Omaha’s First Family Putting Their Own Caring Stamp on the City

By Leo Adam Biga

Family, faith, teamwork, leadership, and community characterize Omaha’s first family, the Ewings. With his historic election in May 2025 as Omaha’s first Black mayor John Ewing Jr. crystallized a long public service career that began with the Omaha Police Department and continued as Douglas County Treasurer. Informing his work then and now is his Empowerment Network leadership and ordained minister experience.

By his side through it all has been wife Dr. Viv Ewing, a fellow Salem Baptist Church minister. She is a high achiever in corporate, nonprofit, entrepreneurial and community spaces.

The couple’s adult children, Alexandria, and Christina are young Omaha professionals. Individually and collectively, the Ewings are committed to making Omaha the best it can be.

The mayor’s seven-point HAPPIER initiative for addressing inequities, increasing opportunities, and improving quality of life is an expression and extension of the Ewings’ shared values and vision.

HAPPIER encompasses:

• Homelessness
• Affordable Housing
• Parks
• Poverty Elimination
• Infrastructure
• Economic Development
• Resilience and Risk

To fulfill specific goals in these action areas, such as reducing housing instability and spurring reinvestment in underserved North and South Omaha, Mayor Ewing’s formed coalitions and task forces with department heads and community partners.

HAPPIER coincides with his Year of the Neighbor campaign encouraging acts of neighborliness and highlighting “good neighbors.” Between those efforts and initiatives providing essential personal care items to women in financial hardship and infusing hope and trauma-informed care into schools and workplaces, there’s perhaps unprecedented alignment at city hall and in the community around compassionate leadership. It all starts at the top and HAPPIER reflects the mayor’s own servant leader concerns.

“It really goes to being a Baptist minister, caring about people, looking at how I can be a leader that envisions the best possibilities for people, and trying to create an environment where people have the opportunity to reach their fullest potential,” he said. “I also understand from my police work and time with the Empowerment Network that when we look at crime and other issues, they really are symptoms.

“We know poverty, drug abuse, alcoholism and other things lead to homelessness, so we have to develop a multifaceted approach that addresses those issues. Because we know poverty and lack of opportunity are some root causes of crime we need to make sure we’re giving people access to employment, education and other opportunities for positive alternatives. It’s one of the reasons the Empowerment Network started the Step-Up program. We saw tremendous results from young people getting summer jobs. Crime and violence went down. Those are examples of how my experience works together to come with multi-pronged approaches.”

He wants to go beyond cosmetic or temporary fixes. “With any of these issues it’s not as simple as it looks,” he said. “It’s usually much deeper than most people want to admit or want to address. I’m trying to get us to look at it more holistically and focus on the underlying factors rather than just the surface things.”

He tries not forgetting why he’s there. “Serving the public is never really about you. It’s always about the people you get the opportunity to serve and the people you get the opportunity to serve with.” Sometimes he sounds more minister than mayor, but the truth is he’s both and he doesn’t necessarily distinguish between them.

“I want our community to be more loving, more kind, more helpful to each other and more willing to collaborate and be in partnership in a community that works for everybody and embraces everyone. I want people to feel important, to feel seen, to feel they’re being heard, and to feel like they belong. If we create that type of environment where people truly feel they belong than I think the sky’s the limit in terms of economic development and retaining our young people and companies. We want them to stay to expand their careers and businesses in Omaha.”

He believes the city’s already doing well by most metrics and has the resources, human and capital, to push the needle on chronic problems.

“According to Barack Obama’s foundation we’re already a model community for our violence reduction efforts. We could be a model community in many areas because we have everything it takes – leadership from government, from philanthropic, business, and nonprofit community partners, and from the people. The Omaha I want the next generation to inherit is one that works for everybody.”

Omaha owns a segregationist history. Ewing’s election over incumbent Jean Stothert signaled a new, more inclusive Omaha that he and his family embrace.

