Before the EdD program through UC Davis, my own decisions and thinking process perpetuated an inequitable system that seemed to be working to support and uplift marginalized communities. When beginning my personal journey through the doctoral program and throughout the pandemic, there were epiphanies that awakened me to new institutional versions that empowered my ways of approaching education and leading future generations to question, early and often, the systems that were supposed to increase their ability to become leaders themselves. The concluding research recommendations support the implementation of culturally sustaining pedagogical practices to increase authentic historically marginalized student self-expression and empowerment of students and community. This work is done through understanding the priorities of the community, offering transparency, communicating, and listening while promoting health and safety as a means of cariño. Communicating that our priorities on site are children first, rather than test scores and attendance percentages, I seek creative means to empower our young scholars to bridge a gap between site and community and authentically celebrate the diversity on our campus.