The Tulsa Voice | Vol. 6 No. 22

N O V. 6 – 1 9 , 2 0 1 9 // V O L . 6 N O . 2 2

MADE FOR YOU AND ME SEX WORKERS’ RIGHTS P12

WOODY GUTHRIE’S WORKING-CLASS ARCHIVE P21

UNDOCUMENTED LABOR P24

paradise never sounded So Good.

Tickets On Sale Now rascal flatts nov 7 zz top nov 8

50TH anniversary tour

i love the 90’S nov 14 jim gaffigan nov 16 three dog night nov 21 Chase Rice dec 6 Luann de Lesseps dec 20 Cirque Musica dec 22 STEVE MILLER BAND dec 27 John Fogerty dec 29 Ron White dec 31

Live Music 7 Nights a Week in 5 o’Clock Somewhere Bar Fridays & Saturdays in Margaritaville!

Visit margaritavilletulsa.com for a complete schedule.

81ST & RIVERSIDE • (888) 748-3731 • RIVERSPIRITTULSA.COM 2 // CONTENTS

November 6 – 19, 2019 // THE TULSA VOICE

MARKET

Days of Celebration!

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 29 through

THLights

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6TH

On!

guthriegreen.com/holidaymarket THE TULSA VOICE // November 6 – 19, 2019

CONTENTS // 3

MADE FOR YOU AND ME

November 6 – 19, 2019 // Vol. 6, No. 22 ©2019. All rights reserved.

BY JEZY J. GRAY

PUBLISHER Jim Langdon

P21

Woody Guthrie’s working-class archive

INVISIBLE HANDS P24

BY JESSICA VAZQUEZ

Working without papers in Tulsa

BUILDING A FUTURE P26

EDITOR Jezy J. Gray ASSISTANT EDITOR Blayklee Freed DIGITAL EDITOR Kyra Bruce CREATIVE DIRECTOR Madeline Crawford GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Georgia Brooks, Morgan Welch PHOTOGRAPHER Greg Bollinger AD SALES MANAGER Josh Kampf CONTRIBUTORS M. Molly Backes, Cydney Baron, Kimberly Burk, September Dawn Bottoms, Courtney Cullison, Nehemiah Frank, Barry Friedman, Destiny Jade Green, John Hammer, Jeff Huston, Fraser Kastner, Jonathan Leal, Mason Whitehorn Powell, Madeline Roper, Joseph Rushmore, Jessica Vazquez, Ethan Veenker

The Tulsa Voice’s distribution is audited annually by

Member of

BY FRASER KASTNER

Career tech gives students a competitive edge in the workforce The Tulsa Voice is published bi-monthly by Caleb Martin is preparing for a career as a mechanic with Tulsa Tech’s Automotive Service Technician program. | SEPTEMBER DAWN BOTTOMS

FOOD & DRINK

NEWS & COMMENTARY 7 DOWN & OUT

B Y COURTNEY CULLISON

Oklahoma’s economy is leaving too many behind

8 LAPDOG AND PONY SHOW

B Y BARRY FRIEDMAN

Reps. Hern and Mullin serve the president

10 ‘ART IS EXPENSIVE’

BY MADELINE ROPER

Tulsa teachers work overtime for their students

12 ‘EVERYONE NEEDS AN ALLY’

BY CYDNEY BARON Outreach project fights for the dignity and safety of sex workers

14 POWER IN NUMBERS

B Y TTV STAFF

Unionizing the newsroom at NBC News Digital

ETC. 6 EDITOR’SLETTER 36 THEHAPS 42 MUSICLISTINGS 46 ASTROLOGY + SUDOKU 47 THEFUZZ + CROSSWORD

16 BREWTOWN

BY BLAYKLEE FREED

A guide to 6th Street beer havens

MUSIC 38 PURE CURIOSITY

B Y JONATHAN LEAL Talking process with jazz composer Miguel Zenón

40 COMMUNITY ON CASSETTE

B Y ETHAN VEENKER Tulsa music label Cult Love Sound Tapes is a labor of love

41 GIVING THANKS

B Y KYRA BRUCE The Leftover Last Waltz brings families together

ARTS & CULTURE 28 MIGRANT MEMORIES

B Y KIMBERLY BURK Dorothea Lange exhibit honors class struggle during the Great Depression

30 FAMILY TIES

B Y JEZY J. GRAY ‘Oklahoma’s Atticus’ is a tale of two Tulsas

32 BOUND TOGETHER

B Y M. MOLLY BACKES Tali Weinberg’s tapestry of climate change

PUBLISHER Jim Langdon PRESIDENT Juley Roffers VP COMMUNICATIONS Susie Miller CONTROLLER Mary McKisick DISTRIBUTION COORDINATOR Amanda Hall RECEPTION Gloria Brooks

MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD Send all letters, complaints, compliments & haikus to: voices@langdonpublishing.com FOLLOW US @THETULSAVOICE ON:

34 GET YOUR KICKS

B Y NEHEMIAH FRANK Venita Cooper brings America’s sneaker subculture to Black Wall Street

TV & FILM 44 A PEOPLE’S HISTORY

B Y MASON WHITEHORN POWELL

N O V. 6 – 1 9 , 2 0 1 9 // V O L . 6 N O . 2 2

Watchmen shines a spotlight on Tulsa’s violent past

45 DECOLONIZING COMEDY

B Y MASON WHITEHORN POWELL Blackhorse Lowe widens the lens on Native life

45 A NEW TRADITION

B Y JEFF HUSTON The Oklahoma Jewish Film Festival celebrates six years at Circle Cinema

4 // CONTENTS

1603 S. Boulder Ave. Tulsa, OK 74119 P: 918.585.9924 F: 918.585.9926

MADE FOR YOU AND ME SEX WORKERS’ RIGHTS P12

WOODY GUTHRIE’S WORKING-CLASS ARCHIVE P21

UNDOCUMENTED LABOR P24

ON THE COVER Woody 46 PAINTING BY JOHN HAMMER November 6 – 19, 2019 // THE TULSA VOICE

FUN RUN • 5K • MARATHON • HALF MARATHON DOUBLE • MARATHON RELAY MASCOT DASH • WORLD’S SHORTEST ULTRA MARATHON

THE TULSA VOICE // November 6 – 19, 2019

CONTENTS // 5

editor’sletter

A

ccording to statistics from the National Bureau of Economic Research, the richest 400 people in the United States are sitting on more wealth than the bottom 150 million combined. For those on the losing end of this scheme, it gets even grimmer: As of this year, there is no state in the country in which a full-time minimum wage worker can afford to rent a two-bedroom home.

That’s according to the National Low Income Housing Coalition, which calculated the hourly earnings one would need to live in such luxury. In Oklahoma, that number is $15.54— which, if you’re counting along at home, is more than eight dollars above the federal minimum wage of $7.25.

This insufficient and insulting wage hasn’t been raised in

more than a decade. What’s worse, those dollars—all seven of them—are actually worth less than they were 50 years ago.

Adjusted for inflation, the minimum wage is worth roughly 33 percent of what it was in 1968.

This issue of The Tulsa Voice is about work and workers. You’ll meet three Tulsa teens who are choosing trade school over college, forgoing the debt trap of modern college financing and learning valuable career skills at the Tulsa Tech automotive program. Then we take a trip into Woody Guthrie’s working-class archive, where the populist Okie folk singer’s legacy of pushing against the dehumanizing forces of capitalism lives on scraps of notebook paper in a climate-controlled vault.

Next, we’ll introduce you to four undocumented workers

fighting for dignity and recognition as they clean Tulsa’s office spaces from top to bottom, building a better future for their kids and making working life possible for the rest of us. We’ve also got stories about sex workers, arts educators and unionizing journalists—plus analysis from the Oklahoma Policy Institue on how our economic recovery is leaving too many people behind.

We also take a look at the struggles of the working poor in American history. You’ll find writing on the new Dorothea Lange exhibit at Gilcrease Museum, rendering the plight of migrant Okies during the Great Depression in vivid detail. Then follow along to the slums of a former coal community in North Tulsa, decimated and abandoned by extraction industry vampires, where in 1953 a young Cherokee man named

RECYCLE THIS Glass Bottles and Jars

Buster Youngewolfe was accused of a murder he didn’t commit.

I hope this collection of stories draws the intolerable inequality of American life into sharp relief. I also hope it demonstrates our strength in numbers. Those whose obscene wealth is generated by the labor of the working class depend on division and competition among the 99 percent. A better world is possible, but we can only get there by recognizing and flexing our collective power. a

JEZY J. GRAY EDITOR

NOT THAT Trees and Holiday Decorations

Glass bottles and jars are perfect for recycling, but trees and holiday decorations are NOT acceptable for the blue recycling cart.

LEARN MORE AT 6 // NEWS & COMMENTARY

tulsarecycles.com November 6 – 19, 2019 // THE TULSA VOICE

okpolicy

DOWN & OUT

Oklahoma’s economy is leaving too many behind

by COURTNEY CULLISON for OKPOLICY.ORG

THE TULSA VOICE // November 6 – 19, 2019

Y

ou’ve probably heard recently that Oklahoma’s economy is strong again, and that’s partially true. There are reasons to be optimistic about our economy. State revenues are up, thanks in part to the Legislature’s efforts last year to address our structural budget deficit, and unemployment is below 4 percent again.

These are signs of progress, but they don’t tell the complete story of Oklahoma’s economy.

Too many Oklahomans are still struggling despite statewide progress. Some parts of Oklahoma still have high unemployment rates, the percentage of our adult population participating in the workforce is decreasing, and job creation in Oklahoma hasn’t kept pace with our population growth.

Despite low statewide unemployment, it is especially important to note that some parts of Oklahoma are still seeing comparatively high unemployment.

Nineteen counties, primarily in rural southeastern Oklahoma, still have unemployment above the state average. These high unemployment counties also have lower educational attainment and higher poverty rates than the state as a whole, which makes finding a good job much more challenging in these places.

In addition, there are also certain populations that face higher barriers to employment.

Job seekers of color still face racial discrimination in hiring, justice-involved individuals are passed over for many jobs because they have a criminal record, and low-income individuals with a poor credit history are often denied employment because of the false assumption that good credit is an indicator of trustworthiness or professional character.

Looking beyond unemployment, Oklahoma’s labor force participation rate, like the national

rate, is declining and has been for nearly two decades. A smaller percentage of our population is working or looking for work, and this could be problematic.

It’s likely that about half of this decline is due to the natural cycle of older workers retiring.

However, more than 40 percent of adult Oklahomans not in the labor force in 2018 were neither retired nor college-aged, according to 2018 Current Population Survey data. These individuals are out of the labor force for various reasons—they may be disabled, have a chronic illness, struggle with substance abuse, or have taken on caregiving responsibilities. Good public policies like paid family leave, affordable health care, and more education and training opportunities could have prevented some of these individuals from leaving the workforce. Oklahomans must work to make these policies a reality.

When people do re-enter the labor force, we need to make sure there are jobs available for them, and Oklahoma has some ground to make up here. Oklahoma has a jobs deficit—the state has not created enough new jobs to replace all those lost during the Great Recession and to keep up with population growth. Oklahoma has created more than 97,000 jobs in the state since December 2007, but the state still needs 82,900 more to keep pace with our population growth.

In short, we’re not all doin’ fine. Too many Oklahomans are still struggling with joblessness.

Low statewide unemployment doesn’t mean that jobs are easy to come by for all Oklahomans, and we must look beyond our statewide unemployment rate to see these struggling Oklahomans. a

Courtney Cullison is an economic security policy analyst with the Oklahoma Policy Institute.

NEWS & COMMENTARY // 7

Lapdog and pony show Reps. Hern and Mullin serve the president

by BARRY FRIEDMAN

O

n Oct. 23, GOP representatives—a gaggle of oblivion, cynicism and calculated outrage—descended a set of interior steps in the House of Representatives to a secure facility, acting both like arsonists and fi refighters as they stormed the closed-door House impeachment inquiry proceedings. For all their fervor, for all their outrage, they were an entitled flock of sheep, sent by the president, their cell phones illuminated and recording (and possibly being used as surveillance devices by foreign adversaries) as they breached security protocols while posing behind a bank of microphones on a podium.

Next to legislative giants like Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH), a former wrestling coach at Ohio State University who has been tougher on Democrats than he was on a doctor at the school who was showering with his wrestlers, and Rep. Mike Gaetz, who threatened the family of Michael Cohen for having the temerity to testify against the president, they revealed themselves to be a well-dressed mob of selective amnesiacs.

The hearings are taking place in the SCIF, a secure space on Capitol Hill often used for classified briefings, which is located in the basement of the Congressional Visitor’s Center.

The SCIF is where the House Intelligence Committee — which is leading the impeachment investigation — conducts its work.

It’s the same space where the Republican-led Intelligence Committee conducted interviews for the Russia investigation in the last Congress. (CNN) 8 // NEWS & COMMENTARY

IT’S NOT THAT HERN AND MULLIN EQUATE THE WANTS OF THIS PRESIDENT WITH THE NEEDS OF A COUNTRY, OR EVEN THAT THEY PUT HIS WANTS ABOVE A NATION’S NEEDS … IT’S THAT THEY CAN’T TELL THE DIFFERENCE.

And our guys, First District Rep. Kevin Hern, and Second District Rep. Markwayne Mullin, were in the front row like bit players in a fraternity improv show, too full of themselves to understand the petard on which they and their caucus had hoisted themselves.

But while minority-party members once had significant say in who was subpoenaed, a major 2015 rule change rammed through by the Republican majority stripped them of this power. (The National Memo)

That rule, when the GOP controlled the House, gave majority committees deposition power.

House Resolution 5, passed in 2017, prohibits the use of electronic devices in the chamber.

Who voted for both measures?

Markwayne Mullin.

So clear was the legality of these hearings, even Fox News

judicial analyst Andrew Napolitano called Republicans on their obstruction.

‘As frustrating as it may be to have these hearings going on behind closed doors … they are consistent with the rules. … When were the rules written last? In January of 2015. And who signed them? John Boehner.

And who enacted them?

A Republican majority.’

(Front Page Live)

And here’s what Trey Gowdy, former South Carolina representative—that Trey Gowdy, for the love of endless Benghazi hearings—would have done with party-crashers like Hern and Mullin: ‘I’m a rule follower. I threw a Republican out of a hearing because he was not a member of the committee. If you’re going to have private investigations with unlimited time for questioning

and cross-examining witnesses, that’s a good thing.’ (The Hill)

Nevertheless, the president demanded fealty.

President Donald Trump called on fellow Republicans on Monday to ‘get tougher and fight’ against the quickly moving House impeachment inquiry as Democrats blocked a GOP bid to censure Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff, a leader of the impeachment inquiry. (Associated Press)

He got it. GOP reps yelped like excited Min Pins seeing their master with a leash, opening the front door. They then marched, as ordered, down to SCIF. The sycophancy runs deep: ‘Did you know President Trump loves McDonald’s?’ Hern wrote in the email to supporters. His go-to order was recently revealed: two Big Macs, two Fillet-O-Fish(sic) and a chocolate malted shake!

As a McDonald’s franchisee, I couldn’t be more excited to see that our President is a huge fan of our delicious food.

(The Frontier)

That insipid bit of self-glorification, the panting and yearning to be one of the president’s boys, came from Kevin Hern, who at the time was just a candidate for First District Congressman. It was his raison d’être for running.

He and the president had a bond, albeit an artery-clogging one, and Hern couldn’t wait to share a Happy Meal with the commander in chief.

November 6 – 19, 2019 // THE TULSA VOICE

Markwayne Mullin, meanwhile, has been sucking up to the president since Jan. 21, 2017, gladly jettisoning his proud Cherokee heritage rather than calling out the president for his racist attacks on Sen. Elizabeth Warren.

Mullin, a man so smug, temperamental, contemptuous of public service, and convinced of his own special Markwayne-ness, he only begrudgingly gave up promoting his own plumbing business after an ethics review called him on it.

The new guidance in this report only proves that you can no longer be a citizen legislator. You have to be a career politician to serve in Washington, D.C. (The Oklahoman)

Please. If Mullin wins re-election in November—and for reasons that defy understanding, he will—he’ll be serving his fifth term as a United States House member. If he’s a citizen legislator, Rudy Giuliani is a country lawyer.

He, like Hern, is in love.

‘Our president isn’t always politically correct, and I like that,’ Mullin says in Monday’s video. ‘The fact is, what he says is still meaningful. If you don’t like the foundation that this country is built upon, then go live underneath the style of country you choose to. … I support the president 100 percent.’

(Tulsa World)

“Having witnessed the great moments of his thinking,” he continued, “I overflowed with emotion and joy.”

