Cynthia Taines is a sociologist of education who is fascinated by students' perspectives about school and their actions for educational equality. She has published in highly regarded academic journals, including the American Educational Research Journal, The Journal of Educational Change, Education and Urban Society, Teachers College Record, and The Urban Review. With teachers and organizers, Cynthia co-founded the Metropolitan Community Project, a city/suburban partnership for educational justice. She is an Associate Professor in the College of Education at Northern Illinois University and holds a Ph.D. in Educational Policy Studies, with minors in Sociology and History, from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Cynthia resides in Chicago.