Six years. Countless stories. One big mix.

Lozafina Marketing & Public Relations will celebrate its sixth anniversary with “The BIG Mix”, a social mixer bringing together clients, business leaders, college students, creatives, and community connectors from across Omaha.

The event will take place from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 25, at MODUS Coworking in downtown Omaha.

Founded by journalist and communications strategist Josefina Loza in 2020, Lozafina has grown into a Latina- and woman-owned agency helping businesses and organizations strengthen their brands through public relations, social media, storytelling, marketing, and strategic communications.

I was watching “Sterling Point,” a coming-of-age drama on Amazon Prime Video, when the commercial break began.

Suddenly, some random dude appeared on his deck with a rooster in the background. He held an Amazon knee brace and shouted into the camera as if he had just discovered the greatest invention of our time.

The lighting was basic. The delivery felt unrehearsed. The entire thing looked more like a customer review than a television commercial.

Omaha is filled with creatives, problem-solvers, and emerging leaders who see what could be and are ready to help build it.

The inaugural Shift Summit will bring those voices together Friday, Sept. 18, at Catalyst Omaha for a one-day experience centered on creativity, collaboration, and community-driven innovation.

Social media changes quickly.

Algorithms shift, platforms introduce new features, and audience habits evolve. What worked for a business last year (or even last month) may no longer deliver the same results.

That’s why social media strategy training is imperative to a business’s staying power.

Artificial intelligence is changing how companies operate, but Lozafina client Avil Jackson believes the leaders who thrive will be those who keep investing in people.

Jackson, founder and principal organizational change advisor at LuminaNorth Group, was recently featured in AFROTECH, where she discussed the human relationship skills leaders and teams need as AI reshapes the workplace.

For years, businesses have used search engine optimization (SEO) to help customers find them online. Now, as more people turn to ChatGPT, Google’s AI Overviews and voice assistants for information, answer engine optimization (AEO) is becoming just as important.

So, what is the difference?

Some of the best transitions aren’t about changing direction. They’re about making sure what you’ve built is ready to keep growing.

That’s what’s happening at Pella Windows & Doors of Omaha and Lincoln, where a new leadership structure is putting the next generation of leaders in place while keeping the experience, relationships, and values that have shaped the locally owned company for decades.

We love working with people who are building something. So when the people helping fund those builders come calling, you answer.

Lozafina is excited to welcome Proven Ventures, A Burlington Capital Fund, as the newest member of the Lozafina family.

Proven Ventures takes a different approach to venture capital. The Nebraska-based fund invests in post-revenue startups and growth-stage companies with a path toward profitability, using a founder-friendly debt-equity model designed to help entrepreneurs access capital while retaining more ownership and control of the companies they're building.

Lozafina is welcoming a familiar face to the team.

After spending the summer learning the agency from the inside as a Lozafina communications intern, Itzel Davila Torres is officially joining the team as a Communications Specialist.

A sophomore at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, Davila Torres is studying Advertising and Public Relations with minors in psychology and entrepreneurship. Her interests include marketing, advertising, social media, and nonprofit communications.

I’ve spent more than 20 years telling stories, building brands, navigating newsrooms, helping organizations communicate through big moments and, eventually, building a business of my own.

Now I get to bring those lessons into the classroom.

I’m incredibly excited to share that I’ll be teaching a full lineup of business development, marketing, and communications courses at Metropolitan Community College during the 2026–2027 academic year.

Nebraska's emerging workforce will take center stage in Omaha next month as the Nebraska Emerging Talent Awards recognize the interns, apprentices, mentors and employers helping build career pathways across the state.

The Metropolitan Community College regional celebration of the inaugural Nebraska Emerging Talent Awards, known as NETA, will be held Tuesday, Sept. 8, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Fort Omaha Campus' Swanson Conference Center, Building 22, Room 201A, 5300 N. 30th St. The event is free and open to registered attendees.

For professionals looking for a change of scenery, an opportunity to meet new people or simply a productive place to spend the workday, MODUS Coworking is opening its doors for its next Free Coworking Day on Thursday, August 13.

The event gives entrepreneurs, remote workers, freelancers and other professionals an opportunity to experience coworking at no cost while getting a firsthand look at the community and workspace MODUS offers in downtown Omaha.

MENTOR Nebraska is preparing a refreshed lineup of professional development opportunities for the 2026–2027 training year, continuing its commitment to providing no-cost education and resources for mentoring professionals and youth-serving organizations across the state.

MENTOR Nebraska regularly offers monthly trainings designed to strengthen mentoring programs by providing professionals, volunteers and community partners with access to research, best practices and practical tools they can use in their work with young people.

Entrepreneurship is built through community, collaboration, and the willingness to keep learning.

The 2026 Start Up to Success Small Business Conference brings together entrepreneurs, business owners, founders, and professionals from across the region for a dynamic day focused on business growth, innovation, and meaningful connection.

Hosted in Omaha, this premier small business event is designed to support entrepreneurs at every stage of their journey — whether you’re launching a new idea, scaling an existing business, or exploring new opportunities for growth.

Spend Friday evening at the Heartwood Beats & Bites Farmers Market, where local shopping, delicious food and live music create an easygoing night in the park.

Browse farm-fresh produce, handmade goods from local makers and specialty treats including jams, honey, roasted nuts and more. Grab dinner from a market vendor, food truck or Heartwood restaurant, then bring a blanket or find a spot near the stage.

The Great Plains Black History Museum invites the community to gather on Saturday, Aug. 1, for a special event commemorating the 63rd anniversary of the March on Washington, one of the most influential moments in the Civil Rights Movement. 

The free event will take place from 10 a.m. to noon at the historic Jewell Building, located at 2221 North 24th St. It will feature a community reading of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s iconic "I Have a Dream" speech, followed by a time of reflection and community conversation.

The March on Washington marked a turning point in American history, bringing together more than 250,000 people to advocate for civil rights for African Americans.

Every crisis creates two stories.

The first is about what happened.

The second is about how an organization responds.

Most people focus on the first story.

As a public relations professional, I'm watching the second.

Over the past few weeks, the Taylor Farms food safety crisis has become one of the most talked-about public relations stories in the country. As federal investigators worked to identify the source of a multistate Cyclospora outbreak, the story evolved almost daily. There were recalls, changing laboratory findings, public statements, and conflicting headlines. Throughout it all, consumers were left trying to determine one thing: Who can I trust?

One of the biggest misconceptions in marketing is that the answer is more content.

More social media posts. More videos. More emails. More blogs. More ads.

While consistency is important, most organizations don't have a content problem.

They have a clarity problem.

Before anyone opens Canva or Adobe, writes a press release, or hits "publish," there are bigger questions that need answers.

We believe the best partnerships are built on shared values.

That's why we're excited to announce our newest partnership with Modus Coworking.

Located in Omaha's beautifully restored historic Redfield Building, Modus has built a community where entrepreneurs, nonprofits, startups, remote professionals, and growing businesses can connect, collaborate, and thrive. Their mission is to create an environment where professionals succeed by combining flexible workspaces with networking opportunities, educational programming, and an ecosystem designed to help businesses grow.

When people ask me what it's like to run a marketing and public relations agency, I usually smile because the answer is: every day is different.

One hour, we're helping a nonprofit refine its message. The next, we're preparing a leader for a major announcement, brainstorming a social campaign, responding to a communications challenge, or researching history to ensure every word we publish is accurate and meaningful.

July was one of those months that perfectly captured what life at Lozafina is all about.