NEWS
Step-Up Omaha Alumnus, Elijah Mitchell, Meets with President Barack Obama
Step-Up Omaha Alumnus, Elijah Mitchell, Meets with President Barack Obama and Steph Curry at MBK Rising!
All eyes were on Elijah Mitchell as 2000 attendees were looking at him on stage.
“Did I really just meet and speak with President Obama and Steph Curry? Unbelievable. It’s all starting to sink in,” Mitchell said after the experience.
He posted images and videos of himself and President Obama on social media. His Facebook page and Snapchat lit up with hundreds of likes and shares. Mitchell, a Step Up alumnus joined an Omaha contingency on the trip to Oakland, California to attend the Obama Foundation’s first MBK Rising! national conference. The event marked and celebrated the five year anniversary of the launch of President Obama’s My Brother’s Keeper Movement (MBK) after the tragic murder of Trayvon Martin. The movement focuses on the success of boys and young men of color.
Thousands of young men, mentors, non-profit executives, local and national leaders, and celebrities from across the globe came together for an inspiring, challenging and power-packed three-day event. In addition to President Obama and Golden State Warrior’s Steph Curry, internationally known figures including John Legend, Michael B. Jordan, Susan Taylor, and many others participated in the groundbreaking gathering.
Every aspect of the conference was full of energy and incredibly moving. It started with a day of service at local schools and included a town hall, music, food, main stage interviews, and informative breakout sessions. Topics focused on equity, policy, mentoring, violence prevention and story-telling. The entire conference was intentionally inclusive, featuring Native American, African-American, Hispanic and Asian youth.
Mitchell joined Willie Barney, President of the Empowerment Network; Shelley Henderson, MBK of the Heartland Leader; Moniki Cannon, Step-Up Omaha Employment Director for the Empowerment Network; Deborah Neary, Executive Director for MentorNebraska; and, Douglas County Commissioner Chris Rodgers.
Mitchell and twenty three other young men were selected to share the stage with President Obama and Golden State Warriors Steph Curry in a town hall format. Obama and Curry took questions from the young men and provided insights based on their own life experiences. Mitchell was also provided the exciting opportunity to pose a question directly to President Obama. He was also able to take photos and spend time with President Obama and the other young men, including new found friends from across the U.S.
“How many 17-year-olds have this type of experience or even adults for that matter?” asked Moniki Cannon. “To have the chance to meet, talk with, shake hands and even dap up the 44th President of the United States. This reinforces our vision. There are no limits to where Step-Up Omaha can take you.”
Mitchell started as an intern with Step-Up and worked at American National Bank for the summer. He did such an exceptional job and was offered a year-round position while completing his senior year at Central High School and has become a lead teller.
“We are so excited for Elijah,” said Wende Kotouc, Executive Co-Chairman for American National Bank. “He is an outstanding young man and we are honored to have him on our team.” Kotouc and American National Bank were the first business sponsors of Step-Up Omaha and have hired over 50 interns since the inception of the program. Like Mitchell, a number of them have become full-time employees.
Obama Foundation Selects Empowerment Network and MBK of the Heartland
In November 2018, Omaha, represented by The Empowerment Network and MBK of the Heartland was selected by the Obama Foundation as one of 15 cities to receive an Impact or Seed Award after a nationwide community challenge. Over 200 applicants submitted detailed applications with the Empowerment Network receiving a SEED grant of $50,000 to help grow Step-Up Omaha!
The goals are to serve a more diverse group of participants, connect them to mentors and expand STEM opportunities. Step-Up Omaha has helped to connect 5,000 youth and young adults to career exploration, jobs, and careers over the past 12 years.
“Our goal is to build a long-term partnership with the Obama Foundation to accelerate the pace of progress in Omaha,” said Barney. “We are thankful for the amazing partners that have worked with us the past 12 years and look forward to even greater things ahead as we work with the Obama Foundation and MBK Alliance. It’s great to be part of this national movement.”
Barney was also invited by the Obama Foundation to serve as a speaker during a breakout session at the MBK first national convening. The session was facilitated by Michael McAfee, President, and CEO of the PolicyLink.
“We are honored to be a part of this collaboration,” said Deb Neary, Executive Director of MentorNebraska and Nebraska Board of Education member. “This is an amazing opportunity for Omaha.” It was Neary who notified the team and recommended that the Empowerment Network become the lead applicant for the Community Challenge.
