Geoffrey Canada
After creating national buzz at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, the documentary “Waiting for Superman” examines how the American public education system is failing our nation’s children. The film was featured in Milwaukee on Sept. 26 at the Milwaukee Film Festival. Geoffrey Canada, who is prominently featured in the film and has been named one of “America’s Best Leaders” by U.S. News and World Report for his conception and implementation of the Harlem Children’s Zone, will be visiting Milwaukee on Oct. 22 as the closing keynote speaker for the 2010 Alliance for Children and Families National Conference.
During his keynote address, Canada will share models for reform that combine educational, social, and medical services that impact children from birth to college. He will discuss the trend toward service integration and the impact his suggested models for reform have on child welfare.
To register for Geoffrey Canada’s exclusive keynote presentation on Oct. 22 from 11 a.m.–12:30 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency Milwaukee, please visit www.nc10.allianceinfo.org. Tickets can be purchased at a special keynote speaker price for $50 and must be reserved ahead of time.
The topic of education reform has increasingly gained momentum across the nation, particularly in the Milwaukee community. Following the “Waiting for Superman” premiere at the Milwaukee Film Festival will be a panel discussion of educators and community leaders open to the public. Canada’s visit in October will keep education reform in the spotlight as this continues to be a hot topic issue throughout the area.
In his more than 20 years with the Harlem Children’s Zone, Canada has become nationally recognized for his advocacy to reform urban education, inner-city poverty and the achievement gap among underprivileged children. The Harlem Children’s Zone, a ninety-seven-block residential educational system, has been named by President Obama as an “all encompassing, all-hands-on-deck antipoverty effort that is literally saving a generation of children.” The Obama administration is currently proposing to replicate the model in twenty cities across the country, naming each zone a Promise Neighborhood. More information about the Promise Neighborhoods movement can be found at United Neighborhood Centers of America.
Canada’s debut movie role in “Waiting for Superman” is also gaining popularity because of its social media campaign raising money for schools through an online pledge donation system, with over 84,000 pledges received. Milwaukee currently ranks in 27th place for pledge donations.
Canada is the closing keynote speaker for the 2010 Alliance for Children and Families National Conference, being held Oct. 20-22 at the Hyatt Regency Milwaukee, 333 W. Kilbourn Ave., Milwaukee. For more information on the conference, please visit www.nc10.allianceinfo.org.
The Alliance for Children and Families, which will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2011, is a nonprofit national membership association of private, nonprofit human service providers in the United States and Canada. Motivated by a vision of a healthy society and strong communities, the Alliance strengthens the capacities of North America’s nonprofit child- and familyserving organizations to serve and advocate for children, families, and communities. The more than 350 members of the Alliance provide an array of community-based programs and services to all generations, serving close to 3.4 million people each year. More information about the Alliance is available at www.alliance1.org