Wait—sorry. That was a courtier in the Korean Central News Agency describing Kim Jong Un. It’s tough to tell the difference sometimes.

Let’s continue.

It’s not that Hern and Mullin equate the wants of this president with the needs of a country, or even that they put his wants above a nation’s needs—it’s that they can’t tell the difference. They don’t know any better, or want to.

Because for them, government is a trough, a bauble, something they enjoy mocking and whose functions and norms are beneath them. ‘ You say you pay for me to do this? That’s bull crap. I pay for myself,’ Rep. MarkTHE TULSA VOICE // November 6 – 19, 2019

wayne Mullin told constituents at a town hall in Jay, Oklahoma. ‘I paid enough taxes before I got here and continue to through my company to pay my own salary. This is a service. No one here pays me to go … This is a service for me, not a career, and I thank God this is not how I make my living.’ (CNN)

A man that dismissive of government should be kept away from its buildings.

To them, it’s not about Donald Trump demanding a foreign government dig up dirt on his political opponent in exchange for military aid; nor his dispatching the aforementioned country lawyer and the cast of The Gang That Couldn’t Shoot Straight to that country; nor his paying hush money to a topless dancer with whom he had sex; nor his refusal to comply with subpoenas; nor his 10 actions which the Muller Report cited as obstruction of justice; nor his politicizing of prosecutions; nor his violations of both the Domestic and Foreign Emoluments Clause, which he calls a “phony” part of the Constitution.

As Hern suggests, none of that matters: “What I’ve found is that it’s about the money in your pockets,” he told the Tulsa World.

(Let me stop to employ our favorite Toby Ziegler trope: I’ll bet all the money in my pockets against all the money in his pockets that little of the $1 trillion in stock buybacks triggered by the GOP corporate tax cuts has trickled down to your pockets.)

As the president unravels, Hern, too, is flailing about: ‘Many of my constituents didn’t believe me when I told them that Members of Congress were being barred from access to impeachment materials,’ said Rep. Hern. ‘Oklahomans are being completely shut out of this process—not one of the five representatives in our delegation are on any of the committees participating in the impeachment inquiry.’

Yes, that’s the point, Burger King—no member of the Oklahoma delegation is on the three committees: Intelligence, Foreign

Affairs, or Oversight. Forty-seven other Republicans are on those committees. That’s one-fourth of your entire caucus, all of whom had and have access to the closeddoor testimony and witnesses. Why don’t you ask them what went on?

Mullin, for his part, will not allow his ignorance on the inquiry to be an impediment from discussing it.

I am holding Impeachment Updates in four counties to give my constituents a chance to hear what has happened so far, what the process looks like moving forward, and ask questions about the inquiry.

Impeaching the president is a serious matter and they deserve to know what is going on. (mullin.house.gov)

Even though, as mentioned, he’s not privy to any of it.

Late last week, Democrats announced the public phase of the impeachment inquiry, meaning the GOP now has the complete openness it wants, and can now read and rebut the full testimony of people like Lt. Col. Vindman and U.S. diplomat William Taylor (both of whom the president derided and dismissed as “never Trumpers” and part of the “witch hunt” against him). Presumably, Republicans will call someone like Rudy Giuliani to defend the president’s actions.

That should go well.

I’ll bet you my P-trap against your P-trap that by the time you read this—and it’s almost impossible to keep up with this story— our two Oklahoma representative will be on to a new set of talking points that are equally baseless, yet have them as vexed and bumfuzzled.

As the president’s impeachable infractions grow—unlike their GOP brethren 45 years ago, who walked into the White House with the constitutional fortitude to tell Richard Nixon it was time to resign—Hern and Mullin, if recent history is any guide, will enter Trump’s Oval Office, curtsy, and then jump as high, as often, and in whatever direction he tells them.

They’re just built that way. a

TULSA’S ONLY MODERN JAZZ CLUB DuetJazz.com

UPCOMING SHOWS

downstairs Rick Cope November 6

New Cellos November 7

Harlem String Quartet November 8

NSU and TCC Big Bands All ages November 9

Sam Parker November 13

David Broome November 14

Miguel Zenón National touring act November 15

Tommy Poole November 16

Ana Berry & BOSSA Ladies Night Ladies get in free November 20

Sara Schaefer Comedy November 21

For complete citations, visit the hyperlinked version of this story at thetulsavoice.com.

NEWS & COMMENTARY // 9

education

S

tudents drape prom decorations on the auditorium stage in the style of Brian De Palma’s 1977 Carrie adaptation in Amber Harrington’s advanced tech theatre class at Edison High School. Their Halloween variety show, Creeps, has a different theme every year. For 2019, the department will present Stephen King adaptations through comedy, dance and music. Baby blue streamers and stars hang from the ceiling. Students ask Harrington about drill bits, microphone cords and stage lights.

“We’re still working on how to get the blood to drop,” Harrington said. “But we’re going to figure it out.”

Her students competed in the state’s 6A one-act play competition in Oklahoma City the previous day.

In 45 minutes, the students had to assemble their set, perform a play and take down the set. They won second place, returned home and immediately began work on their next production.

Down the hall in Julie Thomas’ room, Edison students ask her opinions on clay consistency, yarn colors and photography subjects. Freshman students’ colorful portraits of classmates greet visitors at the door. Thomas’ freshmen often continue into her upper-level Advanced Placement Art and Design classes.

“We are really lucky we get to bond with our kids over four years,” Thomas said. “That’s one of the beautiful things about art classes.”

Both Harrington and Thomas teach introductory and advanced coursework. From teaching freshmen portraiture to overseeing AP portfolios submitted for college credit, Thomas leads students through a full exploration of their talents.

AP art is individual, according to Thomas. Students pick their own medium and themes to explore. Every week, they stand in front of the class with their work and take critique from peers.

The portfolios represent the skills students develop over the course

10 // NEWS & COMMENTARY

‘ART IS EXPENSIVE’ Tulsa teachers work overtime for their students

by MADELINE ROPER Julie Thomas and Amber Harrington teach studio art and theater at Edison High School. | GREG BOLLINGER

of their high school career. These portfolios are then graded by the College Board for college credit.

Thomas’ AP students consistently score higher than the national average for their work.

That opportunity—to introduce students to art and watch them grow in their talents—is why Harrington became a high school teacher. Her students begin by learning the terms for stage left and stage right, but by senior year they write and perform their own monologues.

“When you’re a freshman in high school, you may think, ‘I’m not talented. I’m not creative or athletic or great at math,’” Harrington said. “But you can find theatre, really excel and have a family.”

Thomas also combats students’ low art self-esteem. She relishes the opportunity to open students’ eyes to their talents in weaving, pottery, photography and abstract

art. But all of this creativity comes at a price.

“A lot of people think we’re just waving paint brushes back here,” Thomas said. “But art is expensive.”

Harrington spent $6,000 on this year’s one-act play competition—money she raised from boosters and a social media crowdfunding platform. To save money, students repaint and repurpose set and costume elements. A trophy might become a light fixture, Harrington said. Her father also provides free labor.

Harrington began acting in his dinner theatre productions, and the duo has competed in one-act together for 14 years.

The 2017 teacher strike won pay raises for educators, but did little to move the needle on general education funds slashed by 28 percent over the last decade. The state used to reward money to art programs based on AP art portfo-

lio scores, but that money stopped coming in recent years.

As a result, both teachers hustle to find resources. A to-do list of grants to write rests on Thomas’ desk. She also dedicates time outside of the classroom to teach other art teachers about grant opportunities in order to build robust programs around the state.

Thanks to grants, bonds and social media, Harrington and Thomas keep art classes alive at Edison High School. Harrington said that after 20 years of teaching, she fears burnout—especially amid the negativity surrounding Oklahoma’s education funding crisis. But her philosophy is to keep her head down and keep working, she said. She continues to stay after school for rehearsals and travel to competition each year because she believes in the unique lessons theatre teaches.

“Even if my students don’t go on to do theatre, they’re affected by it,” Harrington said. “They’re a part of something, and they learn lessons.”

Thomas echoed Harrington’s beliefs, explaining how her students learn to handle criticism, work hard and hold themselves accountable. After years of being told what to do in the classroom, students start to make decisions on their own in AP art, and they put a lot of heart into their work.

“When you don’t pass AP bio, it stinks,” Thomas said. “When a kid doesn’t pass AP art, they cry.

It’s personal. It’s part of you.”

Whether Harrington’s former students are managing theater props on Broadway or decorating their baby’s nursery, they use lessons from her class. They value commitment, know how to make do with what they have and work with people who are different than them, Harrington said. She’s also teaching her own son these lessons.

“It’s important to show my kid that he can have passions, and it doesn’t have to feel like work,” Harrington said. “I never feel like I’m working. If I won the lottery, I’d still be teaching.” a November 6 – 19, 2019 // THE TULSA VOICE

“Tulsans have embraced a family from the Caribbean with open arms and continue to show their love and support for local business.”

Ilana Velazquez Sisserou’s Member since 2014

Tulsa’s independent and non-profit art-house theatre, showing independent, foreign, and documentary films.

TELL US WHAT YOU’RE DOING So we can tell everyone else Send all your event and music listings to voices@langdonpublishing.com YOUR PARTNER IN PROSPERITY

TULSACHAMBER.COM Economic Development • Regional Tourism • Government Affairs • Community Development

TRC_ Partner in Prosperity_ Ilana Verazquez_ 4.375x6.indd 1

THE TULSA VOICE // November 6 – 19, 2019

11/1/19 12:48 PM

NEWS & COMMENTARY // 11

community

‘Everyone needs an ally’ Outreach project fights for the dignity and safety of sex workers

by CYDNEY BARON

A new chapter of the Sex Workers Outreach Project (SWOP) is coming to Tulsa. | GREG BOLLINGER

A

national social justice organization dedicated to protecting the rights of sex workers and providing a safe network of peers is coming to Tulsa.

The goal of the Sex Workers Outreach Project (SWOP) is to re-frame the narrative around who does this oftentimes dangerous work and why. “They really work to de-stigmatize sex work through outreach and education,” Tulsa chapter organizer Kylie Shelley said.

Community and visibility are essential to this project, according to Shelley. “SWOP is sex worker-led, because it’s important [they’re] able to empathize with the kinds of things sex workers deal with.”

SWOP is both a racial and economic justice organization whose solidarity with vulnerable groups runs deep. According to the group’s mission statement, it is “committed to the safety, autonomy, and human rights of people in the sex trade, and stands in solidarity with the many social justice movements intersectional to our own, including but not limited to Black Lives Matter, disability rights, drug and immigration reform, gender equality and the LGBTQ movement, and the rights of the working class.”

Chapters have launched in more than 20 states since SWOP’s 2003 inception. Shelley sees 12 // NEWS & COMMENTARY

power in those numbers. “If we simply bring people together, they can organize. Whether that’s disseminating information about your rights, or where to get PrEP, birth control or condoms. It’s sharing experiences, resources and information,” she said. “It’s about getting sex work, those two words together, into public conversation within the community.”

As a sex worker who has mostly had to figure things out on her own, Tulsa-area resident Jane Doe (pseudonym) said she understands the importance of SWOP’s goal of creating a community.

“There is huge value in having a community of sex workers,” Doe said. “Sex workers can promote each other’s content, warn each other about bad experiences/ clients/colleagues, share knowledge. In a marginalized industry, there are many unknowns, and naivety can be dangerous for a newcomer. Knowledge is power.”

The hope is to create community and awareness around sex work in the Tulsa area. But with visibility comes the need to manage misconceptions and address stigma.

“For me, sex work is a way use my femininity to my advantage. I have worked online for years as an adult content creator. Everything I do ends up on the internet for purchase,” Doe said. “The biggest misconception about sex work is that it is easy money—it is not.

To make a comfortable living from sex work on a full-time basis requires an enormous amount of time and effort, and even then a good income is not guaranteed.

Many want your time, products and services for free, particularly with online work.”

Doe said she’s done a bit of everything, because sex work isn’t one-job-fits-all. She’s done work as a cam girl, worked as a phone sex operator for a time and has been cast in pornography, but she said that’s just scratching the surface of what sex work entails.

Shelley added there are misconceptions that all sex workers are street-based and on drugs.

These are ideas she is happy to dispel. “The idea is that nobody knows someone that’s doing sex work … but somebody you love is a sex worker,” Shelley said. “More people than you think, that are in your community, are doing this.”

The 2018 FOSTA-SESTA law dealt a huge blow to sex workers, according to Shelley. Signed into law by Donald Trump over a year ago, she says the Fight Online Sex Trafficking (FOSTA) bill—combined with the Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act (SESTA)—puts sex workers in more danger. The law makes websites responsible third-parties facilitating any sex work through their site or platform, which in turn, prevents sex workers from sharing information and warning each other away

from violent clients.

Many sex workers say they feel they’re being pushed off of social media platforms due to a practice called shadow banning, in which specific users are discretely banned from a platform. Most often workers say their images and content are flagged and vaguely labeled as violating community standards or are simply labeled as “inappropriate.” Shelley said shadow banning disproportionately affects sex workers, who feel their content is flagged or banned even when they know they aren’t violating site standards.

These are a few of the hurdles facing the safety and livelihoods of sex workers, which Shelley hopes the Tulsa chapter of SWOP will address here at home. The group’s first event—one of four needed to become an officially recognized chapter—will be the International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers on Dec. 17.

“SWOP wants the chapters to be sex worker-led, but they’re open to all sex workers … but in any community organization or advocacy organization, it takes everyone. Everyone needs a co-conspirator, everyone needs an ally,” Shelley said. “If you think of sex work as a career, there are people that are retired, people that are just starting, people that are still considering. And SWOP is for all of them.” a November 6 – 19, 2019 // THE TULSA VOICE

November 17 Fassler Hall, 21+ Doors 5pm kernandburntulsa.com

STUFF!

design competition

WE’RE GIVING FREE AWAY

Tulsa's live action

N O V E M B E R G I V E A W AY :

SHOP & DINE LOCAL PACKAGE $250 package includes shopping and dining gift cards for Laffa, Sisserou’s, Ida Red and Travers Mahan.

REGISTER BY NOV. 30 AT

thetulsavoice.com

FOR SALE SOON

See Zillow for Details • 2117 Forest Boulevard Located in Forest Hills • Walking Distance to Cascia Hall and Utica Square THE TULSA VOICE // November 6 – 19, 2019

NEWS & COMMENTARY // 13

onstrike

O

n Oct. 30, NBC News Digital staffers announced they were forming a union. Now the network’s digital reporters, editors, designers and video journalists want recognition. Organizing with the NewsGuild of New York, employees of the media conglomerate’s digital news division are fighting for equity, transparency and more. We talked to NBC News Digital video editor and Oklahoma native Tate James about ongoing developments as well as the challenges and rewards of organizing the workplace.

JAMES: I think we are starting to see a lot more of what happens behind-the-scenes lately—which stories get published and which ones get roadblocks thrown at them until they end up wasting away somewhere in a forgotten Google doc. A union provides another level of protection for journalists who challenge the status quo, who might have a strict social media policy and a non-compete clause that prevents them from taking a story somewhere else. When you know you can’t be sidelined for pissing off a rich dude somewhere, you just might be able to do better, more meaningful work.

TTV STAFF: What are your union’s demands?

TTV STAFF: What advice do you have for other journalists who want to form a union?

TATE JAMES: First, we want a seat at the table. A lot of people are talking about NBC News lately, and we want to be able to speak for ourselves rather than waiting on managers or on-screen personalities to do it for us. Of course we want job security and clear severance policies and all the things in a union contract that are quickly becoming industry standard, but we also want a new way to stand up for ourselves, independent of current company systems. Our situation isn’t unique to NBC—the people at the top are going to vouch for each other and HR is going to protect the company, and that leaves us to fight for each other.

TTV STAFF: What does a more equitable news-media industry look like for workers?

JAMES: Most folks don’t get into this business for the money, and a lot of young people end up here after unpaid or severely underpaid internships, and then they have to fight their way up from a really low salary. The PA who is doing all this work and then has to grab a coffee for the big names 14 // NEWS & COMMENTARY

Members of the NBC Digital NewsGuild | COURTESY

POWER IN NUMBERS Unionizing the newsroom at NBC News Digital

by TTV STAFF in the room who might be abusing their power in any number of ways—that PA needs someone to fight for them. Journalists should be holding power to account, in the newsroom and outside of it.

TTV STAFF: Have you been in contact with anyone at the LA Times Guild or other news-media unions? If so, what have you learned from them?

