Dr. José Luis Vilson is a veteran educator, sociologist, author, and nationally recognized voice on math, race, and education. A former middle school math teacher with more than fifteen years of classroom experience in New York City, Vilson brings deep practical knowledge of what it takes to help students build confidence, strengthen mathematical understanding, and see themselves as capable thinkers. He earned his PhD in sociology and education from Teachers College, Columbia University, and currently serves as a postdoctoral research associate at Bank Street College of Education and an adjunct associate professor at Teachers College.
Vilson is the executive director and co-founder of EduColor, an organization dedicated to building, supporting, and amplifying communities of educators of color. He is also the author of the bestselling This Is Not a Test: A New Narrative on Race, Class, and Education, and his writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Guardian, and The Atlantic. A frequent speaker for organizations including TED, AERA, NCTM, and NCTE, Vilson brings a rare combination of classroom-tested math pedagogy, sociological insight, and a compelling commitment to honoring students’ knowledge, identities, and lived experiences.
