1 Culturally Cognizant Research and Culturally Sustaining Practice: Promoting Authentic Inclusive Classrooms for Diverse Learners David J. Connor, Beth A. Ferri, Layla Dehaiman, & Louis Olander In this chapter we consider the link between two important topics, Culturally Responsive Research (CRR) and Culturally Sustaining Pedagogies (CSP) within the context of inclusive education in the USA. We explore these connections to illuminate some of the complexities of inclusive research and practice. By joining insights from the discourses of both CRR and CSP we ultimately seek to increase authentic ways of including all students from diverse backgrounds (Lawrence-Brown & Sapon-Shevin, 2015). First, we discuss the benefits of educational researchers acknowledging their own personal biases and attending to how these biases might influence their research on inclusive practices. Second, we challenge the notion of culture-free research, highlighting ways in which the failure to acknowledge culture has inhibited reducing inequalities. Here, we advocate for increased pluralism of research methodologies that situate the context of the research, recognize the needs, desires, and interests of research participants, and seek out dialogical encounters among those most invested in the outcomes of our research. Third, we discuss the need to cultivate classrooms that center human diversity as the norm. This requires that we both critique current practices, as well as forge alternative ways to embrace and expand core principles of inclusive education. Fourth, we advocate for researchers to explicitly position themselves within their work and work to develop cultural cognizance in their work with teachers and children in inclusive classrooms. Finally, we advocate for school cultures that focus less on perceived deficits and more on creating a sense of belonging, noting how this is a topic applicable around the world.