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Step-Up Omaha! seeks to connect 1,000 youth
to career exploration, job training, internships and entrepreneurship

Application open until March 7; more businesses needed to meet the demand

Over 50 business executives, elected officials, community partners, employers and others gathered on Thursday, February 25th for the official launch of Step-Up Omaha 2021.

Step-Up Omaha is headed into its 14th year of connecting youth and young adults ages 14-21 with career exploration, jobs, internships, entrepreneurship and leadership opportunities.  The collaborative initiative of the Empowerment Network has connected over 6,500 youth with jobs and job training since its inception.

Youth and young adults are able to identify their career interests, develop skills to prepare them for the future, experience hands-on job training and generate a positive income.

Step-Up is still taking applications until March 7th at stepupomaha.com.  The partners are also looking to increase the number of internship opportunities available by working with large and small businesses, organizations and ministries.  The team will continue to monitor guidance from health professionals to determine the size of the program and best format regarding virtual and in-person.


“With the support of the City of Omaha, Lakin Foundation and other foundations, the business community and our partners, we seek to connect 700 to 1,000 interns this summer and 250 in the year round program,” said Willie Barney, CEO and Founder of the Empowerment Network.  “Together, we can make this our biggest and best year ever.”

Barney thanked major employers, American National Bank, CHI Health and UNMC for their long term support.

American National Bank, under the leadership Co-CEOs and Co-Chairmen John and Wende Kotouc, was the original corporate partner, hiring 6 to 10 interns every summer since 2008.  CHI Health and UNMC return again in 2021, each hiring 10 to 20 interns.

In addition to funding, the City of Omaha will once again provide internships in a number of departments including Planning, Police, Fire, HR&R and others.  Union Pacific joins for the first time in 2021.  Small businesses, non-profits and faith-based organizations also provide important worksite opportunities.  To become a worksite, employer or sponsor, go to stepupomaha.com.

The City of Omaha is the largest financial supporter of the Step-Up Omaha program.  Mayor Jean Stothert, Councilman Ben Gray and the Omaha City Council have invested between $900,000 and $1 million for the past four years.

“We invest more in Step-Up Omaha than any other job program in the city because we know it works,” said Mayor Stothert.  “The job placements, training and development opportunities provided by Step-Up and our business community provide valuable experiences and opportunities and that’s exactly what all young people need, a chance to be successful.”

“Step-Up also depends on the generous support of the business and philanthropic community to provide additional funds or jobs,” added Stothert.

Gray agreed.  “We can continue to do 700-800 jobs,” said Councilman Gray. “But, why not get more businesses engaged and reach as many as 1,000 or more.”

Gray emphasized the importance of providing these opportunities to youth in the community and the dividends it will pay to the city.  “We will keep more of our talent here when we invest and show them what’s possible for them in Omaha.  We know that what they see is what they will be,” said Gray.

Also announced at the press conference was the second year of a $1.8 million commitment from the Charles E. Lakin Foundation.  Steve Wild, President of the Lakin Foundation, provided their reasoning for such a large scale investment over three years.

“One of the greatest strengths of the United States is its diversity.  At the same time, this diversity has been underused as a resource,” said Wild.  “We also know over the years there’s been a shortage of African-Americans and people of color in senior management and executive suites in Omaha and the Council Bluffs area.  The area is suffering from brain drain and doesn’t have a large enough skilled workforce.  The Empowerment Network’s Step-Up Omaha program is one vital tool to addressing this long term.  It shows our youth what is available right here at home.”

Step-Up Omaha has not only gained local support, but has received national support from the Obama Foundation.  The Obama Foundation/MBK Alliance selected the Empowerment Network and City of Omaha as 1 of 19 out of 250 communities to receive a $50,000 seed grant in 2019.  Because of the Network’s continued success, the Obama Foundation/MBK Alliance has agreed to expand the support with an additional $67,000 in 2021.

Locally, the Kiewit Foundation has committed $50,000 for 2021 and other foundations are joining in to support the expansion of the program.  The Lozier Foundation has supported Step-Up for the past decade and the Holland Foundation one of the initial supporters also participated in the Obama Foundation/MBK Community Challenge.  The United Way of the Midlands and Office of Violence Prevention have also contributed between $150,000 to $250,000 annually.

Step-Up Omaha is successful because of the active engagement and support of many community partners.

Omaha Public Schools has partnered in a variety of ways since 2008.  OPS looks to extend summer school options to a much larger group of students this summer and will offer some educational related internships to students 16 and older.

Superintendent Dr. Cheryl Logan sees this as another opportunity to increase the number of youth gaining valuable work experience and continues to support the work of Step-Up Omaha in offering internships with local corporations, small businesses and organizations throughout the community.

