Caribbean nations are increasing cultural heritage (CH) digitization to protect and facilitate access to their archival materials, transcending the erasure of histories that offer critical counter-narratives. DEI initiatives in research libraries have bolstered restorative and sustainable strategies to prioritize the neglected history of underrepresented groups. However, adequate value placement supported by immediacy, tangible resources, and restorative archival practice can be elusive. Climate change is exacerbating the forces that accelerate or directly cause the demise of archival materials. These considerations sound an alarm for CH communities to take matters into their own hands to preserve - on their terms. Barbados is growing a large-scale digitization and archives program. It leverages international collaboration, strategic technology in the CH sector, and the development of an empowered, Bajan-lead workforce. Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade records in Barbados, among others, tell critical stories that must be preserved. This presentation will frame the digitization and archives program, discuss the pursuit of restorative and sustainable practice, and document aspects of collaboration that could apply to institutions in the ARL network.