I have had the pleasure of serving as a both a language teacher (Spanish, English, ELD), and an instructional leader for many years, For the past 8 years, my passion and focus have been centered on Career Technical Education (CTE), Linked Learning, and the comprehensive supports each approach provides to the most under-served students. As the 2016 awardee of a joint CSULB/Long Beach USD Fellowship, I was selected to research Linked Learning®, CTE pathways, and their effectiveness throughout the Long Beach Unified School District. Coupled with my passion to understand and serve the needs of the most underserved youth, I paralleled my LBUSD CTE action research with a personal goal of identifying those CTE-related strategies that increase the overall engagement of Black and Brown boys. I am eager to apply this knowledge, and implement these hands-on, engaging strategies with students of color in my language classrooms.