75 CENTS
OMAHA STAR
THE
Celebrating 80 Years
1938 2018
Let’s pray for safety in our schools as students return to their classrooms.
Dedicated to the Service of the People that NO Good Cause Shall Lack a Champion and that Evil Shall Not Go Unopposed
Nebraska’s Only Black Owned Newspaper Vol. 80 - No. 15 Omaha, Nebraska
Friday, July 27, 2018
75 cents
OPS Superintendent Lays Out 90-Day Entry Plan Omaha Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Cheryl Logan has recently launched the 90-day Entry Plan which serves as a framework for strategic goals of the district moving forward. “As I learn more about the district’s strengths and opportunities to grow and build upon our shared vision for the future, it is important that I provide a clear and transparent entry plan that explains the goals, objectives and activities of my early work in Omaha,” said Logan. Prior to July, her official start date, Dr. Logan visited more than 60 schools and programs, surveying issues around organizational culture and capacity, governance, student achievement, budgets and Community Relations. Each visit provided details on opportunities for building a stronger network of support within OPS. Following her visits, Dr. Logan has developed a thorough plan, which includes four overarching goals. Goal 1: Establish a collaborative, positive, and productive working relationship with the Omaha Public Schools Board of Education that ensures a collaborative Governance Team with a common, united purpose. • Developing a governance team to ensure the academic, social, and emotional growth of all students.
The Omaha Section - National Council of Negro Women Inc. is celebrating 39 years of service in the Omaha community with its annual Mary McLeod Bethune Awards Luncheon on Aug. 11. The luncheon will begin at 11:30 a.m. and is being held at the Pastor Williams University of Nebraska at Omaha, Thompson Alumni Center, 6705 Dodge St. The dynamic keynote speaker, Pastor Lynnell Williams, is the First Lady and Executive Pastor, Ambassadors Worship Center. This year’s theme is “Embracing the Next Generation of Change Agents while Celebrating Inclusion and Diversity.” For more information or to obtain tickets, contact Perlie Whitley at 402-320-0375. The mission of the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW) is to lead, develop and advocate for women of African descent as they support their families and communities. NCNW fulfills its mission through research, advocacy and national and community-based services and programs on issues of health, education, and economic empowerment. NCNW is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Please like them on Facebook at Omaha Section-NCNW, Inc., and follow them on Twitter @OmahaNCNW.
Logan
• Identify and implement effective communication practices and protocols between the Board and the Superintendent to establish an effective working relationship with each individual member of the Board. • Identify policy priorities aligned with the district’s strategic plan for the incoming school year. Goal 2: Establish trust and confidence through open and honest communication and positive relationships among stakeholder groups. • Review current and future bond projects as they align with the Facilities Capital Plan to understand our long- term project See Logan continued on page 2
Film Streams Offers Free, Collaborative Screening of ‘Quest’
On Aug. 6 at 7 p.m., Film Streams and the Urban League of Nebraska will present a free screening of “Quest” at the Ruth Sokolof Theater, 1340 Mike Fahey St., followed by a post-show discussion with North Omaha community leaders, facilitated by Ashlei Spivey. Filmed with vérité intimacy for nearly a decade, “Quest” is the moving portrait of a North Philadelphia family. Beginning at the dawn of the Obama presidency, Christopher “Quest” Rainey, and his wife, Christine’a “Ma Quest,” raise a family while nurturing a community of hip hop artists in their home music studio. It’s a safe space where all are welcome, but this creative sanctuary can’t always shield them from the strife that grips their neighborhood. Epic in scope, “Quest” is a vivid illumination of race and class in America, and this one-time screening will provide an opportunity to better understand the love, healing and hope happening within the North Omaha community. Starting at 6 p.m., prior to the film, representatives from various North Omaha community organizations will be available to provide information about their impact in these historic neighborhoods. Following the film, Ashlei Spivey will guide discussion along with Precious McKesson, President of North Omaha Neighborhood Alliance; Tommy Young-
Dennis, Prevention & Outreach Specialist with Nebraska AIDS Project; and Leo Louis II, community organizer with the Malcolm X Foundation. Free tickets for this one-time screening are limited to two per patron and can be reserved at http:// bit. ly/2L8ltq2 or through either the Ruth Sokolof Theater or Dundee Theater box office. Reserved tickets must be claimed or presented (for print-at-home tickets) by 6:45 p.m. on the night of the event to guarantee admission. Any unclaimed tickets will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis to patrons on the wait list. For more information, questions or requests, contact Patrick Kinney at 402933-0259 x11 or patrick@filmstreams. org. The screening and discussion are part of Film Streams’ Community Development Program, which facilitates partnerships with other nonprofits and community groups on film-related events that speak to their missions and programming. Each quarter, Film Streams’ Community Development Committee reviews proposals for special screenings and programs. Deadlines for proposals are Jan. 2 (for April-June events), April 1 (for July-September), July 1 (for OctoberDecember) and Oct. 1 (for JanuaryMarch).
Omaha Star 80th Anniversary Gala and Mildred D. Brown Memorial Study Center Awards The Omaha Star, a Nebraska publishing landmark, celebrated 80 years of success and community outreach on July 15 at the Hilton Hotel Downtown Omaha. The gala event also honored the achievements of the Mildred D. Brown Memorial Study Center (MDBMSC), the non-profit auxiliary of The Omaha Star, that has awarded thousands of dollars in scholarships to African American students pursuing careers in journalism and mass communications. The ballroom was filled with a who’s-who of Omaha and Nebraska notables and included a number of guests from around the nation. There were special commemorations of founding publisher, Mildred D. Brown, and her niece, Dr. Marguerita Washington, as well as current publisher and managing editor, Phyllis Hicks. Mrs. Brown started The Omaha Star in 1938 and was publisher for 50 years, until she passed in 1988. She bequeathed
Jordan with MDBMSC President, John Pierce
Board
Award recipients
the newspaper to her niece, Dr. Washington, who walked away from an outstanding career in education, to run the newspaper for the next 29 years. Dr. Washington, who passed in 2016, passed the baton to Phyllis Hicks, who continues to carry the flame. The evening’s Mistress of Ceremony, KETV-7 Traffic to Go Reporter, Laurann Robinson, eloquently guided the gala’s program. Johnny Rodgers was an Honorary Co-Chairperson of the gala. Rodgers is the 1972 Heisman Trophy Winner and a member of the College Football Hall of Fame (2000). Honorary Co-Chair Roberta Wilhelm has been the executive director of Omaha Girls, Inc. of Omaha since 2003. There, she helps inspire girls to be “Strong, Smart and Bold.” The keynote speaker, just 18 years old, was Gabrielle Jordan, an accomplished speaker, youth developer and owner of Jewelz of
Back to School Free movies and Issue – August 24. music galore! See In the Village for details.
Mary McLeod Bethune Awards Luncheon
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Jordan, a luxury jewelry business. Jordan is co-founder of the ExCel Youth Mentoring Institute, a youthbased online mentoring organization providing mentorship opportunities and educational resources for entrepreneurship and leadership development. She is also author of an Amazon.com best-selling book, “The Making of a Young Entrepreneur: A Kids Guide to Developing the MindSet for Success.” Jordan reminded the predominately adult audience of the power of overcoming fear of failure. She insists that failure is absolutely essential to success in life because, the only true failure is to never try. She recalled reading the monumental self-development classic, “Who Moved My Cheese?” by Dr. Spencer Johnson. She said, “Dr. Johnson asked a question I had never considered until reading his book. He asked, ‘What would you do in life if you had See Gala continued on page 2
Family Fun Day – August 4. See In the Village for details.