As principal of Ernest Everett Just Middle School in Mitchellville, Maryland, the author has fostered a management philosophy that draws from the unity and simplicity of two different cultures: village life in Africa and the gemba kaizen business philosophy of Japan. Blended together, the African and gemba kaizen activities have transformed the burden of school management at Ernest Everett Just to be borderless, boundaryless, and timeless. This blended management approach has allowed the people in the school to view themselves as a predominately Black, yet pluralistic, community that focuses on its students. By drawing from African and gemba kaizen ways, the school enjoys a life that is warm, caring, and meaningful. All the members of the school community have a role in managing the school through its organized structure of community, its well-thought-out philosophical framework, and its continuous improvement strategies that reflect diverse world views. The school has become more balanced and fulfilled, and it has grown immeasurably in the process. (Contains 5 resources.)