May 30, 2010; Source: The Pilot | The Z. Smith Reynolds foundation has announced this year’s winners of their sabbatical awards. Five people will be given awards of $25,000 apiece to get a little room to “reflect, revitalize and gain new energy” for their continuing work. What we like about this sabbaticals list is that it includes more than just executive directors. It is well worth reading what these wonderful people will be doing with their time off but here is a taste. Francisco Risso was born to Chilean parents in Miami. A longstanding workers rights activist, he now organizes among poultry workers in the Hickory-Morganton area. He wants to use the time to work on his musical skills. “I have always felt inspired by songs of social justice from Chile and from this country and learned to play the guitar in order to learn those songs. Music and cultural work play an important role in the development of social movements for justice, and I would hope that upon returning to my work, I would be able to incorporate cultural programs that would contribute to our efforts to create an immigrant workers’ rights movement.”—Ruth McCambridge