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metroMagazine • The Spirit of Omaha
outtakes
SHOOTING THE COVER meeting at the summit 2010 was both of our first experiences at the YP Summit. At the time, Weston had pretty recently become Education Manager at e Kent Bellows Studio & Center for Visual Arts (KBS), and Ally had been assisting the KBS Executive Director, Anne Meysenburg, with marketing and PR for an upcoming fundraiser. Anne casually, serendipitously introduced us during the welcome hour of the Summit and the rest is history. We’re engaged to be married this July.
as yps in omaha, empowered to make a difference where we live, work and play AllY: Omaha offers incredible opportunities for people in our generation: It is big enough that we have social and professional options, yet still intimate enough that we’re able to see our work make a tangible difference. As a writer at David Day Associates, a branding and creative strategy firm, I am able to play a small role in craing the unique brand platform, voice and presence for a range of important organizations. What’s more, I am fortunate to be able to use the skills, relationships and energy I build through this work in other areas of my life and the community. WEStOn: I feel a sense of inclusivity, shared determination and responsibility in Omaha. ere is inspiration in knowing that if I really push myself and reach a little further, there will be someone or something to grab on to. Speaking from experience, without the professional network and opportunity to make meaningful connections here, we never would have been able to successfully transition e Kent Bellows Studio mentoring program to e Joslyn Art Museum in 2014.
inspiration from previous summits WEStOn: e YP Summit is a brilliant exercise in intersection and an opportunity to stimulate civic engagement. I have learned that there can be harmony between work, life and play; we just have to be willing to pair our true passions with our work.
what part of the summit keeps us attending? AllY: We are lucky to live in a community that is so supportive of young people. Events like the YP Summit compel us to interact with up and coming professionals in varying fields who all share passion for Omaha; they are like adrenaline shots to remind us that we can make a difference, tackle challenges with any number of open-minded solutions, and connect with others who are eager to do the same.
EDItOR’S nOtE: Ally & Weston have a wedding planning trip scheduled and have to miss this year’s Summit. In 2015, they hope to return to the event as “Mr. & Mrs. omson”. PHOTOGRAPHY & CASTING BY ©LAURIE AND CHARLES CLOTHING BY J. CREW HAIR STYLING BY ERIC BURDEN FOR BUNGALOW/8 HAIRDRESSING MAKEUP STYLING BY STEPHANIE SHELY FOR BUNGALOW/8 HAIRDRESSING