Annique Clark, a former OPS student who currently attends college in Mississippi, also spoke at the press conference.  Clark has participated in Step-Up for five years, having the opportunity to work with a number of health organizations.  She stated that the program has helped her to determine her double major combining art and therapy, and also assisted with launching a business while still in high school.

“Clark is a great example of the brilliance we have in Omaha,” said Barney.  “She’s a double major and an entrepreneur.  We have talent right here at our front door.”

Step-Up looks to expand in a number of ways again in 2021:

  1. Entrepreneurship.  All of the participants ages 14-15 are exposed to the SocialPreneurship curriculum, learning how to turn problems into opportunities, develop business plans and experience the process of taking a product to market.  The youth work with Jaylen Bledsoe, CEO of Bledsoe Global, now in his early 20’s, who started as a teen millionaire; national consultant, Jamela Peterson, founder of SocialPreneurship; and Debra Dogba, CEO of Business Seals.
  2. STEAM.  As part of the commitment from the Obama Foundation, Step-Up Omaha expanded opportunities in STEAM including; robotics, drones, coding, social media and manufacturing.  All of these partnerships will be expanded including an enhanced program with the Tuskegee Airmen where participants will learn to build and fly drones.
  3. Trades.  In partnership with the Bryant Center and Metropolitan Community College, Step-Up will continue providing hands-on opportunities in 3D Printing, Construction, OSHA Certification, Culinary and other vocational fields.
  4. Internships.  More corporate partners and small businesses are working with Step-Up to provide opportunities in their respective career fields.  American National Bank, CHI Heath, UNMC, the City of Omaha and Union Pacific are major employers who have committed to developing and retaining Omaha youth by connecting with Step-Up.  Employers of all sizes, including non-profits, can participate.  Interested employers, sponsors and worksites, can learn more here.

    Moniki Cannon has joined Step-Up Omaha partner, CHI Health, as a Senior HR Business Partner.
    Cannon will continue to partner with Step-Up from an employer’s role.  A new Step-Up Omaha Director will join the Empowerment Network team in March 2021 to continue the expansion of the program.
  5. South Omaha.  The Step-Up Omaha team continues its city-wide expansion with even more outreach and partnerships in South Omaha and within the Latino community.  The South Omaha and Latino Advisory Council has been expanded and is already producing positive results.

    Ana Torres was hired as a full time South Omaha coach in 2020 and will lead efforts in the area.  Step-Up is also increasing outreach to the Asian, Native American and immigrant audiences.
  6. Council Bluffs.  With the support of the Charles E. Lakin Foundation, Step-Up will formally launch in Council Bluffs in 2021 after being put on hold last year because of the pandemic.  The Step-Up Council Bluffs application will open in March.

Step-Up Omaha is an initiative of the Empowerment Network and works with the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Midlands, Girls Inc., Hope Center for Kids, Urban League of Nebraska and PACE as coaching partners. Youth are assigned to these organizations who then hire coaches to train and prepare the participants and partner with worksites throughout program.

Long time community partner, Thomas Warren, CEO of the Urban League of Nebraska, discussed the importance of Step-Up at the press conference.

“I have the privilege of working with affiliates of the Urban League in every major city.  This public/private partnership in Omaha is recognized across the country for the results it has generated,” said Warren.  “Very few communities have this type of partnership for youth employment.”

“We focus on helping students to thrive.  We are preparing the next generation’s workforce and it is important for us to retain our talent in Omaha.”

Youth and young adults can apply at stepupomaha.com and employers, worksites and sponsors can also use the site to partner with Step-Up Omaha!

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Community Features

Experienced Community Banker, Karnetta Rushing joins the Carver Legacy Center team

Great news for the North Omaha community and beyond.

Karnetta Rushing, a former Senior Vice President and Branch Manager from First National Bank has joined the Carver Legacy Team and will formally host open hours at the Historic 24th and Lake location.

“After three years operating mostly by appointment at the location, we are excited to have Karnetta join the team,” said Willie Barney, one of the owners of Carver. “She has an incredible knowledge of banking and she’s one of the most community-focused people I’ve ever known.”

Rushing is now available at the Carver on Tuesdays and Thursdays from noon to six pm each week. She will also continue the community days on the second Saturday and host special events and financial empowerment sessions at the Center.

Because of the joint venture between Carver and American National Bank, she will be able to assist new and existing customers with many products and services of a traditional bank.

“I’m excited and looking forward to serving this community and meeting all of their banking needs at this historic location,” said Rushing. “I have a passion to see our community thrive financially and much of that starts with a strong banking relationship.  Working at Carver will allow me to help families, businesses, organizations, and ministries to accomplish their financial goals and make their visions a reality.”

A native of North Omaha, Rushing worked in the banking industry for over 20 years before retiring in 2020 to provide care for her mother. She worked in the downtown offices for First National Bank for a few years but spent most of her career at the location along Ames.

