The 8th annual "State of North Omaha" revealed positive growth for 2014, and ambitious goals for next year.

The breakfast and meeting, organized by the Empowerment Network, allows community leaders in housing, business, and education, and public officials to share insight into the state of affairs in North Omaha.

"People are actually coming together to try to make a difference and to try to shift the current disparities in Omaha," said Kara Warner, who has attended the meeting in the past.

New data from the latest American Community Survey gathered between 2011 and 2013 shows the unemployment rate has decreased for Blacks to 8.9%. The previous period, between 2011 and 2012 was 12%.

However, Blacks continue to have the highest rates of poverty in the city, even though the rate has gone down.

"Marches and rallies are symbolic. We look back over history and the solidarity means a lot to the black community," said Kara Warner, who said she had the thousands protesting across the nation on her mind Saturday as she attended the meeting.

In Washington D.C., thousands marched in protest of the recent deaths of unarmed black men at the hands of police. Ralliers demanded justice, and asked for solutions such as police body cameras to help promote transparency.

For Warner, that made Mayor Jean Stothert's announcement that Omaha Police will begin wearing body cameras in 2015 a step in the right direction.

"Current leaders in Omaha are trying to bridge the gap between the community and law enforcement."

But others warn that it's not the only solution to building police community relations in Omaha.

"By no means is it a silver bullet. There is no one thing that's going to change the relationship between the community and the police force. But it's a step in the right direction," said Kyle Keith, who also attended the meeting.

Councilman Ben Gray was enthusiastic about other announcements and plans for the future, particularly within development. There were new plans announced to resurface streets in North Omaha, including Ames Avenue, which Councilman Gray said is well overdue.

"In every zip code in North Omaha we've got development going on. Some of that development is very significant. It's the first time in a long time in maybe 40 years that there has been this kind of investment in North Omaha," said Councilman Gray.

Graduation rates and ACT scores were also up in North Omaha.

For Kyle Keith and Kara Warner, who are both in their late twenties and early thirties, younger arbiters of change and ideas will enable progress in their community.

"We have the ideas I believe, we have the energy, and obviously we have the youth for it," said Keith.