This practice story tells of one professor’s discovery and conduct of community-based research (CBR) at a leading liberal arts college. Originating through collaborations with an immigrant meatpacking workers’ union, Whitman College’s program on The State of the State for Washington Latinos has earned national recognition since its founding in 2005. The program’s story speaks to the vital role CBR projects in the academy can play in addressing deeply rooted forms of racial injustice and cultural exclusion, from political under-representation to gaps in bilingual education. This narrative further highlights the importance of durable community partnerships that allow mutual trust to grow and flourish; the challenges faculty members face when institutions provide sparse infrastructure for CBR program development; the transformative effects of these endeavors on students; and the unusual success of Whitman’s State of the State program in matching rigorous research with an ambitious agenda of public outreach to enhance regional democracy.