A couple who works for the Carolina Inn, longtime renters, moved into a brand new home of their own last year. A multi-generational family whose breadwinner is a single mother and a UNC employee, did the same. And so did another UNC employee, a single man who had rented all his life.

A jeweler with his own business trained two apprentices who have now joined the local workforce. Ten teenagers from Chapel Hill and Carrboro learned workplace skills through summer jobs with UNC and local businesses and organizations.

2008 was one of the most rewarding years EmPOWERment has had in some time. As we reflect on last year's progress toward our mission of home ownership, economic development and community organizing, we're very aware that we couldn't have come this far without the contributions of those who came before us. As we head into a new year, we'd like to pay tribute to the activists who have worked to improve our local neighborhoods and the lives of our residents.

One of the earliest was Morris Hogan, who was born in slavery and started the original Morris Grove School for African-American children. More recent longtime activists are still working for the community today. They include educators like R.D. and Euzelle Smith, Lucile and Charles McDougle and Lillian Lee, and stalwarts like the Rev. Robert Campbell, Howard Lee, Velma Perry, Fred Battle, Nate Davis, Al McSurely, Estelle Mabry and the Rev. J.R. Manley.

We're grateful to EmPOWERment's founders, Myles Presler and Termaine Kyles, its early directors and staff including Maxecine Mitchell, Terry Carver, Mark Chilton, Jeff Caiola, Fabian Farrington, Beth Flora and Sharron Reid, and to our past and present board members. We salute longtime supporters like the Jane and Adam Stein family, the Scott family, the Chilton family and many others.

We thank the pioneers who fought EmPOWERment's fight since before EmPOWERment existed and have now passed on, including Ed Caldwell Sr., Mary Norwood Jones, Joe and Lucy Straley, Geraldine Page, Frances Caldwell, Joe Herzenberg, Bill Thorpe and Rebecca Clark.

We're also grateful for emerging leaders like Dr. Pat Parker, who last year started an organization to encourage leadership and organizing skills among young ladies from public housing in the Northside neighborhood. Our Career Explorers give us hope for the next generation of leaders.

Our community makes progress because of all these leaders and others too numerous to name. If you are one of them, we thank you. We also thank those who support us financially, including all who donated to and attended our fundraiser at the Carolina Inn last month.

We're lucky to live among community members who give so generously from their wallets and from their hearts. If you would like to join them, please be in touch with us at 967-9779 or www.empowerment-inc.org.