Friday, June 5: Gus Newport comes from a line of activists, starting with his grandmother who grew up in the Jim Crow South. You have the opportunity to hear him speak by attending A Friend of Malcolm X: Online Lecture with Gus Newport, hosted by the Malcolm X Memorial Foundation. Newport traveled and organized with Malcolm X during his last speech tour in Rochester, New York in 1965. He also helped found the Organization of African American Unity. Register here to receive the link to watch this live lecture, which starts at 7 p.m.

 Friday, June 5: This week’s Benson First Friday will take the form of a fundraiser to support local organizations, artists, and efforts committed to Omaha’s black community members and working towards progressive actions and positive outcomes. They will be celebrating POC and LGBTQIA2S communities through the arts and community engagement. Donations will be accepted for several local organizations including NOISE and CULXR House, Girls Inc., Black and Pink, and of course, BFF. Learn more here.

 Saturday, June 6: While we can’t gather downtown to browse the art work and listen to music, Omaha Summer Arts Festival is here to satisfy your thirst for culture through their first Virtual Summer Arts Festival. Artists will be sharing homemade videos, livestreaming from their studios, and interacting on social media. You can also tune in for live music from local bands throughout the day, courtesy of KPAO. Tune in here.

 Saturday, June 6: While their building remains closed, The Union for Contemporary Art continues its mission through their Radical HeARTS initiative. Part of this initiative, developed in response to COVID-19, is their Art + Life Kits. The kits provide young people and their families with some of the education and support they previously received in person at The Union. Art supplies, creativity prompts, healthy snacks, lists of community resources, and hand-drawn notes from staff members are included in the care packages. Read more about the initiative and how to help here. 
The Union is also screenprinting Black Lives Matter signs and distributing them for free, while they have the resources. Check their social media for updates.  

 Saturday, June 6 and Sunday, June 7: It’s baaaack. The Omaha Farmers Market has returned, but there are some plot twists. The Aksarben Market will now be held across Center Street at Baxter Arena to accommodate social distancing, which is encouraged. They are only allowing locally grown produce and pre-packaged food to be sold, and the first hour of each market will be designated for seniors, people with underlying health conditions, and expectant mothers. Find more details here.

Event times and details may change. Check with venue or event organizer to confirm.