Riverside Chats

My guest today is Drew Newlin. 

Newlin grew up in various parts of Omaha, where his passion for skateboarding began after playing some Tony Hawk video games.

He attended the University Of Nebraska Omaha, where he received his bachelors in political science.

He continued skateboarding along the way, and began incorporating advocacy with his shredding, which led to working at the Bay.

The Bay originated out of Lincoln in 2010, and is a non profit that offers free or pay what you can programming in music, art, media, fashion, and skateboarding. They opened a second location in 2024 at the Benson Community Center. 

Today, we’re discussing our favorite skateboarders, how advocacy needs new approaches to reduce harm in 2025, and the steps required for establishing a community skate park.  

My guest today is business owner and guitar repairman, John Svatos.

Svatos grew up in the Millard area, and was a self identified ‘guitar kid’ in his neighborhood. 

As he got older he got more involved in the Omaha music scene, which led to guitar repair work and owning and operating Ground Floor Guitar. 

Ground Floor Guitar is a local guitar retail and repair shop that was created in 2016. They offer a large range of repair services including: guitar setups, pickup installation, fret leveling, electronic repair, and deep cleaning. They’re currently in the North Downtown area, on 1715 Cummings street.

Today, we’re discussing the unique education required for guitar repair work, how he balances aesthetic with functional appeal when crafting guitars, and the joys of the youth learning about 90’s grunge culture.

My guest today is artist and educator Bart Vargas. 

Vargas was raised in Bellevue, where he was the youngest of four brothers.  He began drawing as a young child, and eventually received his bachelor of fine arts from the  University of Nebraska Omaha and then his Master’s of Fine arts from The University of Minnesota. 

Vargas’ art explores concepts of salvage, collection, and repetition. He does  sculptures, paintings, ceramics and serigraphs, and his exhibitions can be found throughout the United States and also in China, Oaxaca Mexico, and India.

Today, we’re discussing color theory, what he’s learned as an art educator for over 15 years, and the creative power of patience. 

My guest today is Leo Louis II. Louis has been a community advocate in a multitude of roles, including gang intervention, urban farming and entrepreneurship for over a decade. 

Louis began his career in advocacy while a sophomore at North Omaha High School, where he drafted a 10 point  email addressing issues relating to gang violence and CC’d every person in the school, which led to community-centered gang intervention programming that is still active.

He has also worked with the Malcolm X Foundation where he helped create the Shabazz Community Garden before serving as Board President of the organization from 2019 to 2024. 

He also stars in a new film called My Omaha, a documentary highlighting  social movements during the social and political unrest in Omaha in 2020. My Omaha,  directed by Nick Beaulieu (Bow-lee-yew) was selected to the Slamdance, Middlebury, and Ashland Film festivals. 

Today, we’re talking about the intrinsic connection with social justice and hip hop, ways community members can be more involved in the state legislative process, and how he stays grounded while leading movements.

Today, I’m talking with Renzellous Brown, a singer, playwright and actor based out of Omaha. 

Brown, a native of Flint Michigan, received their Bachelor of Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management from Midland University, where they participated in multiple ensembles including the Blu Notes, University Choir, and Unforgettable Jazz combo.

You can catch them singing at various jazz clubs throughout Omaha, and onstage at your local stage production. They also offer vocal coaching services!  If you’re interested, reach them at 402-739-9567, or email them at [email protected] . If you would like to schedule online, go to calendly.come/renzealous. 

Today, we discuss incorporating feedback as part of the creative process, how songwriting compares to playwriting, and lessons they’ve learned as a working bandleader and jazz vocalist in Omaha.

JordantheNinja is a multi-instrumentalist, singer, actor, and dancer.

He grew up in North Omaha and attended Northwest High School. He began his music career performing with his older brother, Jared, and got more involved with acting through various gigs at the Omaha Community Playhouse.

As a musician, he leads multiple ensembles including Parfait, a multi-genre band that features fresh interpretations of well-known hits, with influences ranging from Motown classics to songs from Super Mario. They won the 2025 Omaha Entertainment Award for Outstanding Cover Band.

In this conversation, he discusses  the role of discipline in the creative process,  lessons he’s learned while performing in different spaces throughout Omaha, and what upwards mobility looks like for artists in 2025.

Yanira Garcia is a community advocate who serves on the Regional Metropolitan Transit Authority, representing District 3. Additionally, she has over a decade of experience in communications, public relations, and advertising.

The Transit Authority, also known as Metro, is responsible for running Omaha’s bus system, including ORBT and MOBY services.

The elected board has seven non-partisan board members, voted by community members. Prior to the fall of 2024, seats were appointed by the mayor rather than elected. The change is part of Metro’s increased budget and expanded regional services. Board responsibilities include determining transit policy, overseeing the budget and handling contracts.

Garcia has called South Omaha home for over 25 years and grew up in the Upland Park Neighborhood. She attended Omaha South High School and later received a Master of Arts in Integrated Media Communications from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Today, Garcia discusses her approach to being a grounded public official, the role equitable transportation has in a healthy city’s economy, and steps for communities to be better informed on the civic process.

Jordan Smith a multi-instrumentalist, singer, actor, and dancer.

Smith grew up in North Omaha and attended Northwest High School. He began his music career performing with his older brother, Jared, and got more involved with acting through various gigs at the Omaha Community Playhouse.

As a musician, he leads multiple ensembles including Parfait, a multi-genre band that features fresh interpretations of well-known hits, with influences ranging from Motown classics to songs from Super Mario. They won the 2025  Omaha Entertainment Award for Outstanding Cover Band.

In this conversation, he discusses  the role of discipline in the creative process,  lessons he’s learned while performing in different spaces throughout Omaha, and what upwards mobility looks like for artists in 2025.

Neal Duffy is an audio engineer, DJ, and yoga instructor. 

He’s an Omaha native, and  received his education in sound at the School and Audio Workshop in Ohio before transferring to Iowa Western. Afterwards,  he received his yoga certificate while working with Omaha acts before landing his big break with the Neon Trees.

Since then, he has worked with diverse national acts including Bright Eyes, Marilyn Manson, Clay Aiken, Eminem, Cursive and Anderson Paak.In Omaha, you can find him facilitating yoga courses or near a dance floor as DJ Werdisbond. 

Today, we’re talking about the audio science involved in delivering unforgettable performances, the administrative and management responsibilities that go into a successful tour, and how others can blaze unique career paths while still calling Omaha home. 

Alejandra Sandoval-Montañez is a mezzo-soprano and Holland Community Opera Fellow. The fellowship brings community-focused artists to live and work in Omaha. Sandoval-Montañez grew up in Mexico and received her Masters in Vocal Performance and Literature from the University of Illinois. Her stage credits include roles in productions of “Carnaval!,” “A Little Night Music,” “Pirates of Penzance” and “Patience.”

Sandoval-Montañez is also an educator and social media manager. She runs the Instagram account Aspiring Opera Singers, which offers resources and inspiration to those coming up in the craft. The account has more than 22,000 followers.

In this episode, Sandoval-Montañez and Michael Griffin are talking about techniques used in operatic singing, the role of live performance in shaping Omaha’s culture, and how the operatic tradition can meet today’s cultural needs.