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The Omaha Star is a weekly paper Next edition: January 13, 2023 Vol. 85 - No. 1 Omaha, Nebraska
Friday, January 6, 2023
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No More Empty Pots Leadership Program Spotlight: Katrina Brooks
Person of the Week: NOAH POLLOCK
Our first feature this week is our YOUNGEST reader, Master Noah Pollock who celebrated his first birthday on January 4, 2023. Noah is the son of Necy Pollock (Daryl Burgess). He has already developed a favorite newspaper, THE OMAHA STAR. His first words were mama, hi and dada. When he hears the ABC Song he stops what he is doing to follow along. He enjoys a game of peek-a-boo. He likes to dine on salmon and broccoli. His favorite activities are clapping, playing with the remote and listening to music. I asked Mom what he does that amazes her? “The way he loves people at such a young age. If he sees another baby crying, he will stop playing to give them a kiss.” Noah is exhibiting compassion for fellow man at a young age. Happiest Birthday Noah! We appreciate your support of The Omaha Star!
Publisher’s Pen Terri D. Sanders
Happy New Year. 2023 is HERE. Yes, COVID is ever present. China has identified more mutations of the virus and it has greatly multiplied itself and that concerning… The month of January in the Omaha Star is dedicated to Economic Development, Black Business and Entrepreneurs. I think it is important that we have a working definition of Economic Development and Economic Growth. Economic Development for the purposes of this writing is to look at the qualitative approach. Raising the quality of life for us humans. To define further, it is the rise in living standards,
advancement in technology and the overall “happiness” index of the community. It is a broader concept. Economic Development is long-term in nature; it is developing economies; it is an ongoing process; it also includes widespread policy changes, which would involve the government. By contrast Economic Growth is quantitative (measurable). Economic Growth is a narrower concept. This is short term in nature over a certain period of time. Economic growth may or may not require government support /aid or intervention. All that being said what is going on in our community? While we toss around the term economic development, what are we the people doing about economic growth. That is what is in our own hands. Are we developing businesses that contribute to the economics of our community. Are we providing spaces and places for the people to spend money? Or are we providing programs which does not equate with the
exchange of commerce and thus not increasing our economic growth. Development by definition is a long-term process that involves government, policies and procedures. On a personal note, I miss having shops in our community where I can spend the dollars that I generate in my economy. Boutiques, grocery stores
By Emily Unsen (Creighton University) Amy Zeller experiences at two or fouryear institutions. White students at public colleges are two and a half times more likely to graduate than Black students and 60 percent more likely to graduate than Latino students (Olivia Sanchez, 2021). One primary reason for this is a lack of support and representation available at institutions. This is No More Empty Pots especially an issue for firstcelebrated the five graduates generation students, who of its inaugural six- may feel they cannot go to month Emerging Leaders their families for the advice Experience Leadership and guidance they need. Program. The spotlight this This reality perpetuates week is on graduate Katrina inequality, so Katrina hopes Brooks. to mentor students giving Katrina is a trailblazer and them the support they need a first-generation college to challenge themselves and graduate with a passion for make it to graduation. mentoring and supporting “Everyone has so much students of color to potential,” she said. “I have successfully navigate and been blessed to be in roles achieve higher education. that allow me to help others She understands firsthand reach their truest potential having someone to look up and shine that light for to as an example can make others to see.” all the difference. Katrina earned her In her own experience as a Masters of Educational student, Katrina felt alone Administration from the in the college application University of Nebraska phase and throughout her Lincoln in 2015 and has courses. These experiences served in higher education helped Katrina find her administrative roles calling to serve Black and for 15 years. Through Brown first-generation her participation in the college students. Katrina is Leadership Program at No committed to being students’ More Empty Pots, Katrina biggest cheerleader, mentor enhanced her leadership and support system as skills to positively impact they are making difficult first-generation students decisions and navigating of color like herself. She through their own college hopes to continue providing
improved spaces and opportunities for students to thrive as leaders themselves. “I value being someone that people look up to and can trust. I will always reach back and help others the same way that my mentors did for me. I am who I am because of the mentors who helped me grow day after day, year after year,” she said. “It is only right that I try to do the same for others.” As a Black woman administrator and leader herself, Katrina is setting an example and creating representation at the table. She is motivated to blaze the trail for other future leaders and inspire students to pursue their dreams. No More Empty Pots is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that connects individuals and groups to improve selfsufficiency, regional food security and economic resilience of urban and rural communities through advocacy and action. The Leadership Program amplifies leadership and professional development opportunities for emerging leaders. The six-month cohort in 2022 is made possible through the P.E.A.R.L. Pledge Grant funded by the Pearl Milling Company to champion the success of Black women and girls. Learn more at www.nmepomaha.org
Pen continued on Page 3
Kiewit Luminarium Inspiring Curiosity
Situated alongside Omaha’s RiverFront, Kiewit Luminarium is a state-ofthe-art space designed for all to discover and explore. The 82,000-squarefoot facility will be a learning and entertainment
destination offering interactive exhibitions and engaging programs focused on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). Kiewit
Luminarium
was a collective response to a need to incubate the region’s workforce, enhance Omaha as a livable community, and help position the city as a center for innovation, workforce development, and engineering. The project is a collaboration with Exploratorium, a global leader in the development of extraordinary science learning experiences, to create the center’s interactive exhibits and programming. Kiewit Luminarium’s structure was designed by HDR and is being constructed by Kiewit. Community
partners are also actively engaged in the co-creation process of this community asset. Heritage Services initiated the capital campaign and serves as project lead. More than ever, as we hope to emerge from a global pandemic, it is important to invest in the future of Omaha – building the city we want to reemerge into, preparing generations of future Omahans for resilient and creative thinking who value lifelong learning and teaching, curiosity and inquiry, community, inclusion and respect.
Government is not the generator of economic growth; working people are. ~Phil Gramm
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LOCAL NEWS
THE OMAHA STAR
January 6, 2023
The New Reality of Delivery Asia Nared
Rain, snow, sleet, or shine. As a collective, we have been spoiled with the fact that our mail service and delivery individuals will bring packages no matter what. With Climate Change, this belief must change. Due to the severity of the weather, companies such as USPS, UPS, Fedex, and Amazon must realize that they are putting their workers’ lives at risk when they send them out unprepared for the extremities of weather.
