“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

At Empower Missouri, we believe in the power of ordinary people organizing for extraordinary change. Our Housing Justice Fellowship (HJF) is designed to bring that vision to life, with a commitment that aligns deeply with Missouri’s own state motto: “The welfare of the people shall be the supreme law.” For us, that means safe, affordable...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

Darlene S. has faced challenges in housing her entire life, but things have gotten progressively harder in recent years. After experiencing two evictions, the most recent being a decade ago, she has faced mounting barriers to housing. Combined with increased rents and requirements of 3 times rent in income, renting anything became impossible. Darlene has...Read More