Latest news with #Omaha-born
Miami Herald
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Miami Herald
Omaha's Shining Star, DREION, Returns for Music at Miller Park
OMAHA, NE / ACCESS Newswire / June 10, 2025 / Some artists perform. Others uplift. But when DREION takes the stage, he transforms it. The Omaha-born singer, songwriter and foster care advocate will headline the first of three free Music at Miller Park concerts in Omaha, Nebraska on Saturday, June 28. But this isn't just any show for DREION. It's a homecoming. And it's deeply personal. DREION's love for music began in the pews of Grace Apostolic Worldwide Ministries. That early spark, nurtured by family musicians and Omaha Northwest High School educators, was further honed at Berklee College of Music and has since evolved into a bold, genre-defying sound he calls "inspirational soul and R&B." Last fall, DREION competed on "The Voice," turning all four chairs with his soulful rendition of "Shining Star" by Earth, Wind & Fire. But his story didn't start with celebrity judges - it starts with something much harder to talk about. At seven years old, DREION entered the foster care system, enduring five placements, seven medications and repeated emotional trauma in just six months. "I didn't realize my story could help others until I started sharing it," he said. He decided to heal and tell his story through music and contacted foster care advocacy organizations to see how it could help. That led him to become a national ambassador for Earth, Wind & Fire's Music is Unity Foundation. "When I did that first event, I realized so many people have similar stories, and some are still experiencing it. I returned to my mother with a positive outcome, but many didn't have a positive outcome. I knew at that moment I had to be the voice because few people share their stories. They were too scared to share their story. They were ashamed. They may not even be able to share or know how. They were too traumatized." His song about his experience, "Let It Rain," was featured in the movie "Foster Boy," which premiered in 2020. "They were finished with the movie. They loved my music so much they went back and re-edited the movie to add it in there," he shared. "Foster Boy" is currently streaming on Peacock and Tubi. DREION continues to be a catalyst for foster youth who can't speak out for themselves. He'll be opening for Earth, Wind & Fire again this summer, including a stop at The Astro in July. During that show, DREION will welcome some foster youth from the community backstage for a behind-the-scenes experience. "It's one thing to tell kids their dreams are valid. It's another thing to invite them in and show them it's possible," he said. Technically, this isn't DREION's first Music at Miller Park concert, but it might as well be. When he was slated to perform in 2023, storms rolled in and washed the concert out after just two songs. "I never really got to give the full show I had planned," he said. "This is my redemption moment. And I'm pulling out all the stops." That includes surprise guests and interactive moments that promise to make the evening unforgettable. The crowd will also be among the first to hear his new single, "Thank You for Loving Me," part of a larger album and tour in the works for 2026. While his experience on "The Voice" has helped usher in numerous exciting opportunities and fame, he makes sure people know where it all started for him. "I told them, 'Do not say I live in Boston. I want you to say I'm from Omaha, Nebraska.' Because it's true and important, a lot of gifted talent has come from our city. Being a voice for that on a national level is an honor. But it's even more of an honor when you can come back and people recognize what you're doing and are proud of you," he shared. With a fresh single out, a full-length album and several exciting shows on the horizon, DREION is stepping into his moment and inviting us along for his journey. "It's a great opportunity to be able to come back, see people that have been supporting me, welcome people that may not know who I am, but are proud that I am from the same city that they are and want to support me, and then also be a difference maker in the community here, even though I'm not necessarily based here," he shared. He also looks forward to the opportunities his growing platform could bring to Omaha and foster care youth. Music at Miller Park is free and family-friendly. The lawn opens at 5 p.m. with DREION's performance starting at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 28. To learn more, visit MEDIA CONTACT: Tara McNamaraOmaha Performing Arts(402) 661-8442tmcnamara@ SOURCE: Omaha Performing Arts
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
World marks Malcolm X's 100th anniversary of his Omaha birth
