There’s something grounding about ending a week with a reminder of what really matters — community, creativity, and the young people who will carry both forward. That was the spirit of this week’s Love Supreme Friday edition of 1st Sky Omaha in the Morning, and it was one of those episodes that leaves you feeling genuinely hopeful about the city we call home.
Hosts Paul B. and Buddy the God opened the show fresh off a week of midterm primary coverage, and Paul B. made clear it was time to shift gears. “We’ve been talking a lot of politics for a while and it’s time for a little break,” he said. “We’re going to change our mindsets — it’s going to be Love Supreme Friday today.” That said, Buddy the God wasn’t quite ready to let civic responsibility off the hook entirely. Citing political analyst Raquel Henderson, he noted that only 339,000 of Nebraska’s more than 1.2 million registered voters turned out. “Posting on Facebook is not enough,” Buddy said plainly. “Awareness without action changes nothing.” Viewer Kimber Snipes added a thoughtful counterpoint in the chat: “I don’t think we should be slamming people for not voting when the system is really what has caused this. I think we need more education and deep dive discussions.” It was the kind of nuanced back-and-forth that makes the 1st Sky community worth showing up for every morning.
The show also paused to celebrate a handful of community wins worth cheering about: Core Science Bio Diagnostics recently took home a $52,000 prize, Omaha North’s engineering program earned national recognition, and Heart Ministry Center has an upcoming grocery store in the works. Small headlines, maybe, but the kind that add up to a neighborhood on the move.
Then came the main conversation — and it was a good one. Paul B. and Buddy welcomed Dana Murray, founder of the North Omaha Music Academy (NMA), located on North 24th Street. A South Omaha native who spent eleven years in New York City before returning home, Murray has been teaching music in Omaha for over two decades. What he’s building at NMA, though, is something far bigger than a music school.
“NMA is a youth music academy and a performance venue,” Murray explained. “Think of what Omaha Performing Arts means to downtown — it’s not just a cultural entity, it’s an economic vehicle that brings in $40 to $50 million in revenue every year.” His vision is for NMA to occupy that same kind of space for North Omaha. But the mission, he was quick to clarify, runs even deeper than music. “We’re not only raising musicians — more importantly, we’re raising more critical thinking human beings. Not all of these young kids are 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.”
It was that idea that inspired Paul B. to coin what he called the “secondary matrix” — the deeper purpose humming beneath the surface of any meaningful work. “Everything you’re doing really does have a secondary matrix — a deeper reason behind it,” Paul B. said. “In Dana Murray’s case, he teaches kids music, but the secondary matrix is to create critical thinkers.” It’s a framework that seemed to resonate through the rest of the conversation.
Beyond instruments, NMA students learn live sound, broadcasting, podcasting, live streaming, and interviewing — skills that put real tools in young hands right now, not someday. “It’s not just teaching them ‘you can be this someday,'” Murray said. “No — you can be this right now. It’s not rocket science. Once you remove those barriers, the sky’s the limit.” Viewer Mark Manor backed that energy from personal experience: “When I go there, it is the same people at shows at Waiting Room, Slow Down, and the Jewels. So people are coming from all around town and getting down at NMA, which I find impressive.”
Murray was also refreshingly candid about the challenges facing North 24th Street — what Paul B. affectionately calls “the most important Black corner in Nebraska.” A functioning district, Murray argued, needs more than culture. “You need enough housing, places of service, parking, laundromats, eateries, gas stations — all the things any area needs to be self-sustained. It would be great to have a hotel, because then you can host larger music festivals and conferences right in the community.” He drew a pointed comparison between how North Omaha and South Omaha each approach cultural celebration. “Compare that to South Omaha’s Cinco de Mayo — they champion their culture and invite everybody in,” he said. “I’ve tried to be a beacon for all of Omaha to come down to North 24th Street, and people have no problem coming — even from Iowa — to hear live music there. That taboo about the area being an attraction was false. We’ve proven that.”
Looking ahead, Murray described a $20 million capital campaign — just the first phase — to build a true NMA campus. “Money is not really our issue in North Omaha,” he said. “It’s transformative ideas that are going to allow us to be not only sustainable but gainfully active. Our culture is equity. Our artistic genius is equity. The sooner we understand that, the better off we’re going to be.” NMA is also actively seeking music instructors. Interested applicants can reach Murray at dmurray@northomahamusic.org or his assistant Andrew Bailey at abailey@northomahamusic.org.
The chat was full of warmth throughout the hour. Viewer Aeros 402 (Mary Sanchez) brought a beautiful moment of personal joy: “On a love note, my only daughter gave birth to my second granddaughter. They are both new and good. I feel blessed.” And longtime viewer Pops closed out the week with the kind of send-off that says everything: “Thanks for another great week of shows. You and the Chat Chimers have made First Sky a true pillar in the community. Have a great weekend, and I’ll see you on Monday.”
Hard to say it any better than that. Tune in Monday — you won’t want to miss what’s next.