“Something I say to myself and to my friends and family is I’ve never been prouder to be from Omaha,” said Alexandria Ewing. “I can’t count how many times I’ve heard that from people. It means a lot to see what change can look like, especially knowing the troubled history America does have. This is an opportunity to see that change within our lifetime.”

Great Plains Black History Museum executive director Eric Ewing said upon seeing his brother accept the mayor’s mantle he thought, “That’s what hope looks like.” Seeing him make history, he added filled him with “a sense of pride.”

Helping Mayor Ewing stoke hope and guide change is Omaha’s First Lady, Viv. He regularly consults her. She is his anchor, life partner and best friend.

“Amazing things happen because of our close relationship. That allows us to be able to impact people’s lives,” said John.

“We have a really good relationship where we respect each other, support one another. Collectively when we work together on something there’s a synergy that happens. We always approach a project or an initiative with the goal of excellence because we expect that of ourselves and we want that to be the outcome of the work that we do,” said Viv.

“The great thing about our life is we’ve been on this journey together,” added John. “When it comes to life-career turning points, we make these decisions together and we’re committed to it. Viv actually retired so she could be more involved and supportive of my campaign.”

He makes no bones about how integral she is to his success. “I would not have done this (run for mayor) and even if I was silly enough to have done it, I don’t believe I could have won without Viv. She was there at every event supporting, encouraging, advising and then on those days when you’re exhausted you’ve got somebody encouraging you and helping you get the energy to do it one more day.”

Then there’s the base of support she brings. “Quite honestly people view her as a leader in her own right. People also view us as a team. Because of how highly people think of her, some who probably didn’t know anything about me were willing to vote for me because they knew her.”

The pair have such regard for each other that she can tell him things he doesn’t always want to hear. “There are times when I don’t like it,” he said, “but I believe hearing unpleasant truths is one of the things you need as a leader. It’s hard but the better you can humble yourself to listen and take that advice the better off you are. It gets easier the more you practice it and the more results you see.”

He knows he can rely on her own expertise and experience as needed. “I’m always available for any kind of sounding board or advice John might need,” she said. “My background is very strong. I’ve got a whole career of Human Resources, development leadership, executive management of organizations, working for a Fortune 500 company (ConAgra Brands).”

Eric Ewing said the pair complement each other because “both of them are good people with good intentions and what they do is not for them, it’s for community.”

Viv has seen John’s leadership skills evolve. “I’ve always admired John as a leader, even before he was elected. I’ve watched him develop through the years. I’ve watched him really come into his own and into the forefront as a leader not only in his profession but also in the community.”

She has noted new dimensions in him since his taking office. “In terms of a change or transformation I think he’s become even more confident in his abilities and in what he wants to see happen. I also see more vision around growing the city and growing the impact of Omaha beyond just this community to across the region, the country, even globally. So, I do see this larger vision for the city that has emerged in John.”

She supports that vision. “It’s exciting to hear and to be witness to some of the discussions that talk about innovation and growing the reputation and stature of the city,” she said.

Not surprisingly, the couple share several Gallup Strength Finder qualities, she said, including Competition, Maximizer and Achievement.

An influential experience he’s brought to the job of mayor is his Empowerment Network service.

“The Empowerment Network has been very important to me in terms of my approach because I learned that by having community engagement you can have real results. You look at the crime prevention covenant we started 20 years ago that has now evolved to Omaha 360. That was the effort I co-chaired with Omaha Police Department’s Theresa Negron. We’ve been able to significantly reduce violence in the community and improve the clearance rates within the Omaha Police Department. That taught me a lot about the importance of having collaboration when trying to lead and being able to build partnerships with people. One of the things I say is that I don’t want to do the job of mayor to people, I want to do the job of mayor with people.”

