Willie Lightfoot, 32
Monroe County Legislator, Rochester city firefighter and barber

The son of a long-time Monroe County legislator by the same name, Willie Lightfoot grew up in Rochester and lives in the 19th Ward with his family. In addition to being a Rochester firefighter and a barber, he's an ordained youth minister who runs a program for at-risk boys ages 9 and up-reaching more than 500 children each year. He and his family also developed Lightfoot Square, a business center in the city's southwest neighborhood.

"I own my own business here, which we built from the ground up," Lightfoot says of the center. "It was an empty lot when we moved here, and we spent almost half a million dollars building this building. … We wanted to prove our commitment to this community.

"When I say 'we,' I mean my father and his dream, myself, and my family. … We built it in an area where, really, the building isn't even worth 150 grand, because of where it's at. But we believe that we're on the cutting edge of a change, a shift. … We're trying to show people and encourage others to invest in the future of Rochester."