“We Are Here to Stay”: The Fight for Cedarwood & Rosewood Tenants Jami has spent her life fighting for dignity in a world that often seems to forget people like her. Born with spinal muscular dystrophy and diagnosed at the age of four, doctors predicted she wouldn’t survive beyond five years old. But Jami defied...Read More

Zachary’s story begins in Topeka, Kansas, where he was born into a world shaped by poverty and housing insecurity. For Zach, housing justice is deeply personal. His parents divorced shortly after he was born. So he, his younger brother, and two older sisters primarily lived with his mother in Central Topeka, a neighborhood dotted with...Read More

On the Edge: A Single Mother’s Fight in the Housing Crisis Jessi has experienced both the highs and lows of housing, finding temporary stability only to have it stripped away by forces beyond her control. Born into housing instability, her mother lived in a tent while pregnant. A period of stability came when Jessi and...Read More

A Voice for Justice: Kai’s Fight Against Discrimination and Housing Injustice Kai’s story is shaped by a childhood marked by poverty and later battles against racial discrimination. After the passing of her great-grandmother, she lived full-time with her mother in California before moving to Chicago. “Chicago is where I grew up,” she reflects. “I was...Read More

Greetings Empower Missouri Community, It is with great humility and excitement for the journey that I introduce myself as the incoming Chair of the Board Directors. My name is Dr. Tiffany Patton and I have served on the Board this past year as your Vice Chair. I am a dedicated and committed educator in the...Read More

As I sit down to write this letter, I am filled with a multitude of emotions– It is with a mixture of pride, gratitude, and a touch of sadness that I bid farewell to you and the incredible team at Empower Missouri. After six years of service, including two years as the Board President, it...Read More