The Community Cultural Wealth (CCW) framework (Yosso, 2005) challenges deficit-based narratives by emphasizing the cultural assets and strengths historically marginalized students bring to academic and societal contexts. This study employs Yosso’s CCW framework and a phenomenological research approach to explore how historically marginalized students, specifically Neighborhood Scholars, at Hilltown Independent School (HIS) leverage their aspirational, navigational, social, familial, and resistant capital to navigate their predominantly White urban independent school. It also uses Bonilla-Silva’s (2021) colorblind racism framework as a lens to examine the HIS strategies designed to support Neighborhood Scholars and how Neighborhood Scholars experience them.Findings through semi-structured interviews reveal that the forms of capital within the CCW framework are interconnected and that institutional strategies at HIS often fail to address systemic inequities, hindering the ability of Neighborhood Scholars to thrive. Instead, these students are caught in a liminal space, striving to belong and not experiencing authentic growth due to broader systemic barriers. This research highlights the need for schools, like HIS, to adopt race-conscious, equity-driven strategies that move beyond generalized support. In addition, these findings inform educational leaders on how to create inclusive environments that recognize and amplify the strengths of historically marginalized students, fostering their growth and success.