Conversations on cancer, race research:
Dr. Kendra Ratnapradipa is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Epidemiology at the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s College of Public Health. She is also an Associate Member of the Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center’s Cancer Prevention & Control Program
and has been a member of Nebraska Cancer Registry Advisory Committee since 2020.
Dr. Ratnapradipa has a PhD in Public Health Studies (Epidemiology) from Saint Louis University and a Master of Social Work from Brigham Young University. She completed a post-doctoral fellowship in transportation/injury epidemiology at the Abigail Wexner Research Institute, Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio.
Her research focuses on cancer health disparities from screening through survivorship. Aspects
of her research include neighborhood deprivation, social determinants or drivers of health,
healthcare access and utilization, and geographic medical accessibility through studies of
driving distance and travel time.
2nd Annual North Omaha Black History
Tentative SCHEDULE
Check-in 8:30am -8:45 amPlenary Session from 9 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.
Adam Fletcher Sasse #OmahaBlackHistory: Challenges in telling the stories of African American People, Places, and Events from the History of Omaha, NE
Critiques: 10 :00 a.m. 10 :30 a.m. Critics and Reviewers of the book: Mia Crawford Gray, Community Advocate, and Eric Ewing, Director of the Great Plains Black Museum
Break: 10:30 a.m. -10:45 a.m.
Large Group Discussion/ Question and Answers 10:45-11:45
Lunch 12 Noon - 1 p.m.
Breakout Session 1 PM - 2PM
1. Literacy in the African American Community: Why reading books and writing about historical racial topics are challenging to African Americans in Omaha. Catrice Jackson, Founder and Director of Voice Advocacy Center
2. The History and Roles of Black Fraternities and Sororities in Omaha and Nebraska: The various chapters will provide an overview of their historical accomplishments.
3. Elders and Youth: Historical Intergenerational Conversation about the Generation Divide
Wrap Up / Evaluations: 2:00PM-2:30PM
Omaha Black History Book Review
By: A’Jamal Byndon
A Dirty, Wicked Town: Tales of 19th Century Omaha, an interview with author David L. Bristow.
A'Jamal Byndon interviews David L. Bristow about his book, which outlines how Omaha evolved — or did not — in terms of its wicked town mentality. As cited in the interview, some things have changed, while others remain the same. David offers insight into how he came to write the book and why it remains popular 25 years later. Many love to hear the evolution of early Omaha and the dirt that would not wash away. The newspaper and media have roots in bias and, as they call it, yellow journalism that helps in maintaining the oppression of People of color, as cited in one of his last chapters dealing with the lynching of George Smith.
African American and the Legal system in Racist Nebraska: Questions we should be aware of today.
Potso Mahlangeni-Byndon. ESQ talks about the racism and Eurocentric elite legal system that does not adequately serve People of Color and particularly African Americans by their lack of adequate legal representation within the judicial system. Many fundamental questions require legal input, but the attorneys of color are nowhere to be seen in community forums, because some of us are sleeping with the enemy in a literal and figurative fashion.
Lessons in Inclusion: Empowering Women & Building Black Unity | Selalelo x Inclusive Communities
In this interview, Selalelo learns from Cammy, Executive Director of Inclusive Communities in Omaha, about building inclusive societies, fostering leadership, and empowering women in patriarchal systems. We discuss practical strategies Selalelo can apply in Botswana, including: Amplifying the voices of Batswana women Challenging cultural and structural patriarchy Creating spaces for dialogue and inclusion Strengthening networks for Black unity across Africa and the diaspora Leadership and community-building lessons for lasting social impact This conversation is a bridge between local action and global insight, showing how collaboration, dialogue, and empowerment can transform communities. Subscribe to Selalelo to stay updated on our initiatives, including youth programs, women’s empowerment campaigns, and social justice discussions. #Selalelo #InclusiveCommunities #WomenEmpowerment #BlackUnity #Botswana #SocialJustice #CommunityLeadership #Leadership #Empowerment"
Historical Black Colleges and Universities: the questions answered why go?
Rachelle M. Tucker and Damien Coran talk about their tours of going to HBCU and the reasons why they avoid some of the other places where People of Color don't find the support. Often times those educational institutions don't get the federal and national funding, but they turn out some of the best and brightest students who are eager for quality education. They did not side-step the racial issues, and the need to be with students and faculty who understand the culture of where the students are coming from in many of these places of higher education.
Education is questioned when it comes to Quality Education for African American Students in Omaha.
Mia Crawford Gray, a long-time community advocate, talks about the challenges in the public school system and its inability to provide quality education to Black Students and engage parents with their approach to community engagement. There is a new program that aims to make all students literate by 2030. However, the bet is out there that OPS cannot achieve this quest because it lacks community input or staff members with the wherewithal to talk with real African Americans in the district. Most of their key white administrators struggle to listen to constructive feedback, and hence, we have this poor academic achievement in Omaha Plantation Schools.
Movement in Omaha Founders talk about racism in Omaha and the dysfunction of Gatekeeper and Clowns
This program is about calling out the system folks who have never busted a grape for dealing with racism in Omaha. Many of them have limited ability to challenge the system because they are on the payroll, and will stop the mean white girls' behavior within the toxic workplace. Meanwhile, the masses of oppressive folks are counting on the NEOC or City of Omaha Human Relations Department to help African Americans, and they won't have honest dialogues with Victims of American Democracy (Black Folks), as Malcolm X called this system.