JAMES: There’s a cute little community of union folks on Twitter who like each other’s work and a few Brooklyn happy hours with friendly faces from other NY shops, but it’s hard to be public about organizing. We were incred-

ibly inspired by the work LA Times Guild folks did to expose pay gaps in their newsroom, and every new union campaign that went public set off a flurry of texts and emojis around NBC, but we did our best to keep the circle small before we announced. The massive amount of support we’ve seen over the past few days has really been amazing. Each newsroom that stands up to protect their jobs is making it a little easier for the next.

TTV STAFF: What unique challenges do workers in the digital news-media industry face that the general public might not know about?

JAMES: Map out your workplace!

The thought of unionizing NBC News Digital was totally intimidating until we broke it down into five or six teams with 10 to 50 people on each and started building relationships across those silos. Then it became, ‘Oh, OK. I can talk to these two people this week, and those two next week, and I know there’s someone on the other teams who is doing the same thing. Find a good coffee shop or bar and get people talking about what they like about work and what they don’t. After you compare notes, you’ll realize there are some systemic issues that cross over multiple teams, and there are some teams who are just randomly working 12 hour shifts when everyone else is working eight. If you can start to build a community that’s based on respect and solidarity, you’ve got a union.

TTV STAFF: Thanks for talking to us. Solidarity from Tulsa.

JAMES: Thank you so much!

Someone please go eat at Ri-Le’s for me. a November 6 – 19, 2019 // THE TULSA VOICE

◼ OPEN AT NOON ◼ FREE HURTS DONUTS ◼ CHAMPAGNE MIMOSA BAR ◼ LIVE EVENT BINGO @ 2pm ◼ $4 JAMESON SHOTS ◼ FREE GAME PLAY FOR

SERVICE INDUSTRY FRIENDS

4p – 6p HAPPY HOUR

MON – FRI $2 DOMESTICS & FREE GAME PLAY

FREE GAME PLAY

A Celebration Benefiting The Education Initiatives Of The Woody Guthrie Center.

SUN., NOV. 24, 2019 6:00PM CAIN’S BALLROOM Visit theleftoverlastwaltz.com/tickets for tickets and sponsorship information.

◼ TEAM TRIVIA NIGHT ◼ QUESTIONABLE COMPANY @ 8PM ◼ DJ MOODY @ 9PM ◼ FREE GAME PLAY FOR THE LADIES

11/8 ◼ DJ KYLIE 11/15 ◼ BOO YA FT DJ MOODY 11/9 & 11/16 ◼ DJ AB NEVER A COVER/21 & UP FREE WIFI SKEE BALL & PIN BALL THEMAXRETROPUB

BLUE DOME DISTRICT ◼ 114 S ELGIN

Be Healthy Through the

H LIDAYS HEALTHY HOLIDAY RECIPES

Maple-glazed Carrots – Sweet Potato Pie Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Apples

KID-FRIENDLY ACTIVITIES

Download this Thanksgiving placemat to entertain your kids while you’re cooking and teach them healthy habits.

HEALTHY TIP

Fill your plateHEALTHY with mostlyTIP fruits, veggies Takeand small portions rich with foods and fill up lean protein.ofStick smaller on lighter fare like veggies and lean turkey. portions of treats.

For more FREE resources, visit

THE TULSA VOICE // November 6 – 19, 2019

NEWS & COMMENTARY // 15

downthehatch

American Solera’s new brewery location is now open at 1702 E. 6th St. | GREG BOLLINGER

Brewtown

A guide to 6th Street beer havens

by BLAYKLEE FREED

S

ince Oklahoma’s antiquated liquor laws got a muchneeded facelift in 2018, Tulsa’s craft breweries have been serving up “full-strength” craft beer from the comfort of their own taprooms—a far cry from the illegal speakeasies of the 1920s and watery three-two domestics of the early aughts. Few parts of town have seized the moment quite like 6th Street in the Pearl District, where some of the city’s best and boldest breweries are establishing Tulsa as a first-class beer city. So hitch a Lyft and discover a cluster of crawlable taprooms and breweries unique to Tulsa with our handy guide below.

AMERICAN SOLERA 1702 E. 6th St. Wide open spaces—that’s what you’ll find at American Solera’s new location. Now a 14,000 square foot brewery with abundant seating and trendy decor, it took a lot of work to get the formerly ramshackle building in shape.

“It was rough in here,” founder and brewmaster Chase Healey said. “I mean there were trees growing here. Almost every window was broken out.” Replacing 1,200 individual panels of glass cost almost as much as the building itself, but Healey said it was important to preserve the original look of the building.

16 // FOOD & DRINK

What stands now is a space that flows as freely as the beer, ideal for your next group gathering.

The big move was something like a new start for American Solera. “We kind of had to coast for about six weeks on beer that we had brewed [at the old location],” Healey said. But now the crafty brewers are ramping production back up, and Healey expects new beers to pop up every week, including American Solera’s third anniversary brew.

The Year Three Blend clocks in at 6% ABV and is made with raspberries, cherries and wild yeast—something that is “unique to our area because it’s all the wild yeast that’s in the air,” Healey said.

CABIN BOYS 1717 E. 7th St. A stone’s throw from American Solera—literally, the two share a parking lot—cozy Cabin Boys awaits. The warehouse-turned-brewery is stylish, woodsy and industrial. It’s big enough to hold all your friends without sacrificing snug vibes, and their beer selection includes robust tap-room exclusives as well as classics you’ll recognize.

Origin Stories is one available only at the taproom, and it’s a delectable dark brew to sip and watch the season change from the warmth of the indoors with

notes of dark chocolate and toasted raisin bread. Don’t let the color fool you—this guy is light and crisp, and with a 5.4% ABV, it’s easy to grab a second.

MARSHALL BREWING COMPANY TAPROOM 1742 E. 6th St. Tulsa’s brewery pioneers at Marshall have kept beer lovers sated for more than 10 years. But beyond great beer, the folks at Marshall are all about community.

“Our goal for the tap room has always been to make this a space that anyone can come and enjoy,” taproom manager Kyle Johnson said. “With the law changes last year, we’re now able to be family friendly as well. … This is somewhere that you can [have] family gatherings and birthday parties and just the communal aspect that people can get together and enjoy a beer in our space.”

Johnson has 24 rotating taps ready to pour you a tall glass, and about 11 are available only at the taproom. One exclusive to keep an eye on is the Big Jamoke porter, named after the B-25 airplane flown by brewmaster and founder Eric Marshall’s grandfather in World War II. This deep mahogany brew comes in at 6.8% ABV and has notes of toffee, fresh roasted coffee and bittersweet chocolate.

PEARL BEACH BREW PUB 418 S. Peoria Ave. Pearl Beach is the closest we can get to the coast in Tulsa. With sand volleyball courts, a patio and a fun casual space inside, this oneof-a-kind taproom has something for everybody. If the weather stamps out your outdoor game plans, the abundant natural light inside is ideal for winter drinking, so no need to brave the chilly air until springtime. Ten taps rotate their house brews, and craft beer from other places around town is also available. Try the Kentucky Common, a light-bodied amber beer that comes in at 5% ABV. NOTHING’S LEFT BREWING CO. 1502 E. 6th St. The Nothing’s Left location has lived many lives. Originally a gas station and later a mechanic’s garage, among many other things, Nothing’s Left is a unique space with indoor and outdoor seating.

Try their chocolate and peanut butter stout, Deez Nuts, clocking in at 8% ABV. Brewmaster and owner Travis Richards said it’s basically “liquid Reese’s,” so it’s perfect to curb any lingering Halloween cravings. Deez Nuts was revered at the 2019 Great American Beer Festival in Denver last month among more than 4,000 beers, with Denver Post naming it one of the “10 mustdrink beers” at the festival. a November 6 – 19, 2019 // THE TULSA VOICE

Everyone is Welcome.

Everyone is Creative.

Hardesty Center Tulsa Arts District

Not just an ordinary bar

Open Tues. - Sat. 11am - 7pm 217 E. Archer Historic tulsa Arts District (918) 619-6353

Join us for the tastiest Chicken & Waffles in Tulsa!

21 E M.B. Brady St 918-585-8587

18 East M. B. Brady St. 918-588-2469 cazschowhouse.com

Over fifteen restaurants and bars in the District compete!

Benefiting Emerson Elementary Art Dept.

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit nogofftulsa.com or Facebook.com/nogofftulsa. 21+ only.

THE TULSA VOICE // November 6 – 19, 2019

FOOD & DRINK // 17

TULSA

PR E S E N T E D BY:

BREW MAP A handy guide to Tulsa’s brewing scene

NINE BANDS

PE

ARL

B R E W E RY T O U R S . C O

M

325 E. MATHEW B. BRADY ST. ELGINPARKBREWERY.COM

HEIRLOOM

DEAD ARMADILLO PEARL BEACH

223 N. MAIN ST. PRAIRIEPUB.COM

WELLTOWN

MARSHALL 321 S. FRANKFORT AVE. NEFFBREWING.COM 1502 E. 6TH ST. NOTHINGSLEFTBREW.CO

CABIN BOYS

RENNAISSANCE

BROKEN ARROW EXPRESSWAY

BROKEN ARROW AMERICAN SOLERA

FEATURED BREW PUT ME IN KOLSCH AT ELGIN PARK

This bright, refreshing beer was made for easy drinking— and at 5.2% ABV, you can drink it during the whole game.

18 // FOOD & DRINK

November 6 – 19, 2019 // THE TULSA VOICE

Each of Tulsa’s breweries has a story...

come drink them in!

P e r f e c t f o r c o r p o r at e e v e n t s , w e d d in g s , pa r t ie s a n d m o r e !

Book now to begin your journey with us on Tulsa’s ale trail.

(918) 403-9483 • pearlbrewerytours.com

YO U R HAPPI ES T H O U R AWAITS AT VI NTAG E . $ 6 SA N G R IA

21+ EVENT

✦

$ 6 H O U S E R ED ✦ $ 6 H O U S E W H I T E 3 - 6 PM E V ERY DAY

Best Wine List

324 E. 1ST ST. | 918.764.9255 | WINEBARTULSA.COM THE TULSA VOICE // November 6 – 19, 2019

FOOD & DRINK // 19

TICKETS

ON SALE NOW WOODYGUTHRIECENTER.ORG

THE 2019 WOODY GUTHRIE PRIZE HONORING THE WORK OF

CHUCK D PRIZE CEREMONY • SAT., NOV. 16 • CAIN’S BALLROOM

20 // FEATURED

November 6 – 19, 2019 // THE TULSA VOICE

Woody Guthrie’s working-class archive

BY JEZY J. GRAY

B

MADE FOR YOU AND ME “Untitled” artwork for Bound For Glory by Woody Guthrie, 1942. Courtesy of the Woody Guthrie Center. © Woody Guthrie Publications, Inc. THE TULSA VOICE // November 6 – 19, 2019

efore it was the most conservative state in the country, Oklahoma was a different shade of red. After some 2 million acres of “unassigned lands” were opened to white settlement in 1889, corporate conglomerates became shadow rulers of the young and turbulent territory.

As their power calcified over the following decades, the Socialist Party of Oklahoma rose as a collective response from scores of debt-ridden, small-holding farmers struggling to make dignified lives for themselves on the unforgiving southern plains.

Few figures in Oklahoma history embody the struggle of its working people, and the unique flavor of its radical inheritance, like Woody Guthrie.

The populist folk singer and Communist fellow-traveler from Okemah changed America forever with his songs about the plight of workers and the forces of capital pushing against them: bankers, bosses, cops and landlords.

One landlord Guthrie particularly despised was Fred C. Trump, father of the 45th president of the United States.

Guthrie rented a Brooklyn apartment in the real estate shark’s Beach Haven complex in the summer of 1950. (Guthrie called it “Bitch Haven.”) The wealthy developer built his fortune exploiting subsidies from the Federal Housing Authority and discriminating against black tenants. Guthrie was not a fan.

I suppose Old Man Trump knows Just how much Racial Hate he stirred up In the bloodpot of human hearts When he drawed That color line Here at his Eighteen hundred family project FEATURED // 21

Dr. Will Kaufman, an American studies scholar living in the UK, discovered Guthrie’s writing on the senior Trump in 2014 while doing research in the Woody Guthrie Center archives in Tulsa. When he first unearthed the papers, it didn’t strike him as incredibly meaningful. “It was nothing more than a curiosity to me—you know, ‘Huh, how about that. Woody’s landlord was that loudmouth Apprentice guy’s father,’” Kaufman remembers.

Two years later, as the billionaire game show host and real estate mogul descended on a golden escalator to announce his intention of becoming the most powerful man in the world, the finding would feel much more explosive. “It wasn’t until Donald announced his candidacy, proclaiming ‘My legacy is my father’s legacy,’ that it occurred to me Woody had something to say about that very legacy of race hate and discrimination in the Trump real estate empire.”

The scholar suddenly found himself sitting on a cultural bombshell: Guthrie, folk hero of America’s underclass, heaping scorn on a racist real estate tycoon who would spawn a dynastic empire for his son to inherit before bullying and bloviating his way to become President of the United States. And the story was waiting right here, on aging notebook paper, in a climate-controlled vault in Tulsa.

What else can we learn about the life and times of this American iconoclast and hero of the common man? To find out, we go deeper into Woody Guthrie’s working-class archive.

***

(ABOVE) Woody Guthrie (left) and the Pampa Junior Chamber of Commerce band. Pampa, Texas, 1936.

Courtesy of the Woody Guthrie Center. (CENTER) Sen. Bernie Sanders stops by the Woody Guthrie Center on an impromptu visit during a Tulsa campaign rally in 2016. (BELOW) Woody Guthrie in New York City, 1942. Courtesy of the Woody Guthrie Center. Photograph by Robin Carson.

22 // FEATURED

“You have to understand the way he wrote to know how long it’s going to take you to dig through some of these things,” says Woody Guthrie Center executive director Deana McCloud as she strolls through the museum, empty of the usual crowds on a closed Monday. Instruments and scraps of notebook paper thrum with history under layers of glass as digital screens of interactive lyric sheets blink and beckon. A virtual reality headset rests on the seat of a weathered rocking chair in a model of a Dust Bowl-era homestead porch.

Although Guthrie was only able to be creative for about 14 years before his motor skills deteriorated from Huntington’s Disease, the prolific artist left behind a wealth of printed material. “I mean, just the notebooks alone here,” McCloud says. “We have 130 notebooks that he wrote lyrics and personal observations. You know, it’s a treasure trove.”

But as the technological flourishes suggest, a huge part of the mission here is to bring this vast archive into a new, fast-moving century. “We don’t have a huge physical footprint,” McCloud explains.

“Our building is not a large facility, but we pack a really big punch because we have so many interactives ... things that people can manipulate and become a part of.”

How many physical objects are archived behind the scenes at the Woody Guthrie Center? McCloud says the Center holds more than 10,000 items in its permanent collection, making it the largest repository of Guthrie-related materials on the planet.

If we’re talking individual scraps of paper, the number tops a million.

Even the design of the space is maximized to bring archive materials to life.

Four hundred laser-etched metal plates made from digital scans of Guthrie’s notebooks wrap around the gallery’s main exhibition island, many bearing pro-union messages and depicting historical scenes of worker exploitation. “It’s as close as we can get to exhibiting the actual paper without having to take it out of the vault where it’s nice and safe and happy,” McCloud says.

Of course, some of that original material is on careful display in the gallery space—including Guthrie’s handwritten screed on Fred C. Trump. It’s here that Guthrie’s political legacy lives on scraps of notebook paper, in drawings and lyrics and letters, facing the public or held in the vault, waiting to be discovered.

As McCloud points out, the materials at the Woody Guthrie Center can help us connect the life of the artist to the headlines of today. “The things Woody was writing about in his time are still issues that we struggle with,” she says. “The focus most recently probably, other than the Trump [materials], has been Woody’s writing ‘Deportee,’ and the connection with current events, the way we are treating people and deporting people, separating families.”

While Woody’s sympathies aligned with the pre-WWII Communist Party of the United States, he never belonged as a member despite frequent contributions to their publication, The Daily Worker. “The humorous answer is [the Communists] wouldn’t take him because it involved having to pay dues, and then completing a job,” McCloud says with a laugh. “They expected you to actually take a job and complete it, and he’d wander away. He didn’t sit still for long enough.”

All that wandering gave Guthrie a look at what life was like for people in all corners of the globe, a knowledge contained in the tens of thousands of objects held with great care in the Woody Guthrie Center archives. “He was middle-class himself, but so much of his writings and artwork is filtered through a proletarian awareness and identification with working people the world over,” according to Kaufman.

