Book excerpt: The nation has undergone a monumental increase in population growth over the past 20 years among minority groups (U.S. Census Bureau, 2010), especially among minority students. Despite this population growth, the growth in minority school leaders such as superintendents, and principals have experienced a much slower increase and a much slower increase among African American women leaders (National Center for Educational Statistics, 2005, 2018). The population of African American women in urban school K-12 leadership positions and their self-efficacy in their ascent into their positions is an understudied phenomenon. Their voices are often excluded from the research literature. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the intersectionality of race and gender of six African American women in urban school K-12 leadership positions to garner an understanding of the essence of their lived experiences, specifically; regarding their self-efficacy, challenges, and support, that influences their ascension into their leadership positions. This study took place in a Northeast Ohio metropolitan area. The aim was to understand their self-efficacy and development as leaders. The stories of African American women in urban school K-12 leadership regarding the challenges, support, and resilience on their ascent into their leadership positions could assist in helping aspiring female educators, particularly African American women educators as they seek leadership positions in urban education.