*Specific to Culturally Diverse Learners

Our families, students, and communities need proof that specialists in Gifted and Talented Education really value learners from all backgrounds. One of the leaders in the movement to make sure we identify and serve students from all backgrounds is Dr. Joy Lawson-Davis. In fact she is "outraged by the dis-proportionality" of African-American students receiving gifted services (personal communication, March 3, 2017). This professor shares her personal experience and expertise to inform African-American families about the needs of gifted children. She advocates for more movement, more hands-on activities and more student voices heard in the classroom. In fact, she believes that African-American students begin to underachieve starting in the third grade based on the lack of these activities. In the following video, she talks about her book entitled Bright, Talented and Black. Should any families wish to receive a copy of this book, the Denver Public School's Gifted and Talented department has copies to share. As well, she provides encouragement and resources through a shared blog and a Facebook page.

Mueller (2009) states that to build resiliency in minority students and to combat depression, they need strong connections to their community or family. He cites Ford as saying that these students also need to be involved in a strong "family-school-community" partnership to reach their full potential. Dr. Lawson-Davis is supporting the Denver Public Schools to create such connections. Currently, however, many gifted African-American students note they are used to being one of the few in highly gifted programs. Dr. Lawson-Davis emphasizes that social and intellectual peers are very important and that they need to be together in the same cohort. Increasing school sizes may help students have more opportunities for larger social groups. This page is to be used by any person interested in advocating for African-American gifted students.