When “Kiya & the Kimoja Heroes” first came across Debbie Allen’s desk for a potential partnership, both parties realized what a good fit they could be with their common interests.
The original action-adventure animated series follows Kiya, a seven-year-old African girl, whose passions in life are dancing and martial arts, which also become her superpowers. Set in the southern Africa-inspired Kimoja City, each 11-minute episode focuses on themes of community, empathy and unity and features African and Asian-lead characters.
When Allen isn’t working on “Grey’s Anatomy,” she’s leading her dance academy and middle school — both of which are based in Los Angeles. She offers a slew of programming aimed at educating kids (some of whom are as young as 3 years old) in academics and the arts. Her academy’s “Hot Chocolate Nutcracker” has become a popular holiday staple. Previously, Allen showcased…