DISCLAIMER The United States provides opportunities for free expression of ideas. The Omaha Star has its views, but others may differ. Therefore the Omaha Star ownership reserves the right to publish views and opinions by syndicated and local columnists, professional writers and other writers whose opinions are solely their own. Those views do not necessarily reflect the policies and position of the staff and management of the Omaha Star newspaper. Readers are encouraged to email letters to the editor commenting on current events as well as what they would like to see included in the paper. Those emails should be sent to: publisher@omahastarinc.com and must include the writer’s name, address, email address and telephone number. The ownership has editorial rights and does not guarantee that all submissions will be published. Please be advised that the Omaha Star ownership does not employ staff writers who charge for preparing and submitting articles for the general public. Should you encounter such, please advise Terri D. Sanders at 402-3464041.
did not receive proper support and they left. A source from an Omaha division of Fedex shared that they were expected to go to work the day of and the day after the blizzard. We as a society are not owed the work of the delivery industry. It is a service to all of us that we should consider a blessing. The human beings that get up everyday to deliver mail and packages are doing us a great service. The Omaha delivery industry must support their workers in these extreme climates or face congested production due to the lack of employees.
By Haquikah Today’s political strategies includes mixing in big money. The kind of money and donations we cannot imagine, and it’s legal. But, when politicians receive large financial contributions from organizations, corporations, campaigns, or individuals, they are inclined to be more responsive to their needs. This puts the voices of everyday Americans at a disadvantage. The saga playing out in Nebraska politics is in lockstep with 21st Century national politics.
Last month, the University of Florida Board of Governors voted to affirm
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With the renaming of the concept, it creates a better understanding of what is to come. Climate Change isn’t just hotter summers and colder winters, it is the realization that the regular patterns of the weather cycle have now been thrown off to nearly the point of no return. With these changes that we will see, every individual who works outside will be directly affected. Specifically speaking about delivery people, if they do not receive support needed to work in such climates, they will not return to the delivery industry. An example of this is the “Great Teacher Resignation,” they
Nebraska Governor Peter Ricketts Playbook – Seat in US Senate
US Senator Ben Sasse is leaving elected office two years into his second term. Whoever is appointed to replace Sasse will serve two years before a special election is held in 2024 to finish out the last two years of the term. The person would have to seek reelection in 2026 for another six-year term.
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The winter solstice was Wednesday, December 21, 2022. The following day, the high was negative seven degrees fahrenheit. The windshield factor was between 18 mph and 24 mph. The main roads and neighborhood streets lacked the proper preparation and treatment after the rain and before the blizzard. It is a reflection of the dedication that the City of Omaha has for its people. This new reality of the weather is a direct reflection on how scientists were ignored about Climate Change. Formally known as “global warming,” it was believed that the earth would get hotter.
Sasse’s appointment as the next president of the university in Gainesville, Florida. By a vote of 6715, October 2022, the University’s faculty senate voted “No Confidence” in Senator Ben Sasse, whom, a few days later, the university’s board of trustees officially chose as the sole candidate to be presented to state board of governors which approved Sasse’s appointment in November.
over 220 bills, resolutions and amendments in the 117th (2020-2021), seems like Sasse left in the middle of the stream.
College students organized a protest in response to their university’s nomination of a sole finalist for president of the school. Ben Sasse served as president of Midland University in Fremont, Nebraska before he was elected to the Senate in 2014. Florida’s enrollment has 50,000 students, compared to 1,400 at Midland. Apparently crushing the proverbial saying, ‘it is better to hold onto something one has than to risk losing it by trying to get something better.’ Having introduced
Meanwhile, Ricketts announced his application for the seat December 6. The December 23 deadline for those interested in the Incumbent, two term seat to apply has come Nebraska Governor Pete and gone. Once Pillen is Ricketts and governor sworn in as Nebraska’s elect Jim Pillen (elected governor on January 8, in the November, 2022 2023, an announcement for political race) are two the senate seat by Pillen very wealthy men. Pillen should be in short order. is a Columbus, Nebraska If appointed, Ricketts veterinarian and hog farmer would step in as one of the whom Ricketts backed wealthiest senators in the financially and politically. chamber with a reputation Governor Ricketts is said for using his wealth to back to have endorsed Pillen’s conservative causes and bid donating more than candidates. Ricketts’ net Ricketts continued on Page 3
Governor John Peter ‘Pete’ Ricketts was sworn in as the 40th governor of Nebraska on January 8, 2015, and was re-elected in November 2018. He is a member of the Republican Party. In 1962, a constitutional amendment extended the gubernatorial term to four years, effective with the 1966 election. In 1966, another amendment imposed a term limit of two consecutive terms. His term is expiring.
$100,000 of his own money directly to Pillen’s campaign. Ricketts also gave nearly $1.3 million this year to the political action committee Conservative Nebraska, which ran a slew of attack ads against Pillen’s primary opponents, including the Trumpbacked candidate, Charles Herbster. Ricketts has been quoted, “Supporting candidates is a matter of free speech. Can you have too much free speech?”
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COMMENTARY
January 6, 2023
A CDC food safety alert: Outbreak of Salmonella Typhimurium infections Key points: • Fifteen people infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella have been reported from Oklahoma, Nebraska, and South Dakota. Two people have been hospitalized. No deaths have been reported. • Interviews with 12 sick people and traceback data show that raw alfalfa sprouts from SunSprout Enterprises of Fremont, Nebraska, may be making people sick. • All 12 people interviewed so far report eating alfalfa sprouts, either purchased from a grocery store or eaten at a restaurant. • On December 29, SunSprout Enterprises recalled four lots of raw alfalfa sprouts sold to food service and grocery stores between late November and midDecember 2022. • Recalled sprouts were packaged in 4-ounce plastic clamshell containers and labeled with lot numbers 4211, 5211, 3212, or 4212. Best-by dates are between 12/10/22 and 1/7/23. • The true number of sick people in this outbreak is likely higher than the number reported, and the outbreak may not be limited to the states with known illnesses. This is because some people recover without medical care and are not tested for Salmonella. What You Should Do • Do not eat, sell, or serve recalled alfalfa sprouts. Throw them away or return them to where you bought them • Wash surfaces and containers that may have touched the recalled alfalfa sprouts using hot soapy water or a dishwasher. • Contact a healthcare provider if you have any of these severe Salmonella symptoms: o Diarrhea and a fever higher than 102°F o Diarrhea for more than 3 days that is not improving o Bloody diarrhea o So much vomiting that you cannot keep liquids down o Signs of dehydration, such as: Not peeing much Dry mouth and throat Feeling dizzy when standing up About Salmonella: • Most people infected with Salmonella develop diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps 6 hours to 6 days after being exposed to the bacteria. • The illness usually lasts 4 to 7 days, and most people recover without treatment. • In some people, the illness may be so severe that the patient is hospitalized. Salmonella infection may spread from the intestines to the bloodstream and then to other parts of the body. • Children younger than 5, adults 65 and older, and people with weakened immune systems are more likely to have severe illness.
