The JoAA Special Issue on Latiné Giftedness. Powerful Voces. Powerful Historias.

By Hernán Castillo-Hermosilla

Hello NAGC community! Whether you are a teacher looking for culturally responsive ways to engage your classroom, or a parent tirelessly advocating for your child's potential, I have some exciting news to share with you.

This month (August 2026), the Journal of Advanced Academics (JoAA) published a brand-new Special Issue themed “Latine(a/o/x) Giftedness.” I had the incredible honor of serving as a Guest Editor for this project alongside a dedicated team: Drs. Alejandra Fernández Morgado, Nielsen Pereira, PJ Sedillo, and Andy Parra-Martínez.

When we first put out the call for papers, we weren't sure what to expect, but we were absolutely blown away after receiving proposals from all over the world. The final publication features seven fantastic articles that dive into the real, lived experiences of Latine gifted and talented learners, their families, and their educators. Some of them give us hope; some others make visible inequities in the educational settings our children are in. In all of them, brilliance, resilience, and community struggles emerge.

To give you a quick idea of what’s inside, the issue covers:

1. Bilingualism as a Superpower: How biliteracy boosts academic resilience and a sense of belonging for high schoolers.

2. Beating the Odds: A large-scale look at the school and community factors that help low-income students in Mexico sustain high achievement.

3. Spaces to Belong: The impact of a unique, out-of-school gifted program in Paraguay where students finally feel free to be themselves.

4. Navigating the System: Firsthand stories from Latiné scholars about crossing cultural and institutional borders in higher education.

5. A Mother’s Advocacy: A powerful, personal account of a Latina mother fighting systemic barriers to get her child into an urban GT program.

6. Generations of Voices: Six intergenerational stories from ages 18 to 75 about navigating gifted spaces that often misunderstand multilingual learners.

7. Podcasting for Potential: An innovative look at using podcasting to uncover creative talent in students who are often missed by traditional testing.

But that’s not all… There are two free-access editorials to get you started

You don't need a journal subscription to start reading today! We made sure to include two free-access pieces to introduce these themes. You can click on the links for each editorial.

Castillo-Hermosilla, H., Fernández Morgado, A. A., Parra-Martínez, A., & Pereira, N. (2026). The Editorial Word: Voz. Journal of Advanced Academics, 37(3), 429-437. https://doi.org/10.1177/1932202X261455566 

The first is our editorial, "Voz" (Voice in Spanish and Portuguese), co-written by Alejandra, Andy, Nielsen, and myself. (A quick shoutout to PJ Sedillo, who was a brilliant Guest Editor for the issue alongside us, even though he didn't co-author this specific piece!) In "Voz," we break down all seven of the articles mentioned above and share our thoughts and insights beyond the more formal, initial description.

Fernández Morgado, A. A., Castillo-Hermosilla, H., & Parra-Martínez, A. (2026). The Editorial Word: Remolino. Journal of Advanced Academics, 37(3), 543-560. https://doi.org/10.1177/1932202X261455420 

The second is a special open letter we titled "Remolino" (Whirlwind), co-written by Alejandra, Andy, and me. We chose the word Remolino because Latine giftedness isn't a fixed, singular trait. It’s a constantly evolving spiral shaped by culture, language, and resilience. This piece is highly personal, reflecting on our layered identities not just as researchers, but as parents, children, and multifaceted members of this community.

We hope these stories and strategies bring fresh inspiration to your homes and classrooms!