2026 Scholars of Color in Education Mid-Career Contribution Award

• In Event: 2026 AERA Awards Ceremony and Luncheon

Abstract

The recipient of the 2026 Scholars of Color in Education Mid-Career Contribution Award is Dr. Chezare Warren. Dr. Warren is an acclaimed scholar of race and intersectional justice who examines the conditions that facilitate Black students’ educational success and well-being in urban schools. His innovative scholarship centers the role of empathy in student-teacher interactions and elevates approaches that can better humanize the educational experiences of Black youth. Through his work, Dr. Warren translates his research into actional insights, developing cutting-edge methodologies, frameworks, and practice-based instruments for strengthening culturally responsive practice. He also engages in community-engaged scholarship, as evidenced by his collaboration with policymakers, practitioners, and researchers via an arts-informed knowledge hub and his widely viewed TED Talk that extends his research to global audiences.

Authors

• Chezare A. Warren, Vanderbilt University

• Laura E. Hernandez, Learning Policy Institute