THE OMAHA STAR
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Factcheck: False: COVID-19 is similar to having the flu by HEATHER M. BUTTS, JD, MPH, MA
A social media post falsely states that COVID-19 is only as dangerous as the flu As COVID-19 has continued to ravage the country and world over the last three years, the need for people to make sense of the unthinkable led to a variety of rationalizations and myths, many of which have been covered in the Amsterdam News. A particularly persistent one is that COVID-19 is the same as the flu. While both diseases have symptomatic overlap (that is, similar or some of the same symptoms), there are important differences. Knowing those differences can ensure individuals afflicted with either COVID-19 or the flu obtain appropriate, timely treatment, and use appropriate prevention measures.
or contributing cause of 460,513 deaths.” The number of U.S. deaths for the 2019–2020 flu season was approximately 25,000 individuals per the CDC. The flu is not an inconsequential disease. In an interview, Dr. Andrew Pekosz, a virologist at the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, said that “the flu is…an infection that…affects your entire body. Some of the more common things about flu are that you feel achy, you feel very tired…We keep track of hospitalizations for influenza and deaths from influenza because it is such a serious disease… There can be between 15,000 and 40,000 people in a year [who] die from influenza and influenza complications.” However, as Pekosz goes on to state in an article According to the CDC, titled “No, COVID-19 “In 2021, COVID-19 was is Not the Flu,” the listed as the underlying differences between the flu
and COVID-19 are stark: “COVID-19 survivors report many more longterm effects of the infection than influenza survivors. Lingering symptoms like weakness, shortness of breath, trouble focusing, and, in some cases, kidney and heart problems are much more common after COVID-19 than after influenza.” Dr. Cameron Webb, J.D., M.D., a senior policy advisor for COVID-19 Equity on the White House COVID-19 Response Team, said that, “COVID and flu are not the same… We’ve got a vaccinated population, but for folks who aren’t up to date with their vaccination or who haven’t had the benefit of using an oral antiviral treatment for COVID-19, the risk of COVID is still a cut above what we typically see with the flu, so that’s something for people to keep in mind.”
If you have questions about cases in a particular state, please call that state’s health department.
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Ricketts continued from Page 2 worth is about $70 million when he ran for a second term as governor in 2018. Whoever is appointed to replace Sasse will serve two years before a special election is held in 2024 to finish out the last two years of the term. The person would have to seek reelection in 2026 for another six-year term. When online stock trading pioneer J. Joe Ricketts, Pete’s father, founded brokerage firm Ameritrade four decades ago in Omaha, Nebraska he took it public in 1997. His company acquired TD Waterhouse for $2.9 billion in stock and cash in 2006 and renamed itself TD Ameritrade.
In 2019, competitor Charles Schwab acquire TD Ameritrade in a $26 billion deal. Joe Ricketts retired from the board of directors 2011 but remained its largest individual shareholder. The four Rickett children are the majority owners of the Chicago Cubs, which won the World Series in 2016 for the first time in 108 years and is valued at $1.8 billion, an all-time high. Ricketts is also the co-founder of the Platte Institute for Economic Research. Joe Ricketts and family are valued at $4.5 billion dollars according to December 2022, Forbes. Play by play, skillfully
crafting an empty hot political seat in the US congress, one that Governor Ricketts has been salivating over since before the governorship. Fifteen years ago, Ricketts spent $12 million of his own money on a failed bid for the office. Connecting dots, coincidentally, the former Florida governor Rick Scott was elected to the US Senate in 2019 and has an estimated net worth of more than $300 million as of 2022. Political change or should we say, hurricane, is about to occur, affecting the future political season in years to come. Follow the money.
Pen continued from Page 1 and services to name a few. Ok, now I am going to get specific and personal… The Fair Deal Village MarketPlace provided this kind of economic growth in our community, but it was not supported for a number of reasons…crime being one of the reasons and lack of community support on various levels. I understand that cyber economics/online stores and the like are viable alternatives. Why can we not go in a store, touch and feel what we want to buy? I am still rockin’ items I purchased from Fashun
Freak and Shar’s store in the MarketPlace. And continue to get compliments and praise for the look. While I was responsible for management of this facility, the community commitment was not there on many levels and these businesses no longer are in business. It is one thing to go to a popup shop, but it is a totally different experience to shop in an established brick and motor. While shops like Still Poppin’, Haberdash and Diamond’s hair store are still there, most recently the bookstore
has closed—one of the original shops when the complex opened. Come on OMAHA, what are we going to do? When are we going to do something about Economic Growth and not rely on others and wait for Economic Development. It is in our hands, let’s act. Yes, the legislature has put out a carrot of LB 1024, which is long term. What can we do TODAY? I am talking about real commerce and not selling out of the trunk of the car. #IJS.
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January 6, 2023
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OUT AND ABOUT
January 6, 2023
Good Genes Genealogy
Ann Wead Kimbrough
The Good Genes Genealogy team share maternal grandmothers. We benefited from tasty treats and meals from our Great-Grandmother Edna Wilkes Robinson, and equally great dinners and gatherings at the home of her daughter, our Grandmother Helen Wilkes Owen Douthy. In honor of the New Year, our thoughts and gratitude are in honor of both grandmothers’ traditional dishes of “hot water” corn bread, black-eyed peas, mixed greens, ham, goose or another poultry item, and the best desserts. In addition, our respective paternal grandmothers cooked up their best foods for us to celebrate January first as Jubilee Day. Jubilee Day or Emancipation Day celebrations for Black Americans used to be singularly celebrated on the first day of each year. However, the years since our childhood have yielded the progressive movements for Juneteenth -June 19th -- to become a national holiday and as such, also share in the honors of being known as Jubilee Day. Yet, it Grandmother Robinson’s chosen profession as a cook in some of Omaha Nebraska’s nicer hotels and in the white households that brings forth an added reference during this time of year. She rarely spoke of her work outside of her home or what we could witness each week at our home church, Clair United Methodist Church. There, Grandmother Robinson “owned” the massive kitchen that was equipped with multiple ovens with large
THE OMAHA STAR
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enough spaces to cook meals for the entire church families and members of our near northside Omaha community. Grandma Robinson had great command of everything from recipes to the table setting etiquette. Often, she would bring in the perfectly ironed and folded table cloths for coverings on the main table for our pastor, his family and special guests, as well as the families whose children would often leave red stains from spilled sweet punch that often was laden with thin pineapple chunks and ice cream. From Grandma Robinson, I learned the term “soul food” that was derived from the slave households where leftovers -- food often discarded -- made it to the tables where pig feet, ears, cow brains, hogshead cheese, chitterlings and other scraps were the main dishes. Grandma Robinson never spoke of slavery or Africa while cooking her delicious and abundant dishes. However, her references to foods such as sweet potatoes, corn meal and other grains that were beaten into powdered substances and mashed into its finery, were clear references to the cooking styles of African families and Black slave heritages. To the lady who taught us how to fold napkins and where to place them on the table, how to use a ladle to dip the right amount of punch into the crystal etched cups, how to serve others at the kitchen window or at the covered folding tables, thank you. To the lady who taught us how to anticipate when the hot rolls were done in ovens where the temperature and alarm gauges did not always work, how to best wash the dishes and dry them and replace them in the proper way, thank you. To the charming little lady who often wore her cooking apron, thank you for teaching me how to make coffee, tea and how to shine those beautiful silver pots. Thank you, Grandmas’ hands from our family.
