Education, Equity, and the Future
- Mar 30
- 3 min read
Substantial sits down with Dr. James E. Ford to discuss why the fight for racial equity in education continues
For Dr. James E. Ford, education is more than policy or profession; it is the foundation for opportunity, freedom, and the future of communities across the country.
As the founding executive director of the Center for Racial Equity in Education (CREED), Ford has dedicated his career to addressing disparities that continue to shape the educational experiences of Black and Brown students. A former educator in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools and a member of the North Carolina State Board of Education from 2018 to 2023, Ford now works at the intersection of education policy, advocacy, and community engagement.
“Education may be the one sector that impacts every other sector,” Ford explains. “No matter who you are or what you do, at some point you’ve sat in someone’s classroom.”
That classroom experience, he says, shapes everything from economic opportunity and community safety to mental health and national prosperity.
The Promise of Education, and the Work Still Ahead
More than 70 years after the landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision, Ford says the mission of educational equity remains unfinished.
While progress has been made, disparities continue to exist in many school systems across the country. Schools often remain segregated by both race and income, what Ford describes as “double segregation,” leading to concentrated need in under-resourced schools.
Even within the same school building, inequities persist. Ford points to differences in access to advanced courses, the experience level of teachers assigned to classrooms, and disciplinary policies that disproportionately affect students of color.
“These disparities show up at every level of the educational experience,” Ford said. “As long as those gaps exist, the work isn’t finished.”
Ford also believes the current political climate surrounding education reflects a broader historical pattern. Following periods of progress on racial equity, he said, the country has often experienced backlash.
Recent debates around diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, curriculum restrictions, and book bans are part of that pattern, Ford said. “Life is about recognizing patterns,” he said. “Every time there’s advancement in dismantling racism, we tend to see a backlash.”
Still, Ford said communities must continue advocating for inclusive education while ensuring that Black history and experiences remain part of the national narrative.
The continued importance of HBCUs
Ford also highlighted the critical role historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) continue to play in expanding opportunity.
While more than 200+ HBCUs once existed across the United States, only a little over 100 recognized Historically Black Colleges and Universities remain today. Yet those institutions continue to produce a significant share of Black professionals and leaders.
In North Carolina, which is home to 10 four-year HBCUs, those institutions are central to the state’s educational and economic future, Ford said. “There can be no conversation about the economic prosperity of this state without investing in and supporting our HBCUs,” he said.
Through CREED’s NC10 Initiative, Ford and partner organizations launched a statewide collaboration among the 10 HBCUs to strengthen partnerships, advocate for resources, and elevate the institutions’ collective impact.
The initiative has helped foster new policy conversations, partnerships, and advocacy efforts at the state level.
Although Ford has received statewide recognition, including being named North Carolina Teacher of the Year in 2014, he said his motivation remains simple.
“This isn’t about ego,” Ford said. “I just want to do the work.”
For him, education remains the most powerful tool for expanding opportunity and shaping the future. And as long as inequities persist, he said, the work must continue.
CREED has its Teaching In Color 2026 Summit coming up on April 25 in Charlotte, NC. The Teaching In Color Summit is a professional learning network of educators dedicated to building community, supporting, and advocating for policy changes in the best interest of educators of color and the students they serve.
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