One collection in particular draws Guthrie’s working-class ethos into sharp

November 6 – 19, 2019 // THE TULSA VOICE

relief. This Is the Hand is a 19-panel series of drawings, depicting with raw urgency the plight of a working man ensnared by the forces of capitalism. “You have the boss who’s just giving this poor guy this small amount of bread, and he’s trying to figure out how to feed his family. And when he asks for more and goes and cusses out the boss, the boss calls the cops. The guy gets arrested. And all he’s trying to do is feed his family and ask for a fair wage,” McCloud says.

The series ends with a blunt call to action: Join the CIO.

*** In six years of existence, the Woody Guthrie Center has established itself as the epicenter of knowledge around the life and times of its populist namesake—and it’s not just scholars and the general public who are stopping by. Presidential candidate and democratic socialist Bernie Sanders was late to a 2016 rally in Tulsa after making an impromptu drop-in at the Center.

“With some of our VIP guests, they’re reserved and respectful … but Bernie was a fan. He was fan-boying,” McCloud says.

“We had some other Dylan stuff and other folk revival artists in the temporary gallery.

He didn’t want to see that. He just wanted to see the Woody stuff. ... It was so much fun to show him things, because he was just soaking it all in.”

For progressive torchbearers like Sen. Sanders, communing with the objects at the Woody Guthrie Center is almost a spiritual experience; for scholars like Kaufman, it has revolutionized their idea of the man altogether. “I almost can’t describe what the Woody Guthrie Center archives unlocked for me—how far its holdings took me beyond whatever I’d thought or known about Woody beforehand,” he said.

“He was such an extensive commentator on the times of his life. He was an obsessive recorder of impressions.”

Those impressions—lyrics, sketches, jokes and journals—amount to a rounder understanding not just of Guthrie, but of the time and place that produced him. As Kaufman’s discovery of Guthrie’s contempt for a scheming Brooklyn landlord shows, this living archive in Tulsa is continuing to show us who we are and where we come from.

“I had a conversation with Pete Seeger about it,” Kaufman remembers. “He asked me if I’d ever heard the phrase, ‘The Other America,’ taken, as we know, from Michael Harrington’s 1962 study of American labor and progressive movements and the possibilities for democratic socialism in America. This is an America that the wider world has rarely seen—and as Pete told me, Woody was actually the voice of that ‘other America.’” a

THE TULSA VOICE // November 6 – 19, 2019

This Is the Hand is a 19-panel series of drawings, depicting with raw urgency the plight of a working man ensnared by the forces of capitalism. © Woody Guthrie Publications, Inc.

FEATURED // 23

INVISIBLE HANDS WORKING WITHOUT PAPERS IN TULSA

BY JESSICA VAZQUEZ PHOTO BY JOSEPH RUSHMORE

24 // FEATURED

November 6 – 19, 2019 // THE TULSA VOICE

FERNANDA TAKES PRIDE IN HER WORK. As she hurries from office to office, floor after floor, she keeps an eye on the clock.

9:27 p.m. She’ll have to work even faster to finish everything she is expected to do before her shift ends. She wonders if her children have gone to bed.

It’s hard work. Fernanda is exhausted by the end of her shift. Her joints ache, but she takes pride in knowing she is helping her children, and helping the office workers by cleaning their space and preparing their workplace for another day of business.

But when one of those office workers walks by and Fernanda smiles to say hello, the beneficiary of her labor looks right past her, as if she wasn’t even there. Most workers in the building do the same.

“They don’t even give you the slightest ‘Hi,’” Fernanda says. “Sometimes you hold a door open for them, and they don’t even acknowledge your existence. And when you do get a small ‘Thank you,’ you walk away as if with your wings all spread out— you feel like you were important in that moment. But most times, you open the door and they walk right on through without the smallest acknowledgement, and it makes you feel invisible.”

Fernanda is one of four maintenance staff members responsible for cleaning an entire office building in Tulsa: conference rooms, bathrooms, hallways, lobby areas, elevators and more. Along with co-workers Veronica, Rosy and Anna, the crew must do it all in under five hours, even as more offices continue to open up inside the building.

“It’s way too much work for such little pay,” Veronica says. She’s the shift lead responsible for ensuring the work gets done every day. “The work requires too much out of people. They can’t take the pressure, and they leave.”

She says they typically have a high turnover rate, but the current team has stuck together for a few months now. The workload is only manageable because the four work in sync. They have a routine, a steady rhythm they follow every day. If just one is missing, it throws the entire performance off.

“I had a C-section and within 20 days I was back at work,” Anna said. “Why? I don’t have health insurance or other benefits, and I need to pay my bills. So there you are, 20 days post-surgery, you fasten up, and you come to work.”

All four have similar stories. They put their health on the line not only to ensure they will have a paycheck to meet their basic needs, but to ensure the entire team is able to complete their work. They’re also undocumented—a fact of life making a difficult job even harder.

And like millions of undocumented immigrants in the country, most days their labor goes unnoticed, unacknowledged, and even purposefully ignored.

THE TULSA VOICE // November 6 – 19, 2019

Although a number of industries like farming, construction and service sectors depend on the labor of undocumented immigrants, these workers are treated as anything but valuable and necessary by the people whose profits they drive. Sometimes, they’re barely afforded basic human dignity by those whose wealth is made possible by their labor.

“We don’t want to complain about the work or about them,” Fernanda said. “We just want them to see all of the effort we put into our work and to recognize that we don’t just do it for our families. We do it for their wellbeing too.”

And while the workers sitting in those offices during the day have big titles and important careers, it’s the maintenance staff that keeps it all going. Without them and their vital work, the endless cycle that is the American workday would grind to a halt.

And so the cycle goes: As one round of workers clocks out after a full day of work to return home to their family, another much smaller contingency leaves their own family to clock-in and prepare the building for another day of work.

They sanitize dozens of bathrooms, discard pounds of trash, vacuum, sweep, mop floor after floor, dust, spray, wipe—all of the vital maintenance needed to ensure the building, and the work happening inside, can keep going.

“At first, I felt humiliated to have to kneel down to scrub a toilet. I was ashamed to tell people that I worked cleaning houses,” said Anna, who left an accounting job in Mexico.

There, she was accustomed to having a maid and childcare. “Even if you have a profession back home, when you don’t have papers, you don’t have the English, you can’t practice that profession.”

Aside from the disproportionate amount of work for low pay, the most difficult thing for these workers is having to leave their family every evening, but they do it for their family.

“Sometimes it’s the heaviest work because it’s in the evening and you have to leave your family, leave your kids, leave everything to come here and work,” Fernanda said. “Sometimes I work really hard to clean their windows so they can see through to a beautiful landscape, then I get home and am so tired I don’t have the energy to look out my window and take in my view.”

Still, workers like these leave their home country and sometimes their families behind, make a dangerous trip to a foreign country, take on labor-intensive jobs where they are overworked, underpaid, and sometimes exploited for their labor, and they do it all to give their children opportunities they could only dream about.

“We do it for our children,” Rosy said.

“More than anything, we do it for our children. Over there, it’s far too difficult to get ahead. So when the opportunity to cross the border presented itself, I said ‘I’ll do it for [my son].’”

This is a common story among the four women. All of them have risked their

lives at one point to ensure a better life for their children.

“During the trip [to the United States], I was already coming to terms with the fact that I would die,” said Veronica, a who walked through the desert with her young son. The group she was traveling with was assaulted during their trip.

Anna was told by a doctor that her heart would not be able to withstand the journey. Rosy was detained by ICE and handcuffed by one hand while holding her five-month-old in the other.

Fernanda and her husband nearly died in the trunk of a car, only to be taken hostage by the couple who was attempting to cross them. Afterwards, they narrowly escaped detention when management at the motel where they were staying called ICE on its own tenants. She says they owe their life to her uncle who rescued them from the harrowing experience.

“Sometimes you start to reflect and you think to yourself, ‘Why did I do that?’”

Fernanda said.

Now, after years of raising their children in this new land, they know that even if they miss their home country, their old friends, and the pachangas, they can’t go back. This is where their children call home.

“My father works within the government and is very well connected. Sometimes I stop and think, ‘Wow, my life would be so different if I lived in Mexico. I could make a living out a career and I wouldn’t have to be scrubbing bathrooms, but I can’t take my children there because they won’t go. This is their home. So that means I have to stay here and scrub bathrooms.”

The increased opportunities the United States provides for their children are well worth their suffering and sacrifice. It’s for their future they work these laborious, unseen jobs diligently even when they know their labor is undervalued.

But the four workers agree that it’s not all bad. They know there are people who support them and value their work, though they may be far and few in between.

“I worked at a taco shop, and policemen would frequent the location,” said Anna. “These policemen would walk back into the kitchen hug the entire cooking staff. They would thank us for the food and make sure we knew they were grateful.”

The four speak fondly about one older gentleman in particular who always greets them at the building and offers them a soda or water, recognizing the work they do is exhausting on the body.

“God is going to bless him because he may just be offering us a soda but it makes you feel so valued,” Fernanda said. “God is going to bless him many times over for that.”

It’s a small gesture, but in a building where no one seems to notice them, the small gesture goes a long way.

“We just want them to count us as part of the process,” Veronica said. “We want to be acknowledged. We want to be valued.” a

UNDOCUMENTED WORKERS LEAVE THEIR HOME COUNTRY AND SOMETIMES THEIR FAMILIES BEHIND, MAKE A DANGEROUS TRIP TO A FOREIGN COUNTRY, TAKE ON LABOR-INTENSIVE JOBS WHERE THEY ARE OVERWORKED, UNDERPAID, AND SOMETIMES EXPLOITED FOR THEIR LABOR— AND THEY DO IT ALL TO GIVE THEIR CHILDREN OPPORTUNITIES THEY COULD ONLY DREAM ABOUT. FEATURED // 25

BUILDING A FUTURE CAREER TECH GIVES STUDENTS A COMPETITIVE EDGE IN THE WORKFORCE

BY FRASER KASTNER PHOTOS BY SEPTEMBER DAWN BOTTOMS

Tulsa Tech students learn the ins and outs of automotive repair at Tulsa Tech.

26 // FEATURED

AS OF WRITING, 44.7 MILLION AMERICANS owe roughly $1.5 trillion in student debt.

A plurality of debtors are under 30 and could be on the hook for decades to come.

Increasingly, student debt is being treated as a crisis on a national level. The student loan delinquency or default rate is 11.4 percent, meaning more than one in 10 people with student loans are more than 90 days delinquent on payments. This problem is greatest for those who take loans to attend school but are unable to finish, a situation more likely to affect students from low-income families.

Our culture’s focus on four-year college as the only reliable path to success is one factor driving the crisis. This narrative is reflected in the statistics: College enrollment increased 28 percent from 2000 to 2016, from roughly 13.2 million students to 16.9 million. Many of these students have graduated only to find their bachelor’s degree doesn’t prepare them to enter the workforce.

While college enrollment skyrocketed, enrollment in technical colleges decreased in the ‘80s and ‘90s, resulting in a dearth of trained professionals affecting the workforce to this day. Historically, trade schools and have been stigmatized by some as a less-glamorous alternative to college. But as the cost of attending a four-year university increases and the certainty of employment dwindles, some are looking to technical school as a more secure alternative, or as a way into a career that could pay for college later in life.

Across the state, tech schools are pivoting away from the term “trade school” in favor of “career tech.” It helps emphasize their mission of preparing people for the workforce with a competitive advantage.

Tulsa is home to the oldest career tech program in Oklahoma. Enrollment at Tulsa Tech is open to anyone inside their district, which covers Tulsa County. They boast an 82 percent completion rate, and 85 percent of graduates either gain employment in their field or continue their education elsewhere.

High school juniors can sign up for career tech at Tulsa Tech. Once they’ve committed to a program, they attend classes one half-day every week for the last two years of high school. Even better, high school students get free tuition.

Tulsa Tech’s Broken Arrow Campus is a sight to behold. One of six Tulsa Tech campuses, it spans 53 acres, featuring more than 360,000 square feet of educational space. That includes classrooms, labs, conference rooms, shops and an auditorium that seats hundreds. It’s also the educational home of nearly 3,500 students, from part-time adult learners to full-time secondary school students.

The high schoolers in Tulsa Tech’s Automotive Service Technician program are every bit as serious about their education as any four-year college student. They comTHE TULSA VOICE // November 6 – 19, 2019

(ABOVE) Laura Tolentino says she feels respected among her career tech cohorts, despite being the only girl in her class. (BELOW) Tulsa Tech is the oldest career tech program in Oklahoma.

mute from neighborhoods all over Tulsa and come from a diverse range of backgrounds.

Earnest Kellum grew up on a ranch and admired his uncle, a mechanic. He aspires to become a Master Mechanic, which requires seven different certifications and three years on the workforce. Eventually he would like to own his own shop.

His favorite thing about Tulsa Tech is the rigor of the coursework. Teachers take students through the anatomy of a car, system by system, over the course of two years. By the end, they know the vehicle inside and out.

“Not only do you put it together, tear it apart and guess at the problem,” Kellum

says. “You understand what exactly is going on so you can diagnose the problem.”

Students are also able to work on a variety of makes and models through the generosity of local dealers. Tulsa Tech partners with a number of local manufacturers and companies, who donate their resources and collaborate with the school to suit their curriculum to industry demands. Bill Knight Ford and Fowler Auto Group recently donated two engines apiece, as part of a statewide effort to boost career tech programs across Oklahoma.

Kellum likes to work on Dodges. His father had a 1996 Dodge Ram 2500 that he stopped driving when diesel got too

expensive. “It sat in the back field of our ranch for about 10 years and I pulled it out,” he says. “It took about six months and I put it all together. Thanks to [Tulsa Tech] teaching me, I knew everything to do.”

Kellum and Caleb Martin are right at home in Tulsa Tech’s automotive program.

Martin knew from a young age that he wanted to work with cars.

“As a small child I always loved cars, pointing out Jeeps on the road, things like that,” Martin says. When it came time for him to think about his future, it was an easy decision to make.

“I was like, ‘Man, I want to get my hands dirty,’” he says. “Be able to fix cars, fix the problem, make it run again.”

Now he’s a year into his training. So far, he’s learned electronics, brakes, steering and suspension. Before he graduates, he will cover automatic and manual transmission, air conditioning and heating, and engine repair. He has aspirations to join the Army as a wheeled vehicle mechanic. After that he hopes to open his own shop.

Other students chose career tech due to circumstances beyond their control.

Laura Tolentino plans to go to college, but her immigration status has forestalled that for now. So she chose career tech.

Tolentino grew up helping her dad with his lawn service company. Quality time with her father often meant hunkering over a machine in need of repair, inspiring her to enroll in automotive studies.

“I came as an immigrant. That would make college really difficult because I would need some other documents to receive that,” she says. Still, Tulsa Tech has provided a way forward for Tolentino.

“Continually going to college would be one of my goals, but if I can’t, at least I got something out of here,” she says. Like Kellum and Martin, Tolentino wants to open her own shop, although she’s more interested in business administration than automotive repair.

Tolentino likes the environment at Tulsa Tech. She says she feels respected, despite being the only girl in her class.

“Not only are they respectful, they are really helpful whenever I need something to be shown,” Tolentino says.

She isn’t the only one to benefit from a highly attentive teaching staff. Kellum says teachers make sure students know their material. “It’s not just, ‘Do this and get by,’” he says. “No, you’re going to actually learn and comprehend everything in there. Because they’re not just gonna let you get away with not knowing.”

Tulsa Tech offers dozens of courses across a wide variety of fields. Whether you’re a high school junior looking to enter the workforce with a competitive advantage, a graduate looking for something to supplement their bachelor’s, an adult wanting a career change or simply a lifelong learner, students like Tolentino, Kellum and Martin are proving that career tech is a viable and valuable alternative to a traditional four-year degree. a FEATURED // 27

artspot

Migrant memories

Dorothea Lange exhibit honors class struggle during the Great Depression

by KIMBERLY BURK

T

he sounds of working-class anthems from Oklahoma’s own Woody Guthrie fi ll the gallery at Gilcrease Museum showcasing classic American photographs depicting hardships of the depression era.

Dorothea Lange’s America, a traveling exhibition at the Gilcrease Museum on display through Jan. 5, is very much an Oklahoma story. But it’s also a universal story, and in many ways timeless.

Lange did much of her work in California, where she captured as a Farm Security Administration photographer such iconic images as “Migrant Mother” and “White Angel Breadline.”

But Florence Owens Thompson, who decades later would reveal herself to be that anonymous weather-beaten “Migrant Mother” in the pea-pickers camp, was born near Tahlequah. And some 60,000 of her fellow Oklahomans would make their way west in an often futile attempt to escape the twin scourges of the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression.

Mark Dolph, the museum’s curator of history, said Lange’s work was “propaganda in the best sense of the word, based only on fact. It shows the conditions people were living in.”