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Enjoying the comforts of remaining the same there is no reason to doubt that God feels the same way about our spiritual maturity. Changes within our society and culture are inevitable and it’s easy to look back and remember how life used to be and how technology is always coming up with something new. Remember when we used to go to the movie rental store and used pay phones? When we look in the mirror, we can see that our bodies are slowly changing and unfortunately there is nothing we can do about it. However, there is an area in our lives where change will not happen unless we want it to. We are in control of our spiritual growth.
As God continues to move upon the earth, He has never stopped calling His children to be truth seekers, to speak His words, and demonstrate His character. The painful fact is this does not happen automatically. There must be a passion to advance into God and this means the closer we come to Him the more we will become the best version of ourselves. Most people have never really studied religious history and know very little about why we believe the way we do. The traditions the masses learn about God derive from what they have been told and very few have the desire to research on their own to see if the information is correct. I better stop there before I make too many waves, but one thing we can agree on is that personal transformation is one of the foundational pillars of the Christian faith. When we watch a baby grow and progress in their learning, we celebrate and rejoice in their development. Likewise,
When we think about God and the spiritual life, it’s relatively easy to construct ideas about the way we believe, and it seems that everyone has private interpretations. We have been given free will to make decisions and we are basically in control of what we think and do. Very few comprehend what it means to surrender their will unto God. We can go to church, sing songs, and even give a few dollars in the offering plate, but no one including God is going to force us to develop an intimate relationship with Him. Christians have been given a new spiritual identity with the capacity to be convicted which is the ability to discern what is right and wrong. However, we can override our guilty conscience by ignoring God, and like a lawyer presenting a case in a courtroom, we can justify our thoughts and actions in the light of intentional self-deception. There are numerous examples of characters in the Bible who have rebelled against God including His favorite people the Jews, as no human is a robot that He can
control. One of the dangers that every child of God faces is compromising with the world’s system which by the way is the easy path and very common among the lukewarm crowd. Only those who have developed an awareness of God’s presence will ever have the faith to stand for His truth. And what is this truth? Well, truth means a lot of different things to many people, but the truth I’m talking about is believing that God is who He says He is. Remember Pilate said to Jesus, “what is truth?” At this hour, this question has never been more urgent. In the preceding verse, Jesus said that He was a king bearing witness to divine truth, and everyone that understands this truth can hear His voice. I’ve mentioned the comfortable path where we just try to get along with the system without offending anyone, but this is not the way Jesus lived and neither is it the way He wants us to be. The desired path is a commitment to ignore our so-called dignified reputation and declare that obeying Him is our highest priority. When we make this choice, let us be prepared to experience a similar negative reaction that He faced. Taking up our cross and following His demands is not for the faint of heart because it places us on the front line of spiritual warfare. Will we choose the broad or the narrow way? Could it be that our New Year’s resolutions are the result of spiritual conviction? Are we being reminded by the Lord about what He wants us to change? What a perfect time to examine our hearts and dedicate our lives to God more than ever before. Read more about the Christian life at billyhollandministries.com.
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LOCAL
THE OMAHA STAR
January 6, 2023
The Misconception of a New Year
Dr. James L. Snyder
Christmas is the best time of the year, especially when it involves family. It’s the one time of the year that families get together to celebrate together. This year, we had a special new family member, our second great-grandchild, born a week before Christmas. That night my wife and I sat together reflecting on our family get-together. Sighing deeply, I said, “It sure has been a great year, hasn’t it?” “It was a great year.” Then, after more deep thought, my wife continued, “But the New Year is going to be so much better.” Not learning from the past, I replied, “What’s so new about the new year?” She looked at me as though she had never seen me before, and with one of her sarcastic tones, she said, “It’s a new year, and everything is going to be new. Pausing for a moment, she then said, “Last year, we didn’t even know at this time that we were going to have a greatgranddaughter. She is new in our family.” “So,” I said rather slowly, “what will be new this coming year?” “Everything is going to be new this coming year.” She said
with a smile dancing on her face. “Except for a new family member,” I said to her, “everything this next year is going to be the same.” I had her just about where I wanted her and was very careful in my next steps. “So, tell me, how many months will there be this coming year?” Looking at me, she smirked and said, “There will be 12 months this coming year. What are you talking about?” “Well,” I stuttered, “weren’t there 12 months this past year? This next year we will have the same 12 months as we had last year.” Looking at me, she said, “I think you’re getting a little goofy here.” “And,” I pursued a little more, “how many days of the week will there be in this new year? Will there be any more than last year?” She stared at me, not knowing what to say. “Also, there will still be 24 hours in every day. That’s not going to change either.” I paused for a moment and then said, “When is your birthday this coming year?” She told me and said, “It’s the same as it was the last year,
BLK PRIME HAS BIG PLANS FOR 2023 BLK Prime is a subscription video-on-demand company that offers multicultural content to a diverse audience worldwide (Photo by Tom Hogan / BLK Prime) After a productive introduction into the world of Pay-Per-View boxing, BLK Prime, a Silicon Valley-based video-ondemand tech company, is full steam ahead for 2023. BLK Prime’s vision is to produce six major PayPer-View events in 2023, showcasing some of the biggest fights in boxing for
the fans. “The plan in 2023 is to make the most compelling fights in boxing,” said Chester Johnson, Vice President of BLK Prime Boxing. “The fans deserve to see the best fighting the best and we will do everything in our power to make that happen. We are open to working with everyone in the sport to bring back the glory days of boxing. Our platform is extremely functional and delivers a high-quality stream. Our cable and satellite pay-per-view
distribution agreements with our domestic and international partners are in place for 2023 as well.” The first event for BLK Prime in 2023 will feature former 4-division world champion Adrien Broner (34-4-1, 24 KOs) vs. Ivan Redkach (23-6-1, 18 KOs) in a highly anticipated welterweight matchup. The scheduled 10-round bout, promoted by Christy Martin Promotions, will take place in Atlanta, GA in February. More information will be announced at a later date. On December 10, BLK
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Virtual and in-person options available. For more information or to register for the event, visit mccneb.edu/DrKing.