Based on its collaborative work and twelve years of collective success, the Obama Foundation has also identified the Empowerment Network as a model that should be expanded and replicated across the United States. Another key aspect of submitting a strong application was the Network’s experience with leading the Omaha African-American Male Achievement Collaborative in partnership with the National League of Cities, PolicyLink, City of Omaha, Omaha Public Schools and forty plus community partners.
Representatives from the Obama Foundation visited Omaha last year to make the final selections. They were impressed with the extensive collaboration, partnerships, and results generated in Omaha. The Obama Foundation will work with the Empowerment Network and MBK of the Heartland for the next two years to advance and expand their local models focused on the success of boys and men of color. An executive from the Obama Foundation will visit Omaha in the spring of 2019.
“It was obvious to us that the team in Omaha is working together consistently to make a positive impact,” said Burnell Holland, Obama Foundation representative. “They didn’t just come into a room to impress us, it was obvious they have established powerful and productive partnerships.”
Omaha and the Empowerment Network would not have had the opportunity to apply for the community challenge grant if not for the efforts of Shelly Henderson, Earl Redrick, Regional HUD Director, and Commissioner Chris Rodgers. They along with 200 other cities took up the challenge offered by President Obama before he left office. Henderson led efforts to host a series of events and facilitated the development of a local action plan.
“I’m glad that we were able to bring together a regional collaboration of groups representing African-American, Native American, Hispanic/Latino and Asian communities,” said Henderson. “Creating the MBK action plan allowed us to keep the door open for the transition to the Obama Foundation.”
Commissioner Rodgers had this to say, “This is an extreme honor and should be seen as a high vote of confidence that Douglas County and the City of Omaha were selected to be a part of this gathering. We have done some trend-setting work, and it renewed me personally. I hope it renewed all of us to dig in to go to the next level to address the specific issues of young boys and girls of color over the next five years.”
The goal for the team is to help more Omaha boys and young men of color to connect with their purpose, establish big goals and experience high levels of success in school, life, careers, and entrepreneurial endeavors. Young men, just like Elijah Mitchell.
Mitchell, along with other Step-Up Omaha alumni, was a part of the team that presented to the Obama Foundation when they visited Omaha. He is excited to be a part of the next phase. As he prepares to enter college next year to study finance, Mitchell is reaching out to other students to share his once in a lifetime experience and get more youth engaged with Step-Up and other community initiatives.
As Moniki Cannon, Employment Director for Step-Up Omaha says, “There are no limits.”
To learn more about MBK Rising! visit www.obama.org/mbka/rising.
Community Features
95% increase in the number of Black-owned businesses with employees in Omaha
A recent story by the Brookings Institution highlights a 95% increase in the number of Black-owned businesses with employees in the Omaha metro.
The Brookings reports leads with the statement that Black-owned businesses are driving economic growth in America.
The report uses data from the Census Bureau’s Annual Business Survey showing an increase of 182 Black-owned businesses with employees in Omaha from 2017 to 2022.
That is great news for the organizations and businesses working to increase the number and size of Black-owned businesses.
“This is incredible. A 95% surge in Black-owned businesses with employees in Omaha is more than a statistic—it’s a testament to resilience, innovation, and economic empowerment,” said Frank Hayes, CEO and Founder of Hayes & Associates. “This growth fuels generational wealth, strengthens communities, and drives the local economy forward. When Black businesses thrive, Omaha thrives!”
The Brookings report shows that minority businesses are driving economic growth in the entire country.
Some neighboring cities in the Midwest and partner cities also performed very well when it comes to increasing the number of Black owned businesses.
“We set a goal in 2015 to work together to help create or scale 250 more Black-owned businesses with employees by 2025,” said Willie Barney, CEO of the Empowerment Network and co-owner of the Revive Black Business Network and Carver Legacy Center. “We’ve partnered with many organizations to host expos, markets, workshops, networking events and assist with raising capital and securing investments.”
“Even with the pandemic, we have collectively made substantial and measurable progress. This proves what can be accomplished in just five years and we want to help create or scale 250 more businesses before 2030.”
Locally, there are many support organizations and the entrepreneurs working to make things happen in Omaha:
- Nebraska Enterprise Fund
- Grow Nebraska
- Omaha 100
- Start Center
- Omaha Economic Development Corporation
- Revive Black Business Network
- Empowerment Network
- Carver Legacy Center
- Metro Omaha Women’s Business Center
- Hayes & Associates
- Business Seals
- Small Business Administration
- DreamBusiness
- Greater Omaha Chamber
- Urban League of Nebraska
- Midlands African-Chamber
- and others are focused on entrepreneurship and business growth.