A bust sculpture of Malcolm X was unveiled at his May 2024 induction into the Nebraska Hall of Fame. The art was designed by Lincoln, Nebraska, artist Nathan Murray, who is shown here with Malcolm X's daughter Ilyasah Shabazz (right of the bust) and JoAnna LeFlore-Ejike, executive director of the Malcolm X Memorial Foundation. The bust's permanent spot is in a hallway of the State Capitol with other Hall of Fame busts. (Cindy Gonzalez/Nebraska Examiner) OMAHA — State Sen. Terrell McKinney recalls Nebraska's rockier relationship with Malcolm X, the rather rough road to getting the Omaha-born human rights leader into the state's Hall of Fame. John Ewing Jr., who last week became Omaha's first elected Black mayor, was a toddler when Malcolm X was assassinated in 1965, and what sticks with him is how Nebraskans early on used him largely as a comparison point with the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Standing out to JoAnna LeFlore-Ejike is the slow march toward gaining communitywide buy-in to build up the Malcolm X memorial birth site and nonprofit foundation she now heads. Burned into her mind is a moment 15 years ago when she thought: 'Where's the people? Where are the people who are going to move this thing forward?' But they and other fans said they've seen increased recognition and understanding in their state of what Malcolm X stood for. Buoyed by his rising national prominence, local voices have championed Malcolm X's journey as one of self-determination, personal reformation and quest to unify Black people — and have successfully advocated for ways to enshrine his name in the state where he was born. Efforts intensified as the 100th anniversary of Malcolm X's birthday approached — and is being observed Monday, May 19. 'There's a shift of the tide,' McKinney said, for the Black empowerment advocate he says is often misunderstood. 'People are actually honoring his legacy and respecting it. It's a show of understanding of who he was and what he means to North Omaha, the city, and the world.' Born Malcolm Little, his family left Omaha after suffering harassment from white supremacists, before Malcolm X was two years old. He evolved from a street hustler who, while in prison, became self-educated and converted to the Nation of Islam. He took the new surname 'X' to signify the unknown African surname of his ancestors. After completing a pilgrimage to Mecca, Malcolm X had a new outlook that abandoned concepts of racial antagonism. He changed his name again and denounced the Nation of Islam, which led to death threats. At 39 years old, as he was about to give a speech in New York City in 1965, the father of six daughters was shot multiple times at close range by three gunmen identified as members of the Nation of Islam. McKinney, a lawmaker who represents the North Omaha area where Malcolm X first lived, reflected on the Little family that he said was a target of racism. Malcolm's father, a minister, was active in the Universal Negro Improvement Association, which led to the family's being harassed. McKinney said the Littles would not have fathomed the recent turn of events in Nebraska. Consider these milestones: In May 2024, the state inducted Malcolm X as the 27th person and first African American into Nebraska's Hall of Fame. Some along the way thought he was too controversial for the hall the Legislature created in 1961 to recognize Nebraskans who have made significant contributions to the state and nation. Indeed, it took three different nominations over nearly two decades, in 2004, 2007, and 2022, before he was selected in 2022 by a governor-appointed commission that considered public testimony. The formal induction came two years later, with a bronze bust in Malcolm X's image installed in the State Capitol. Due to legislation passed in 1998, no more than one person can be added to the Hall of Fame every five years. At the induction, former State Sen. Ernie Chambers quipped about what he saw as a near impossibility: 'I never thought in my wildest dream that I would live long enough … to see a white conservative Republican governor in a white ultraconservative state like Nebraska participate in the induction of Malcolm X.' Also in 2024, the Nebraska Legislature passed a law establishing a 'recognition' of Malcolm X every year on his birthday. McKinney had pushed for a state holiday, but that measure stalled. He said financial barriers to designating a paid holiday prompted him to change direction. He called the alternative a 'good first step.' The legislation calls for each May 19, starting this year, to be 'set apart for holding suitable exercises in the schools of the state in recognition of the sacrifices of the late Nebraska Hall of Fame inductee El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz, Malcolm X and his contributions to the betterment of society.' El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz is the name Malcolm adopted after completing the 'Hajj' pilgrimage to Mecca and converting to Sunni Islam. Also in 2024, the Malcolm X Memorial Foundation officially was awarded a $20 million grant from the state to create a museum devoted to its namesake near 35th and Evans Street, a site where Malcolm X first lived with his family. The funds followed through on legislation, approved the previous year, to build the cultural center supporters foresee as a tourist destination. Originally, the foundation had requested funding through a competitive process set up to dole out economic development grants to North and South Omaha from the state's federal American Rescue Plan Act dollars. The museum was not among recommendations by a consultant, however. Amended legislation led by State Sens. Justin Wayne and McKinney carved out funds for the project. As planned, the public dollars are set to build the museum, which is an anchor