'I Am the ROI': JoAnna LeFlore-Ejike
- published: 2022/10/03
- contact: MarComm Editorial and Media Relations - Office of Strategic Marketing and Communications
- email: unonews@unomaha.edu
This profile is part of the "I Am the ROI" series featuring alumni whose return on investment from their UNO education goes far beyond career opportunities.
JoAnna LeFlore-Ejike has always had a heart for her community, and it was her time at the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) that led her to develop this passion into action.
LeFlore-Ejike graduated from UNO’s College of Communication, Fine Arts and Media in 2010 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and communications with an emphasis on public relations and a minor in black studies. She currently serves as the executive director of the Malcolm X Memorial Foundation.
It all started with receiving the Goodrich Scholarship. For the past 50 years, the Goodrich Scholarship Program has provided merit- and need-based students with financial support, a specialized humanities and social science core curriculum that emphasizes cultural and intellectual diversity, and support services inside and outside of the classroom.
“Truthfully, I wasn’t sure how college was going to get paid for,” she said. “Really having that opportunity to have a free education [through the Goodrich program] was the number one thing that helped me get to where I’m at now. We have a lot of opportunities in North Omaha to support young people, and I think the Goodrich Scholarship Program is one of those.”
Once she arrived at UNO, she was able to dive deep into her Black heritage. She learned about the Omaha 54, a group of UNO students who staged a sit-in protest in the office of then Omaha University president, which ultimately led to the creation of the Department of Black Studies at UNO. She explored the history of the civil rights movement in Omaha and learned about Malcolm X.
“This was my opportunity to really merge all the things that I’ve learned and shape me into the type of leader and organizer I am,” she said. “This is the opportunity when you get to college to really dig deeper into your purpose as a person. I really appreciate the professors and their intention behind making sure I can use what I’m learning in the real world.”
If anyone has adopted the idea of Omaha serving as UNO’s campus, LeFlore-Ejike would be the first to raise her hand. “That mission really speaks to how we as a community need to work together—no matter what backgrounds or education or upbringings,” she said.
After all, she said, it took a village to help her get where she is today. “I truly believe that the village is what makes everyone empowered and so that's one of our models here too, is that we are empowered through the village of Omaha, especially.”
“Going to college is an opportunity that not a lot of people get, but also having a community that you can communicate with, relate to, and come back to is a benefit that I don't take for granted.”
LeFlore-Ejike became involved in student organizations, participating in the National Council of Negro Women and serving as the president of the African American Organization; organizations that enabled her to connect with her heritage and other students who had similar passions.
Mentors encouraged her to get involved in the community, too. Her involvement on campus gave way to working with a number of groups and organizations in the Omaha community including the Greater Omaha Chamber, Mode Shift Omaha, Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts, Carver Bank, Amplify Arts, and Film Streams.
“Giving back is a part of how I was raised and I also have a couple of mentors throughout my life who encouraged me to do that,” she said. “Going to college is an opportunity that not a lot of people get, but also having a community that you can communicate with, relate to, and come back to is a benefit that I don't take for granted.”
She also volunteered as a board member with the Malcolm X Memorial Foundation where she recruited other volunteers and worked on events. After eight years of volunteering, she joined the staff in her current role as the organization’s first ever executive director.
The foundation was founded in 1971 by civil rights activist Rowena Moore who worked to preserve the grounds where Malcolm X was born. The foundation continues to educate the community on the civil unrest that took place in Omaha and acknowledge the legacy of Malcolm X’s ties to the area.
“I was able to get back into the community and build relationships with people who are already doing that kind of work to make sure that racial justice is positioned in a way that it can really have a deeper dialogue around equity,” she said.
About the University of Nebraska at Omaha
Located in one of America’s best cities to live, work and learn, the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) is Nebraska’s premier metropolitan university. With more than 15,000 students enrolled in 200-plus programs of study, UNO is recognized nationally for its online education, graduate education, military friendliness and community engagement efforts. Founded in 1908, UNO has served learners of all backgrounds for more than 100 years and is dedicated to another century of excellence both in the classroom and in the community.
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