Why it is important to recruit more Latinx adults into the field of education with Edgar Palacios

Release date: July 14, 2025

Like my previous guest, Ulric Shannon, my guest this episode, Edgar Palacios, believes that students are more successful when they see themselves reflected in their teachers, and, like Ulric, Edgar is a graduate of the Surge Institute. Today, Edgar is the CEO of the Latinx Education Collaborative (LEC), an organization he founded to support Latinx students by supporting Latinx educators. Edgar and I discuss his work and his commitment to creating optimal learning environments for all students. More information about Edgar and the LEC is below.

Biography of Edgar Palacios

Edgar J. Palacios is a passionate advocate for Latino representation in education and the founder of two influential nonprofits, the Latinx Education Collaborative (LEC) and Revolucion Educativa (RevED). Edgar's educational background includes an MBA from Rockhurst University and a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. He is also a certified nonprofit management professional, having completed a program at Georgetown University.

Edgar's dedication to educational equity is highlighted by his involvement in esteemed fellowship programs. He was part of Cohort 5 of the Deeper Learning and Equity Fellowship, Cohort 3 of the City Leadership Fellowship, and was honored as a 2020 LeanLab Education Fellow, a 2019 Surge Institute Academy Fellow, and a 2017 Visiting Fellow with Education Pioneers. He is an alum of the Centurions class of 2017 and the 45th cohort of Kansas City Tomorrow, both Kansas City-based leadership development programs.

Edgar's commitment to his community is evident through his leadership roles. He has served as the president of the Young Latino Professionals (YLP) of Greater Kansas City and the Kansas City chapter of the National Society of Hispanic MBAs. Currently, he is the Board President at Scuola Vita Nuova Charter School, one of the top-performing charter schools in Kansas City, Missouri. Edgar also served on the national Latino Educator Advisory Council through Latinos for Education and is a trained community organizer through the Gamaliel National Leadership Training program.

Additionally, he is a Certified Executive Coach through the Center of Executive Coaching. Edgar has received numerous awards for his contributions, including the 2023 Downtown Council’s Urban Hero Award, the 2015 Volunteer of the Year from Kauffman Scholars, the 2014 I. Pat Rios Award from Guadalupe Centers for outstanding contributions to the Latino community of Kansas City, and the 2014 KC Chamber’s Ace Award.

Outside of his professional achievements, Edgar enjoys a fulfilling life with his wife, Laura, and their three children, JoJo, Ella, and Isabel.

Links

Latinx Education Collaborative (LEC)

https://latinxedco.org/