David C. Turner III

David C. Turner III is an Assistant Professor of Black Life and Racial Justice at the Luskin School of Public Affairs, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). He is also a faculty affiliate at the Ralph J. Bunche Center for African American Studies and serves as associate director of the Million Dollar Hoods Project. With over a decade of community organizing experience, his work bridges activism and academia, focusing on racial justice, carceral resistance, and the empowerment of Black youth. Dr. Turner holds dual roles as senior advisor to the Alliance for Boys and Men of Color and has contributed to coalitions such as the Brothers, Sons, Selves Coalition and the Police-Free LAUSD Coalition.

Education

• Ph.D., Social and Cultural Studies in Education, University of California, Berkeley
• M.S.Ed., Higher Education, University of Pennsylvania
• B.A. (Cum Laude), Africana Studies, California State University, Dominguez Hills

Research Interests
Dr. Turner’s research examines the intersection of social movements and resistance to systemic oppression, particularly focusing on Black boys and men navigating carceral landscapes. His work emphasizes participatory action research, abolitionist organizing, and community-based educational strategies to combat policies that criminalize marginalized communities. He also studies school discipline reforms and juvenile justice alternatives through collaborative frameworks with grassroots organizations.

Awards and Recognition

• John W. Mack Movement Building Fellow (Weingart Foundation)
• Data Fellow (Alliance for Boys and Men of Color & Tableau Foundation)

Advising and Advocacy
As a movement-building scholar, Dr. Turner has advised campaigns to reform school discipline practices, divest from carceral institutions, and secure resources for youth development. His work with the Brothers, Sons, Selves Coalition led to tangible policy changes across California. He currently oversees the Million Dollar Hoods Project, analyzing the economic and social impacts of mass incarceration, and advises the Alliance for Boys and Men of Color on data-driven advocacy strategies.

Labs and Collaborations
He co-founded the Police-Free LAUSD Coalition to eliminate school policing, and collaborates with the Movement for Black Lives (M4BL) on political education and participatory research initiatives. His affiliations include the Ralph J. Bunche Center, where he engages in interdisciplinary scholarship on African American studies.