“I have thoroughly enjoyed working with customers throughout my career to make their dreams come true whether buying a home, launching or scaling a business, saving for a car or their education,” said Rushing. “To have this opportunity to do it at Carver, with people who are absolutely committed to seeing this community succeed, is amazing.”

Carver Legacy Center is a Black-owned financial center owned by Willie and Yolanda Barney and Martin and Lynnell Williams.  The business contracts with American National Bank to administer their Carver Legacy Accounts allowing them to instantly have access to locations across the Omaha metro to serve customers and meet their banking needs.

However, it is more than a traditional bank, as the team is committed to investing in the community.

“Through our outstanding partnership with American National Bank, we are able to receive deposits, will be issuing our own debit card and can lend capital to businesses in our community make investments in our community,” said Barney. “We are willing to go above and beyond to help our customers and community to succeed.”

In just two years, Carver has lent over $4 million to small businesses in the North Omaha community.  With Rushing on board, the team is prepared for exponential growth to have an even greater impact in the community.

“This has always been the plan,” said Lynnell Williams. “We wanted to take our time to fully develop the model and then find the right person to lead our location at 24th and Lake.”

“I’m most excited about what Karnetta will be able to do to help customers with developing plans to save their money and invest for the future.”

Carver has already invested in a number of businesses from a wide array of industries and sectors.

“Our customer base has grown consistently over the past few years,” said Martin Williams. “I am beyond excited to have Karnetta join our team.  The dream is becoming even more of a reality.  She will be able to really make an impact with our community.”

In addition to having the financial center at Carver Legacy Center open, the Carver Hub will also be activated.

“The original vision for Carver included the Hub, an incubator store, and the financial center. With Karnetta’s business banking experience, she is the perfect person to get the Hub going as well,” said Yolanda Barney.

“The Hub will be a place where entrepreneurs and business owners can come to get connected with information, training, and resources to launch and scale their business,” said Willie Barney. “They will also be able to meet with experts in finance, accounting, marketing, HR, and legal matters and link up with other opportunities to grow their business. Having Karnetta lead the way is a huge step forward towards the bigger vision.”

 

Carver Legacy Center at 24th and Lake

Open Tuesdays and Thursdays from Noon to 6 p.m.

Open every second Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 pm

 

For more information:

Phone:  402-507-8441

 

Customers can also still conduct business at any American National Bank location and use their Carver Card locally and nationwide.

Carver Legacy Accounts are FDIC insured through American National Bank.

 

 

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Community Features

Confirmation and Momentum: May 2025 was a historic and unprecedented time

On a personal and professional level, the month of May 2025 was incredibly confirming. Game changing. Unprecedented. Historic. It was a time of confirmation, transition and transformation.

I had the opportunity to present in New York at a national Black economic summit that featured Governor Wes Moore, Killer Mike – musical artist and entrepreneur, CEO’s, investors, funders, researchers, media execs and many others. The keynote presentations and points of emphasis all completely confirmed the models we have been implementing for the past 18 years and the next phase we are preparing to launch.

I then woke up at 3 am to board a flight after the two-day event to get back in time to facilitate a leadership meeting and then a separate conversation about voter turnout and mobilization.  More confirmation about the expansion of the model.

My friend and one of the original members of the Empowerment Network and Omaha 360, John Ewing was elected as Mayor of Omaha.  The first Black mayor elected in the city! A committed leader and man of God, who has served this community with passion and excellence for 40+ years.  We have worked together for over 20+ years and the visions we discussed are becoming reality. Great things ahead.

The next day was the start of our 18th Annual Rebuilding the Village Conference with national guests from eight different cities focused on creating safe, thriving, and prosperous communities. This year was different as we redesigned and dedicated the conference to elevating deeper collaboration, rediscovering economic self-sufficiency, building wealth, pooling, and investing resources and working together toward community transformation.

One of the most significant moments was having the opportunity to facilitate a panel featuring representatives from some of the most successful Black Wall Streets in the history of this nation. A long-held vision! For years I have researched Black Wall Streets and now have the opportunity to document the keys to success. Absolute confirmation.

I was also blessed to have the opportunity to recognize JoAnna LeFlore Ejike and the Malcolm X Foundation for their work and in celebration of the 100th anniversary of Malcolm X’s birth.  JoAnna shared some key information regarding why Malcolm’s dad moved to Omaha, and I have always appreciated Malcolm’s message of self-help.

We also celebrated our National Empowerment Champion, Ryana Parks Shaw, Mayor Pro Tem from Kansas City. She has led many projects and she’s an incredible champion for the Empowerment Network, KC 360 and KC United for Public Safety.  She introduced and led the approval of a $30 million fund to support community-based violence prevention and intervention efforts in KC.  She shows what’s possible through strong leadership skills, effective policy making and commitment to community.