Prime penetrated the core of PPV boxing by showcasing pound-for-pound king, Terence “Bud” Crawford (39-0, 30 KOs), who put his WBO welterweight title on the line against David Avanesyan (29-4-1, 17 KOs). The fight ended in round six with the knockout of the year when Crawford floored Avanesyan with a crushing right hook to the head. In the co-main event, superstar Cris Cyborg won a unanimous decision making her U.S. boxing debut a success, and solidifying a great night of
you silly boy.” “Oh,” I said rather thoughtfully, “your birthday this year is the same as last year, so your birthday isn’t new this year.” “But,” she replied, “I will be a year older.” Looking at her I replied, “Weren’t you a year older this year?” Finally, she began to understand what I was saying, and looking at me very quizzically, she said, “You sure have a stupid way of looking at things, don’t you?” Then she said something rather startling, “I guess you are right in this.” Well, I was rather stunned because that was new. Pondering this conversation I was reminded of what wise old Solomon said. “The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 1:9). The secret to a happy life is enjoying what I have right now. Dr. James L. Snyder lives in Ocala, FL with the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage. Telephone 1-352-216-3025, e-mail jamessnyder51@gmail.com, website www.jamessnyderministries.com.
boxing. Officials at the CHI Health Center in Omaha, Neb, stated tickets sold at the gate for Crawford vs. Avanesyan generated a massive amount of revenue for BLK Prime as it was the highest-attended boxing event where Terence calls home. In addition, global PPV buys exceeded expectations. “I’m very humbled by everything that’s transpired in our first Pay-Per-View event,” continued Johnson. “Terence Crawford is an incredible fighter and proved he’s worthy to be showcased on the Pay-PerView stage, as our buys did exceptionally well. Furthermore, we didn’t give away any outstanding complimentary tickets, so our gate did fantastically.” Todd Grisham headed the star-studded commentary
crew along with former world champions Zab Judah, Antonio Tarver, and Paulie Malignaggi, while Dave Ryan took control of the host desk, giving the production a prestigious look. In addition, Lupe Contreras and Miguel Flores managed ring announcing duties, with Cheyenne McCargo serving as the unofficial scorecard judge. “2023 will be a big year for BLK Prime,” Johnson concluded. “We plan on implementing some innovative features to our shows that I believe will make our events more entertaining for the fans. I’m looking forward to kicking off the new year with an amazing event”
PRAISE & WORSHIP DIRECTORY
January 6, 2023
KING SOLOMON MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH
ALLEN CHAPEL A.M.E.
Rev. Jacqueline Ford, Pastor 2842 Monroe Street Omaha, NE 68107 Off: (402) 734-3399 Email: admin@allenchapelomaha.org Sunday School...........................9:00 a.m. Sunday Praise & Worship.....10:00 a.m. Thursday Bible Study..............8:00 p.m. via teleconference, dial-in number 563-999-2090 and access code 576989
Rev. Jacqueline Ford
Pastor Albert Jonathan Wagstaff
2423 Grant St. Omaha, NE 68111 Ph: 402-348-0631 • Fax 402-342-4451 Sunday Mass: 9:00 a.m. Reconciliation: Sunday after Mass or by appointment
kingsolomonbaptist@yahoo.com kingsolomonomaha.org
Sunday School......8:45 a.m. Sunday Morning......10:00 a.m. Bible Study, Tuesdays......6:00 - 7:30 p.m. Prayer Service, Wednesdays......12 noon
Page Seven
ST. BENEDICT THE MOOR CATHOLIC CHURCH
3202 Evans Street Omaha, NE 68111 Ph: 402-455-0358 Fax: 402-455-0801
Journey to Tomorrow, Our Next Step Judges 18:4-6
SUNDAYS 10:00 AM
THE OMAHA STAR
&
Rev. Michael Voithofer
ABLAZE HOUSE OF PRAYER
11501 Fairview Road, Springfield, NE 68059 Ph: 402-451-6622 • Fax 402-457-6901 Contact Ablaze: email: ablazeworshipministry@gmail.com Pastor: Rev. Michael Voithofer
awcchurch.org 402-341-1866 5417 N. 103rd St. Omaha, NE
SACRED HEART CATHOLIC CHURCH Fr. Dave Korth
2207 Wirt Street Omaha, NE 68110 Phone: 402-451-5755
Founders & Lead Pastors
MORNING STAR BAPTIST CHURCH BETHEL MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH Rev. Dr. Lorenzo S.L. Fincher Senior Pastor 5318 South 30th Street Omaha, NE 68107 Phone: (402) 731-1840 “Large enough to serve you, Small enough to know you”
Rev. Dr. Lorenzo S.L. Fincher Senior Pastor
Sunday School .............................................. 9:30 a.m. Worship Services .............................................. 10:45 a.m. Wednesday Prayer Services ..........................................6:30 p.m. Wednesday Bible Study.....................7:00 - 8:00 p.m. Biblically Based, Family Oriented, Dynamic Fellowship
Church of the Living God “A great place to call home.”
-
-
Worship Service .............10:00 a.m. Sunday School .................8:45 a.m. Excluding First Sunday Tuesday Evening Service.........7:00 p.m.
Weekly Services
Mass Schedule: Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday - 8:00 am in Rectory (2218 Binney) Thursday - School Mass 8:10 am in Church Saturday - 5:00 pm Sunday - 8:15 am and 10:30 am
Live Streaming Sunday Service-10:00am on Morning Star Baptist Church-Omaha Facebook Page
SALEM BAPTIST CHURCH
Serving God and One Another in the Spirit of Excellence Rev. Dr. Selwyn Q. Bachus Senior Pastor
MOUNT CALVARY COMMUNITY CHURCH
“Jesus is the Light of the World” Bishop Kevin Chambers, Senior Pastor www.m3comaha.org 5112 Ames Avenue Omaha, NE 68104 (402) 457-4216 Church Phone (402) 453-4084 Pastor’s Office
Overseer Dr. Claude White
Come and hang out with us on our corner
Fr. Dave Korth
2019 Burdette Street Omaha, NE 68110 Ph: 402-342-0018
3131 Lake Street Omaha, NE 68111 402-455-1000 www.salembc.org
Bishop Kevin Chambers
Services: Sunday School .................................................... 9:30 a.m. Sunday Morning Worship Experience ......... 11:00 a.m. Word On Wednesday (WOW) ........................ 7:00 p.m.
