Giving My All

Giving My All captures the journey of Earl Martin Phalen as he navigates family, self-identity and purpose.

As a black boy adopted into a large, loving Irish Catholic family at age two, Earl discovered at a young age that he was meant to stand out. Yet whether it was on the basketball court or early in his career as a young and ambitious “edupreneur,” Earl encountered opportunities that required him to give his all, but often found himself holding back.

Earl faced both subtle and overt racism in his predominantly white neighborhoods, but with the love and unrelenting support of his family, he was able to overcome much—facing it most directly and intentionally for the first time when he arrived on Yale campus as a young athlete scholar. While at Yale, Earl gained a new sense of pride and purpose as he connected with his black and African American heritage. This would continue throughout his studies and into graduate school at Harvard Law, where his calling to education—particularly that of black and brown children—came to life. Earl has dedicated his life to improving the access poor, black and brown children have to quality education and opportunities.