Helping him be proactive is how he’s learned to meet people where they’re at. “One of the things I’ve tried to do is to be a lifelong learner. I gained experience from all those areas and then I count on that experience when looking at dealing with issues today. Something somebody said to me early in my career is that you can have one year’s experience 20 times, meaning you’re not focused on getting better, or you can have 20 years’ experience growing each and every year. So even as mayor I continue to grow and learn and try to get better.”

Daughter Christina Ewing said, “It’s awesome to see all of his experience and years of city service come together for the good. I don’t know a lot of politicians or public servants that are involved in the community to the extent he does. I think that makes a big difference. It makes you more in touch with the people of the city you are leading. It’s really cool that all of that experience over 40 years has come together to help him be the best mayor he can be.”

She is cognizant that her mother has “also been a leader in the community, a leader at work,” adding, “Both my parents are great examples for us, great examples for Christians, and great examples for youth to put the work in, be involved in the community, and do the right thing – those some of the things they’ve instilled in us.” She and her sister joined their parents serving Thanksgiving meals at shelters, collecting and sorting donation items, packing children’s backpacks, ringing a Salvation Army bell at Christmas, et cetera.

“It was a cool experience to have the whole family work together to give back to the community,” Christina said. “I also saw them mentor youth. They have been involved in organizations focused on youth development. We would always tag along and listen to their workshops and talks to young people.”

John confirms, “We like to encourage and mentor others to help reach their goals. It is critically important young people grow up with a sense of hope like we had. For someone without hope, consequences mean nothing, so then they aren’t focused on their future and making good decisions, they’re focused on just survival or short-term gratification. I want our young people focused on the long term and doing the things necessary to help them be successful.”

Added Viv, “I still mentor. I think it’s important to invest in the community in that way by giving back, making the time to be a mentor. Young people have so many competing messages happening around them, and I can be that positive light to help them see what their future can be and also help them to get on the right path to get there to achieve it.”

The couple are well aware they are role models. “Yes, absolutely, and that’s something we don’t take lightly,” said Viv. “I feel like it’s our responsibility that we make sure we continue being that positive light and example young people can look to and aspire to. It’s very important for me to be that role model and I’m honored by it actually. It’s something that I take very seriously.”

The mayor does, too. “I think its critically important we recognize there are always people watching us and it is important we are good role models,” he said. “It’s great to have national role models but people also need somebody local they can see and touch. Being in the community the way we are allows us to have the personal impact we want to have in modeling for people that their dreams are possible as well.”

Seeing the couple practice what they preach made an impression on their daughters, so much so Alexandria said, “Now my sister and I work jobs focused on reaching out to young people and mentoring them. It’s cool to see the effects of growing up that way and carrying it on as adults. Through their community involvement they brought us alongside them. It’s gave us the opportunity to start making an impact from an early age. It’s really helped to shape our focus and our careers. Seeing their leadership and the dedication they have to community has definitely inspired us to have that same passion for community.”

Just like their parents, she said, “My sister and I like to be advocates for the city and for nonprofit partners. Both of us have careers focused on helping to share the future of Omaha and to expand the greatness that’s already here.”

As regional public affairs manager for a telecommunication company, Alexandria coordinates volunteerism across seven states “With our family’s strong volunteerism background, becoming involved in the community, having connections developed over years with my family or on my own through my career – has helped expand the work I’m able to do. It’s very rewarding.”

Part of her job sees her manage a grant program serving schools and nonprofits. “I’m responsible to make sure those funds are given out and put into the hands of people that really need them. We make sure there’s a diverse group receiving the grants.”

She’s also an entrepreneur, making and selling handcrafted craft wearable art and self-care products through her Majestik Palace business.

Meanwhile, Christina is community outreach manager for a regional health care system. “A lot of my job is to reach out to youth in the community about healthcare careers they may not know about and expose them to those career fields early on,” she said. “I coordinate field trips with high schools and middle schools to hospitals in our health system. I also run a middle school health careers summer camp.”

