Empowerment is a contemporary buzzword in educational circles as leaders attempt to coax absolute maximum effort from those under them into hierarchy. In Salsa, Soul, and Sprit, Juana Bordas (2012) draws on cultural phenomena found in communities of divergent ethnicities to illustrate this point. In one particular section, addressing the collective leadership styles observed in many African American communities, he hypothesized: “Collaborative leadership transforms the I orientation of hierarchical leadership into a group-centered or We orientation. Instead of providing all the answers, the collaborative leader creates an environment that promotes teamwork and joint learning.” (Bordas, 2012, p. 80) For Bordas, the leader who can ensure that all individuals collectively own their stake in the educational process validates each individual voice and allows equity to thrive. Collective and collaborative work environments allow us to see differences and diversity not as a threat to an individual's autonomy, but rather as a new perspective that will make the environment richer and more