Calgary Herald

Randy Quansah

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While working out at his neighbourh­ood gym, Randy Quansah realized he was on the right track.

He said a woman approached him and said, `you're Kujo,' and I'm like, `yeah.' She says, `my kids watch your show.'

“It's nuts. It's been a crazy ride.” Quansah is the creative force behind Kujo's Kid Zone, a Youtube sensation that has grown exponentia­lly from 93 subscriber­s to close to 600, and from 200 views to more than 55,000. The show, aimed at youngsters between the ages of two and eight, aired its first episode in February after nearly two years of planning.

The idea germinated while visiting his brother one Christmas in Edmonton, as the kids watched Youtube videos.

“My brother half-jokingly said, this is so silly, you can totally do something like this,” he said. Quansah, 39, agreed.

The name Kujo is homage to his Ghanaian ancestry — it means someone born on a Monday. He had puppets made — an owl and a parrot — and relies on three other cast members. His shows deal with social issues, including Black Lives Matter and LGBTQ rights.

The COVID-19 shutdown actually helped his cause.

“All of my audience was exactly where I want them to be, in front of the computer,” said Quansah, a business teacher originally from Montreal. “I did a call-out to parents and kids to see if they had questions I could answer. I had a kid from St. Louis, Mo., contact me. So then I started leaking into the States.”

Media coverage led to other opportunit­ies, including a platform for kids shown in 140 countries and conversati­ons with people in Taiwan regarding having his videos shown in schools.

His four-year-old daughter watches the show, but he isn't her favourite character. That is reserved for Madison Laliberte, an early childhood educator who sings songs and reads books.

“The show serves as not only an education piece but also a tool to unite families and children,” said Quansah. “All your child wants to do at the end of the day is have a relationsh­ip with you ... I'm giving you an opportunit­y to reconnect with your kid, and you can be the hero or the heroine in your child's life.”

 ?? GAVIN YOUNG ??
GAVIN YOUNG

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