Rev. Dr. Selwyn Q. Bachus
Weekly Services Sunday Morning Worship Service .....................8:30 a.m. & 11:30 a.m. Children’s Church (2nd & 4th Sunday) ................8:30 a.m. & 11:30 a.m. Life Development (Sunday School) .........................................10:15 a.m. Wednesday Word and Worship (WWW) ................................ 6:30 p.m.
Sunday School ———————- 9:30 a.m. Morning Worship —————— 10:45 a.m.
TABERNACLE OF FAITH CHURCH Pastor Barbara Mitchell 2404 Fort Street, Omaha, NE 68111 402-455-1800 Church 402-455-3390 Fax
CLAIR MEMORIAL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
“Come Get Your Hilltop Experience” Rev. Portia A. Cavitt, Pastor 5544 Ames Avenue, Omaha, NE 68104 Telephone: 402-451-8322 Website: www.cmumc.net Email: clairumc@cumc.omhcoxmail.com Rev. Portia A. Cavitt, Pastor
Sunday School………………………8:45 a.m. Sunday Worship Experience………...10:00 a.m. Wednesday Bible Study….…….…….6:00 p.m.
FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
Pastor Barbara Mitchell Rev. T. Michael Williams
Dr. Ralph B. Lassiter
Elder Howard Dixon
MT. MORIAH MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH
“Transformed People Everywhere” 2602 N. 24th St. - PO Box 11593 www.mtmoriahomaha.net Off: (402) 451-8800 Sunday Worship ..........................................10:45 a.m. Live Stream: Facebook.com/mtmoriahomaha Please call for Prayer and Transformation Group Bible Study Schedule
Rev. Morita Truman, Lead Pastor Services on Sundays at 8:30 am & 10:50 am 7020 Cass Street, Omaha, NE 68132 402.556.6262 www.fumcomaha.org First United Methodist Church is a welcoming and inclusive community, inspired to grow with and in God.
Sundays:
In Person Service 11:30 am and LIVE on Facebook
Wednesday Night LIVE on Facebook 6:30 pm Friday Night LIVE on Facebook 7:00 pm
ZION BAPTIST CHURCH Rev. Kenneth A. Allen, Pastor 2215 Grant Street Omaha, NE 68110 Ph: 402-346-1502 Fax: 402-344-2720
MT. NEBO MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH “The Church Where Fellowship is Real”
Rev. Morita Truman
Pastor Terry L. Arvie 5501 N. 50th Street Ph: 402-451-4245 Fx: 402-451-2130 office@mtneboomaha.org www.mtneboomaha.org
Pastor Kenneth A. Allen
Pastor Terry L. Arvie
Sunday Morning Worship ...................................9:00 a.m. Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting .....................7:00 p.m. Wednesday Night Church School ......................7:30 p.m. Youth/Children Ministry Focus (Wed.) ............7:30 p.m.
SUNDAY Sunday Morning Worship……………10:00 A.M. Sunday School……………………….. 9:00 A.M. WEDNESDAY 11:00 A.M. ~ Hour of Power Bible Study Wednesday is Family Night! 6:00 P.M. ~ Prayer & Praise Service 6:30 P.M. ~ Feast & Fellowship (Light Meal) 7:15 P.M. ~ Discipleship Academy (Classes for ages 5 & up)
Pictured: (left) President Calvin Webster and (right) Pastor Rev. John C. Deang
HOPE LUTHERAN CHURCH You Are Welcome
PLEASANT GREEN BAPTIST CHURCH
Missouri Synod 2721 N. 30th Street, 402-453-1583
“Where CHRIST is Preeminent and the Word Prevails!”
Sunday School................................10:00 a.m. Church Service...............................11:00 a.m. Thursday Bible Study...............................5:00 p.m.
Pastor Brian Page 5555 Larimore Avenue Church: 402-346-8427 www.pleasantgreenomaha.org
North 24th Street Church of God “Presenting the Never-Changing GOD to an ever-changing World!” Dr. Stan Rone - Senior Pastor 2021 N. 24th Street Omaha, NE 68110 (402) 341-4297
Pastor Brian Page
JOY OF LIFE FAITH MINISTRIES COGIC
Wednesday: Prayer Power Hour ......................................12:00 p.m
Pastors Eric and Cynthia Butler 6401 N. 56th Street Omaha, NE 68104 Ph: 402-399-9628 E-Mail: Jolpastor@aol.com Sunday Morning Worship.....10:00 a.m. Sunday Evening Worship.......5:00 p.m. Wednesday Academy .............7:00 p.m. Bible Study and Youth Ministries
THE WORSHIP CENTER
Thursday: Youth For Christ ............................................6:00 p.m Prayer & Bible Study ....................................6:30 p.m Sunday: Sunday School.................................................9:00 a.m. Morning Worship..........................................10:15 a.m. Pastor Eric Butler and Co-Pastor Cynthia Butler
Televised Broadcast Sunday @ 10pm on KPAO Cox Communication channel 22 & Century Link channel 89
Dr. Stan Rone Senior Pastor
Sunday Kingdom Academy 9:00 a.m. Worship Celebration 10:15 a.m. Tuesday Prayer Hour 7:00 a.m. & 12:00 noon Wednesday Power Hour (Prayer/Bible Study) 6:30 p.m. Youth and Children 6:30 p.m. www.theworshipcenter24cog.org
Page Eight
BUSINESS CONNECTION
THE OMAHA STAR
January 6, 2023
“People create jobs, not the government.” ~Scott Walker Attorney
Attorney
Timothy Ashford
Business Connection
Attorney at Law 1603 Farnam Street Omaha, NE 68102 (402) 660-5544 attorneytimothyashford@gmail.com
Auto Service
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Home Team Auto Sales
Ron Devers owner
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Candice Price, owner sales@hometeamauto.com
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Carry Out Food
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Construction
SERVED WITH A SMILE
New Home Construction Additions & Remodels Also build homes in East Omaha Swimming pool installation
Offering screenings for STDs, HIV, High Blood Pressure and Diabetes Limited Care for Chronic Illnesses
Phone: 402-933-0737
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darrelltaylor@taylordspaces.com 402.850.6149 ericataylor@taylordspaces.com 402.212.1063
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30th & Ames
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to schedule consultation fnfproductions21@gmail.com
Arlivia R. Dunson Corsages Bouquets Dish Gardens
Food Truck Check us out
Funeral arrangements Delivery Upon Request
Housing 55 & older
Information
Insurance
Insurance
ALLY INSURANCE BROKERS OF OMAHA
ATTENTION ATTENTION ATTENTION
Insurance
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We are offering very LOW Rates! Auto • Home • Life • Health • Dental • Vision ALSO AVAILABLE Commercial Insurance
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For information on performances 402-201-1776
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SR-22, Auto, Home, Life, Health, Commercial, Annuities
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Sherman P. Willis, Agent 4915 N 120th St Ste 107 Omaha, NE 68164 Bus: 402-493-1000 sherman@shermanpwillis.com Mon-Fri 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Evenings and Sat by appt. 24/7 Good Neighbor Service
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Wednesday 11AM - 6PM Thursday 11AM - 6PM Friday 11AM - 6PM Saturday 11AM - 6PM
Owners: Theresa White Chantelle Green
For an appointment www.polobland.com
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~ For over 8 years Polo has been an elite barber in the Omaha metropolitan area. ~ 2x Barber of the Year nominee for UNLYP ~ Cuts have been featured on ESPN, MTV, CNN, Nickelodeon, and various news outlets.
