The Union for Contemporary Art, located along Omaha’s storied N 24th Street, was once known as The Blue Lion Building. I used to get my hair cut there after Youngbloods closed. To see your city change over time can be frightening. What can alleviate that fear is meeting the people who are leading the change. Shaquire Jones, who curates experiences through performing arts, is a current fellow at the Union. When we sat down for our interview, the pitter-patter of raindrops became a metronome for our conversation.
“I want people to know my names,” Jones said. “Recently, I created an alias, ‘Scottie Pigeon,’ a DJ persona I’m super proud of. I want people to know I’m a hard-working individual, and I believe in everything I do. I wouldn't do it if I didn't care. I believe in myself, and I believe in the product—and the product is me. That’s the exhibition of my life right now.”
The communal space that Union artists share connects their lofts as a hub; it’s equipped with a kitchen, dishwasher, washing machine, and dryer to help facilitate daily chores. Other fellows walked through with soft footsteps and head nods of forgiveness for their perceived intrusion on this interview.
A multi-disciplinary artist who explores dance, music, and culture, Jones is intentional in his representation of and for Black men within the performing arts. While a student at Lincoln University of Missouri, one of the oldest historically Black college and universities in the US, he was both a choreographer and the lead for the school’s dance troupe. After graduating and returning to Omaha in 2017, he helped to establish and lead the AP’s Legacy Dance Studio, a performance-based dance organization. Other roles include serving as lead choreographer for the Omaha Beautillion, a formal and traditional rite of passage from adolescence into young adulthood for high school male seniors in the Omaha area, regularly performing with Omaha Performing Arts and Opera Omaha, being a company dancer with the TBD Dance Collective, and volunteering his time with the KUUMBA Dance Troupe at the University of Nebraska at Omaha.
An award-nominated DJ, Jones has worked with multiple organizations, including Juneteenth Joyfest, Kiewit Luminarium, the College World Series, and Google. As if all this hasn't keep him busy enough, Jones’ “day job” sees him in his role as the Traveling Exhibits Coordinator for the Omaha Children’s Museum.
“There’s no opinion of my art that can affect my art. I strive to complete who I am, my limitations are perceived as, ‘I don't have this right now, but I will get there.’ The things I overcome become statistics. I say to myself, ‘This will be another thing you’ve done; what makes you believe you can’t do this?’”
Barry Thomas, the director of Equity & Diversity for Omaha Public Schools, is an Omega Psi Phi fraternity brother and mentor to Jones. Thomas has a rich history with him and a collaborative future as a peer and a fellow Omega.
“Shaquire is nothing like anyone in his generation. By giving him your attention, you will know about parts of Omaha you didn’t know existed,” Thomas said. “He's not connected—Shaquire is braided into not only Omaha, but the country as well. If I wanted to do something different, I would call Shaquire.”
The soft drumbeat of rain had picked up and become a storm, but that didn’t worry two midwesterners. We paused for a time and listened to the plunking of hail, the powerful gusts of wind, and watched the sun rays that streamed through the windows fade from the floor.
“Coming up in a diverse background made me know what kind of experience I was looking for,” Jones reflected. “I want to be a dynamic thinker—to be of value—and my collegiate experience at an HBCU allowed me to be around and gather like-minded people. Once you find your way, you don't feel like you’re searching for something anymore. You’re where you’re supposed to be, heading in the direction you want and moving at your own pace.”
Thomas' excitement when talking about Jones spills out of the speaker. I feel lucky that we didn't decide to video chat—I don't know what the excitement and energy would have done to my phone.
“By opening the different arteries of his life, people will see the extraordinary way he lives and will be motivated by him,” Thomas said. “Shaquire is helping the people of Omaha to see the silos that they exist in. He reminds us that it is up to us to dismantle them and rebuild institutions where we care for and respect one another.”
The rain and wind had passed, along with the darkness of the storm. The only rumblings were the dishwasher and the murmured discussions of the Union offices below. Jones' energy mimicked the storm; he has a flow but no cadence for what he does. He’s only predictable in the beginning, and when he starts, you must decide if you’ll wait the storm out or walk through it.
“I want people to know life is precious. Living in the moment is as important as reflecting on what life has brought to you,” he said. “We are where we are unmistakably. By accepting this, we’ll cherish what we have and what we’ve done thus far. While knowing we are not what we have done, a person can be and do anything they want.”
Follow Shaquire Jones on Instagram at shaquiret.jones.
This article originally appeared in the September 2024 issue of Omaha Magazine. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe.
