By Andrew Pfiefer

OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) – A North Omaha nonprofit founder wants to bring jazz to the 24th Street corridor.

“We are in the spirit of moving the needle towards progress,” said Dana Murray, founder of North Omaha Music and Arts.

That’s Murray’s goal.

“All of these things are meant to not only offer a resource but to give kids options,” Murray said.

North Omaha Music and Arts held a ceremony on Thursday to showcase new renovations and additions to their music program.

“This is always going to be home for me. This is where I grew up,” said Mayor-elect John Ewing, who hosted the event on the street where he spent his childhood.

“This is a street that is historic, but it’s also a street that used to be fun as my brother and sister and I rode our bicycles down here and did a whole lot of fun things in North Omaha,” Ewing said. “So thank you all for coming to my house.”

The new addition includes several new labs — ranging from piano to broadcasting to bass and percussion.

The idea is simple: empower the community through music and art.

“I think any community of color is rooted in the culture of music and the culture of art,” Murray said. “Together we are going to create something that is transformational for this community.”

“Music has the power to connect people, to evoke emotions, and to tell stories that words alone cannot express,” said Mark Kresl, director of development. “We are proud to provide a place where that power can be cultivated, explored and celebrated both today and by future generations.”

“NOMA stands for, not only the youth education, but it stands for creating a destination that invites the entire city to be a part of what is so special about the culture of North 24th Street,” Murray added.

The organization also has plans to build a brand-new facility in the coming year.

Copyright 2025 WOWT. All rights reserved.

Read the full article here.