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 challenges sound an alarm for CH communities to take matters into their own hands to preserve - on their terms. Barbados is currently laying the groundwork for 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. Natural disasters threatening Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade records are a leading impetus to fully assemble the program and to support physical and digital preservation. The journey to protect these records and the collaborative efforts and decisions along the way suggest a framework for replicating these efforts in similar communities. This presentation will frame the project, discuss the pursuit of restorative and sustainable practice, and document aspects of the journey that could apply to institutions in the ARL network.