Empowerment Network marks 20 years with Omaha leadership conference

The Empowerment Network drew more than 450 people to Omaha for its 20th anniversary African American Leadership Conference and Revive Black Business Expo, spotlighting entrepreneurship, wealth building, career growth and civic engagement. Organizers said the event will feed into future collaboration, including a 4-3-8 economic empowerment strategy and continued work across Omaha and partner cities.

Why it matters: - The 20th-anniversary conference underscored two decades of collaboration aimed at expanding opportunity for African-Americans, North Omaha and the broader Omaha region. - The event highlighted measurable community gains tied to the work, including business support, housing, jobs and youth pathways. - Organizers used the milestone to tee up the next phase of economic development and civic engagement.

What happened: - The Empowerment Network hosted the African American Leadership Conference and Revive Black Business Expo Sept. 30-Oct. 2 at CHI Health Center Omaha. - More than 450 people attended the event, which centered on entrepreneurship, business growth, wealth building, career advancement, leadership development, health and civic engagement. - The conference theme was “This Is Our Season.” - The Revive Black Business Expo connected attendees with participating businesses and organizations. - Willie Barney, Empowerment Network CEO and founder, said the conference honored 20 years of work and partnerships while looking ahead to the next 20 years of collaboration. - Featured speakers included Simon T. Bailey, James Bailey, Dr. George Fraser, Dr. Pamela Jolly, Dr. Randal Pinkett and Jaylen D. Bledsoe. - Barney, Board President Timothy Christian and Omaha Mayor John Ewing recognized community leaders and partners who have supported the work over two decades. - Ewing thanked attendees and said dreams require sustained work from the community.

The details: - Transformation 2025 and partner efforts have committed more than $1.5 billion to revitalizing North Omaha. - More than 3,000 adults have been connected to employment through that work. - More than 3,000 housing units have been built or renovated. - Step-Up Omaha has connected more than 9,000 young people with employment, internships, career exploration, entrepreneurship and other opportunities. - Transformation 2030 is set to build on that progress. - Barney introduced the 4-3-8 strategy as the next economic empowerment approach. - The strategy focuses on investing in the community, supporting Black businesses and strengthening institutions. - The work ahead includes reconnecting people, reviving businesses and rebuilding communities. - Key vehicles for that work include the Revive Black Business Network, Empowerment Network and Pastors & Faith Collective. - The conference also recognized participants in Step Up, Youth 360, My Brother’s Keeper and Skill Up. - Community leaders, strategic partners and longtime volunteers were also honored for sustaining the effort. - The Revive Black Business Expo gave businesses and organizations a chance to network, meet customers, make connections and generate revenue. - More information is available at empoweromaha.com.

Between the lines: - The conference framed economic development as a community-led effort, not a one-time event. - Barney’s emphasis on faith, purpose and shoulder-to-shoulder partnerships signals a strategy built on civic trust as much as on funding. - The 4-3-8 strategy suggests the organization is shifting from celebration to execution, with a clearer roadmap for business and institutional support. - The expansion of the model to cities including Kansas City, New Orleans, Lansing, Tulsa, Syracuse and others shows the Omaha-based approach has become a broader template. - The citywide and national partnerships point to a networked model that depends on local leadership and outside allies.

What's next: - The Empowerment Network will carry conference conversations and connections into ongoing work with residents and partners across Omaha. - Capacity-building cohorts and collaborative initiatives will continue beyond the conference. - Transformation 2030 and the 4-3-8 strategy are expected to guide the next phase of community investment. - The organization will keep extending its collaborative approach to partner communities across the country.

The bottom line: - Omaha’s African American Leadership Conference marked a milestone, but the message was forward-looking: keep building wealth, opportunity and institutions through sustained collaboration.