Ernest Everett Just Middle School, located in Mitchellville, Maryland, has a student population that is almost homogenous. In fact, 98% of the students are Black. As a veteran principal, the author's greatest fear has been not being able to provide students with a broad spectrum of ethnic, cultural, and religious experiences--experiences that they will need to live in a world that is full of prejudice, foreign policies, wartime memories, and economic strongholds. In this article, the author describes a book study project she developed around "Teach With Your Heart: Lessons I Learned" from the Freedom Writers by Erin Gruwell to foster discussions of race and culture. She believed Gruwell's book had the potential to contribute to the development of preservice teachers, enrich the teaching and pedagogy of new teachers, and inspire veteran teachers. Her powerful story is one that the author felt compelled to share with her staff. The book study project included a study guide with questions that related to the school, the students, and the community. The project also included journal writing, a survey for parents, and an Arts and Culture evening activity. During summer 2007, this book study project enabled teacher leaders to use the lessons learned from reading "Teach With Your Heart" to re-examine the districts' curriculum, searching for connections and ways to infuse global concepts, vocabulary, and events into their teaching.