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RELIGION/OBITUARY Obituaries
January 6, 2023
Thomas Funeral Home, Omaha
Jewel Gay
Ivy Carodine
July 3, 1938 ~ December 23, 2022 (age 84)
Ivy Shawnette Carodine, known by friends and family as Shawn, was born in Omaha, Nebraska on February 8, 1969 to Evelyn Myers and Thomas Carodine Jr. As a child Shawn was mischievous and feisty. She took her role as the oldest sister very seriously. Shawn attended Omaha North Magnet High School where she participated in chorus, track and field, ROTC, and weightlifting. Shawn never met a stranger, as people gravitated towards her fun and loving nature. She had a gift for gab and a witty sense of humor. Often Shawn’s home was the gathering spot for family and close friends. She was a great mother and protector of her children. Her grandchildren were her pride and joy! She was always on the hunt for the next best gift for them. After highschool Shawn attended the Omaha College of Business and later obtained a supervisor position at Maple Crest Nursing Facility where she worked over a decade. Shawn had a passion for good music, decorating her home, and cooking. She often coached her sisters on how to cook her favorite recipes. She was a woman of strong faith and loved her Lord and Savior. She would often recite her favorite scripture, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”. ~ Philippians 4:13 God called Shawn home December 29, 2022. She leaves to cherish her memory, daughter, Marquita Carodine Jensen and son, Cameron Carodine. Parents, Evelyn Myers and Thomas Carodine Jr. Sisters, Sharita (Ray) Nelson, Johnnie Carodine, Chasity Carodine, Tykena Simms, and Tenessa Carodine. Brothers, Che Myers, Thomas Carodine III, Antonio Carodine, Lafayette Carodine, and Robert Carodine. Grandchildren, John Jensen, Noah Jensen, Cyrique Carodine, Zynique IvyLynn Carodine, Kamden Carodine, and Caniya Carodine. Dear friend Marvel McCoy. Host of aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and other relatives.
FUNERAL SERVICE Friday January 6, 2023 11:00 AM Salem Baptist Church 3131 Lake St Omaha, NE 68111
Dorris Mae Carr Funeral Service for Dorris Marie Carr will be held Thursday, Jan 5th @ 11am In The Spirit Christian Church 1020 S. Garnett Rd Tulsa, Oklahoma
The Burial will be at Woodlawn Cemetery Okmulgee, Oklahoma
John Station
March 9, 1933 ~ December 27, 2022 (age 89)
Sabrina D Young
April 6, 1970 ~ December 28, 2022 (age 52)
KIDS TALK ABOUT GOD BY CAREY KINSOLVING AND FRIENDS What Is The Lesson Of Noah And The Ark? Noah and the ark, according to Nicole, 8: “Noah had built an ark, and other people did not believe him. He got two of each animal, and then he loaded all of his stuff. It flooded, and he lived.” A child who once appeared on Art Linkletter’s TV show thought the lesson of loading all the animals two-by-two was obvious: “If you don’t get married, you get left behind.” Well, that’s one lesson, but not the one Noah or the Lord had in mind “We should be more like Noah,” says Jenna, 10. Why? Noah was the only one in his generation who obeyed the Lord. Even though Noah lived in a generation described as “corrupt” and “violent,” he “found grace in the eyes of the Lord” (Genesis 6). Corruption and violence. Does this sound like the evening news or the morning newspaper? “Everyone except Noah was wicked,” says Maria, 11. “He probably had a lot of peer pressure.” I’m sure he did, Maria. Imagine being the only person in the
world following God. If Noah lived in our day, late night comedians would never run out of material for jokes. Right up until the day Noah closed the door to the ark, I’m sure people were telling the latest Noah jokes. Who but a crackpot would build a gigantic ship with no water around? Brittany, 11, says we learn from Noah to resist peer pressure and ridicule by doing what God says: “Even if people doubt you and say you’re crazy, just ignore them. Remember, you’re doing it for God.” Brittany, your advice sounds like something the Apostle Paul wrote, “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men” (Colossians 3:23). Noah is described as a just man who walked with God. Anyone who walks with God can resist the temptation to go along with the crowd, even when the crowd resorts to ridicule. Another lesson we could learn is “Don’t laugh at your neighbor ’cause they might be right,” says Rebekah, 10.
