This case study focused on transitional bilingual class and explored connections between the literacy practices co-constructed in this figured world and one student's developing identity. Yanet, a newcomer student from Cuba, was encouraged to draw on community cultural wealth to support her own and her classmates' language, literacy and identity development. Over time she figured an identity as an expert helping her to develop self-efficacy and a positive academic identity. Yanet's teacher played a critical role in establishing the norms of the figured world and her success in leveraging community cultural wealth during literacy practices.