Dr. Earl J. Edwards is a scholar, educator, and policy researcher whose work focuses on structural racism in public systems that serve youth and families experiencing homelessness. His research investigates how education and housing institutions contribute to racial inequities, and how they can be transformed to better support Black and marginalized communities.

Dr. Edwards is an Assistant Professor at Boston College’s Lynch School of Education and Human Development, where he directs the Housing, Education and Equity Lab. His scholarship appears in journals such as Urban Education, Children and Poverty, and Leadership and Policy in Schools. He is a co-author of All Students Must Thrive, a widely used text on educational equity and trauma-informed practice.

His article, “Who Are the Homeless? Centering Anti-Black Racism and the Consequences of Colorblind Homeless Policies” (Social Sciences, 2021), analyzes how federal homelessness policy has historically ignored the racialized roots of housing instability. Dr. Edwards argues that colorblind narratives and punitive portrayals of poverty have shaped less effective policies that fail to address the specific needs of Black communities. Read the article.

Dr. Edwards has led qualitative research and racial equity strategy for several public agencies. His work in Los Angeles County, based on over 200 community interviews and focus groups, helped drive funding realignment to better support Black people experiencing homelessness. This work has been cited by the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness as a model for equity-centered, community-based research and has informed similar efforts across the country.

He serves on national research and advocacy teams including the Homeless Policy Research Institute at USC, the National Racial Equity Working Group on Homelessness and Housing, and the Anti-Racist Research and Data Team to End Homelessness. Dr. Edwards also serves on the board of Higher Ground Boston and Brilliant Corners, organizations advancing innovative solutions in housing, health, and education.

He holds a Ph.D. in Urban Schooling from UCLA, an M.A. from Teachers College, Columbia University, and a B.A. from Boston College.