Adam Fletcher Sasse - #OmahaBlackHistory and MORE Throwing Down Some Heavy Light
Adam Fletcher Sasse outlines the history of North Omaha and the impact of African Americans on the city's racist history. He shared many incidents, leaders, and professionals who were more than entertainment or athletic jocks playing sports for the elites. A'Jamal raises serious questions about the public institutions' inability to write or help promote the actual struggle that African Americans played in changing the scope of social justice issues. This program will be utilized to challenge the fake degrees and nonwriters about their respective history. Adam starts out by acknowledging his role in writing about Black History as a white person, but more importantly, he throws down the mike to say, Put up or shut up, if we can produce substance about the topic. Many of the public institutions are racist and full of apologists, such as the Omaha Police Department, the Omaha Plantation Schools, and the University of No Opportunity.
From Tradition to Tomorrow
Silent Strength
We Demand A Society Where Equity Replaces Patriarchy
Borders Exclusion
South African Dialogue
Dogs of an Empire
BOYS OF RESPECT SEMINAR SUMMARY
A Century of Contradiction: How America Aligned with White Power in South Africa
From the Boer War to Elon Musk, U.S. sympathy has consistently favored Afrikaner interests
over the Black majority.
Four Centuries of Theft and Unfinished Reckoning in South Africa
THE DOUBLE STANDARD OF JUSTICE
Trump and South Africa’s Land Reform.
THE CENTRAL AFRICAN SLAVE TRADE
The ongoing struggle for racial justice often seems like an exaggeration to those who remain ignorant of history.
The Great Plains Black History Museum will host a monthly series!
Learning Community, 1612 North 24 th Street. It will be from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on various Saturdays of each month. The topics are listed below. The presentations are open to the community, agencies, African American families, and others interested in the various issues. The suggested age range is high school students and beyond. We aim to foster an appreciation for historical challenges and solutions in Nebraska, a society dealing with historical Black experiences.
Scholars discuss the racism and chaos mentality of the Trump Administration and white supremacy.
Dr. Patrick Velasquez and A'Jamal Byndon talk about the racism and dysfunctional aspect of the national government to destroy People of Color by enacting policies and cuts and creating the promulgation of Uncle Toms, collaborators, and sellouts in educational institutions and systems that are bent on supporting white privilege and white supremacy in local, state and federal government.
The Sum of Us Book Discussion at Washington Branch Library. Omaha Ne. is a book that gives examples of racism being harmful to everyone, including white people. It helps dispel the false idea of the zero-sum paradigm that one person or group has to suffer for another to succeed. Our goal is to build social capital around the themes of The Sum of Us. This book is available at the public library and the other book supply sources.
Reflections on Power, Racism, and Historical Parallels: Trump, Musk, and the Legacy of Apartheid
The White Man’s Dirty Fingerprints in CKGR.
Elon Musk’s Ancestors
Position Statement:
Support for Undocumented and Mixed Status Migrants and Families
MORE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
MORE Research & Policy Report, 2024
THE STATUS OF HISTORICALLY UNDERREPRESENTED STUDENTS OF COLOR AT OMAHA METROPOLITAN COMMUNITY COLLEGE: INDICATORS OF RACIAL EQUITY
Primary Author: Patrick Velasquez, Ph,D Chair, MORE Data/Research Committee
Contact: moreinfo@moreomaha.org
WHAT’S NEXT FOR MORE?
African American Legal Issues & Anti-racism in Nebraska ft. Attorney Potso Mahlangeni
This program is about racism in the legal community in Nebraska and the failure of the law schools to educate African Americans to use the legal system to their advantage. Since there are so few practicing African American lawyers in Nebraska. Participants asked questions during the session. We also cover the problem of the various institutions that do not provide justice to African Americans in this apartheid city and state, such as Nebraska ACLU, Legal Aid of Nebraska, and the so-called advocacy organization that does not file cases on behalf of the African American community. Many do not have board members of Color who have a track record of working in our communities.
MORE’s 2023 End-of-Year Wrap-Up!
MORE's End of Year Letter!
MORE's End of Year Letter!
Read what MORE was up to in 2023 and look forward to 2024!
Nebraska Examiner Articles on MORE
JOIN OUR TEXT GROUP!
Movement in Omaha for Racial Equity Research & Policy Report, September 2023
THE STATUS OF HISTORICALLY UNDERREPRESENTED STUDENTS OF COLOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA, OMAHA: INDICATORS OF RACIAL INEQUITY
Primary Author: Patrick Velasquez, Chair, MORE Data/Research Committee
Racism and Societal Collapse
Primary Author: Jack Dunn
MORE STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
We are working on a report on the effectiveness of these civil rights organizations, such as the city’s Omaha Human Rights and Relations Department, in addressing their mission. It’s come to our attention that they have little to no empirical data on the success of addressing racism, and historical discrimination and, most of all, engaging communities of Color with the transformation of the problems into reasonable solutions. When a public fund organization does work have little or any social capital with oppressed African Americans and other People of Color, it is time to ask for change. What good are third-string quarterbacks who can’t play in the Superbowl of anti-racism? Can we point to one success story and whom they helped in the valley of the struggle that can offer testimonials to outcomes?
Got any questions regarding anti-racism, race equity, or community advocacy but have never seemed to be able to get any answers? Or incidents handled by Nebraska Equal Opportunity Commission , Nebraska Urban League, or any government funded organizations. -
Text or Email A’Jamal at 402-212-7083 or email moreinfo@moreomaha.org
Mail + Donations via Check
For all mail, or donations via check please mail to:
608 N. Saddle Creek, #31542
Omaha, NE 68132
402-212-7083
EIN: 27-0666026
ices.
“It truly was an ‘a-ha’ moment of my personal view of white culture.”
— MORE workshop attendee