The Resettlement Administration and Farm Security Administration were created by President Franklin Roosevelt to resettle destitute farmers in more productive areas, provide them with low-interest loans and implement soil conservation programs on the unproductive lands. To justify to Congress the need for the funds, photographers such as Lange were hired to document the plight of sharecroppers, migrant workers and other displaced families.

“So many of our Oklahoma farmers were sharecroppers or tenant farmers,” Dolph said. “One

28 // ARTS & CULTURE

Dorothea Lange’s America, a traveling exhibition at the Gilcrease Museum, will be on display through Jan. 5.

COURTESY

farmer might have 10 sharecroppers farming on his land. Prices are dropping, and they are having to give more and more of their crop to satisfy their tenancy. The farmer could hire one man with a tractor and push them off the land. Most people who owned their land managed to stay.”

Elizabeth Harrington of Broken Arrow checked out the exhibit in October with her friend, Lura Lynn Kelley, who was visiting from Rochester, New York. As they studied the images created by Lange and other Depression-era photographers, Harrington reminisced about her rural Kansas ancestors and how they survived the 1930s. Kelley shared stories about her mother, Lura Mae Houck Carstens, born in Stillwater in 1923. Both women said their families somehow managed to help others during those desperate years.

Kelley, a retired teacher, said she was moved as she looked at the photos “by the resilience of the people, and their determination to survive. And it’s hard not

to make connections with the current situation, with folks trying to escape Central America for a better life with their families.”

The exhibit illustrates “just how devastating the Great Depression was,” Dolph said, particularly for people living in Oklahoma.

“While every state was impacted, I would argue that Oklahoma suffered more because our economy was so dependent on agriculture, which had already gone into its own depression 10 years earlier,” he said.

Dolph was teaching college classes 11 years ago when the nation went into the Great Recession, and he remembers people comparing it to the Great Depression. “It was nothing like it,” he said. “There was a 24.9 percent unemployment rate when Roosevelt took office, and no social safety net.”

Sarah Mitchell, exhibits coordinator at the Autry Museum of the American West in Los Angeles, happened to be visiting the Gilcrease in October, unaware of the

Dorothea Lange exhibit before she arrived. “Every photo tells a story that’s been framed or cropped in a particular way to elicit emotion from the viewer,” Mitchell said.

“We’re inspired by Dorothea’s exhibit,” said her mother, Patti Mitchell, an art teacher from Fort Worth. “The photos capture the endurance of the people. The images are so real and so raw.”

Dolph said he added to the exhibit “to make it as Oklahoma-centric as I could,” hence the Woody Guthrie songs. In Oklahomans and the Great Depression, Dolph took advantage of free Library of Congress images of photos shot in Oklahoma by Lange, Russell Lee and Arthur Rothstein, created prints and hung them unframed from a string with clothespins as they would be in a darkroom.

“There are very few shoes in these photos,” Dolph said of the often-barefoot subjects in some of the exhibit’s most heartbreaking pieces.

The photographs in the traveling show are all vintage prints, not digital reproductions, Dolph said, drawn from the private collection of Michael Mattis and Judith Hochberg. The Gilcrease version of the show also features all six of the images Lange shot of Thompson and her children during the few minutes she spent in the peapicker camp on her way home after a month’s worth of field work.

“Lange’s final exposure that cold March day brought everything into focus,” Dolph wrote for the wall text. “She understood that it was the mother who communicated the essential truth that she wanted to convey. ‘Migrant Mother’ will become the defining example of her documentary style, and an image that has since become a timeless symbol of resilience, strength and dignity in the face of crushing adversity.” a November 6 – 19, 2019 // THE TULSA VOICE

Michelle Honaker

T r av i s F i t e

LOVE, LOSS AND WHAT I WORE

World Stage Theatre Company November 7-17 DRAGONS LOVE TACOS

Tulsa PAC Trust November 8

HARLEM QUARTET

Chamber Music Tulsa November 10 ROBERT EDSEL

Tulsa Town Hall November 15

LEGALLY BLONDE

NANYEHI

Theatre Tulsa November 15-17

the story of nancy ward

MOZART PIANO CONCERTO

a musical by becky hobbs and nick sweet

Tulsa Symphony November 16

KEVIN O’LEARY

Response November 21

NOVEMBER 15 & 16 • 7:30 PM

TULSAPAC.COM

TICKETS: 918.384.ROCK

/

918.596.7111 ALL EVENTS/DATES SUBJECT TO CHANGE.

FIRST

TULSA ARTIST FELLOWSHIP

FRIDAY FIRST FRIDAY HOURS /// 6-9PM

ARCHER STUDIOS

109 N. MLK, JR. BLVD. E.

CAMERON STUDIOS 303 N. MAIN ST.

Join us at both our Archer and Cameron Studio locations for open studios, group exhibitions, pop up performances and more.

Free and open to all.

THE TULSA VOICE // November 6 – 19, 2019

@TulsaArtistFellowship #TulsaArtistFellowship

ARTS & CULTURE // 29

bookworm

Family ties

‘Oklahoma’s Atticus’ is a tale of two Tulsas

by JEZY J. GRAY

T

hree days before Easter, 1953, the body of 11-yearold Phyllis Jean Warren was found strangled in a brush pile in the slums of what is now North Tulsa. A 21-year-old Cherokee Indian named Buster Youngwolfe, Warren’s neighbor in the decimated coal town of Dawson, was accused of the killing. After five days of incarceration—with little food and no sleep—he confessed.

Youngwolfe recanted his confession within the day, saying he had been coerced by the sheriff and district attorney offices. No one believed the poor Native kid from Dawson—except Elliot Howe, his public defender. The Tulsa lawyer and member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation saw something of himself in Youngwolfe, who was quickly becoming a household name as national media outlets swarmed the story. Howe’s gut told him his client was telling the truth, and he eventually proved him innocent in a court of law.

Now Howe’s grandson, Hunter Cates, tells the story of two Tulsas rocked by the case in his new book, Oklahoma’s Atticus: An Innocent Man and the Lawyer Who Fought for Him. The author will discuss his debut on Nov. 7 at Magic City Books. I talked to Cates about his grandfather, the legendary case, and life in midcentury Tulsa.

JEZY J. GRAY: I first read your essay about this case, “Youngwolfe Accused,” in This Land in 2013.

How did you write your way from there to this book?

HUNTER CATES: I wrote it based on the magazine articles. [The case] had been covered in Red30 // ARTS & CULTURE

Tulsa author Hunter Cates will discuss his debut book Oklahoma’s Atticus: An Innocent Man and the Lawyer Who Fought for Him on Nov. 7 at Magic City Books. | COURTESY

book, Newsweek and some true crime detective stories. But I suspected that there was a lot more to it, so I went to the library and looked through old-style microfi lm and discovered it was covered several times a day, every day, for three months. I saw how deep the story went.

So I had written the “Youngwolfe Accused” article, and then a former teacher of mine, Joli Jensen—formerly at the University of Tulsa—read it and said, ‘You should turn this into a book.’

That wasn’t an intention of mine, at least in the near term, so she offered to help me with it and coach the book along. And she actually met with an agent independently, mentioned the book, and the agent said it sounded interesting. And that’s how I got in contact with Bison Press [an

imprint of University of Nebraska Press]. So, if not for a teacher, yeah. It was very fortuitous. A lot of happenstance came into that, and all thanks to Professor Jensen.

GRAY: Take us to Dawson, Buster Youngwolfe’s hometown. What kind of place was it, and who lived there?

CATES: It was essentially North Tulsa—north Yale. There had been a lot of coal. Tulsa was the oil capital of the world. It was likewise the coal capital, in many ways. The Dawson area had a couple of coal companies, but then they left in the late ‘40s and early ‘50s and left a lot of poverty in their wake. And not just poverty. There had been destruction to the land. They dug strip mines, [which] actually gathered

water to the point they were practically streams.

For the people who remained, there were no jobs and they were living in tar paper shacks, which were about two or three rooms, maybe 500 square feet with ceilings so low you would actually bump your head on them. Dirt floors. And it would be several generations to a home. I would equate it to medieval serfdom, where you have multiple people all occupying the same space.

Work was scarce, and that was one of Buster’s problems.

He couldn’t fi nd a job. He was an itinerant roofer and he lived with his wife, his infant son, his mother and his mother’s husband. … It was an altogether unpleasant place to live. And the impression I get from reading the coverage is that a lot of people didn’t know about this. Troy Gordon did a front-page Tulsa World story on this area, and the tone was almost like, ‘My God. This is below Dickensian. This is unimaginable that people are living in these conditions.’

GRAY: Why do you think your grandpa believed Buster when he said he didn’t kill Phyllis Jean Warren?

CATES: One of the reasons why he opened up to my grandfather and gave him the whole story is because my grandfather was a quarter Creek Indian. So they had that connection … Buster Youngwolfe realized that he had no alternative at this point, so he wound up trusting my grandfather. And like I said, no one believed him except my grandfather. It was because, perhaps, they had that connection sharing the Native American experience in Oklahoma at that point in time.

November 6 – 19, 2019 // THE TULSA VOICE

It was primarily a gut feeling. But truthfully it was kind of scary when I read over all the stuff that the authorities did and did not do. It was pretty blatant that Buster was railroaded. It’s just people were so convinced he did it, they didn’t see the forest for the trees—or perhaps more nefariously, more sinisterly, they actually manipulated the situation to look like he did do it. So I play devil’s advocate in the book and consider both options. Either A.) They thought Buster did it, and they were willing to do what they needed to do just to connect the dots. Or B.) They were connecting the dots themselves and framing him.

GRAY: Was this a story you grew up with in your family?

CATES: Yeah. This story is what I would call a triumph of the oral tradition, which of course for centuries was the only way stories were passed down until we started writing them down. … It was something I was aware of. It was said tongue-in-cheek. I think I’d watched or read To Kill a Mockingbird and my mother said, ‘You know, your grandfather had a similar situation to that,’ and then explained it. Then I read the Redbook article which went into detail, and I talked to my grandfather about it a little bit.

But he was always the silent type.

He was never the type to go into great detail. He just jokingly said, ‘Oh, yeah, they made a movie about that.’

It occurred to me eventually, after he died: Oral tradition can only go for so long, and it’s only so reliable. So I wanted to record it, which is what inspired the This Land article. I was at David Graham’s talk the other day at the presidential lecture series at TU, and that was something that kept on coming up over and over again. This was forgotten.

And likewise, the Tulsa Race Massacre, in many ways has been at risk of being forgotten.

And so that was what inspired this in many ways. To make sure this aspect of Tulsa history, and family history, was not was not lost forever.

GRAY: What does Buster’s case say about the kind of place Tulsa was THE TULSA VOICE // November 6 – 19, 2019

at midcentury, and how does it inform who we are today?

CATES: I would expand it beyond Tulsa, because I think it’s important to consider this isn’t strictly a Tulsa thing. I would say it is, in many cases, an American thing.

It seems like every city in the nation has a ‘have-nots’ section and a ‘haves’ section. Every city as a tale of two cities, and that was certainly the case for Tulsa in the 1950s. It was called “America’s most beautiful city” by Reader’s Digest in the 1950s. But then if you just go north of Admiral, all of a sudden you’re confronting unbelievable poverty. … It was almost as if there was a part of the city that did not get to enjoy the same privileges as everyone else, even down to the application of the law.

GRAY: Obviously this something we’re still living with. I’m thinking of Corey Atchison, who was found innocent and released after spending 28 years in jail on murder charges.

CATES: You hear more and more about that all the time. As there are advances in forensic technology, people are going free—which is equally disturbing. You think of how many people were put to death who might have been innocent. That’s very troubling. … I encourage readers to check out the Innocence Project, which is an organization focused on using the latest advances in forensics to help people [who have been] wrongly imprisoned.

I’m not at a point where I can say definitively [Oklahoma’s Atticus] is a heroes vs. villains kind of story. I do think a lot of that was in play, and a lot of that is in play. It’s also the pressure law enforcement is under this in this situation, certainly. [Phyllis Jean Warren] had been missing for a month. … They were covered on a daily basis by the news and they cut corners, and people got hurt as a consequence. I don’t have a definitive answer about how to fix this. But I do want to point out that it’s wrong. I wanted to shine a light on someone who did the right thing, despite the pressure to do the wrong thing. Because everyone else under pressure did the wrong thing. a

IT’S TIME TO DRAW THE LINE. Big Tobacco puts profits over people — and it’s hurting Oklahoma. In our state: - $2 billion is spent on tobacco-related health care costs every year - 1,800 kids become new daily smokers each year - 1 in 6 kids use e-cigarettes

THAT’S By implementing common-sense tobacco policies, we can save Oklahoma from the clutches of Big Tobacco.

Learn how to fight back at

ARTS & CULTURE // 31

artspot

F

rom one angle, a rolling prairie of green and gold grass reaches for rust-colored hills on the horizon. A few steps later, it becomes a winding river snaking across the red clay floor—or maybe what you took for a river is actually a road.

There’s no wrong answer here.

“Bound (i.5),” the huge installation at the center of artist Tali Weinberg’s new show Beyond Measure, on display through Nov. 23 at the Tulsa Artist Fellow’s Lewis Project Space, welcomes a variety of interpretations. “I like that everyone sees something different in it,” Weinberg said.

The sculpture, displayed on a 6-by-10 foot platform, is made up of 300 individual lengths of petrochemical-derived medical tubing, each of which is wrapped with organic thread to express the changes in annual average temperature for different places on the planet. Other pieces in the show, which Weinberg calls “woven datascapes,” similarly translate climate change data into abstract tapestries that both invite and resist meaning.

Connecting scientific data sets and woven tapestries was natural for Weinberg. As the daughter of a mathematician, part of what drew her to weaving was its mathematical elements. “It’s an interesting set of puzzles,” she said. “Plus, it connected to the advocacy work I was doing at the time.”

After graduating from New York University with a degree in Peace Studies and International Development, Weinberg worked for grassroots human rights organizations, where she met women from some of the most marginalized populations in the world.

“I was interested in the history of labor, both in the exploitation of labor and resistance to that exploitation, and I found that weaving is at the center of a lot of those narratives, particularly in women-led resistance narratives.”

When she began working with climate change data five years ago, the work felt important, but not exactly personal. “I was thinking about the California drought 32 // ARTS & CULTURE

Tali Weinberg’s new show Beyond Measure is on display through Nov. 23 at the Tulsa Artist Fellow’s Lewis Project Space. | DESTINY JADE GREEN

BOUND TOGETHER Tali Weinberg’s tapestry of climate change

by M. MOLLY BACKES in terms of social justice, how it impacted women and families in marginalized communities outside my comfortable neighborhood in Berkeley.” But she quickly discovered there was something about the physical process of weaving the data, of throwing the shuttle back and forth, building up the data line by line, that made it feel much more personal to her.

As she researched the history and mythology around weaving, Weinberg repeatedly encountered stories in which women used weaving as a form of resistance, subversion and communica-

tion. Some of the oldest stories include Penelope in The Odyssey, who weaves a tapestry by day and unweaves it at night in order to resist the men attempting to claim her, or Philomela in The Metamorphoses, who sends her sister a tapestry which tells the story of how she was raped and rendered unable to speak.

In both examples, the weaving functions both as a means of communication, but also as a form of conveying emotion.

“Penelope’s weaving and unweaving isn’t just record keeping; it’s also a form of grieving,” Wein-

berg said. “That’s what weaving is to me. It’s relational. It’s a kind of knowledge that, in having all these intimate connotations, is gendered female.”

The idea of weaving as a form of resistance became painfully relevant after the 2016 election, when it was clear the Trump administration planned to disappear the very climate data Weinberg had been working with for years. “All of a sudden I was aware that the data was vulnerable, that the knowledge itself was something the people in power wanted to erase, and the idea of weaving as a kind of subversive feminist archive became very real to me.”

At the beginning of 2017, when many of the scientists and activists she knew were frantically archiving data sets before they could be deleted by the administration, Weinberg decided to do her part by copying the NOAA database she’d been working with. As she sifted through it, she thought about how the information itself was a kind of narrative. “Even though we tend to think of it as being completely objective, every data visualization represents a set of formal decisions that somebody’s made in order to tell a story.”

Compared to other art forms, textiles are vulnerable and difficult to preserve, as fragile and susceptible to the elements as the human body itself. “I think about that kind of intimacy as I work,” Weinberg said. “It feels like a way that big issues of injustice can be experienced in this very close, very intimate way. I’m trying to weave formal scientific record keeping with lived experience.”

