In America’s cities, progress doesn’t happen by accident. It takes courageous individuals to challenge systems, vision to imagine better futures, trust to bring along communities, and determination to create pathways where none existed.

PathBreakers do all of this. They cut through the noise, the red tape, and all the other barriers to progress. Like icebreakers that clear frozen waters, these community champions forge passages through seemingly impenetrable barriers, making way for entire communities to follow.

They are Kresge partners who rise above the moment to stand up for their communities’ future.

In this report, we celebrate 12 remarkable PathBreakers whose stories illuminate how determined individuals can transform urban landscapes and create better futures for everyone.

Read their stories below and dive deeper with our new PathBreakers podcast, airing a new interview each week. Co-hosts Jamie Bennett and Tracey Pearson conduct intimate conversations that reveal the passion and purpose that drive these agents of change.

PathBreakers remind us that the most meaningful progress often begins with those brave enough to chart a new course.