Harlem Children's Zone

Day 2 of #PowerofPlace 2025 was a day of movement building. HCZ CEO Kwame Owusu-Kesse delivered a keynote exploring the social determinants of thriving for young people, and our Chief National Impact Officer, Christian Rhodes, reflected on HCZ’s national work and our effort to scale HCZ’s model to impact communities across the country. Larry Miller, Chairman of the Jordan Brand Advisory Board at Nike, shared his powerful journey to becoming the head of one of the world’s most successful brands. In fireside chats, we spotlighted AI and place-based work in a changing economy with Ryan Patel of Drucker School of Management and HCZ Chief Operating Officer Tarik Ward, and the role of corporate America in opening pathways to mobility with Mr. Rhodes and Dalila Wilson-Scott of Comcast Corporation. Together, we are building a future — grounded in place-based, cradle-to-career strategies — that advances social and economic mobility for all our young people.

From HCZ Promise Academy scholar to professional actor, Jordan Hall knows the power of opportunity. Now a graduate of the Boston Conservatory at Berklee, Jordan joined us at the 4th annual Power of Place: Pathways to Mobility convening, hosted by HCZ’s William Julius Wilson Institute. From connecting with leaders across the place-based, cradle-to-career field to sharing highlights from his own journey, Jordan reflected on the energy, learning, and inspiration he’s taking away from San Diego.

San Diego, we’ve arrived! 🌴It’s Day 1 of our fourth annual Power of Place: Pathways to Mobility convening! We’re bringing together hundreds of cross-sector leaders, practitioners, and policymakers for three days of learning, connection, and action — all committed to expanding pathways to social and economic mobility for children and families across the country. Stay tuned for live updates and join the conversation right here. #PowerofPlace

We’re proud to share that HCZ Founder and President Geoffrey Canada was honored with the Forbes 400 Lifetime Achievement Award for Social Entrepreneurship! Mr. Canada accepted his award at the first-ever Forbes Impact Summit in New York City, which convened more than 150 of the world’s most influential leaders in social impact and philanthropy. At the event, Mr. Canada shared how his own journey inspired his life’s mission: break the cycle of intergenerational poverty in Harlem and communities across the country and the world.

At last year’s Power of Place: It Takes a Village, we were thrilled to spotlight our Place-Based Education Leaders Design Fellowship (ELDF), a bold opportunity that reimagines how education systems partner with communities to address poverty and drive success for children and families. Through this innovative fellowship, K-12 district leaders gain the tools, resources, and support needed to build comprehensive, place-based partnerships that drive social and economic mobility for young people and families in historically under-resourced communities. Together, these leaders from 22 school districts — collectively serving over 1.4 million students nationwide — are doing whatever it takes to transform education in their communities. Visit hcz.social/ELDF to learn more. #PowerofPlace

Happy #HRProfessionalsDay! Behind every great workplace is a dedicated HR team, and today we celebrate ours. Thank you for supporting and uplifting HCZ, and helping our organization grow! We’re also excited to welcome Celines Castro, our new Chief Human Resources Officer, to the team!

Meet Leo, a Teacher at Promise Academy I High School. For the past seven years, he has helped our scholars explore literature, think critically, and find their voices. A Brooklyn native, Leo’s path to teaching was inspired by his mentors in high school and fueled by his studies at CUNY Hunter College. He began his journey at Promise Academy I Middle School before transitioning to Promise Academy I High School in 2024, where he teaches English Language Arts and Advance Placement Literature. Thank you, Leo, for inspiring the next generation of readers, thinkers, and leaders! Ready to make a difference? Explore careers with HCZ at hcz.social/careers

They do way more than just “turn it off and on again.” 💻 Happy #ITProfessionalsDay to our incredible team who keep HCZ powered up and connected!

We hope you are as excited as we are – it’s going to be a fantastic year! Welcome back, Harlem Children’s Zone Promise Academy scholars! Here’s to another wonderful year of growth, learning, and inspiration. 📚✏️ #HCZBackToSchool #HCZBestYearEver

Our HCZ Promise Academy staff members are gearing up for the first day of school! This week, they came together for our annual Staff Training Institute — building teamwork, sharpening skills, and preparing for a successful year ahead. We’re all excited to welcome our scholars back to the classroom! #HCZBacktoSchool