential People in the World”; and, in 2014, he was selected as one of Fortune’s “50 Greatest Leaders in the World.”
“MEDA is honored to have Geoffrey Canada deliver what is sure to be a memorable keynote address on the topic of bridging the divide between schools and the community to break the cycle of poverty,” said MEDA Chief Executive Officer Luis Granados. “Mr. Canada is an unparalleled innovator when it comes to educational equity and, modeled on the successes of HCZ in New York, our MEDA-led Mission Promise Neighborhood in San Francisco was pushed forth by President Obama in 2012.”
“Schools alone cannot achieve the kind of equity we are seeking for our young people,” said Geoffrey Canada, President and Founder of Harlem Children’s Zone. “We need communities working in collaboration with schools to create cradle-to-career support so that our young people have access to the resources they need, both in and out of the classroom. That’s the only way we can ensure underserved communities have a shot at achieving the American dream.”
The ¡VIVA MEDA! 49 gala will take place on Thursday, Oct. 20, at 6 p.m. Tickets.
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About Mission Economic Development Agency (MEDA)
Rooted in San Francisco’s Mission District, MEDA is advancing a national equity movement by building Latino prosperity, community ownership and civic power. We envision generations of Latino families choosing where to call home, thriving economically, succeeding in learning opportunities, and leading policy and social change toward a more equitable society.
medasf.org
About Harlem Children’s Zone (HCZ)
Harlem Children’s Zone breaks the cycle of intergenerational poverty with on-the-ground, all-around programming that builds up opportunities for children and families to thrive in school, work, and life. From early childhood, education, and career programs to community outreach and wellness initiatives, HCZ opens pathways to mobility and prosperity.
hcz.org
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