Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to seek to conceptualize a theory of self-contribution as a framework for understanding and demonstrating the dispositions and skills academics and educational leaders need to break the silence and engage in constructive talk about race across color lines. Design/methodology/approach: Brian Fay's framework for critical theory provided the guideposts for the construct of self-contribution. To address false consciousness, the authors turned to Mezirow's unlearning. The work of Tatum, and Parker and Shapiro clarified the social crisis and the educative components used the voice of color thesis (Delgado and Stefancic), Pillow's race-based epistemologies, Horsford's research using counternarratives, and Argyris' work on defensive behaviors. Finally, to address transformative actions the authors turned to Follett's principles of unifying, and Laible's loving epistemology. Findings: The use of race-based theories to center the discourse about race in mixed race settings has the potential to move the debate forward--beyond colorblindness and toward color consciousness--to place civic relationships based on the integration of desires, an openness to mutual influence and a commitment to unifying rather than equal opportunity to gain power over others (Follett). Originality/value: At this moment in time, the potential of educational leadership students to lead socially just and equitable communities depends on educational leadership faculty's ability to participate in a way of knowing through self-contribution.