North Omaha and People of Color Convention look to build on historic vote and momentum
Based on data provided by the Douglas County Elections Commission, over 21,000 North Omaha residents cast their votes in November, the highest total in the last four election cycles.
The vote total was even higher than the number that turned out when President Barack Obama was elected.
The People of Color Convention, which was planned and hosted by a number of organizations in the Voter Registration, Education and Mobilization Collaborative (VREM), seeks to build on that momentum, not only in North Omaha, but around the city.
“We know we had a historic vote here in North Omaha. It’s vitally important that we participate at the same level in the city elections,” said Precious McKesson, president of the North Omaha Neighborhood Alliance and the host moderator for the event.
“Local elections are very important and impact all of us instantly. We want to have the same level of success going forward as we did last fall when we were able to elect people up and down the ballot.”
The event attracted current elected officials and provided the platform for candidates to share their vision, goals and plans virtually to the 300 plus in attendance through Zoom and Facebook Live.
All candidates were invited to submit videos highlighting their priorities. Participating City Council candidates for District II included Ben Gray, Jonathan Lathan and Cornelius Williams. Cammy Watkins running to represent District 3 also shared a video. Naomi Hattaway, Candidate for District 6, was also in attendance.
Mayoral candidates Jasmine Harris, Kimara Snipes, RJ Neary and Mark Gudgel also shared their platforms via video presentations.
State Senators Terrell McKinney and Tony Vargas provided important updates on a number of legislative bills that are under consideration at the Nebraska Unicameral. Both advised attendees to stay informed and engaged by connecting with them on Facebook and tracking the bills on the state website.
Brad Christian-Sallis, with Civic Nebraska reminded everyone of the importance of their vote and reaching out to elected officials.
“State Senators are state senators. They don’t just represent their district…reach out to them all,” said Christian-Sallis.
He also spoke about the importance of stopping the disenfranchisement of ex-felons by restoring voting rights immediately instead of the current two year waiting period. “We are over represented in these systems, so when we are not allowed to vote, it’s hurting our community.”
Another critical topic discussed was the number of attempts nationally to restrict voter participation. Republican lawmakers across the country, including in Nebraska, are attempting to reduce voter participation with a series of bills and legislation. It appears to be in response to the outcome of the national election and highly focused on reducing the impact of the black and brown vote in urban communities.
“The issue in 2021 is voter suppression,” said Preston Love, Jr. of 4Urban.org and Black Votes Matter.
“There are 43 states, who have legislation, over 200 pieces of legislation to suppress the vote, that includes Nebraska. In Nebraska, there are a number of voter suppression bills and others that are trying to make voting easier and more successful.”
The convention included breakout sessions where attendees could interact with key leaders and elected officials on topics including criminal justice, education and advocacy.
Breakout panelists and speakers included: Edward Ventura – Nebraska Education Association; Lisa Fricke – State Board of Education; JaKeen Fox; Chris Carithers, Douglas County Election Commission; Preston Love, Jr., Krystal Fox; Mark Foxall; Alex Mitchell; Dr. Franklin Thompson; and others.
McKesson took time to recognize the lead organizer behind VREM, Barry Thomas, and the heroic work going on behind the scenes by many organizations.
“The goal is to educate our community locally so that we are recognized as a political force to be respected and adhered to throughout,” said Barry Thomas, Political Action Chair for the Omaha NAACP.
Thomas continued, “We have too many examples, in the modern republic and throughout all history, to ignore the power possessed when the fingers realize they are actually on the same hand. And that hand is a needed part of the body. North Omaha and the Black community can become the fist that powers change for our people.”
McKesson recognized a number of organizations including the Heartland Workers Center, led by Sergio Sosa.
Gabriela Pedroza, community organizer representing the Heartland Workers Center, had this to say: “This is an amazing collaboration. We are working to get out the vote, increasing voting in areas where we see voter turnout is low. We are phone banking and we will start canvassing when the weather permits. It’s a lot of work but it pays off. If people want to volunteer, they can join our team.”
Also instrumental in planning and executing the event was Alex Mitchell, a student at the University of Nebraska-Omaha.
“It’s great to see the next generation leading the way,” said Preston Love, Jr. Love has dedicated his life to engaging generations in the political process and now focuses on helping youth to understand the significance and importance of their role.
The event was presented by the Voter Registration, Education, and Mobilization (VREM) collaborative. VREM is made up of a number of organizations including UNO’s Black Excellence, the League of Women Voters, NAACP, Black Votes Matter, North Omaha Neighborhood Alliance, Heartland Workers Center, the Omaha Pan-Hellenic Council, Civic Nebraska and others centered on civic engagement.
Watch the full event here.
If you would like to stay connect and receive information, please email us at voterem@gmail.com
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
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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.)
