To work toward equity in the quality of school experiences for historically underserved communities, we must attend to the preparation, support and retention of diverse, learner-ready teachers. Research has shown that intentionally designed, high-quality, paid residencies meet that need. These programs are able to recruit strong, economically and racially diverse candidates; prepare candidates successfully, diminishing the first-year learning curve for new teachers; ensure strong, qualified candidates for high-need positions and hard-to-staff schools; and retain teachers in the profession, reducing turnover and providing stability. The UB Teacher Residency program has been developed in order to achieve those results here in our local community.