It was a Love Supreme Friday on 1st Sky Omaha in the Morning, and hosts Paul B. and Buddy the God were determined to keep the energy exactly that — supreme. “We have to make a decision,” Paul B. told viewers as the show opened. “It’s going to be Love Supreme Friday today. And we’re going to change our mindsets over to something else.” With Nebraska’s midterm primaries still fresh in the news cycle and a powerhouse guest waiting in the wings, the show wasted no time delivering the kind of conversation Omaha wakes up for.
The hosts touched briefly on the primary results, with Buddy the God putting voter turnout in perspective. “It’s not even just the numbers — those are reflective of the national numbers,” he said. “I think nationwide more people don’t vote than do.” Viewer Sean McCarthy added context from the chat, noting that “the Douglas County Election Commissioner said the average primary voter turnout percentage was around 35% in Douglas County.” Rather than dwell in frustration, Buddy steered the conversation toward a bigger-picture call to action: “We got to do both. We have to build our own ecosystems and continue to do the things that are about to be talked about. But in the long run, we do got to figure this out as a nation.”
Before bringing on the morning’s featured guest, the hosts paused to celebrate a major community win — North Omaha entrepreneur Charell Shelton, whose diagnostic lab recently earned a $52,000 prize. It was the kind of local victory the show loves to amplify, and the audience was here for it.
Then came the conversation everyone had been waiting for. Dana Murray, executive director and co-founder of the North Omaha Music Academy (NMA), joined the show to talk about one of the most ambitious visions currently taking shape on the North 24th Street corridor. Murray — a musician and educator who grew up in South Omaha, spent eleven years in New York City, and eventually returned home to build something lasting — carries himself with the calm confidence of someone who has done the homework.
When Paul B. asked Murray what the North 24th Street corridor should be, the answer was equal parts practical and inspired. “The area that has the most history and can truly claim to be a cultural and arts district is the North 24th Street corridor,” Murray said. “But the community within has become so far removed from what that was that it’s hard to build momentum.” He laid out a clear-eyed vision that includes housing, services, restaurants, entertainment destinations — and yes, a hotel. “Then you can host larger music festivals and conferences right in the community,” he explained. “A lot of stuff on North 24th Street hasn’t been sustainable, and I can’t get caught up in the emotion of redevelopment. The X’s and O’s have to make sense.”
Paul B. has long held a deep reverence for that stretch of Omaha. “I’ve always called it the most important black corner in Nebraska,” he said. “We got to serve it. We have to be of service to it.” Viewer Pops echoed that sentiment from the chat with a piece of personal history: “Artists like Fats Domino used to stay at your grandfather’s home when he came to town to perform. So yes, more infrastructure for the artist around the Deuce corridor would be a godsend.”
Murray, who comes from South Omaha rather than North, was candid about what he sees as a barrier to progress — a pride that protects the past at the expense of the future. “One of the things that holds us back is this false sense of pride around North Omaha that doesn’t actually do anything for us at this point,” he said. He pointed to South Omaha’s Cinco de Mayo celebration as a model worth emulating. “They champion their culture and invite everybody.” NMA, he said, has been doing exactly that. “People have no problem coming from wherever they are in Omaha or Iowa to hear jazz music. That taboo about the area’s ability to be an attraction was false. We’ve proven that.”
At its heart, NMA is a youth music academy, performance space, and cultural venue — but Murray’s vision stretches much further. “If you think of Omaha Performing Arts and what it means to downtown — not only as a cultural entity but as an economic vehicle bringing in $40 to $50 million in revenue every year — that’s what we’re trying to be for North Omaha,” he said. The goal isn’t simply to raise musicians. “We’re not only raising musicians, but more importantly raising critical thinking human beings. These young kids are not all going to become musicians. Some will become doctors, lawyers, business owners — but whatever they choose, they’re going to be better because they were aligned with artistry.”
Paul B. framed this beautifully through what he called the “secondary matrix” — the deeper purpose beneath the surface mission. “In Dana Murray’s case, he teaches kids music — but the secondary matrix is to create critical thinkers. Create people that can go further in their fields because they have the discipline of musical training and the mind-expanding benefits of that training.”
Murray was equally thoughtful about the challenge of teaching in the digital age. “We are in crisis with education — not just young black kids, but young kids in general — because we are losing the ability to inspire them,” he said. His solution isn’t to fight the YouTube-and-ChatGPT generation; it’s to meet them there. “We are the students,” he said simply. The educators NMA seeks must bring something no algorithm can replicate. “Unless you’re able to inspire a young person, they don’t have the attention span for the X’s and O’s of music. The why they’re doing it is everything.”
Looking ahead, Murray announced that NMA is preparing to launch a capital campaign with a first phase goal of $20 million, aimed at building a full NMA campus. “What we have to sell in most black communities is our culture,” he said. “Our culture is equity. Our brilliance, our artistic genius is equity. The sooner we understand that, the better off we’re going to be.” Those interested in teaching at NMA can reach Murray at dmurray@northomahamusic.org or assistant Andrew Bailey at abailey@northomahamusic.org.
The show also highlighted NMA Fest, an upcoming four-night live music celebration that had Paul B. buzzing. “Four nights of live music — I was wondering how they were going to put all these stars on stage like that,” he said. “If I was going to put a festival together, it would look like this.” Coming up as well is a Film Streams screening of Boots Riley’s I Love Boosters — another cultural moment worth circling on your calendar.
In the chat, the love was flowing freely. Viewer Aeros 402 shared a joyful personal note: “My only daughter gave birth to my second granddaughter. They are both doing well and good. I feel blessed.” And viewer Judy Prince offered the kind of wisdom that fits any Friday: “If you are sad or angry, go out and help others. Your attitude will change.”
It was, by every measure, the kind of morning that reminds you why community television matters. Tune in Monday — the conversation continues, and you won’t want to miss it.