Though her artwork begins with data sets, Weinberg stresses that it is not a direct representation of that data. “There’s always somebody who wants to be able to read the chart,” she said. “But these aren’t data visualizations, even though they’re made up of data. For me, it’s more about a feeling of what we’re experiencing and what we’re losing. It’s about love.” a November 6 – 19, 2019 // THE TULSA VOICE

SCREENING: CURRENCY

BY CRYSTAL Z CAMPB ELL

UNA CASITA B Y ST E FA *

MY SOUL REMAINER

BY L A U RA O RT MA N

EMPTY METAL DI R E CT E D BY

CINE

A DA M K H A LI L & BA Y L EY S W EI T ZER

TELECHY

NOV 8 7PM FREE / ALL AGES ADMIRAL TWIN DRIVE-IN

CURATED BY ATOMIC CULTURE AND BLACKHORSE LOWE

ART SALE FIRST FRIDAY ART CRAWL FRIDAY, DEC. 6 // 6-9PM ARCHER STUDIOS 109 N. MLK, JR. BLVD. E.

BEYOND MEASURE | Tali Weinberg On view through Saturday, Nov. 23, 2019 Tulsa Artist Fellowship, Lewis Project Space, 20 S. Lewis Climate Crisis Reading Room + Gallery Hours // Wed.-Sat.; Noon-6pm PANEL TALK: Language & Creative Practice for Climate Crisis // Wed., Nov. 6; 6PM-7:30PM Organized by Tali Weinberg, featuring Ahimsa Timoteo Bodhran, Joy Harjo, Christa Romanosky, Kathryn Savage & Moheb Soliman Free and open to all.

THE TULSA VOICE // November 6 – 19, 2019

ARTS & CULTURE // 33

footwork

Get your kicks

Venita Cooper brings America’s sneaker subculture to Black Wall Street

by NEHEMIAH FRANK for The Black Wall Street Times

K

icks, creps, Scooby Doos, feet whips, and sneakers are just a few by-names for the rubbery and comfy fashion statements protecting humankind’s feet from the elements.

Sneakers have been famously respected within AfricanAmerican culture since four-time Olympic Gold medalist Jessie Owens blazed the tracks at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin with his famous Adidas kicks, making the brand the go-to for athletic shoes in western culture.

Adidas founder Adi Dassler was progressive and forward-thinking beyond his years allowing a black person to represent his brand, despite the pushback he received from the Nazi German government.

Hence, it could be said that the sneaker was one of many intersections which ignited the counter-cultural and global resistance movement against white supremacist ideologies. It dismissed false ideas about racialized superiority and brought people together despite their racial identity.

The Michael Jordan era of the ‘80s ushered in a new type of love and purpose in sneaker-wearing. The shoe became more than athletic gear, shifting to a symbol of fashionable cultural apparel. More than just a basketball shoe, Air Jordans, created by Nike, would grow in popularity to represent an ideal—the goal of reaching for excellence and achieving success in the U.S. To have a pair of Jordans is equivalent to attaining a piece of the American dream.

Venita Cooper, a young Tulsa entrepreneur, embodies the American dream. Specifically, she personifies the black American dream for people of color. In October, Cooper became the first 34 // ARTS & CULTURE

Tulsa entrepreneur Venita Cooper recently opened Silhouette Sneakers & Art, a boutique dedicated to bringing limited and authentic sneakers and streetwear to Black Wall Street. | CHRISTOPHER CREESE

business owner to open a sneaker store on America’s original Black Wall Street since the Greenwood district’s heyday of black economic prosperity.

Silhouette Sneakers & Art is a highly-curated retail experience bringing limited and authentic sneakers and streetwear to Tulsa’s Black Wall Street. Its boutique will be coupled with an art gallery, showcasing a rotating selection of street-inspired art. Silhouette Sneakers & Art, located at 10 N. Greenwood Ave., welcomes every sneakerhead, streetwear lover and arts enthusiast into a single shared space.

Cooper is defi nitely in the right field. The sneaker business is a multi billion-dollar industry with a subcultural market value between $600 million to $1 billion, according to a GQ magazine article titled, “How a Single Pair of Sneakers Explains the Booming Billion-Dollar Sneaker Resale Industry.” Cooper said her business will also include sneaker resale.

Silhouette Sneakers & Art brought multiple sneaker-culture experts to Tulsa in September for an exclusive event and panel discussion for people who are seemingly married to their footwear. The event included sneakers and art from local artists Alexander Tamahn, Rebekah Campbell McIlwain and No Parking Studios.

Tausha Sanders, founder of SneakHer Summit, the women’s division of Sneaker Summit, sat on Saturday night’s panel at the trendy and eclectic Foolish Things Coffee Company in downtown Tulsa. “My mom always had me in the flyest kicks. You know I had to be fly for the first day of school and fly for picture day. I’ve just continued that love,” Sanders said. “I love sneakers. I’ll wear them every day, all day. I can enjoy a heel every now and then, but I feel like sneakers bring people together. I can talk about sneakers all day and with whomever.”

Brandon Oldham, a Tulsa socialite and sneaker lover who also sat on Saturday’s panel, said, “Our community is made of a

multitude of subcultures that, together, enrich our city. Events like these create space for community members to connect while showcasing our city through the lens of sneakers and art.”

Ian Williams, founder and CEO of Deadstock Coffee in Portland, Oregon—a coffee and sneaker themed shop that even boasts its own LeBron Jamesinspired beverage—was also in attendence. “It was so dope to see the city come together and support something new. Retail is so difficult, so I feel great knowing that people are very aware of [Silhouette Sneakers & Art],” Williams said. “It was seriously an honor to be there. I am excited to see what Venita has for y’all …

“Sneakers are a big part of my life,” Williams continued. “Sneakers made it possible for me to come experience beautiful Tulsa.

Sneakers have taken me around the world and opened doors to places I never thought I’d go.”

At the end of the night, Cooper was optimistic about what was accomplished. “The event was a starting point for an ongoing conversation about how we elevate sneaker and street culture here in Tulsa,” she said. “These successful entrepreneurs came to our city to engage with us because they believe in the potential of our people. Hopefully, everyone left with a clearer vision for that potential, particularly regarding how we can foster community and lift each other up.” a

Nehemiah D. Frank is the founder and executive editor of The Black Wall Street Times, where a version of this article originally appeared.

For more information, visit theblackwallsttimes.com.

November 6 – 19, 2019 // THE TULSA VOICE

Visit Dog Dish soon for the best selection of holiday gifts for you & your pets…

1778 UTIC A SQUARE • 918- 624-2600 OPEN MON.-SAT., 10 - 6

SANTA PHOTOS !

Mark your calendar now for

SUNDAY, DEC. 8 for pet photos with Santa!

11AM-1PM

THE TULSA VOICE // November 6 – 19, 2019

Saturday, Nov. 30 is

SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY! Visit us at Dog Dish and all the other small businesses located conveniently in Utica Square.

ARTS & CULTURE // 35

CLIFFDIVER: EP RELEASE The Vanguard, Nov. 16, 7 p.m., $10 facebook.com After releasing their four song EP Small Hours last year and two singles “Cameron Diaz” and “Are You Still Seeing Graig, the Orthodontist?” last month, Cliffdiver is finally ready to release their EP At Your Own Risk. The band is supported by locals Rose Gold, The Classless, Ben Quad, and Hazelwave. Cliffdiver has a hugely dedicated fanbase in Tulsa which makes their shows energetic and electric. You won’t want to miss this show.

PHOTOGRAPHY

GAME SHOW

To open the exhibit Dorothea Lange’s America, Gilcrease hosts a private viewing followed by a four-course meal and wine pairings. Nov. 7, $120, gilcrease.org

The Starlite Game Show is a monthly event where attendees can earn “lackluster prizes” for naming celebrities, doing their best accent, guessing secret words and more. Show up early: last month was almost over capacity! Nov. 8, 9 p.m., facebook.com

MUSIC

MUSIC AND CHILI

Gotsteeze.net presents a Tulsa Hip-Hop Showcase.

For only $5 you can see acts like Shels KO, Druce Wayne, Yung Trunkz, DJ Noname and more.

Rabbit Hole, Nov. 10, facebook.com

The 6th Annual Rock ‘N Folk ‘N Chili Cookoff will deliver more than 10 musical acts and even more chili to Cain’s Ballroom on Nov. 9. You can also expect gluten free and vegetarian chili. $20, facebook.com

MUSIC

AWKWARD

Local performer Tizzi will take the stage with Queens, NY’s STEFA* . STEFA* amalgamates choral minimalism, punk and experimental pop, to better understand their multi-dimensional identities. Tulsa Artist Fellowship Archer Studios, Nov. 9, facebook.com

Tulsa’s bravest will tell stories during Dear Diary Adults Reading their Cringeworthy Teenage Diaries. If you have some cringey stories you want to share, message Story Club Tulsa on Facebook.

Nov. 9, IDL Ballroom. $17, facebook.com

FULL EVENTS CALENDAR: THETULSAVOICE.COM/CALENDAR 36 // ARTS & CULTURE

November 6 – 19, 2019 // THE TULSA VOICE

EVENTS

Make Your Own Terrarium // 11/17, 1 p.m., Cabin Boys Brewery

Language & Creative Practice for Climate Crisis // 11/6, 6 p.m., TAF Lewis Project Space

Kern & Burn: Tulsa’s Live Action Design Competition // Creatives of all types must design their way through three rounds of audience banter and fierce judgement, using the assets provided to them or created on-site., 11/17, 5 p.m., Fassler Hall

Before I Die: A Global Art Project // Experience this interactive art display provided by Clarehouse and participate in a conversation about what it means to live and die well., 11/6, 9 a.m., Martin Regional Library MCB Introduces: Debut Author Hunter Howe Cates // 11/7, 7 p.m., Magic City Books First Thursday Art Opening & Exhibit // The show titled “Defending Abortion Access is an Act of Love” is presented in part by Oklahoma Call for Reproductive Justice., 11/7, 6 p.m., Dennis R. Neill Equality Center Friday Gallery Series This four-concert series offers the experience of chamber music in an intimate setting. // 11/8, 8 p.m., ahha Book Launch // 11/8, 6:30 p.m., Magic City Books Curator Tour: Shadow of Time // 11/9, 2 p.m., Philbrook

TASTE Vintage Wine Bar, Nov. 6, 5:30 p.m., $25 facebook.com

Emcee Ashley Sutton of Thirst Wine Merchants will guide guests through a tasting of four wines, curated by Vintage Wine Bar, as a runway fashion show moves through the bar. Carley Johnson, owner of downtown Tulsa boutique MODERN MESS, will style head-totoe looks inspired by the composition of each wine varietal. Wine and fashion lovers, buy your tickets now!

TYPROS Voter Engagement Subcrew at Mother Road Market // 11/9, 11 a.m., Mother Road Market Comic Writing Q&A with Natasha Alterici // 11/9, 1 p.m., Whitty Books Artist Talk: Anila Agha // 11/10, 2 p.m., Philbrook Thelma’s Drag Brunch // 11/10, 1 p.m., The ReVue Wampum Belt Workshop // Learn the history of Indigenous peacekeeping by creating a wampum belt together. 11/10, 1 p.m., Gilcrease Talk Show Inc. with Landry Miller // 11/10, 8 p.m., The Starlite Rock Talk // Ben Folds comes to discuss his book with Taylor Hanson and Mary Beth Babcock. 11/10, 7 p.m., Will Rogers High School OKEQ at Tulsa Veterans Day Parade // 11/11, 11 a.m., 1109 E 6th St Fantasy/Scifi Book Club: Every Heart a Doorway // 11/11, 7:30 p.m., Whitty Books

“SONIC VIBES”

Chiefy presents: Rhyme & Reason, a night of “sonic vibes that never die” on Nov. 7 at Blackbird on Pearl with performances by Hippie Tree, The Neighbors, Joe, YSK and more. facebook.com

TRIBAL CELEBRATION

The Oklahoma Tribal Celebration is one of the region’s largest Native American Festivals. It will feature music from The Levi Platero Band, art, dance, fashion, food and more. Gathering Place, Nov. 9, gatheringplace.org FILM

Join Circle Cinema for their quarterly series showcasing Native American and Indigenous experience through film. They will host the Oklahoma premiere of Blackhorse Lowe’s new dramatic feature FUKRY. Nov. 7, $10, circlecinema.org FILM

The second installment of CINETELECHY observes

a distinct type of filmmaker, their motivation to re-examine and re-imagine narratives. Admiral Twin Drive-In, Nov. 8., facebook.com

THE TULSA VOICE // November 6 – 19, 2019

5th Annual Harry Potter Day // 11/17, 4 p.m., Inner Circle Vodka Bar

PERFORMING ARTS Brown Bag It: Cherokee National Youth Choir // 11/6, 12 p.m., TULSA PAC - Westby Pavilion Love, Loss, and What I Wore // This play by Nora and Delia Ephron, based on the bestselling book by Ilene Beckerman, consists of monologues and ensemble pieces about women, clothes and memory., 11/7-11/17, 8 p.m., TULSA PAC - Liddy Doenges Theatre The Deaths of Sybil Bolton // 11/8 -11/10, 7:30 p.m., Dennis R. Neill Equality Center Harlem Quartet // 11/8, 7 p.m., Duet Jazz Dragons Love Tacos and Other Stories // 11/8, 7 p.m., TULSA PAC - John H. Williams Theatre Harlem Quartet // 11/9, 7 p.m., TULSA PAC Westby Pavilion Annie Moses Band // 11/10, 8 p.m., Broken Arrow Performing Arts Center Harlem Quartet // 11/10, 7 p.m., TULSA PAC John H. Williams Theatre Legally Blonde // 11/15-11/17, 7:30 p.m., TULSA PAC - John H. Williams Theatre Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 24 in C Minor // 11/16, 7:30 p.m., TULSA PAC - Chapman Music Hall

COMEDY Greg Morton // 11/6 -11/9, 8 p.m., Loony Bin Comedy Club Open Improv Jam // 11/6, 8 p.m., Rabbit Hole

Free Salsa Basics Class // 11/12, 7:30 p.m., Dennis R. Neill Equality Center

VFW Comedy Night // 11/6, 7:30 p.m., VFW Centennial Lounge

Free Bachata Basics Class // 11/12, 8 p.m., Dennis R. Neill Equality Center

85 South Comedy Show // 11/7, 7:05 p.m., BOK Center

Lucy Furr’s House of Havoc // Lucy Furr brings a brand new variety burlesque show to Tulsa. 11/12, 7:30 p.m., The Fur Shop

Insult Attack // 11/7, 8 p.m., Renaissance Brewing Co.

Photoshop Lab: Paint Like Basquiat // Cover the basics of Adobe Photoshop and create Basquiatstyle paintings. Registration is required., 11/12, 6:30 p.m., Central Library - Digital Literacy Lab Pumpkin Spice Painting // Learn to paint a fall themed painting., 11/13, 6:30 p.m., Mother Road Market Think & Drink: Electrons, Nanotechnology, and Early Earth // 11/14, 6:30 p.m., Heirloom Rustic Ale Sip and Create Candle Making Class // 11/14, 6:30 p.m., New Era Fine Fermentations The History of the Osage // 11/14, 12 p.m., TAF Archer Studios Osage Arts & History Workshops // These workshops with Tulsa Artist Fellow Anita Fields will provide introduction to Osage traditional textile techniques, 11/14-15, 9 a.m., Philbrook Downtown Curator Tour: Horsin’ Around // 11/15, 7 p.m., Philbrook Recall/Respond Opening Reception // 11/15, 5:30 p.m., Gilcrease Christmas Local Art Market // 11/15 -11/16, 2 p.m., Inner Circle Vodka Bar Native Americain Heritige Celebration // Celebrate with an art market, food and story telling., 11/16, 10 a.m., Mother Road Market Real Talk 6: National Day of Mourning: Thanksgiving as Native Genocide Day // 11/16, 2 p.m., Woody Guthrie Center

Whose Line Rip Off Show // 11/8, 8 p.m., Rabbit Hole Comedy Showcase // 11/9, 8:30 p.m., 473 Midnight Joker Comedy Club: Preacher Lawson // 11/12 -11/13, 8 p.m., Hard Rock Hotel and Casino - Multi-Purpose Room Gabriel Rutledge // 11/13, 7 p.m., Loony Bin Comedy Club OK, So Story Slam - Theme: Cooked // 11/14, 8 p.m., IDL Ballroom Whose Line Rip Off Show // 11/15, 8 p.m., Rabbit Hole Comedy Jim Gaffigan // 11/16, 8 p.m., Paradise Cove Tulsa Night Live // 11/16, 8 p.m., Rabbit Hole Comedy The Copenhagen Bandit // 11/17, 7 p.m., Loony Bin Comedy Club

SPORTS Tulsa Hurricane vs UCF // 11/8, 6 p.m., Chapman Stadium ORU Men’s Soccer vs Western Illinois // 11/9, 7 p.m., Case Soccer Complex Xtreme Fight Night 363 // Eight men enter, but only one can win!, 11/9, 8 p.m., Paradise Cove Tulsa Oilers vs Rapid City // 11/15, 7:05 p.m., BOK Center Tulsa Oilers vs Idaho // 11/16, 7:05 p.m., BOK Center ARTS & CULTURE // 37

musicnotes

Pure curiosity

Talking process with jazz composer Miguel Zenón

by JONATHAN LEAL

M

iguel Zenón has been crushing it since the late ‘90s.

