Opera in Conversation | The History and Context of Malcolm X in Omaha

6054 Maple Street,Omaha NE 68104

25 October, 2022

Description

Opera in Conversation is a series of three sessions surrounding Opera Omaha mainstage productions that features creatives, scholars, and other public figures with a hope to foster cross-disciplinary exploration of art, big questions, and community connections. Join Opera Omaha on Tuesday, October 25th at 6:00pm at The Benson Theater for our second X, The Life and Times of Malcolm X Opera in Conversation. This conversation will feature Omaha historians and community leaders convened by the Malcolm X Memorial Foundation. They will discuss Malcolm X’s connection to Omaha and context of that time in Omaha Omaha’s history, as well as the legacy of Malcolm X and the work of the Malcolm X Memorial Foundation. Speakers Include: Terri Sanders, Publisher, The Omaha Star Leo Louis II, Board President, Malcolm X Memorial Foundation Melvin Muhammad, former Board President, Malcolm X Memorial Foundation JoAnna LeFlore-Ejike, Moderator, Executive Director, Malcolm X Memorial Foundation Admission is FREE, but advance registration is encouraged Speaker InformationJoAnna LeFlore-Ejike, Moderator | Executive Director, Malcolm X Memorial Foundation JoAnna LeFlore-Ejike is a young cultural activist raised in the Midwest. She prides herself in activating her community through the cultivation of creative entrepreneurs and arts-based programming. Inspired by her professional background as a writer, event planner, and community organizer, JoAnna prioritizes cultural awareness and unification through the organizing of special events and personal development training. For the past ten years she has done this through her efforts in community development and public relations with several local non-profits including Film Streams, Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts, The Reader Magazine, and Threewalls (Chicago). She continues this mission in her recently accepted position as the Executive Director for the Malcolm X Memorial Foundation. Her education includes a Master's degree in Managerial Communication from Bellevue University and a Bachelor's degree in Journalism and Public Relations; Black Studies minor from the University of Nebraska - Omaha. JoAnna believes in the power of understanding the dynamics of multicultural communications and empowering those who are hungry for building a better platform for their organization and living in their purpose. Terri Sanders | Publisher, The Omaha Star A community change agent, Terri D Sanders is a seasoned community strategist and communicator whose impact can be seen throughout the Omaha community in entrepreneurship and her for profit and nonprofit career that has spanned her lifetime. She connects people in the community to each other, to causes, and to projects. Born, raised, and educated in Omaha, Terri has a passion for the community where she lives and serves. She has been named Minority entrepreneur of the year by the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce and volunteer of the year by Omaha Girls, Inc. She has been credited with raising the local African American Museum from a twenty-year inactivity to a thriving museum noted in the mid-west for documenting the contributions of African Americans in the great plains of our country. She is known for bringing hope, renewal, and resurrection to projects that she has been involved in. Like the phoenix bird emerges from its ashes she has served as the spirit of a Phoenix in various projects. Currently she is the fifth publisher in a line of Black female publishers of the Omaha Star Newspaper. This paper is the only Black Newspaper in the state of Nebraska. The Omaha Star’s first publication was July 9, 1938 and has NEVER missed a publication date since its beginning. Terri keeps uplifting the human spirit and strives in the community for a positive end. The Mother of three adults, she and her husband of 37 years (Daniel passed in 2017) raised amazing people for our world. Averi, the youngest, is an event coordinator at the Omaha Capital Marriot. Symone has worked with two United States Presidential campaigns and is now embarking upon a news show with MSNBC in Washington DC. Daniel II, the oldest, owns his own contracting/remodeling company in Omaha. While a professional in the community she finds time to purse her creative entrepreneurial spirit. A communicator with a passion for moving the needle forward in her community, Sanders is the former President of the Omaha (NE) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated. An award winning entrepreneur she has had businesses that have spanned over 39 years from being a seamstress, to a certified balloon artist (CBA), to event planning, and catering. Melvin Muhammad | former Board President, Malcolm X Memorial Foundation Leo Louis II | Board President, Malcolm X Memorial Foundation Leo Louis II is a human native to this geographic location. Leo has masterfully facilitated dozens of town hall forums, served his community as a father, gang interventionist, urban ag gardener, author, community organizer, & humanist, also serves as Board President of Malcolm X Memorial Foundation.