The current phenomenological study explored the emotion-based perceptions of eight Black and Hispanic students' experiences in developmental education classes at two urban community colleges. The researcher utilized a theoretical framework comprised of Critical Race Theory (CRT) with a focus on emotions and Yosso's (2005) model of cultural wealth. The prevalent themes in the study demonstrated the positive impacts of faculty members: (1) individualizing interactions with students; (2) motivating students through encouragement and praise; and (3) using emotional awareness. The study also highlighted the negative effects of deficit of thinking.