Angelique Gaines

Research Associate
Sycamore 210
704-687-1199

Angelique Gaines is a Research Associate at the UNC Charlotte Urban Institute, where she has worked since 2016. Angelique directs and conducts program evaluations and social science research projects in the Charlotte region on topics ranging from community assets and needs to the racial wealth gap. In her role, she engages with the community, plans for projects, collects and manages data, conducts statistical and qualitative analysis, creates data visualizations and prepares publications and reports and related communication products. 

Angelique has a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science with a concentration in Public Policy and Administration from Northeastern University. She also holds a Master's degree in Urban and Regional Policy from Northeastern University, where her focus was on social policy and community development. Her work is informed by a decade of experience in research, evaluation and community engagement. 

Angelique believes research and evaluation are effective tools in creating social change. The ability to assess the unique needs of a population is integral to creating effective policy and advancing social justice.  Bringing about a more equitable and socially just society is what motivates her to do the work that she does.    

Stories by Angelique Gaines

Myths about closing the racial wealth gap

Most efforts to increase economic stability operate under the assumption that helping individuals increase one key asset will eliminate wealth disparities. Educational attainment, long seen as the...

Savings, investment and racial wealth gap over generations

Wealth serves as a buffer through economic downturns, job loss, and other unexpected emergencies such the COVID-19 pandemic. In Charlotte, households of color are more than twice as likely to lack...

Home ownership and the legacy of redlining: Charlotte’s racial wealth gap

This is the third in an ongoing series, based on a report by the Urban Institute.