Friday morning came in with good energy on 1st Sky Omaha in the Morning, as hosts Paul B. and Buddy the God made a conscious decision to shift gears. After weeks of heavy political coverage surrounding Nebraska’s primary elections, Paul B. set the tone early: “We’ve been talking a lot of politics for a while and it’s time for a break. We’re going to change our mindsets over to something else — it’s going to be Love Supreme Friday today.” And love supreme it was — though that didn’t mean the hard truths stayed locked away for long.
Before pivoting fully, the hosts paused to reflect on the sobering reality of Nebraska’s primary turnout. Paul B. shared a quote from Raquel Henderson at the mayor’s office that stopped the room: “Only 339,000 out of more than 1.2 million registered voters in Nebraska showed up. And yet everybody has something to say. Posting on Facebook is not enough. Awareness without action changes nothing.” Buddy the God reinforced the point with characteristic directness: “None of that really matters if the people don’t vote. And those maps and numbers that they use to draw even the gerrymandered racist maps are still based on who’s registered, who’s of age, and actually who comes out to vote.”
Viewer Sean McCarthy chimed in from the chat to add context, noting that “the Douglas County Election Commissioner said the average primary voter turnout percentage was around 35% in Douglas County.” Viewer Kimber Snipes offered a more empathetic take: “I’ve been having conversations with people between the ages of 20 and 35. What I hear the most is most of them don’t really know what to do and know nothing about the candidates. 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 to have more education and deep dive discussions.” It was the kind of nuanced, community-minded exchange that makes the 1st Sky chat feel less like a comment section and more like a town hall.
With that civic foundation laid, the show opened its arms wide for its featured guest: Dana Murray, founder of the North Omaha Music Academy — known as NMA — located on North 24th Street. Murray, a musician and educator who spent eleven years honing his craft in New York City before returning home to Omaha, has built something that is far more than a music school. And Paul B. made sure listeners understood that distinction right away, introducing what he called the “secondary matrix”: “Everything that we do has a secondary meaning, a deeper meaning. In Dana Murray’s case, he teaches kids music — but the secondary matrix is to create critical thinkers who can go further in their fields because of the discipline and mind-expanding benefits of musical training.”
Murray himself described NMA’s mission in sweeping but grounded terms. “We’re not only raising musicians, but more importantly we’re raising more critical thinking human beings,” he said. “Young kids are not all going to become musicians. Some will become doctors, lawyers, business owners. Whatever they choose, they’re going to be better because they were aligned with artistry.” Beyond music instruction, NMA also teaches live sound, broadcasting, and podcasting — and puts kids to work interviewing visiting artists. “It’s not just telling them they can be something,” Murray said. “It’s letting them be it right now.”
The conversation grew even bigger when Murray laid out his vision for the North 24th Street corridor — what Paul B. has long called “the most important black corner in Nebraska.” Murray sees the NMA not just as a community anchor, but as a potential economic engine on the scale of Omaha Performing Arts downtown. “If you think of Omaha Performing Arts and what it means to downtown — not only as a cultural and music entertainment entity but as an economic vehicle that brings in $40 to $50 million in revenue every year — that’s what we’re trying to be for North Omaha,” he said. A $20 million capital campaign and a full NMA campus are already in the vision. “Money is not our issue in North Omaha, really,” Murray added. “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 and monetize it for our community, the better off we’re going to be.”
Murray also spoke candidly about what he sees as a missed opportunity with events like Native Omaha Days, comparing it to South Omaha’s Cinco de Mayo celebration. “They champion their culture and invite everybody in,” he said. “One of the things I’ve tried to do is reach out and be a beacon for all of Omaha to come down to North 24th Street, and people have no problem coming from wherever they are to hear jazz music or whatever we present.” Viewer Mark Manor backed that up from 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.”
For those inspired to get involved, Murray noted that NMA is selective about the educators it brings on board — not for lack of interest, but for depth of purpose. “Unless you’re able to inspire a young person, they don’t really have the attention span for it,” he said. “The why of doing it is everything.” Interested instructors can reach Murray directly at DMurray@northomahamusic.org, or contact his assistant Andrew Bailey at ABailey@northomahamusic.org.
The show also celebrated several other North Omaha community wins, including Charell Shelton’s Core Science Bio Diagnostics lab and Omaha North High School’s nationally recognized engineering program — proof that the excellence Murray talks about is already very much present and growing. Coming up on the community calendar: the NMA Fest and a Boots Riley film screening at Film Streams, both well worth marking on your calendar.
The morning closed the way the best Friday mornings do — with warmth and gratitude. Viewer Ariel 402 shared a personal joy, writing that her only daughter had just given birth to her second granddaughter, adding simply, “I feel blessed.” It was a perfect note to end on — a reminder that community is built not just in grand visions and capital campaigns, but in the everyday moments we share with one another.
If you missed this Love Supreme Friday, make sure to catch the next episode of 1st Sky Omaha in the Morning — your neighbors will be there, and so will the conversation that matters.
