Mayor Jean Stothert’s office of the City of Omaha (humanrights.cityofomaha.org) has recently announced the appointment of a new director of human rights and relations.
Gerald Kuhn is being promoted to the position, having been appointed to fill the post temporarily while the city conducted a national search. He had previously served as the assistant director of the department for five years.
Gerald has also been the city’s Americans with Disabilities director, where he developed the successful Restorative Justice Diversion Program for misdemeanor arrests such as Resisting Arrest, Obstruction, and Disorderly Conduct, which has become a national model.
Prior to that, Gerald served as executive director of the Omaha Early Learning Center and the director of Vocational Services for Mosaic of Omaha. He also served as director of residential services for the Detroit Housing Commission. Gerald has his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and a master’s degree in social justice and counseling. He also serves as a mentor for 100 Black Men of Omaha and volunteers as a coach. He has been a board member for Boy Scouts of America, the Refugee Task Force, Jesuit Academy, and Metro Area Youth Services.
The Human Rights and Relations Department has four major responsibilities for the City of Omaha: Civil Rights Investigations and Enforcement Support Services, Economic Equity and Inclusion Program Administration, Community Outreach and Education, and a Restorative Justice Program for people who commit misdemeanor offenses. Learn more at humanrights.cityofomaha.org.