Social activist and educator, Geoffrey Canada grew up in poverty and a dangerous neighborhood (biography.com, 2011). In the film Waiting for Superman, Canada talks about being an avid comic book reader and how one of his favorite characters was Superman because Superman always helped "good" people. Canada said: “When my mother told me Superman wasn't real, I started crying. My tears were not like those of a child who has just discovered that Santa Claus does not exist; but I cried because I became aware of the fact that no one would come with enough power to save us from this life of poverty." Canada goes on to say, “At nine years old, I knew I wanted to come back and help children like those of us who grow up in these conditions.” Canada, who grew up in a single-family home in the Bronx, told the Daily News, “Every class I took from that point on was really preparation to try to come back and make a difference with kids in poor communities.” Through his life's work, Canada's goal is to never let poverty stand in the way of success (Jones, 2011). In the Geoffrey Canada Biography, found online at Biography.com, the author informed us that the Canadian degree is in psychology and sociology. from Bowdoin College and received his Masters in Education from Harvard. The author reported, “Inspired by his formative years, Canada began his career as a teacher at an alternative high school for troubled youth in Boston, Massachusetts.” The author also reports: “In 1983, Canada returned to Harlem to help the children of his old neighborhood. He found work as program director for the Rheedlen Institute's dropout prevention program. The program was specifically aimed at children be...... middle of paper ......010) Waiting for Superman. www.waitingforsuperman.com.Hamilton, P. (2009). From cradle to college to community building: A charter school in Harlem, New York, closed the racial learning gap. www.suite101.com Jones, J. (2011). Passion and perseverance are key to Geoffrey Canada. BlackAmericaWeb.comLubienski, C. (2003). Innovation in education markets: Theory and evidence on the impact of competition and choice in charter schools. American Journal of Educational Research, 40,395-443. Pines, D. A. (2005). Thriving in the area. USNews.com.Vasagar, J. & Stratton, A. (2010). Geoffrey Canada warns Michael Cove that teachers unions 'kill' innovation: Barack Obama's education pioneer says unions' inflexibility is an obstacle to school reform. www.guardian.co.uk.Zelon, H. (2010). There is no such thing as science: the philosophy of Geoffrey Canada. www.citylimits.org.