An inspired saxophonist, exacting composer and community-minded intellectual, Zenón’s efforts over the last two decades have catapulted the San Juan native to the highest echelon of jazz experimentalists. His work at the intersection of contemporary jazz and Puerto Rican musical history has earned numerous accolades, including multiple Grammy nominations and prestigious MacArthur and Guggenheim Fellowships, making him a celebrated name among listeners worldwide.

And even still, with his quartet’s latest record, Sonero: The Music of Ismael Rivera, it’s clear his star is still on the rise.

I had a chance to nerd out with Zenón in advance of his quartet’s upcoming fall tour. We discussed the new record as well as his thoughts on arranging, collaboration and lifelong learning before his performance at Duet Jazz in Tulsa on Nov. 15.

JONATHAN LEAL: Let’s start with your quartet’s latest record, Sonero: The Music of Ismael Rivera. Would you walk me through the project and where the idea came from?

MIGUEL ZENÓN: Of course. So, Sonero is our tribute to a very well-known singer from Puerto Rico, Ismael Rivera, who totally revolutionized Latin American music starting in the late ‘50s through the early ‘80s. He was part of a very well-known ensemble in Puerto Rico called Cortijo y su Combo which was led by Rafael Cortijo, another legendary musician from Puerto Rico.

Amongst other things, they were 38 // MUSIC

LEAL: Brings to mind that Zora Neale Hurston line: “Research is formalized curiosity.”

ZENÓN: Yeah. A lot of times, us musicians are really just starting from our own curiosities, our own vague ideas about what it is we think we want to pursue, and then that kind of leads into these formal projects or other things.

And also, sometimes it doesn’t.

Where sometimes you gather the information, and it builds into something … other times, it’s just researching for the sake of knowing. … But then, even that might eventually become something.

That’s what I’ve come to realize the more I get into all of these research projects. Learning is a never-ending journey if you really want it to be.

Saxophonist Miguel Zenón plays Nov. 15 at Duet Jazz. | NOAH SHAYE

the first band to bring traditional Afro-Puerto Rican bomba and plena to the forefront of the musical mainstream. They were also one of the first bands who were almost exclusively all Afro-Puerto Rican. Eventually, Ismael went on his own and created his own legendary career, and he became a kind of cultural icon—not only in Puerto Rico, but also in places like Panama, Venezuela, Colombia. My parents exposed me to Rivera’s music when I was a kid, and I’ve felt very close to it ever since—his voice, the way he expresses himself, the music itself.

When I became a musician, it was only natural to follow that interest. And the time for this project felt right.

LEAL: So, as much as it’s an intensely personal tribute, Sonero is also the product of deep research, yeah?

ZENÓN: Yes. As you know, a lot of my projects start out as pure research. I go out and search for information, material that can lead me to new musical ideas.

And Sonero was no different, because I had been thinking about Rivera’s music, working on different arrangements here and there. Once I started to build up a repertoire, I realized that it could be a full project. I started putting these arrangements together and playing them with the band, and once it felt right, it was the next thing.

LEAL: Speaking of learning, would you mind walking me through your process of arranging and re-composing Rivera’s songs? You take the original materials to such remarkably different places.

ZENÓN: You know, one of the things that makes Rivera’s music especially challenging to arrange is that it’s deeply popular music.

A lot of people already know these songs really, really well. …

And they can relate to them in a very personal way. So, when you’re dealing with that kind of thing, you run into this question of, ‘In your version, how much do you want to push it? What kind of balance do you want to create between the original elements and the elements that are new and your own?’ That’s always what I’m dealing with.

How am I going to build on this original and not have my version sound like a replica?

November 6 – 19, 2019 // THE TULSA VOICE

Usually … I take elements out of the original—elements that I identify with. So, from the original arrangement, the original song—in the case of this record, that element might be anything from a bass line to a horn figure to a percussion break to something that Rivera sang or improvised. And then, I’ll extract those elements, and with them, I’ll build my own version of the piece.

So, if you’re listening and know the songs well, you’ll be able to recognize the elements here and there. But, at the same time, it’ll be pretty obvious that you’re listening to something new, not a replica. That’s the most honest way I can think to do it.

Also, when you’re writing an arrangement and actually deciding how it’s going to come together, what the balance is going to be— it’s very personal. In my case, playing with the same guys for a while, they kind of already know.

When they hear the new stuff, they know what I’m after, they know what to expect. And in this case, they knew Rivera’s original tunes. So that made it all easier.

we have to remember the language that the quartet’s dealing with, especially creatively: the jazz language. So … while a lot of those “elements” for the new arrangements come from Rivera’s music, the band is still communicating using that jazz language.

Now in my case, at least, there are certain moments in the new arrangements—it might be a harmonic cadence or a polyrhythmic idea—that naturally open the door into the musical world of salsa, Rivera’s world. And because all of us in the band, especially Luis and myself, started by playing Puerto Rican music, when we improvise, and those little doors open, we just walk right through them. There are a lot of spots on Sonero where that definitely happened. And with the way these arrangements are put together, with the saxophone taking on the role of Rivera’s vocals, a lot of times, when I was playing the melodies or interpreting certain ideas, I could hear his words in my head. And with all that, I thought: “How can I use this as a springboard for something new?”

LEAL: Let’s talk a little about your band. You’ve been playing together for many years. How have you managed to keep pushing and supporting each other?

LEAL: Looking ahead now to your fall tour, what are you most excited about?

ZENÓN: To be honest, I’ve just been lucky. You know, back in the day, bands would stay together for a really long time. It wasn’t rare.

Nowadays, it’s not common at all.

And it’s not the sort of thing the jazz world expects. They expect the opposite from artists, actually: a new project every time, with a brand-new band, a whole new sound. And with me—I just found musicians that I liked, personally and musically, and it made sense … I feel like I’ve been lucky, because I found people that I like.

And they must like me, at least a little bit—you know, to be around me for this long.

LEAL: I wanted to ask you briefly about your improvisations. Did you feel Rivera’s own vocal improvisations guiding any of your solos on Sonero?

ZENÓN: I would definitely say there was some connection there. But it’s a little complicated. First off,

ZENÓN: Well, it’s always great to play. But also, when you work on these kinds of projects, it’s hard not to feel a certain sense of responsibility, as a Puerto Rican. You’re taking these sounds to listeners who might not be familiar with them already. We’re going out there, paying tribute to Ismael Rivera, and some people at the concerts don’t know who he is, you know. They haven’t heard his music yet. And so I feel that part of the reason I’m doing this, on top of everything you and I have talked about … is really this responsibility to go out there and “preach the gospel,” so to speak.

‘There’s this information out there. I want you to know about it. Hopefully this new music will help spark your own research, your own curiosity.’ a

The 10th Anniversary of the John Hope Franklin Dinner of Reconciliation

“Civic Engagement and Reconciliation: The Survival of Democracy”

Imam Omar Suleiman Keynote Speaker

Kathy Taylor

Honorary Dinner Chair

Location: Greenwood Cultural Center 322 N. Greenwood Ave. Cost:

Adults - $25 Youth (Ages 5 - 17) - $15

Date:

Thursday, Nov. 21, 2019

Time:

Reception: 6:30 p.m.

Dinner & Program: 7:00 p.m.

Bill Lobeck

Honorary Dinner Chair

Register for the Dinner of Reconciliation Today!

Deadline is Nov. 15.

Register online at jhfcenter.org/ dinner-registration or by scanning the QR Code.

For questions or additional information, please contact: Mrs. Jean M. Neal at 918-295-5009 or jneal@jhfcenter.org.

LISTEN UP! TulsaPeople’s popular TULSA TALKS podcast — all about our local community and culture — has returned for SEASON 3!

NOVEMBER GUESTS INCLUDE: NOVEMBER 6 Jennifer Loren

Host/Executive Producer, “Osiyo: Voices of the Cherokee People”

NOVEMBER 20 Ben Alexander

Vice President of Culinary Operations, McNellie’s Group Subscribe for FREE on Apple Podcasts, Google Play or Spotify!

Presented by:

YOUR PARTNER IN PROSPERITY Miguel Zenón Duet Jazz, 108 N. Detroit Ave. Friday, Nov. 15, 8 p.m. $25 (ages 21+)

tulsachamber.com

THE TULSA VOICE // November 6 – 19, 2019

MUSIC // 39 Tulsa Talks Pod Cast Tulsa Voice- 4.375 x 1.5.indd 1

3/4/19 1:21 PM

musicnotes

Community on cassette Tulsa music label Cult Love Sound Tapes is a labor of love

by ETHAN VEENKER

T

here’s not much money in cassette tapes these days. Despite its recent comeback in underground music circles, starting a music label dedicated to the cheap and durable format of yesteryear isn’t exactly a high-reward economic investment. Just ask the Tulsans behind Cult Love Sound Tapes.

“It’s actually reckless financial abandon, are you kidding me?” said co-founder Natty Gray Watson. “There’s no reward.”

Co-founder George Christian Holtzscher and self-described chief financial advisor Lauran Drummond laughed in agreement. “We’re breaking even now,” Drummond pointed out.

“But that’s not why we do it,” Holtzscher added.

Speaking with the three 24-year-olds in the empty stage area behind Chimera Café, it’s clear money is not the motivation behind Cult Love Sound Tapes.

The tapes they produce come in extremely limited quantities, rarely if ever numbering above 50 copies (though the music is all available digitally on Cult Love’s Bandcamp page). Nothing ever gets re-released in the same format.

“It makes everything more personal. Like, this is your special set,” Drummond said.

“It’s an engagement to the person that’s on the other end of that transaction, or whatever you want to call it. It’s not really monetary, as much,” Watson added.

Launched in 2015, the label and art collective produces limited quantities of cassette tapes for releases from an international roster of bands, spanning from Tulsa to Tokyo. The emphasis, though, is on local music, with releases from bands like The 40 // MUSIC

Co-founder Natty Gray Watson, chief financial advisor Lauran Drummond and co-founder George Christian Holtzscher make up Cult Love Sound Tapes. | ETHAN VEENKER

Lukewarm, The Daddyo’s, and Zunis, among many others.

Beyond tapes, Cult Love has occasional merch runs: T-shirts, art, zines—all just as limited. The label’s releases are fleeting in the sense that they sell out quickly and permanently, and Cult Love is constantly on the move. New bands and releases crop up. A new T-shirt design goes on sale. The Cult Love crew hardly spends any time looking backward.

But why tapes—that long outmoded, outdated, generally inferior medium?

“It’s a nice, tactile object,” Holtzscher said. “It’s a great way to

represent a band’s identity, and it’s just a special thing to have. Even if you don’t have a cassette player, you have that physical copy.”

The format is convenient and reliable, according to Watson.

“And they’re great for bootlegging,” he said. He’s recorded bootlegs of almost every show he’s been to in the last three or four years—adding up to around 300 cassettes he keeps around for archival purposes.

The eventual goal is to digitize all these cassettes, but the process is time-consuming, to say the least.

Watson’s hope is to document the sound and history of a flourishing,

underground, DIY music scene.

This relates to the genesis of Cult Love Sound Tapes: community. “When I went to college, I decided I’d always wanted to do something with music, and I was like, ‘Well, it’d be really cool to do something that could help promote Tulsa as a whole, bring people together—for the purpose of advancing the whole creative community in Tulsa,’” Watson said.

“Giving a platform to people who might not necessarily have one,” Holtzcher added.

As for the sorts of musicians to whom Cult Love extends their platform, there’s no easy genre net to cast over them. The 62 releases on their Bandcamp page range from indie rock to harsh noise.

“The genres we work with span literally to everything. Anything that’s local that we fuck with,” Holtzscher said.

“But it all comes down to community,” Watson added. “If they’re out there, seem to be pretty wholesome, doing the right thing: we’ll do a release for them.”

Despite all the work that goes into such a labor of love, don’t expect Cult Love Sound Tapes to slow down any time soon. The label’s future will be sustained by “grinding harder,” Holtzscher said.

“This is the most optimistic I’ve ever felt about it,” Watson added. “It only took five years to start seeing tangible advances.”

Catch Natty Gray Watson’s solo project and Cult Love-affiliated noise act Video Nasty at Chimera Café (along with local band Søaker and Baltimore-based Curse) at 8 p.m. on Nov. 7. You might find yourself immersed in a community of which you were never aware, extending further than you might imagine. a November 6 – 19, 2019 // THE TULSA VOICE

musicnotes

GIVING THANKS The Leftover Last Waltz brings families together

families around Tulsa, and he urges you to bring your friends and family to enjoy the festivities too.

“Even if 15 people showed up it would still mean so much to me,” Schultz said.

“My dad isn’t around anymore, and this is the music he put on me—so it’s the kind of music I want to share. The event has a really personal touch to me.”

— KYRA BRUCE

Leftover Last Waltz Sunday, Nov. 24, 6 p.m.

Cains Ballroom, 423 N. Main St. $40

The Leftover Last Waltz celebration honors Martin Scorsese’s seminal concert documentary on Nov. 24 at Cain’s Ballroom. | PHIL CLARKIN

THANKSGIVING TRADITIONS VARY FROM family to family. Some gather around the TV for the big game and stuff themselves with pie—others argue about politics and leave early in a huff. Matthew Schultz’s family’s Thanksgiving tradition was to watch Martin Scorsese’s seminal concert documentary The Last Waltz.

The film documents The Band’s last performance in 1976 at Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco. The farewell show was free and open to the public and included a buffet, a formal waltz, and some very famous musical friends: Eric Clapton, Neil Diamond, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, Ringo Starr and Neil Young to name a few.

“The biggest people you can think of … I grew up listening to this music and loving it,” Schultz said.

Schultz continued The Last Waltz tradition when he went off to college, playing it for friends, even gathering his whole fraternity to enjoy his favorite movie. With the help of his friend Hunter Rodgers, whose family owns and operates the legendary Cain’s Ballroom, it’s now a beloved public event going six years strong.

“What started as a family tradition has now started, in my mind, a Tulsa tradition,” Schultz said. “You see a lot of familiar faces. ... Some people have come every year, and it’s great because it becomes a tradition for their family too.”

Schultz said the event is a celebration of Tulsa’s musical, culinary and artistic communities—and an excuse to eat great food with friends and family. This year’s attendees can expect food from Burn Co., Mr. Nice Guys, Bohemian Pizzeria, Yokozuna, Duet and more.

Before the movie Schultz always showcases a local musician. This year, local neo-soul queen Branjae jumped at the opportunity because the event raises money for the education initiatives at The Woody Guthrie Center, where she often works with vocal students.

“What better way is there to raise money for The Woody Guthrie Center and help kids be creative and teach them to play instruments,” Schultz said.

It means so much to Schultz to be able to share this tradition with several THE TULSA VOICE // November 6 – 19, 2019

MUSIC // 41

musiclistings Wed // Nov 6 Brady Theater – RUMOURS of Fleetwood Mac – 8 p.m.

– ($35 - $60) Cellar Dweller – Desi & Cody – 8:30 p.m.

Colony – Tom Skinner Science Project – 8 p.m.

Duet Jazz – Rick Cope – 8 p.m. – ($5) IDL Ballroom – Funcase, Subsonix, Disco Donnie – 9 p.m.

– ($18) Louie’s Grill & Bar – Chris Hyde – 7 p.m.

Mercury Lounge – Beau Roberson – 9 p.m.

Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame – Eicher Wednesdays: David Horne, Josh Westbrook, Chris Peters – 7 p.m.

Track 5 – DJ Mib – 5 p.m.

The Tulsan Bar – Tom and Bryan Unplugged – 7 p.m.

Thurs // Nov 7 Amp Bar – DJ Queen Jesseen – 7 p.m.

Blackbird on Pearl – Rhyme & Reason with Chiefy, Hippie Tree, The Neighbors, YSK, Joe, Spadez, KMJ, Kink Aid – 8 p.m.

Colony – Seth Lee Jones – 9 p.m.

High Dive – Dustin Pittsley – 6 p.m.

Hunt Club – Maverican Goose – 7 p.m.

The Joint – America – 8 p.m.

Mercury Lounge – Mike and the Moonpies, Vandoliers – 9 p.m.

