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75 CENTS
OMAHA STAR
THE
Celebrating 80 Years
March is Women’s History Month. Who is your Shero?
1938 2018
Dedicated to the Service of the People that NO Good Cause Shall Lack a Champion and that Evil Shall Not Go Unopposed
See Her-story Inside.
Nebraska’s Only Black Owned Newspaper Vol. 80 - No. 5 Omaha, Nebraska
Friday, March 9, 2018
75 cents
‘Get Out’ Takes Top Prize at Independent Spirit Awards, then Peele Scores Oscar Gold
Thanks to The Village, The Omaha Star Exceeds Goal
Jordan Peele’s “Get Out,” a horror thriller that examines U.S. race relations, won best film and best director on Saturday at the 33rd Independent Film Spirit Awards. The wins for Peele’s directorial debut gave the Spirits, a celebration of indie filmmaking, something unusual: a box-office behemoth. Made for just $4.5 million, “Get Out” grossed $255 million worldwide. “We are in the beginning of a renaissance right now, where stories from the outsider, stories Jordan Peele accepts the Best Feature Award at the Independent Spirit Awards accompanied by the cast of from the people in this room, the same stories that independent his film “Get Out.” / REUTERS filmmakers have been telling for years are being honored and recognized and celebrated,” Peele said. Peele’s mentor Spike Lee presented him with the award for best director. Peele said Lee paved his way. “Getting this award from Spike is crazy – let’s make no mistake,” he said, “I wouldn’t be standing here if wasn’t for this man.” “Get Out,” a racial satire, which tells the story of a young Black man who visits his white girlfriend’s family, was a box office juggernaut at U.S. and Canadian theaters. The film earned four 2018 Oscar nominations, including best picture, best director, best original screenplay and best actor for Daniel Kaluuya. Peele took home the award for Best Original Screenplay for “Get Out.” He made history as the first Black screenwriter to win in the category. “I stopped writing this movie about 20 times because I thought it was impossible. I thought it wasn’t going to work,” Peele said in his acceptance speech. “I thought no one would ever make this movie. I kept coming back to it because I knew if someone let me make this movie, people would hear it and people would see it.” While thanking his mother for the film’s acclaim, Peele said, “My mother, taught me to love, even in the face of hate.” He then thanked the film’s audience, “And to everyone who went and saw this movie, everybody who bought a ticket, who told somebody to buy a ticket, thank you. I love you for shouting out at the theater, for shouting out at the screen. Let’s keep going.”
Charles Drew Health Center Nationally Recognized as Quality Leader
Charles Drew Health Center Inc. (CDHC) has been named a 2017 Health Center Quality Leader by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). As a Health Center Quality Leader, CDHC has “achieved the best overall clinical performance among all health centers, placing it in the top 30 percent of the adjusted quartile rankings for Clinical Quality Measures,” according to a letter from George Sigounas, MS, PhD., Administrator, Health Resources and Services Administration. Nearly 1,400 federally qualified health centers operate more than 11,000 service delivery sites that provide primary care in every U.S. state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Pacific Basin. A full list of HRSA’s Clinical Quality Measures can be found at https://bphc.hrsa.gov. “Being recognized as a Health Center Quality Leader is a testament to the hard work, compassion, and commitment of our team at Charles Drew,” stated Kenny
Friday Night Fish Fry! See In the Village for Details.
McMorris, CDHC’s Chief Executive Officer. “It is clear evidence that we are taking the right steps to provide the best quality, patient-centered medical care that our community deserves, while actively engaging partners to reduce health disparities and improve the wellbeing of all families in the Omaha metro area.” Charles Drew Health Center was incorporated in 1983 as a federallyqualified community health center. For over thirty years, CDHC has provided affordable health care in Omaha for individuals and families with limited or no health insurance coverage. True to its mission, CDHC remains dedicated to providing quality, comprehensive health care in a manner that acknowledges the dignity of the individual, the strength of the family and the supportive network of the community. To learn more about CDHC’s medical, dental, pharmacy, and behavioral health services along with other community wellness and service programs, visit www.charlesdrew.com.
