In pursuit of preparing social justice educators, the authors argue for the inclusion of young adolescents and teacher candidates as "boundary-spanning teacher educators" who are both contributors to and recipients of professional knowledge and learning. The authors draw from a qualitative, longitudinal study on the impact of a partnership between a university and local school district to assert that excluding youth, teacher candidates, and other school personnel from recognition as teacher educators is counter to ideas characterizing democratic education. In keeping with that assertion, the authors center the voices of teacher candidates and young adolescents to present pedagogical strategies that embody democratic principles. Implications for teacher preparation program design are discussed, with particular focus on middle grades education.