Marjuan Canady

Marjuan Canady, a DC native with Trinidadian/African-American roots, is an author, director, educator, actor, producer, and literary advocate. Canady always had a passion for education and children’s media and, in 2012, started the “Callaloo Kids” brand: a global brand rooted in cultural literacy (consisting of books, theater, animation, and arts education). Soon after, she founded the Canady Foundation for the Arts which would further empower youth of color from ages 3-18 with cultural arts programming and theatrical opportunities. Since its inception, over 8,000 youth have been positively affected by CFA’s programming including their acting classes, Callaloo in the Classroom educational performances, and summer programs.

 

Originally a selected play at the 2013 Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts Director’s Lab, Callaloo has sold more than 10,000 children’s books worldwide and has been performed at festivals, schools and cultural arts institutions. Callaloo also launched its “How To” series, aimed at aiding children ages 3-7 discover the magnificent world around them. Callaloo Kids has been featured in publications like Newsday, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Black Enterprise, New York Magazine, and more. Most recently, Parents Magazine recognized the brand in “10 Children’s Books That Celebrate Caribbean Culture”. Marjuan is excited to move upward and onward to new heights as Callaloo continues to grow-including a recent streaming deal with Sensical TV.