SOUTH OMAHA LEADERS TELL LAWMAKERS THEY'RE FED UP WITH BEING LEFT OUT

OMAHA - Dozens of South Omaha advocates converged Monday, February 14 at the Nebraska State Capitol to ask the government to stop sidestepping their community and invest now in jobs, housing, and education programs that can lift it from pandemic “horrors.”

Data was laid out by Armando Salgado of the Latino Economic Development Council showing the overrepresentation of Latinos hospitalized in local COVID wards.

Cristian Dona-Reveco of the University of Nebraska at Omaha talked of the higher proportion of Latino students dropping out of college due to family pandemic-related demands.

“I call for equity. I call for inclusion,” said Diana Rogel, diversity outreach and engagement coordinator at Live On Nebraska: “Ignored is simply not just.”

These comments are representative of the 25 testifiers in support of Legislative Bill 1238, which would direct $50 million of Nebraska's COVID-related emergency relief dollars to a fund intended to fuel economic development in South Omaha.

The idea of a South Omaha Recovery Grant Program was pushed by the new Latino Economic Development Council and put forward in the bill introduced by State Sens. Tony Vargas and Mike McDonnell of Omaha. The bill is also co-sponsored by Omaha Sen. Megan Hunt.

Despite the outpouring of testifiers, the Appropriations Committee took no action Monday on the bill.

For the full article click HERE