In this article, we apply tools from cultural historical theory to an analysis of a series of meetings between a group of linguists and one of Mayan women. The article describes a journey from the two groups' initial acquaintance to the formation of a shared object--a literacy project--thereby providing an analysis of six visits to Nebaj, Guatemala, between 2002 and 2004. Field notes and video data reveal that the joint work of a single member, or liaison, from each group modeled a form of interaction that supported an expansive transformation. We introduce the notion of "boundary agents" into activity theoretical discussions of subjectivity to explain how, through the liaisons, two groups became one community of practice focused on using linguistic fieldwork to amplify, rather than compete with, the demands of cultural survival. (Contains 2 figures and 2 footnotes.)