A week later, my daughter graduated from high school. What an incredible blessing. My son, mother and stepfather joined us along with many members of Priscilla’s village. She had a great experience at Central and is now headed to UNL.

Then last week, after an intense 360 meeting that I’ll speak more on very soon, we loaded a bus to Tulsa’s Black Wall Street to present the collective action plan that I have facilitated with the engagement of 250+ Black leaders and change makers we’ve convened collectively with a planning team. It is already producing fruit.

In addition, we took 25 Omaha entrepreneurs, community builders and national strategic partners to Tulsa this past week. I had the opportunity to introduce the comprehensive model that I have been developing, piloting, and evolving for nearly 35 years. The response to the models and framework has been overwhelmingly positive.

While in Tulsa, we launched the next phase of the Revive Black Business Network and Empowerment Network. We focused intensely on relationship development, business connections and exchanges, fund development and access to capital, housing and development, history and cultural tourism, and education and youth development. We had the strongest feedback of any session we have facilitated. Let me just say some strategic business relationships were established and expanded.

History was made again. We met with Mayor Monroe Nichols in Tulsa, Oklahoma home of Greenwood’s Black Wall Street on our Rebuild and Transform Tour. The first Black Mayor of Tulsa. He was also part of our State of Black Tulsa Summit.

104 years after the massacre with two survivors in the audience.  He announced the establishment of the Greenwood Trust which will include an initial $105 million to help begin to address home ownership, business loans and other economic development initiatives to further reinvest in rebuilding Greenwood!

As he met with us on Friday, May 31st, he sees the Tulsa Empowerment Network as a key partner on the journey. Congratulations to all of our friends and partners in Tulsa. Thankful to be a part of this next phase.

It was truly a transformational month.  I finally feel free to speak more openly about the bigger picture and I am incredibly encouraged by the confirmation coming from thousands of participants, partners, and supporters from across the country and even internationally.

I am now preparing to release some significant pieces including an article I have been working on and updating for five years.  The article will be an introduction to some upcoming books. Thank you, Jesus!

Momentum is building and accelerating. Grateful to so many supporters and partners in Omaha and across the country. Walking in faith. Walking in purpose.

Get engaged.  Stay engaged!  Let’s build together.

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Careers

Gibril Mansaray creating innovative partnerships in Sierra Leone

Mansaray announced his partnership for the first time on the stage at the Leadership Conference in 2019.  The response encouraged him to step out in faith at a larger level. He has since been recognized by global organizations for his significant impact.

In 2019, a request from his father to send USD 430 to support their ancestral village in Sierra Leone during a crisis changed Gibril’s life. What appeared to be a small amount of funds by U.S. standards fed his family’s village of 1,500 people for a week.

Realizing the significant impact of even small amounts of money, Gibril raised USD 3,400 to rebuild the village’s primary school. This effort led to Gibril founding the Pa Karim Memorial Foundation, named in honor of his grandfather, to expand educational opportunities in Sierra Leone.  Mansary will speak on his journey and how others can do similar work in partnership with other nations in Africa.

Gibril Mansaray

Gibril S. Mansaray is a man with deep roots. Born in Iowa, Gibril moved frequently during childhood, which helped him develop a unique ability to unite people, spark connections, and foster belonging. The son of a Western African Muslim father and an African American Southern Baptist Christian mother, Gibril often felt like “a walking division.” However, his passion for learning led him to major in sociology, setting the stage for his future work in diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB).

The Pa Karim Memorial Foundation focuses on creating educational access, opportunities, hope, and empowerment for youth in remote villages of Sierra Leone. Their mission is to open doors of opportunity through quality education, unlocking the potential of young minds and igniting their dreams for a brighter future.

The Foundation’s core values include access, opportunity, hope, and empowerment. The Foundation is working on a joint effort with the Government of Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Energy and Xemplar Carbon & Capital to develop, finance and deploy 200MW of Renewable Energy infrastructure solutions across the Republic of Sierra Leone.

The agreement highlights how Xemplar Carbon’s strategic collaboration with the Pa Karim Memorial Foundation and Develop Africa Inc. (Sierra Leone N.G.O.) will ensure Local Content Policy (LCP) engagement and in-country capacity building.

Gibril’s work has not gone unnoticed. He was honored with the 2023 Amway Hero Award, recognizing his dedication to breaking down educational barriers and fostering empowerment through education. This award highlights his mission’s impact and collective effort’s transformative power. In the U.S., Gibril advocates for education and empowerment, urging others to recognize their potential to make a difference.

He believes that through collaboration and commitment, exponential change is possible. Gibril is married to Maurisa N. Mansaray, a Method Development Specialist with Midwest Labs and a classically trained cellist. The couple’s pride and joy are their three-year-old son, Moses, and their one-year-old son, Maaz.  You can learn more and donate to the foundation here: Develop Africa (reachapp.co)

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