It’s March and most folks are yearning for spring and new beginnings, but for us at the Omaha Star, March 1 marked an ending to our highly successful #BlackPantherChallenge on GoFundMe. Because of the community at large, our $5,000 goal was more than doubled. Not only did your donations fund Black Panther movie admission, snacks and door prizes for 244 young people and their chaperones, the $11,346 donation total will also provide scholarship opportunities for students in our community. All monies remaining, after the Black Panther event, have been donated to the Mildred D. Brown Memorial Study Center scholarship fund. Scholarship recipients will be announced in the fall. The Omaha Star staff of four could not have ensured the success of the movie event without the help of volunteers who worked at the scene
Harambee Brunch & Fashion Show on March 17 The sights and smells of spring are almost upon us as the Omaha Section - National Council of Negro Women Inc. prepare for this year’s Harambee Brunch and Fashion Show with the theme “Unity in the Community Spring Fling.” Models from all walks of life – including government officials, pastors, civic leaders, sororities and fraternities – will stroll the runway showing off fashion designs in the Sunday Best Scene, Taking Care of Business Scene, and others. In keeping with Mary McLeod Bethune’s legacy, “a thirst for education,” all proceeds will go to the Bethune Concept Book Award Program to help college students purchase textbooks. The Harambee Brunch & Fashion Show will be held March 17, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the University of Nebraska at Omaha Milo Bail Student Center ballroom, 6001 Dodge St. The public is invited to support this event. Recommended attire: African or the color purple. Tickets are on sale now. For more information and tickets, phone Perlie Whitley at 402-320-0375 or visit Eventbrite.com and enter 2018 Harambee Brunch and Fashion Show. The Omaha Section - NCNW continues its mission to lead, develop, and advocate for women of African descent as they support their families and communities. Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
and those who worked behind the scene to make sure we had adequate volunteer coverage. We are hesitant to offer individual thank you’s for fear of omitting someone’s contribution. However, we do want to acknowledge the volunteer work or efforts of Braymond Adams, Cheryl Bowles, Keith Harris, Cortney Lytle, Mike Rice and D’Antra Toombs. We appreciate the village who came together to make the movie event enjoyable for our young people. At a time when this “one nation under God, indivisible…” is so divided, it is refreshing to see that donations came from communities throughout our state and volunteers came from a cross section of Omaha communities. We believe in the common good, and you have shown us that we all agree it is up to us to care for and provide opportunities for our young people to dream and soar - “To Wakanda and Beyond.”
Exceptional Omaha Teen Wins Youth of the Year Honor Selected among six outstanding youth, 18-year-old Teiah Wells has been named the Youth of the Year by Boys & Girls Clubs of the Midlands (BGCM). The Youth of the Year title is a prestigious honor bestowed upon an exemplary young person in recognition of leadership, service, academic excellence and dedication to living a healthy lifestyle. Now in its 71st year, the Youth of the Year program honors our nation’s most awe-inspiring young people on their path to great futures and encourages all kids to lead, succeed and inspire. Teiah will go on to vie for the Nebraska Youth of the Year Wells title and a $5,000 college scholarship from Boys & Girls Clubs of America. “Teiah is an exceptional student and an exemplary Club member. When she walked through our Club doors four years ago, Teiah, like other youth going through difficult times at home and in school, struggled to find direction and confidence in herself. Now, I see a confident and driven young woman who is in charge of her future,” Ivan Gilreath, BGCM President/CEO, said. A Central High senior, Wells has an impressive volunteer, activities and academic record. She has a 3.6 GPA and runs on the Central High track and field team. Her goal is to attend Creighton University and explore her passion in the field of athletic training. Outside of school, she’s active in her community with over 70 hours of community service including tutoring younger children at North Omaha Boys & Girls Club and Girls Inc. After seeing her mother’s drug and alcohol addiction separate her family, Wells lives and promotes a healthy and drug-free lifestyle to her friends and peers. “My personal downfall started in 2014, I started to get into trouble at home and school. I was being disrespectful, not following directions, not telling the truth, fighting and being a distraction in class. Later that year, I was introduced to the North Omaha Boys & Girls Club! I found staff
Daylight Saving Time Begins Sunday, March 11 at 2:00 A.M.
See Omaha Teen continued on page 3
Ending the Cycle: Gang Violence Prevention – March 13. See In the Village for Details.