43. Rev. Calvin O. Butts, III, Ph.D.

The outspoken pastor of Harlem’s nationally renowned Abyssinian Baptist Church has used his lectern as a means of spreading the message of social justice, civil rights and economic development throughout the state, combating homelessness and empowering senior citizens and youth alike. He’s used his position as head of one of the most culturally diverse student populations in the Northeast, SUNY Old Westbury, to instill those values in generations of pupils. Another of Butts’ vehicles for these goals is the nonprofit Abyssinian Development Corporation, which has leveraged more than $600 million in housing investments for housing and commercial development into Harlem. He’s its chairman.