John and Viv delight in how their daughters pay forward the advantages they’ve been given in their home place. “We’ve always taught them to be involved in the community and to give back and that’s something they’ve done throughout their lives,” said Viv. “We are really proud of them in their careers and what they’ve accomplished so far. We know they’re going to do great things as they continue to be involved and elevate their careers.”

Added John, “More importantly for me is that they’re good people. That’s what we tried to raise them to be -– good people that have the same value for other people we have, and they always are inclusive and intentional and treat people with dignity and respect.”

The fact their daughters pursue their passions in Omaha, which many young professionals leave, pleases the Ewings. “We’re very excited for the potential of Omaha. That’s one of the reasons we decided to stay,” said Alexandria. “It’s a great place for people to build their career and family, expand their social circle, get involved in the community. Omaha provides a very well-rounded life. We love it here.”

As for why she’s made Omaha home, Christina said, “A big part of that draw was family. We’re very close – knit family. But also, Omaha’s such a loving community. It’s our hometown. We feel there is a lot of places where we can be successful and grow our career.” After college she actually moved to Kansas City, but she felt her ability to make impact got lost there. “But here in Omaha” she said, “I feel like you can and are able to make a difference.”

Making one’s hometown better was ingrained in both her parents, who were inspired by the example of their own elders in helping the less fortunate. John and Viv grew up in an environment where people looked out for each other. Being a good person was stressed in the Ewing household and that meant giving back. “We grew up poor,” John said. “Being cognizant of the challenges we faced as a family growing up gives you a sense of grounding and gratitude for the opportunities to contribute to people’s lives.”

Whatever John and Viv do, their faith leads them. “As a result of the love God has shown to me, I can then pour that out into other people, wanting to have an impact,” he said. “I want to live that out the best I can. Instead of being someone who wants to tell other people how to live, I want to show people love and meet them unconditionally wherever they’re at.”

“Faith is a strong part of who I am and who we are as a couple and as a family,” Viv said, “and so that is always at the forefront of the work we do. We have a strong moral and faith fabric that governs our lives and decisions.”

The couple align themselves with friends and allies who share similar principles. “We try to surround ourselves with only positive people. That helps you grow and develop as well,” said John, adding that for him and Viv “It’s really always being willing to support and encourage others and also being willing to learn and take the support that others have for you as well.”

As mayor, he’s all about seeking input and ideas. “I don’t have all the answers, but I know how to get them. I’m going to partner with the community, the business community, the philanthropic community, the nonprofit community to get those answers to do great things. Because I believe Omahans can do anything they want to accomplish. Omaha is a can-do city.”

The team he’s formed around him to get things done includes many veteran holdovers from the previous administration, including chief of staff and lifelong friend Thomas Warren.

“It’s important to build a team with the people you have to bring performance, consensus, and synergy. This team has bought into the vision of HAPPIER in being great public servants. They understand the importance of focusing on the people you serve.”

Eight months into being mayor he doesn’t feel the job is too big. Instead, it’s precisely what he prepared for all his life. One thing he could not fully appreciate before he got into the position is just how complex and bureaucratic certain processes are, and therefore time consuming, in trying to get things done. There are protocols and policies that must be followed, legal reviews done, expert opinions sought, and often city council approvals obtained before things happen.

He has arrived at a point where he wants to be his most “authentic” self in private and public life. Because of his range of experience and the mandate his landslide election gave him he doesn’t feel he has to be different versions of himself with various individuals or groups. He’s not beholden to any special interests. “I’m enjoying the opportunity of being myself.”

Viv said she and John are content they are each living their best lives and fulfilling their intended “purposes.” Both enjoy intersecting with every part of Omaha and displaying a united front. “I love being First Lady,” said Viv.

John takes comfort in knowing his family openly has his back. Together, they form Team Ewing, a family and faith-first approach to leading Omaha hasn’t seen before in the office of mayor and one the Ewings are proud to embody.