“When we invest in small businesses, we invest in the heartbeat of our communities. These businesses don’t just provide services, they create jobs, generate local spending, and fuel economic growth. By empowering entrepreneurs in low to moderate-income communities, we build ecosystems of opportunity where every dollar earned circulates locally, strengthening neighborhoods and paving the way for generational prosperity,” said Veta Jeffery, CEO of Jeffery Consulting.
“These achievements are encouraging and proof that the focus on building an entrepreneurial economy-system is vital to building vibrant communities,” said Jim Reiff, Executive Director of Nebraska Enterprise Fund. “While a confirmation of our collective efforts, I see this as a call to action for the next five years and beyond. Each small business that expands or successfully starts improves all of the community.”
MOVING FORWARD
“The timing is perfect for this report as we turn our attention to Transformation 2030,” said Barney. “This should be a celebration point for Omaha and other cities and also inspire us all to push even harder after seeing what is possible.”
Investments through the North and South Omaha Recovery Program and other sources should help accelerate the pace of growth even more in Omaha over the next five years.
The additional funding is made possible through the partnership of the community and leadership of Senators Justin Wayne and Terrell McKinney to gain passage of LB1024 and LB531.
After a nearly unanimous vote in the Nebraska State Legislature and the signatures of former Governor Pete Ricketts and current Governor Jim Pillen, the legislation became law.
Awards were announced in January 2024 and The Department of Economic Development has led the allocation of funding and many Black-owned businesses benefitted from grants ranging from $50,000 to $2,000,000.
The future $30 million investment in the IHUB and $90 million business park in North Omaha will also make an impact.
These funds and other strategic investments will support the continued progress and help to increase the number of Black-owned businesses with employees. It also has an impact on future generations.
“When young people grow up seeing businesses start and thrive around them, they begin to dream bigger, knowing they, too, can build and contribute. This cycle of inspiration and opportunity fuels long-term economic resilience, ensuring that thriving businesses lead to thriving communities for generations to come,” said Jeffery.
Read the full Brookings report here: Driving prosperity: How Black-owned businesses fueled recent economic growth
For a listing of Black-owned businesses in Omaha. Revive Black Business Guide – Revive! Omaha
___________________________________________________________________
More Details by Sector:
Analysis by Raheem Sanders, CEO of PPRP Innovations.
The growth in Black-owned businesses has not been confined to a single industry – it has been spread across multiple sectors of Omaha’s economy, with every major industry seeing increases. A U.S. Census Business analysis noted that from 2017 to 2019, the number of Black-owned firms grew in all sectors of the U.S. economy, and this broad-based growth has been reflected in Omaha as well.
Growth by Sector:
- Health Care & Social Assistance has been the #1 industry for Black-owned businesses in Omaha by total count of firms. In 2022, there were about 75 Black-owned health care/social assistance firms with employees, making up roughly 20% of all Black-owned employer businesses in Omaha. This sector saw about +56% growth from ~48 firms in 2017 to 75 in 2022. Nationwide, health care is also the top industry for Black business owners (49,872 such firms in 2022) (4).
- Professional & Technical Services and Construction each account for ~10–12% of Omaha’s Black-owned firms. By 2022, there were roughly 45 Black-owned professional service firms and 37 construction companies in Omaha – both nearly doubling since 2015.
- Other Services (personal services, nonprofits, etc.) nearly doubled to 30 by 2022.
- Transportation & Warehousing saw explosive growth from about 12 to 37 firms (~200% increase). Nationally, transportation/warehousing was the fastest-growing sector for Black owned businesses (nearly +150% from 2017–2022) (4).
- Administrative & Support Services also doubled (from ~15 to 30).
- Retail Trade and Accommodation/Food Services each expanded significantly (~100% growth).
- Real Estate doubled from ~6 to 15 (≈+150%), mirroring a national real estate surge (~102% growth) (4).
- Finance & Insurance remains the smallest category (growing from ~2–3 to ~4).
(Data Sources: Estimates for 2015–2017 are based on available Census percentages (1) and Omaha’s share of statewide data. Actual 2022 figures from Census/Brookings Institution (3)(4). 2025 is a projection assuming continued growth. All figures rounded.)
