A publication of the Association of California School Administrators

Aguante: The invisible excellence of Latino students

A call to identify and interrupt biases that hold students back

By Maria Elena Cabrera | May | June 2026

As the daughter of immigrant farmworkers and the proud daughter of a Bracero father, I carry the story of aguante, the incredible drive and unwavering strength that Latinos embody. Aguante is our fuel, our fire, and sometimes, our burden. It means we endure what others will not and frankly cannot. Aguante is what allowed my parents, David and Galdina Cabrera, to labor for decades in California’s fields with dignity and hope, building a future with their brazos for our family. And it is this same spirit I see in today’s Latino students who are brilliant, resilient, and too often unseen.

Despite being nearly 30 percent of the K–12 population (NCES, 2023), Latino students remain systemically invisible. All too common their achievements are overlooked until someone needs a task done. We are called upon to execute, to implement, to “make it happen,” but rarely invited to lead the conversation. This transactional view of our role in education and society is not only reductive, it is harmful.

When excellence is ignored Latino students thrive against the odds. They go to college, they own a home, they lead companies and serve as our teachers, our doctors, and our lawyers. Data from Excelencia in Education shows rising college completion rates and strong contributions to the workforce. The sad reality is that these accomplishments are rarely spotlighted. When Latino students achieve, they are told it’s a fluke or they must’ve had help. When they lead, their leadership is questioned. Each of us has a story about when our light was dimmed, our dreams were too lofty, or our plan was not realistic. I’ve seen gifted bilingual students passed over for honors classes and student leadership roles because their excellence doesn’t fit the biased mold of who leaders are supposed to be.

Erasure creates a silent wound. Students internalize the message that success is not their birthright, that visibility comes only when they’re useful, never when they’re visionary. As a student, I stood out. I wanted to be a teacher, but no counselor ever told me about college applications and professional careers; I was told to seek clerical jobs. When school peers talked about going to college, I did not want to be left behind.

Cultural gaslighting and the burden of proof This invisibility often manifests as cultural gaslighting. It is the subtle, daily invalidations that erode identity. It’s the teacher who doubts a brilliant essay came from a Latino student. The counselor who steers them away from a four-year university “just to be safe.” The board that proclaims equity but does not offer bilingual and ethnic studies programs.

Each of these acts reinforces the same lie: that Latino students are exceptions when they succeed, not the standard. BUT we are the standard.

The systemic silence It’s easier for systems to ignore Latino excellence than confront their failure to nurture it. According to The Education Trust, Latino students are disproportionately tracked into remedial classes and away from STEM and AP courses. This tracking is not a coincidence; it is a strategy of exclusion, one that perpetuates a labor force built on Latino backs while withholding leadership seats.

Even as Latinos become nearly 20 percent of the U.S. workforce (BLS, 2023) and lead in entrepreneurship, schools rarely reflect this reality. Instead, Latino contributions are boxed into “hard work” narratives, never innovation, brilliance, or genius.

Our mantra “echale ganas” (“Give it your best! And go for it!”) flows into everything we do. Brilliant Latinos like Adhara Maite Pérez Sánchez, a Mexican child prodigy who has been found to have a higher intelligence quotient than the renowned physicist Albert Einstein, cannot be ignored. The Latino brilliance is far-reaching, we just have to see it.

Latino students do not lack ability; they overflow with it. What they lack is recognition. And still, they rise. They rise with aguante, the quiet, relentless force passed down from ancestors who endured, built, and believed.

From invisibility to power If we are serious about equity, we must redesign systems to see Latino students. Here’s how: Identify and interrupt bias: Train educators to name and disrupt the assumptions that keep Latino students tracked out of opportunity.

Honor bilingualism and biculturalism: Expand programs that recognize language as a superpower, not a deficit.

Amplify Latino leadership: From curriculum to hiring, Latino students must see themselves reflected in positions of influence.

Redesign college and career pathways: Stop assuming small dreams. Provide bold support that bridges internships, mentorships, and real access.

Hold systems accountable: Use data to expose gaps in access, not just outcomes. Ask the hard questions and act.

A call to see and lead Latino students do not lack ability; they overflow with it. What they lack is recognition. And still, they rise. They rise with aguante, the quiet, relentless force passed down from ancestors who endured, built, and believed. But aguante should not be mistaken for contentment. It is a survival strategy, not an excuse to keep systems as they are. We must name the invisibility. We must end it. We must replace it with visibility, voice, and justice. Because the brilliance of Latino students is not waiting to be discovered. It’s already here. Ojo Chicharo! (“Anticipate, stay alert!”)

References

National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), 2023
Excelencia in Education: Latino College Completion Report, 2023
Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2023 Labor Force Demographics
The Education Trust: Segregation and Tracking in Schools, 2022

Maria Elena Cabrera is the Director of Categorical Programs and Grants for Folsom Cordova Unified School District. One of six children of CA immigrant farm laborers, she has over 34 years of experience in education, serving as a teacher, principal, and district leader. She is also a consultant for districts across California, specializing in federal and state program compliance, community engagement, and advocacy.