Introduction
Like many of you, I watched the Super Bowl with my family this past Sunday. During the halftime spectacular, I translated the song lyrics and discussed performance symbolism as we watched Bad Bunny electrify the Super Bowl stage. For 13 minutes, he made Spanish the language of America's living room, but more importantly, he redefined what American culture actually looks like in 2026.
Those weren't just backup dancers moving through sugar cane fields; they were jíbaros carrying forward centuries of Puerto Rican agricultural tradition. The azul clarito flag wasn't mere decoration—it was a declaration of Boricua pride waving in the faces of 115 million viewers. When utility poles flickered across the screen, referencing his documentary "El Apagón," Bad Bunny forced a national audience to confront Puerto Rico's ongoing infrastructure crisis. Even the EBT signage spoke volumes, connecting economic struggle to cultural survival. This wasn't entertainment; it was education disguised as a party.
Regardless of how you felt about the halftime performance, many of you discussed the performance with family and friends or debated it on social media. Regardless of your feelings or politics, what is true is that Bad Bunny took the NFL's most-watched event and turned it into a pan-American awakening, proving that when you give a platform to authentic Latino voices, they don't just perform—they teach, they challenge, and they expand what it means to be American.
That happened on the football field on Sunday, it offered me a chance to step back and reflect on what many educators have pushed for in our schools: a place where each student's unique story is honored, and where language is seen not as a barrier, but as a bridge that connects us and enriches our communities.
Why This Moment in Time Matters for Education
Let’s look at the facts:
The U.S. is now the world’s second-largest Spanish-speaking country.
Over 600 million people globally speak Spanish.
Latino communities contribute $4.1 trillion to the U.S. economy.
Yet in too many of our schools, Spanish is still treated as an elective rather than a foundation. Bilingual programs are often underfunded or politically controversial. And students who speak languages other than English are sometimes made to feel like outsiders, or even reprimanded for using their native language.
Bad Bunny’s performance shattered that narrative. He sang in Spanish, honored his Puerto Rican roots, and brought into the spotlight symbols of struggle and resilience, such as sugar cane fields and the azul clarito flag. He didn’t ask for permission. He showed that Spanish belongs not just in music, but at the heart of American life.
Lessons for Educational Leaders
Identity Is Not Optional: Bad Bunny wore a jersey with his uncle’s name, “Ocasio 64,” connecting his personal history to a public celebration. In our schools, do we allow students to bring their full selves? Or do we expect them to check their culture at the door?
History Needs All Its Voices: The halftime show was a visual textbook. Dancers climbed power poles, a reference to Puerto Rico’s struggles with infrastructure. A “We Accept EBT” sign nodded to economic realities. These stories are often missing from our curriculums. Are we teaching the full story of America, or just the comfortable parts?
Language Is Power: Bad Bunny didn’t translate. He made Lady Gaga adapt to salsa, not the other way around. He showed that Spanish is not a “second language”—it’s a language of power, art, and belonging. Are we treating bilingualism as an asset in our schools, or as a hurdle to overcome?
The Leadership Challenge: From Visibility to Infrastructure
Right now, educational leaders have a choice. You can keep treating moments like this as rare exceptions, or we can build systems that make them normal.
Barriers We Face
There continue to be a number of barriers in education, both internal and external, that complicate your ability to lead with courage and succeed
Political pushback against bilingual and culturally responsive programs.
Shortages of bilingual teachers and culturally competent staff.
Uneven funding and support for schools serving multilingual communities.
Opportunities Ahead
However, there are opportunities to build stronger, more integrated educational systems that can transform schools and communities.
Implement or expand dual-language programs - research shows they boost achievement for all students.
Engage more with families and honor their languages and cultures.
Create spaces and learning opportunities where students can see themselves reflected in the curriculum, the practices, and the outcomes.
Key Finding: Schools that embrace multilingualism and cultural diversity see higher student engagement, stronger family ties, and better academic outcomes.
What “Together We Are America” Really Means
Bad Bunny closed his show by naming every country in the Americas and spiking a football that read, “Together We Are America.” He reminded us that “American” is bigger than one language or one story.
This isn’t just about checking a diversity box. It’s about preparing students for the world they already live in, where borders are less clear and identities are complex.
Our students are watching. They’re asking if their schools will help them thrive as their whole selves, or if they will need to leave parts of themselves behind.
My Challenge to You
As someone who spent many years in education, I know change isn’t easy. But I also know it is possible. I’ve seen districts turn around by investing in bilingual programs. I’ve watched students light up when they read a story that feels like home, or when they stand before their peers, celebrating an artifact that represents who they are.
It’s time to move beyond polite conversations and take bold, collective action. This week, I challenge you to rally your teams, families, and communities to demand real change.
“…as educational leaders, we can’t afford to wait for permission or consensus when our students’ futures are on the line.” - Miguel Cardona, Former Secretary of Education
Let’s build coalitions with advocacy groups, leverage our collective voice at school board meetings, and refuse to let political resistance or budget constraints silence our commitment to equity. Our students deserve more than symbolic gestures—they deserve systems that honor their languages, cultures, and histories. Together, we can create schools where every child’s identity is celebrated, and every family contributes to a more just future.
The Super Bowl showed us what is possible. Now it is up to us to make it real, every day, in every school.
Let’s build an America where every student’s language, history, and identity are not just accepted, but celebrated.
Together, we are America.
Reflective Questions
How does your current curriculum and teaching practice validate and build upon the diverse cultural and linguistic assets that students bring to our learning community?
In what ways are we either empowering or marginalizing multilingual students through our language policies, and what specific steps can we take to position multilingualism as a strength rather than a deficit?
What institutional barriers currently prevent us from implementing culturally sustaining pedagogies, and how might we reimagine our infrastructure to support educational transformation that serves all students authentically?
Tasks
Reflect deeply: Use the questions above to spark honest conversations with your leadership team, staff, and community. Push for policies and funding that make bilingual and culturally sustaining education the norm, not the exception.
Take concrete steps: Move beyond good intentions. Audit your curriculum, invest in professional development, and build teams that reflect your community’s diversity.
Engage your community: Invite students, families, and local organizations to co-create solutions. Listen to their stories and let their voices guide your next steps.
The Multilingual Education Hall of Fame. Building upon more than 50 years of progress, the Hall of Fame works to elevate the work of pioneer educators and leaders serving in multilingual spaces by curating a living hub of research, practice, and dialogue - moving multilingual education from the margins to the mainstream and shaping a stronger, more culturally-connected future for schools and communities. [website]
Public Demand for Bilingual Education. Data Reveals Strong Demand for Bilingual Education [report]
The Battle for Bilingual and Bicultural Education. A powerful video series produced by The American Experience and PBS. [video series]