The laughter of Noah’s peers stopped the day it began to rain. The good news is that God made a covenant (symbolized by the rainbow) that he would never again destroy the world by water. The bad news for the scoffers of this generation is that the flood is only a token of a greater judgment to come. Jesus compared the people of Noah’s day to the generation who will witness his triumphant return to the earth. Like Noah’s generation, they will engage in the normal activities of life with no thought of an impending judgment by God. Jesus said he will return “at an hour you do not expect” (Matthew 24:44). “God can destroy us at any time, and we should believe that because we need to be ready at the second coming of Christ,” says Garrett, 12. Think about this: Just as God provided the ark in Noah’s day, he has prepared a safe haven from judgment in our day. The floodwaters, according to the Apostle
Peter, symbolize baptismal waters, and baptism symbolizes salvation through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ (I Peter 3:21-22). On the cross, Jesus absorbed the flood of God’s judgment for our sins. Memorize this truth: “And Noah did according to all that the LORD commanded him” (Genesis 7:5). Ask this question: Are you willing to do what God wants you to do even though your friends will make fun of you? ================ Kids Talk About God is designed for families to study the Bible together. Research shows that parents who study the Bible with their children give their character, faith and spiritual life a powerful boost. To receive Kids Talk About God three times a week in a free, email subscription, visit www. KidsTalkAboutGod.org/ email. COPYRIGHT 2023 CAREY KINSOLVING
A Tradition of Caring Since 1939 Thomas Funeral Home & Cremation Services
3920 North 24th Street Omaha, NE 68110 402-453-7111
www.omahathomasfh.com
TRADITION RESPECT DIGNITY
THE OMAHA STAR
Page Nine
Black and Jewish communities share histories by Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr. I will not be silent on assassination of civil rights the issues of racial hatred, leader Medgar Evers in violence, and prejudice. I Mississippi. On that sunny day am speaking out publicly in support of the recent in August of 1963 in call by billionaire African Washington there were American business leader other freedom movement and philanthropist, Robert speakers that included F. Smith, to stand up a number of prominent against the resurgence of Jewish voices from across racism and antisemitism in the country, including the outspoken Rabbi America. Blacks and Jews in the Joachim Prinz, who spoke United States have had a about “the shame and long history and tradition disgrace of inequality and of working together and injustice” facing the Black sacrificing together for community. Later that year in freedom, justice, equality and equity. Lest we forget November 1963 Dr. King that we have marched joined with theologian together for over a century. Rabbi Abraham Joshua We have shared blood Heschel at the United together. And we have died Synagogue of America’s together for the cause of Golden Jubilee Convention freedom in the Civil Rights in New York City. King and Heschel pledged Movement. Both of our communities to work together to end today increasingly are the racism and antisemitism. In targets of violent hatred, 1965 when Dr. King, John ignorant stereotypes, and Lewis, Hosea Williams a demonic supremacist and other civil rights ideology. Racism and leaders marched across antisemitism are twin evils the Edmund Pettus Bridge that cannot be ignored or in Alabama, the historic Selma to Montgomery trivialized. In a recent full page paid March, for voting rights, advertisement in The Rabbi Heschel was there shoulder to New York Times, Robert marching F. Smith affirmed, “At shoulder in solidarity. a time when racism and The Black community and antisemitism are on the rise, the Jewish community I am determined to partner share a long, shared history with leaders from all faiths of struggle and fighting for to recognize ‘Fifteen Days civil rights—from August of Light’. We are unifying and Henrietta Bondi’s home to celebrate Chanukah and in Kansas being used as a Kwanzaa together, and stop on the Underground to Jewish encourage communities Railroad nationwide to join us in our organizations participating in the protests following support for one another.” “Fifteen Days of Light” the murder of George is a timely national Floyd and the acceleration opportunity to do what of the Black Lives Matter Dr. Martin Luther King movement. to recent Jr. prophetically defined According as the development and national law enforcement establishment of a “Beloved data, today there has been Community.” Dr. King an unprecedented increase envisioned that this would in hate crimes targeted be a nationwide multiracial against Black and Jewish community where there communities. According would be no racism, no to the Anti-Defamation antisemitism, and no hatred League, 2021 was the toward anyone. All people, highest year on record for regardless of race, ethnicity, documented reports of religion, or faith would harassment, vandalism and live together with mutual violence directed against respect and unconditional Jews since the organization began tracking incidents in love for all. As we prepare to 1979.Thus far in 2022 the go into 2023, disunity incidents of antisemitism between Blacks and have not declined but have Jews is ahistorical and steadily increased. The National Newspaper counterproductive. We Association cannot afford to be Publishers nonchalant or indifferent. (NNPA) has documented a Smith’s statement to constant increase in racially encourage participation in motivated attacks on Black acts of remembrance across people throughout the the nation celebrating both United States during the Chanukah and Kwanzaa past decade. All forms of together over a 15-day racism and antisemitism period in December should always be challenged reminded me of the need relentlessly. Dr. King said it to reaffirm the solidarity best, “We must all learn to live together as brothers, or between Blacks and Jews. I attended the historic 1963 we will all perish together March on Washington as fools.” where Dr. Martin Luther Robert F. Smith, Founder, King Jr. delivered his Chairman & CEO of Vista eloquent and transcendent Equity Partners, Chairman, “I Have a Dream” speech. Carnegie Hall, is taking I recall the strong advocacy the right stand at the right from Jewish leaders like time. Smith stated in the Arnold Aronson of the ad, “Michael Eric Dyson Leadership Conference on recently wrote that ‘… Civil Rights that supported African Americans and Dr. King and the Southern Jews are passengers on Christian Leadership the same ship facing the Conference (SCLC), the ferocious headwinds of NAACP, and other civil bigotry and hatred.’ It is rights organizations at the time to put aside differences and shift our focus to the March on Washington. That day I also remember shared values that bring hearing from a dynamic all Americans together as young freedom fighter God’s children.” (Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, named John Lewis who emphasized the urgency Jr. is President and CEO of for racial equality. Then the National Newspaper Association there was a young Jewish Publishers folk singer named Bob (NNPA) and is Executive Dylan who performed at Producer/Host of The the March a haunting song Chavis Chronicles on PBS he wrote about the tragic TV stations throughout the U.S. and can be reached at dr.bchavis@nnpa.org)
Page Ten
THE OMAHA STAR
YOUTH
January 6, 2023
Staying Engaged in Learning Over School Breaks Learning at Mandela never stops. The mission of Nelson Mandela Elementary focuses on the whole scholar, so they can learn and develop not only academically, but also emotionally, socially, and physically. One of the ways that is achieved at Mandela is through the family engagement program, which is designed to cultivate habits of success in the whole scholar. Families are encouraged to be involved both inside and outside of school in their scholar’s academics, the school community, and their scholar’s extracurricular interests. School breaks are an excellent time to engage with their scholar in both academic and extracurricular ways. It can be a challenge to come up with ideas for engagement, so the school provides
activity calendars, reading and writing challenges, and other academic enrichment opportunities to give families the tools they need to have fun and engage with their scholar in exciting ways. Principal Genevive Core states, “one of the easiest ways to stay engaged is to read with your scholar daily. Even five minutes can improve your scholar’s success in school.” It’s often the small things that make the biggest impact. The Nelson Mandela Elementary school community wants to make sure the larger community is aware that many of these academic resources and suggestions are available at nelsonmandelaelementary.org/academic resources. Please visit our website to discover your own ways to engage with your scholar outside of school and maximize their success!