of a broader vision to transform the 17-acre campus that marks Malcolm X's early childhood home. Construction has yet to launch, but LeFlore-Ejike says planning is 'moving along' with a review ongoing of requests that have been submitted for the master site plan development. LeFlore-Ejike became executive director of the foundation in 2022, taking over work initiated in 1971 by Rowena Moore. She said efforts to transform the still largely undeveloped area, which has gardens and a visitors center, has had 'ebbs and flows.' LeFlore-Ejike recalled the moment in 2010. She was a volunteer still in school, and the foundation had a grant for 'visioning' work after having just purchased the existing visitor's center, which was the former home of a Jehovah's Witnesses congregation. She recalled disappointment in the lackluster support to continue building momentum. Now, she said, 'We're finally in a season of harvest.' Citing LeFlore-Ejike's work with the foundation, USA Today named her a nominee for its Women of the Year program in 2025. The selection recognizes 'heroines' across the country who break barriers, push for change and make communities better. LeFlore-Ejike hopes Malcolm X supporters are proud that decades of volunteer work 'has not been in vain.' Ewing commended the state for recognizing a significant Nebraska native 'very worthy' of hall of fame status. Malcolm X's 100th birthday observance comes as Ewing also celebrates a historical win in Nebraska's largest city. In last Tuesday's election, he soundly defeated three-term Mayor Jean Stothert. 'It all goes to show how far we've come as a community when it comes to being inclusive and accepting of leaders in our community,' he said. Ewing said leaders 'come in all shapes and sizes and backgrounds.' 'It's important they are accepted and know they belong here in Omaha and in Nebraska.' This story first appeared in the Nebraska Examiner, a member with the Phoenix in the nonprofit States Newsroom.
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
World marks Malcolm X's 100th anniversary of his Omaha birth on May 19
A bust sculpture of Malcolm X was unveiled at his May 2024 induction into the Nebraska Hall of Fame. The art was designed by Lincoln artist Nathan Murray, who is shown here with Malcolm X's daughter Ilyasah Shabazz (right of the bust) and JoAnna LeFlore-Ejike, executive director of the Malcolm X Memorial Foundation. The bust's permanent spot is in a hallway of the State Capitol with other Hall of Fame busts. (Cindy Gonzalez/Nebraska Examiner) OMAHA — State Sen. Terrell McKinney recalls Nebraska's rockier relationship with Malcolm X, the rather rough road to getting the Omaha-born human rights leader into the state's Hall of Fame. John Ewing Jr., who last week became Omaha's first elected Black mayor, was a toddler when Malcolm X was assassinated in 1965, and what sticks with him is how Nebraskans early on used him largely as a comparison point with the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Standing out to JoAnna LeFlore-Ejike is the slow march toward gaining communitywide buy-in to build up the Malcolm X memorial birth site and nonprofit foundation she now heads. Burned into her mind is a moment 15 years ago when she thought: 'Where's the people? Where are the people who are going to move this thing forward?' But they and other fans said they've seen increased recognition and understanding in their state of what Malcolm X stood for. Buoyed by his rising national prominence, local voices have championed Malcolm X's journey as one of self-determination, personal reformation and quest to unify Black people — and have successfully advocated for ways to enshrine his name in the state where he was born. Efforts intensified as the 100th anniversary of Malcolm X's birthday approached — and is being observed Monday, May 19. 'There's a shift of the tide,' McKinney said, for the Black empowerment advocate he says is often misunderstood. 'People are actually honoring his legacy and respecting it. It's a show of understanding of who he was and what he means to North Omaha, the city and the world.' Born Malcolm Little, his family left Omaha after suffering harassment from white supremacists, before Malcolm X was two years old. He evolved from a street hustler who, while in prison, became self-educated and converted to the Nation of Islam. He took the new surname 'X' to signify the unknown African surname of his ancestors. After completing a pilgrimage to Mecca, Malcolm X had a new outlook that abandoned concepts of racial antagonism. He changed his name again and denounced the Nation of Islam, which led to death threats. At 39 years old, as he was about to give a speech in New York City in 1965, the father of six daughters was shot multiple times at close range by three gunmen identified as members of the Nation of Islam. McKinney, a lawmaker who represents the North Omaha area where Malcolm X first lived, reflected on the Little family that he said was a target of racism. Malcolm's father, a minister, was active in the Universal Negro Improvement Association, which led to the family's being harassed. McKinney said the Littles would not have fathomed the recent turn of events in Nebraska. Consider these milestones: In May 2024, the state inducted Malcolm X as the 27th person and first