After a busy summer, we have transitioned into yet another busy season at MXMF to include internal trainings, programming research and securing solid partners for the upcoming new year. This month we are grateful to report on all of these updates below and hope that you find time to get grounded and motivated in your personal lives just as we are focused on the very same. Whether it's our volunteers, board members or staff - all of us are collectively challenged to sharpen our swords of activism and our shields of personal truth to carry out the mission of empowering our communities. To jumpstart that effort, we are hosting a Fall Wellness Week, 5 days of healing focused events free to the community beginning November 6th! See more details on that as well below.
Organizationally, the Executive Director has also been tirelessly focused on developing skillsets to sharpen the MXMF vision through the completion of leadership and fundraising trainings. The Omaha Community Foundation wrapped up an 10-month long Nonprofit Capacity Building Cohort spanning topics on organizational structure, development and strategic/long-term goal setting. Additionally, we also finished a 4-day intensive in September through The Fundraising School hosted in collaboration with the Lozier Foundation & the POC Collaborative. With these two trainings combined, it has helped position MXMF for necessary fundraising strategy & organizational development. It has also helped build new relationships with donors and like-minded local non-profits focused on the same goal we are: to build a more cohesive and stronger Omaha community with Equity as the top priority.
In summary, as a result of our growth we hope that MXMF can continue to provide valuable experiences and programs while creating a welcoming space for the next generation to lead with intention and purpose! We have more announcements below and can't wait to meet you in the process of realizing this important collective work!
UPCOMING EVENTS
MXMF recognizes the impact that social justice advocacy and human rights work may have on the wellbeing of our community and friends. With this in mind, we are hosting a free weeklong program for all walks of life to participate in. We are collectively dealing with a lot of resistance or pain and oftentimes the care of advocacy workers goes unaddressed. Please join us from November 6 thru November 10th at sunset for a time of healing, reflection and regrouping each day to recharge and empower!
NEBRASKA HALL OF FAME
The time is fast approaching for us to induct Malcolm X into the Nebraska Hall of Fame! After 30 years of efforts, Nebraska residents came together again last Fall for the final public hearing on September 12, 2022. Following the unanimous vote to select Bro. Malcolm as the next inductee, the special committee immediately got to work on choosing an artist to design the bust. After a series of application reviews, meetings and studio visits, we are excited to finally announce Nathan Murray as the selected artist for this historical event! Next steps include getting feedback from family members of Bro. Malcolm before the bust is cast into bronze. Additionally, we will have a full committee studio visit with Murray before the final cast is prepared to be installed in the State Capitol Building in Spring of 2024. Please stay connected as we update more on this process in the coming months.
COMMUNITY SURVEYS
Lately at MXMF, we were able to complete two community surveys from June thru September, in conjunction with both Americorps / Serve Nebraska (with the receipt of a SubAward Planning Grant) and Emspace Group (a local communications & PR firm). Both entities provided us either with funding or human experts to dive deep into our organizational mission and programs and determine how to better execute our values with the feedback of community residents in mind. Later this month we will share the results of this to include the 103 focus group participants and digital survey respondents. Thank you to everyone who participated in helping us move into the next chapter of MXMF with intention!
STAFF UPDATES
The MXMF family is excited to announce that our former Tour Director, Schmeeka Simpson, has now been promoted to the role of Policy Fellow! Schmeeka will now have the opportunity to help shape our policy & civic action department over the next two years in collaboration with the Nebraska Civic Engagement Table and our legislative mentor Brenda Council. Let's congratulate Schmeeka!
GRATITUDE NOTES - STAFF & VOLUNTEERS
October ended our Planning Grant period Americorps / Serve Nebraska which allowed us to hire two part-time people to facilitate the work. We just wanted to thank both Precious Lesley (left) and Tyler Payne (right) for their contributions and if you see them around thank them too!
We would not be where we are without the dedication of our volunteers! Below we want to recognize four awesome humans who continue to support our events, information booths in the community, public tours, admin support and overall good energy! Thank you to: Brother Kwanzaa, George Johnson, Marquis Jefferson and Nisha Harris!
If you want to join the volunteer family please reach out to us! We are currently seeking history nerds ages 19 above. Orientation and waivers will be distributed and a flexible schedule starting at 5 hours a month is desired. Email us!
