Omaha, Douglas County honor community leaders at 2026 “Aspire to Inspire” MLK event

Mayor John W. Ewing Jr. and Douglas County Commission Chair Roger Garcia joined city and county staff and community members on Jan. 19, 2026, to mark the City of Omaha and Douglas County’s 2026 “Aspire to Inspire” Martin Luther King Jr. celebration and to present three Aspire to Inspire awards to local public servants and community leaders.

The event, opened by Kaelin Deheelius, director of the Human Rights and Relations Department for the City of Omaha, included a presentation of colors by the Douglas County Department of Corrections Honor Guard, musical tributes, and award presentations. Deheelius framed the program with the theme “Voices for Justice, Agents for Change” and invoked Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s call to “do what is right” through listening and community action.

Mayor John W. Ewing Jr. told the assembled audience he wants Omaha to be “the most inclusive community in The United States Of America,” and said he launched a “Year of the Neighbor” to encourage daily acts of service and inclusion. Ewing also defended the civil rights movement against recent criticism, calling it “one of the most important journeys that this country has ever gone on.”

Douglas County Commission Chair Roger Garcia placed the day’s remarks in the context of Dr. King’s 1967 book Where Do We Go From Here? Chaos or Community?, urging structural economic change and unity across racial and ethnic lines. “Nonviolent direct action will continue to be a significant source of power until it is made irrelevant by the presence of justice,” Garcia said, and he called for local steps toward a “beloved community.”

Performances included the National Anthem sung by Lieutenant Marcus Taylor and a rendition of “Lift Every Voice” and a second musical selection by Camille Matoyer Moten. Mariam Sano, founder of Let’s Talk About It Coaching, urged attendees to speak up for marginalized youth and multicultural communities and described listening and small acts of courage as tools for change.

Three awards were presented: the City Aspire to Inspire award went to Lieutenant Antoine Finch of the Omaha Police Department, recognized for mentoring and community programs such as Project Manhood, the Police Athletics for Community Engagement (PACE) program, and gun-violence prevention outreach. Finch accepted the award and dedicated it to community service, thanking colleagues, family and his late mother for inspiring his work.

The Douglas County Aspire to Inspire Award was presented to Douglas County Commissioner Roger Garcia; Robert Cesar of the Douglas County Youth Center cited Garcia’s community leadership and visible presence during protests and immigrant-affairs events. Garcia thanked the nominator and urged community members to continue daily acts of compassion.

The community award went to Houston Alexander, founder of the Houston Alexander Foundation. Thomas Warren, chief of staff to Mayor Ewing, said Alexander’s foundation provides mentoring, education programs and violence-prevention initiatives across Nebraska. Alexander said the honor recognizes the work of many people and organizations across the community, not just his own efforts.

Organizers closed the program by inviting attendees to refreshments and asking participants to reflect on one concrete challenge to “do what is right” in the weeks ahead. No formal votes or legislative actions were taken at the event.

Sources: public remarks and presentations recorded at the City of Omaha and Douglas County "Aspire to Inspire" 2026 event; direct quotes are attributed to speakers who spoke on the record at the event.