Omahan of the Year: Willie Barney

 

Willie Barney, Founder, President, and Facilitator of the Empowerment Network, has been named Omahan of the Year by the Suburban Rotary Club of Omaha. For 16 years, he has been dedicated to uplifting the North Omaha community and reducing gun and gang violence. His efforts have brought together city and state leaders, businesses, non-profits, and community stakeholders, demonstrating tangible positive outcomes.
 

Barney's Omaha 360 Collaborative Meeting, held weekly, attracts 80 to 120 partners focusing on collaboration, prevention, intervention, enforcement support, reentry, and community engagement. This collaborative approach has gained national recognition as a violence prevention and intervention model, praised by the US Department of Justice. In 2018, Omaha 360 received the national community outreach award at the Safe Neighborhoods Conference, and in 2023, it was recognized by the Obama Foundation/My Brother’s Keeper Initiative as one of four model communities in the nation, earning an $800,000 grant.
 

The positive impact of Barney’s initiatives is evident. The Omaha Police Department reported a 74% decrease in gun violence from 2008 to 2018, with 2017 and 2019 recording the lowest number of gun assaults in nearly 20 years. The homicide rate has reached a 40-year low, and the clearance rate for homicides has improved from 30% to 90%. Even after a spike in gun violence during the 2020 pandemic, Omaha is returning to pre-pandemic lows.
 

Barney's work extends to youth development through initiatives like Step-Up Omaha!, one of the largest summer jobs programs, providing nearly 1,000 summer job opportunities for youth aged 14-21, many leading to ongoing employment. His efforts have also led to increased student GPAs and graduation rates.
 

Willie Barney exemplifies the Rotary Four-Way Test by promoting truth, goodwill, better friendships, fairness, and community benefit. His dedication has fostered trust between the community and the Omaha Police Department, contributing to a 100% clearance rate for homicides in 2023 and attracting businesses to North Omaha, boosting the local economy.