____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

EMPOWERMENT EVENTS & ACTIVITIES

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

On behalf of Empower Omaha! 
African-American Empowerment Network

Welcome to our home site!
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2007 IN REVIEW

2007 was quite a year.  Empower Omaha!  The Poverty Series.  Building Bright Futures.  LB641.  North Omaha Development Project.  Luis Palau.  Omaha 20/20.  Crime Spikes.  Stop the Violence Initiatives.  Westroads Shooting.  Who could have imagined that all of these things would happen in just one year?

December 8, 2007 marked the one year anniversary since the first Empowerment Network Community Summit.  Progress has been made on many fronts.  New partnerships have been formed.  It’s time for all of us to do our part and take things to a higher level.  There’s a lot of work ahead. 

Since the first community meeting, over 600 leaders and community representatives have contributed to the development of the Empower Omaha! Covenant.  We’ve worked together and partnered to support African-American businesses and cultural events, led prayer walks and community outreach efforts in targeted areas, met with city leaders and elected officials to discuss plans to improve the quality of life in Omaha, partnered with churches to launch adopt-a-school and adopt-a-block strategies, hosted small and large groups summits and conferences, presented the State of African-Americans in person to over 1,000 individuals, distributed over 3,000 copies of the Empower Omaha! Covenant, coordinated an economic networking trip to Kansas City, and accomplished many other specific projects.  We have worked to raise the awareness of the issues faced by African-Americans and developed solutions to address those challenges.  Through our web-site, www.empoweromaha.com, participation in parades and other community events, and feature stories in the media, tens of thousands of people have been exposed to the Empower Omaha! message.

In 2008, we will take what we've learned, set specific goals for each area of the covenant, continue building partnerships, and work to make a tangible, measurable difference in our community. 

Thank you to all of those who have committed time and resources to this initiative.  We are on the move.  Get involved and Do Your Part...Live the Covenant.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________


INTRODUCTION to the EMPOWERMENT NETWORK

African-Americans have made great progress in many areas.  Through many challenges, African-Americans have pressed on and persevered.  There are over 64,000 African-Americans in the Omaha metro area.  We spend an estimated $700 million dollars each year.  We have elected officials at the local, county and state level. We have administrators, principals and teachers in our schools.  We have  strong churches, large and small. We have professionals, business owners and skilled workers.  We have health care professionals, social organizations, churches and others who are working every day to minister to and help those who are impacted, yet, in some areas we are going in the wrong direction.  We have resources, organizations, ideas, visions, and much more.  We have many success stories.  Yet,  we still lag when it comes to education, employment, housing, wealth, health, voting and other core areas.  (READ MORE...)
__________________________________

EMPOWERMENT NETWORK COVENANT KICKOFF...

It's time to come together and work together!

On Friday, April 27, 2007, The Empowerment Network launched the first phase of the Empowerment Covenants and Challenge.  Seven months of planning, testing, research, forums, summits and meetings have led to the creation of a comprehensive covenant (agreement) that can be used as a road map towards positive community solutions. 
(READ MORE...)__________________________________

DO YOUR PART...LIVE THE COVENANT!

Visit the Covenant page on this site to learn more about what you can do to make this covenant a reality.  Every individual, every family and every leader can do something to help improve our community.  (COVENANT...)
__________________________________

TAKE THE CHALLENGE!

Need some specific examples of how you can "Live the Covenant?"  Go to the Take Action Now page on this site and learn more about things you can do right now to Do Your Part!  (TAKE THE CHALLENGE...)
__________________________________

WANT TO GET INVOLVED WITH THE NETWORK?

By working together, we can make a measurable difference.  Go to the Contact Us page and send an e-mail if you would like to learn more about the Network or if you would like to get involved!  We will need volunteers to develop and implement solutions. 
(CONTACT PAGE...)
__________________________________