UIC psychologist earns national fellowship to advance racial justice for Latinx teens

Josefina Bañales, assistant professor of psychology, is designing a program to help Latinx teens engage with activism. (Photo: Katie Klema)

For Josefina Bañales, being named a 2025 National Academy of Education Spencer Postdoctoral Fellow is more than a professional milestone - it's personal.

"It's truly a dream come true," said Bañales, assistant professor of psychology in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. "This fellowship gives me a year to focus on the research I've envisioned since college, work that supports the racial justice development of Latinx teens."

The fellowship provides Bañales with a $70,000 award for critical resources to collaborate with Chicago Public Schools and community partners - and to fairly compensate the teens and families who share their time and experiences.

"Research should be collaborative," she said. "This fellowship makes it possible to honor those contributions."

Her current project, based at a partner high school on Chicago's South Side, begins with surveys to explore how Latinx students view their identities and their ability to address social issues. The results will guide interviews and youth-led interpretation of the data, ultimately shaping Roots y Resistencia, a program designed to help Latinx teens engage with activism.

"Teens aren't just participants - they're collaborators. They're on the research team helping us make sense of the data," she said.

That model is already showing results. Three youth collaborators Bañales hired two years ago are now UIC undergraduates and still part of the team. "It's hands-on experience for them, and it strengthens our work," she said.

Her approach blends surveys and interviews with youth participatory action research, which centers young people's perspectives. "As adult researchers, we bring expertise, but community members - especially teens - bring their own essential knowledge," she said.

For Bañales, the work is deeply tied to her own story. She grew up in Brighton Park and once commuted four hours daily to Lincoln Park High School, passing UIC each way. As a first-generation college student and PhD, she wants to help Chicago youths see "UIC as a place where they belong."

"Being here is an incredible privilege. It's really a homecoming," she said.

That mission extends to her own family. Alongside her brother, a UIC Jane Addams College of Social Work alum, she routinely brings her niece and nephew to campus, whether it's to study in the Behavioral Sciences Building or work out at UIC's recreation facilities.

"It's important for kids of color to see themselves here," she said. "Being a Latina faculty member from Chicago, I want my students to see that this is possible."

Reflecting on her path, Bañales said the fellowship is about advancing her research and amplifying its reach.

"We have the power and responsibility in higher ed to spread opportunities beyond campus," she said. "UIC should never feel out of reach."

- Jonathan Cecero, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences