Working with New York City youth over the last fifteen years Gaines has been pursuing a more just future for the arts through addressing equity and access to higher education in collaboration with community based organizations. Gaines has received grants from the Surdna Foundation, the Luce Charitable Trust, the Coyne Family Foundation among others for this work. Gaines is currently on a research project funded by the National Science Foundation led by a researcher from the Center for Children and Technology along with her collaborators. This collective is looking at how alternate and sustainable credentialing systems create more college and career opportunities across STEAM pathways for underserved youth.