About me

My name is Jocardo Ralston (he/him), and I am an equity-driven educator, researcher, and advocate based in Philadelphia. I am currently a Ph.D. candidate in Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education at the University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education.

With over fifteen years of experience in special education, my scholarship is deeply informed by classroom practice and community engagement. My research examines how race, queer identity, and disability intersect in the educational lives of Black boys in U.S. K–12 schools, particularly within restrictive special education settings. Through this work, I aim to challenge deficit-based narratives and advance more humane, affirming, and socially just educational practices.