African American into Nebraska's Hall of Fame. Some along the way thought he was too controversial for the hall the Legislature created in 1961 to recognize Nebraskans who have made significant contributions to the state and nation. Indeed, it took three different nominations over nearly two decades, in 2004, 2007 and 2022, before he was selected in 2022 by a governor-appointed commission who considered public testimony. The formal induction came two years later, with a bronze bust in Malcolm X's image installed in the State Capitol. Due to legislation passed in 1998, no more than one person can be added to the Hall of Fame every five years. Various activities, including a block party and youth poetry contest, helped mark the 100th anniversary of Malcolm X's birth date. Bus tour 'pilgrimages,' which come with an admission cost, will continue through June 1 to view the slain civil rights leader's bust in the State Capitol — 'the very institution that once ignored him,' says the marketing material. Included are presentations, held in partnership with the Black Studies Department at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, to deepen understanding of his legacy and relevance today. Also part of the celebration is a May 30 free public screening of 'Divisible,' a documentary film focusing on the history and current impacts of redlining in Omaha. The show starts at 7 p.m. A May 31 Legacy Gala at the Durham Museum has an admission cost. At the induction, former State Sen. Ernie Chambers quipped about what he saw as a near impossibility: 'I never thought in my wildest dream that I would live long enough … to see a white conservative Republican governor in a white ultraconservative state like Nebraska participate in the induction of Malcolm X.' Also in 2024, the Nebraska Legislature passed a law establishing a 'recognition' of Malcolm X every year on his birthday. McKinney had pushed for a state holiday, but that measure stalled. He said financial barriers to designating a paid holiday prompted him to change direction. He called the alternative a 'good first step.' The legislation calls for each May 19, starting this year, to be 'set apart for holding suitable exercises in the schools of the state in recognition of the sacrifices of the late Nebraska Hall of Fame inductee El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz, Malcolm X and his contributions to the betterment of society.' El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz is the name Malcolm adopted after completing the 'Hajj' pilgrimage to Mecca and converting to Sunni Islam. Also in 2024, the Malcolm X Memorial Foundation officially was awarded a $20 million grant from the state to create a museum devoted to its namesake near 35th and Evans Street, a site where Malcolm X first lived with his family. The funds followed through on legislation, approved the previous year, to build the cultural center supporters foresee as a tourist destination. Originally, the foundation had requested funding through a competitive process set up to dole out economic development grants to North and South Omaha from the state's federal American Rescue Plan Act dollars. The museum was not among recommendations by a consultant, however. Amended legislation led by State Sens. Justin Wayne and McKinney carved out funds for the project. As planned, the public dollars are set to build the museum, which is an anchor of a broader vision to transform the 17-acre campus that marks Malcolm X's early childhood home. Construction has yet to launch, but LeFlore-Ejike says planning is 'moving along' with a review ongoing of requests that have been submitted for the master site plan development. LeFlore-Ejike became executive director of the foundation in 2022, taking over work initiated in 1971 by Rowena Moore. She said efforts to transform the still largely undeveloped area, which has gardens and a visitors center, has had 'ebbs and flows.' LeFlore-Ejike recalled the moment in 2010. She was a volunteer still in school, and the foundation had a grant for 'visioning' work after having just purchased the current visitor's center, which was the former home of a Jehovah's Witnesses congregation. She recalled disappointment in the lackluster support to continue building momentum. Now, she said, 'We're finally in a season of harvest.' Citing LeFlore-Ejike's work with the foundation, USA Today named her a nominee for its Women of the Year program in 2025. The selection recognizes 'heroines' across the country who break barriers, push for change and make communities better. LeFlore-Ejike hopes Malcolm X supporters are proud that decades of volunteer work 'has not been in vain.' Ewing commended the state for recognizing a significant Nebraska native 'very worthy' of hall of fame status. Malcolm X's 100th birthday observance comes as Ewing also celebrates a historical win in Nebraska's largest city. In last Tuesday's election, he soundly defeated three-term Mayor Jean Stothert. 'It all goes to show how far we've come as a community when it comes to being inclusive and accepting of leaders in our community,' he said. Ewing said leaders 'come in all shapes and sizes and backgrounds.' 'It's important they are accepted and know they belong here in Omaha and in Nebraska.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