Mercury Lounge – Paul Benjaman – 10 p.m.

Paradise Cove – Rascal Flatts – 8 p.m. – ($85 - $350) Riffs – Jessee Joice – 4 p.m.

Riffs – DJ Mib – 5 p.m.

Riffs – The Downbeat – 8 p.m.

Soundpony – Bodeen – 10 p.m.

Thunder Bar & Grill – Franklin Birt – 6 p.m.

Track 5 – DJ Demko – 5 p.m.

Track 5 – Washboard Union – 8 p.m. – Tulsa Club Hotel – Live Music Thursday – 5 p.m.

Vanguard – The Mother Hips, Dirty Streets, Jesse Aycock & The Tulsa Revue – 8 p.m. – ($15) Vintage Wine Bar – Grammy Nominated ft. Mason Remel & Malachi Burgess – 8 p.m.

Fri // Nov 8 473 – Nightingale – 9 p.m.

American Legion Post 308 – Joe Harris – 7:30 p.m. – ($7) Amp Bar – DJ Ayngel – 7 p.m.

Blackbird on Pearl – Danny Baker CD Release Part – 8 p.m. – ($5) BOK Center – Mercy Me, Crowder, Micah Tyler – 7:30 p.m.

– ($26 - $153) Cain’s Ballroom – Giving Spirits – 7 p.m. – ($150) Cimarron Bar – Imzadi – 9:30 p.m.

Colony – Vinyl Happy Hour – 4 p.m.

Colony – Justin Bloss, Rachel LaVonne, Knipple, Sam Strother – 10 p.m. – ($5) Duet Jazz – Harlem String Quartet – 8 p.m. – ($35) Dust Bowl Lanes & Lounge – DJ Afistaface – 10 p.m.

Fat Daddy’s Pub – Chris Hyde – 8 p.m.

Garden Deva – GTB – 4 p.m.

High Dive – Mark Gibson – 8 p.m.

Hunt Club – Don’t Tell Dena, Makin Loaf – 7 p.m.

Margaritaville – Travis Kidd – 10 p.m.

Marshall Brewing – Rusty Ferrell – 6 p.m.

The Max Retropub – DJ Kylie – 10 p.m.

Mercury Lounge – Kirsty & Cory Call, Bob Fleming & TCIC, Karly Driftwood – 9 p.m.

Mercury Lounge – Machine in the Mountain, Oceanaut, Citadels, Let Slip the Dogs – 8 p.m. – ($5) Paradise Cove – ZZ Top – 8 p.m. – ($85 - $400) Rabbit Hole Bar and Grill – Earslip Happy Hour – 7 p.m.

Riffs – Andrew Harmon – 5:30 p.m.

Riffs – DJ 2 Legit – 6:30 p.m.

Riffs – FM Live – 9 p.m.

Soul City – The Vibro Kings – 9 p.m. – ($10) Soul City – Susan Herndon – 5:30 p.m.

Soundpony – Festivus For The Best Of Us – 10 p.m.

Swamp House – The Marriotts – 7 p.m.

Track 5 – DJ Demko – 6 p.m.

Track 5 – Brent Giddens – 8 p.m.

The Tulsan Bar – DJ Skibblez – 10 p.m.

The Unicorn Club – DJ Uber – 9 p.m.

Whittier Bar – DJ Sir Mike – 9:30 p.m.

Whitty Books – The Dryline, Anchorway, Pay the Ghost, Men of Action – 7 p.m. – ($5) Woody Guthrie Center – Tracy Grammer – 8 p.m.

42 // MUSIC

Sat // Nov 9 Hunt Club – Doc Fell – 7 p.m.

Amp Bar – DJ Queen Jesseen – 7 p.m.

Bad Ass Renee’s – Acoustic Night – 9 p.m.

BOK Center – Twenty One Pilots – 8 p.m. – ($40 - $80) Cain’s Ballroom – Rock ‘N Folk ‘N Chili Cook-Off – 5:30 p.m. – ($15) Cimarron Bar – Madfly – 9:30 p.m.

Colony – Luke Callen, Chris Lee Becker, Kalyn Fay – 10 p.m. – ($5) Duet Jazz – NSU/TCC Big Band – 8 p.m. – ($10) Garden Deva – Casii Stephan – 4 p.m.

Garden Deva – Wheat Penny – 11 a.m.

Greenwood Cultural Center – The Battle Grounds – 4 p.m.

The Joint – Jo Koy – 8 p.m.

Juicemaker Lounge – Thaddeus Johnson, The Sound – 9 p.m. – ($10 - $20) Margaritaville – Brent Giddens Duo – 10 p.m.

Marshall Brewing – Jake Brake – 6 p.m.

Marshall Brewing – Marshall’s Acoustic Jam – 7 p.m.

The Max Retropub – DJ AB Mercury Lounge – Osage County, Amber Watson – 9 p.m.

Mother Road Market – Brian Mayer – 6 p.m.

Open Container – Mark Gibson, Chanda Graham – 8 p.m.

Riffs – Jacob Dement – 5:30 p.m.

Riffs – DJ Mib – 6:30 p.m.

Riffs – Hook – 9 p.m.

The Shrine – 90s Party with The Mixtapes – 8 p.m. – ($10) Soundpony – Steph Simon – 10 p.m.

Swamp House – Myron Oliver – 7 p.m.

TAF Archer Studios – Tizzi, Stefa – 8 p.m.

Thunder Bar & Grill – Maverican Goose – 8 p.m.

Track 5 – DJ Demko – 6 p.m.

Track 5 – Blake Turner – 8 p.m.

The Tulsan Bar – DJ Lyric – 10 p.m.

Vanguard – Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, The Cerny Brothers – 8 p.m. – ($15) Whittier Bar – Futon Blonde, Dachshund – 8 p.m.

Sun // Nov 10 Bad Ass Renee’s – Potty Mouth, Dead Union, Labadie House, Iron Cathedral – 8:30 p.m.

BOK Center – Bad Bunny – 8 p.m. – ($61 - $151) Cain’s Ballroom – Billy Corgan – 8 p.m. – ($65) The Chalkboard – Steve Liddell – 11 a.m.

Colony – Paul Benjaman’s Sunday Nite Thing – 10 p.m.

Hunt Club – Preslar Monthly Music Showcase – 7 p.m.

Mercury Lounge – Platinum Boys, Kobra Kai, Tight Rope – 9 p.m. – ($5) Mercury Lounge – Brandon Clark – 4 p.m.

Rabbit Hole Bar and Grill – Got Steeze? With: K.O., Druce Wayne, Sneak The Poet, Dorian, Yung Trunkz – 9 p.m. – ($5) The Shrine – Tommy Tutone – 6 p.m. – ($12) Soul City – Tommy Tutone – 8 p.m. – ($25) Soundpony – Harper and Lee – 10 p.m.

Mon // Nov 11 Colony – Saugeye – 9 p.m.

Juicemaker Lounge – Juicemaker Open Mic Jam – 7 p.m.

Rabbit Hole Bar and Grill – Chris Foster – 8 p.m.

Whittier Bar – Labadie House, Potty MoVth, Tulsa Vice – 8 p.m.

Tues // Nov 12 Brady Theater – Tedeschi Trucks Band, Southern Avenue – 7:30 p.m. – ($30 - $100) Colony – Chris Lee Becker – 6 p.m.

Colony – Chris Combs Trio and Special Guests – 9 p.m.

Lefty’s On Greenwood – Jennifer Marriott Band – 7 p.m.

Mass Movement Community Arts – State Faults, Tigerwine, Jawstruck, End On End, Tell Lies – 7 p.m.

– ($8) Swamp House – The Marriotts – 5 p.m.

Whittier Bar – Bodeen – 8 p.m.

Whitty Books – Hummin’ Bird, Jabber, Long Knives, Celebrity Sex Tape – 7 p.m. – ($5)

Wed // Nov 13 473 – Heath Bennett & Sam Morris – 8 p.m.

Cain’s Ballroom – Jamestown Revival, Ryan Bingham – 8 p.m. – ($35) Cellar Dweller – Desi & Cody – 8:30 p.m.

Colony – Tom Skinner Science Project – 8 p.m.

Duet Jazz – Sam Parker – 8 p.m. – ($5) Mass Movement Community Arts – Mess, Hand Out, Mastaba, Kompulsive Child, Graveyard Party – 7:30 p.m. – ($8) Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame – Eicher Wednesdays – 7 p.m.

The Shrine – Fruition – 7 p.m. – ($15) Soundpony – Speedo Torpedo – 10 p.m.

Track 5 – DJ Mib – 5 p.m.

The Tulsan Bar – Tom and Bryan Unplugged – 7 p.m.

Vanguard – Salt Creek, Kill Vargas, Hummin’ Bird – 8 p.m. – ($10)

Thurs // Nov 14 Amp Bar – DJ Queen Jesseen – 7 p.m.

BOK Center – Old Dominion, Scotty McCreery, Ryan Hurd – 7 p.m. – ($38 - $68) Colony – Seth Lee Jones – 9 p.m.

Duet Jazz – David Broome – 8 p.m. – ($10 - $30) High Dive – Beau Roberson – 6 p.m.

Hunt Club – Songswappers – 7 p.m.

Mercury Lounge – Paul Benjaman – 10 p.m.

Paradise Cove – Vanilla Ice, Salt N’ Pepa, Tone Loc, Biz Markie, Rob Base – 8 p.m. – ($70 -$235) Riffs – Boogie Fever – 4 p.m.

Riffs – DJ Mib – 5 p.m.

Riffs – 80s Enuf – 7 p.m.

The Shrine – Rittz, Dizzy Wright – 6 p.m. – ($30) Sisserou’s – Sarah Maud – 6:30 p.m.

Soundpony – Bethlehem Steel, Tom Boil – 10 p.m.

Swamp House – Travis Kidd – 7 p.m.

Thunder Bar & Grill – Jessee Joice – 6 p.m.

Track 5 – DJ Demko – 5 p.m.

Track 5 – Corey Cox – 7 p.m.

Vintage Wine Bar – Grammy Nominated ft. Mason Remel & Malachi Burgess – 8 p.m.

Whittier Bar – Las Nubes – 9 p.m.

Fri // Nov 15 American Legion Post 308 – Double 00 Buck – 7:30 p.m.

– ($7) Amp Bar – DJ Whit – 7 p.m.

Blackbird on Pearl – Electric Okie Test – 8 p.m. – ($7) Colony – Vinyl Happy Hour – 4 p.m.

Colony – Fort Defiance – 10 p.m. – ($5) Crystal Skull – The Heather Buckley Band – 9 p.m.

Duet Jazz – Miguel Zenon – 8 p.m. – ($25) Ed’s Hurricane Lounge – ToFar – 7 p.m.

The Joint – Nanyehi – 7:30 p.m.

Juicemaker Lounge – Full Flava Kings – 9 p.m. – ($10) Louie’s Grill & Bar – Self Indulgence – 9 p.m.

Margaritaville – Caleb Fellenstein – 10 p.m.

Marshall Brewing – Dennis Roper – 6 p.m.

The Max Retropub – Boo Ya feat. DJ Moody Mercury Lounge – Peelander-Z – 9 p.m.

Rabbit Hole Bar and Grill – Earslip Happy Hour – 7 p.m.

Riffs – Dante Schmitz – 5:30 p.m.

Riffs – DJ Mib – 6:30 p.m.

Riffs – Replay – 9 p.m.

The Shrine – Kottonmouth Kings – 7 p.m. – ($25) Soundpony – DJ Why Not? – 10 p.m.

Swamp House – Curt Hill – 8 p.m.

Track 5 – DJ Demko – 6 p.m.

Track 5 – Taria Lee – 8 p.m.

The Tulsan Bar – DJ Oreo – 10 p.m.

Vanguard – Black Friday – 5 p.m. – ($10) Whittier Bar – Afistaface – 7:30 p.m.

Sat // Nov 16 Amp Bar – DJ Queen Jesseen – 7 p.m.

Bad Ass Renee’s – 2Fatal, Decimus, Slackwave, Crooked Vinyl – 8:30 p.m. – ($5) Brady Theater – Indigo Girls, Becky Warren – 8 p.m. – ($30 - $70) Cain’s Ballroom – Chuck D – 7 p.m. – ($50 - $150) Cimarron Bar – Deuces Wild – 9:30 p.m.

Colony – Brad James Birthday Bash – 10 p.m. – ($5) Dead Armadillo Brewing – Ahna Jennings – 8 p.m.

Duet Jazz – Tommy Poole – 8 p.m. – ($10) High Dive – Beachfriends Band – 8 p.m.

House Concerts Unlimited – Peter Case, Dead Rock West – 7:30 p.m.

Hunt Club – Dave and the Haters – 7 p.m.

IDL Ballroom – Ubur – 9 p.m.

The Joint – Nanyehi – 7:30 p.m.

Margaritaville – Jacob Dement & Co. – 10 p.m.

Marshall Brewing – Jorge Torrico – 6 p.m.

Mass Movement Community Arts – Pickwick Commons, Deadland, Hollowed Out, Gravehuffer, Center of Disease, Depraved, Violent Victim, Hersker – 6 p.m.

– ($10) The Max Retropub – DJ AB Mercury Lounge – Jeff Plankenhorn – 9 p.m.

MixCo – Indluge, Kudos – 10 p.m.

Riffs – Kalo – 5:30 p.m.

Riffs – DJ Mib – 6:30 p.m.

Riffs – After Party – 9 p.m.

The Shrine – Swan Lake Gentlemen’s Society and Mad Men Party – 6 p.m. – ($7) Skyline Event Center – 98º – 7 p.m. – ($20 - $75) Soundpony – The Dull Drums “15th Birthday Bash” – 10 p.m.

Swamp House – Matt Mason – 7 p.m.

Thunder Bar & Grill – Rose Leach – 8 p.m.

Track 5 – DJ Demko – 6 p.m.

Track 5 – Wade Bowen – 8 p.m.

The Tulsan Bar – DJ Skibblez – 10 p.m.

Vanguard – Cliffdiver “At Your Own Risk” EP Release with Rose Gold, Hazelwave, Ben Quad, The Classless – 8 p.m. – ($10) Whittier Bar – Randy Brumley Band – 9 p.m.

Sun // Nov 17 Bad Ass Renee’s – Ghost in the Atlantic, Pay the Ghost, Dark Matter – 8 p.m.

Cain’s Ballroom – Dirty Heads – 8 p.m. – ($30 - $45) The Chalkboard – Steve Liddell – 11 a.m.

Colony – Paul Benjaman’s Sunday Nite Thing – 10 p.m.

Mercury Lounge – Pinata Protest, The Normandys – 9 p.m.

Soundpony – Bloody Knives, Iron Cathedral – 10 p.m.

Mon // Nov 18 Colony – Saugeye – 9 p.m.

Juicemaker Lounge – Juicemaker Open Mic Jam – 7 p.m.

Rabbit Hole Bar and Grill – Chris Foster – 8 p.m.

Whittier Bar – Creatures of the Earth, The Swings – 8 p.m.

Tues // Nov 19 Colony – Chris Lee Becker – 6 p.m.

Colony – Chris Combs Trio and Special Guests – 9 p.m.

Marshall Brewing – TuesJay Night: Dannie Wesley – 6 p.m.

Mercury Lounge – Corb Lund – 9 p.m. – ($20) Swamp House – The Marriotts – 5:30 p.m.

Vanguard – Veaux, Alexis Onyango, Florence Rose, Mad Honey – 8 p.m. – ($10) Whittier Bar – Bodeen – 8 p.m.

MORE Music?

Send dates, venue and listings to kyra@Langdon Publishing.com November 6 – 19, 2019 // THE TULSA VOICE

THE TULSA VOICE // November 6 – 19, 2019

MUSIC // 43

popradar

Regina King in Watchmen | COURTESY

A people’s history Watchmen shines a spotlight on Tulsa’s violent past

by MASON WHITEHORN POWELL

T

he 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre was dramatized by a major cable network for the first time in history on Oct. 20. This was episode one of HBO’s Watchmen, which debuted to 1.5-million viewers, putting Tulsa and its dark past in the international spotlight.

Inspired by the late-1980s comics by writer Alan Moore and illustrator Dave Gibbons, the series is set in an alternate-universe Tulsa, September 2019—but the opening scene of the fi lm depicts, in vivid and disturbing detail, the all-too-real violence baked into the DNA of our city.

“I know that Damon [Lindelof, showrunner] felt it very important to begin this new iteration of Watchmen with the Race Massacre,” said Tim Blake Nelson, the Tulsa native who plays superhero Looking Glass.

“At the same time, I also know that he had no small measure of anxiety surrounding the fact that he was a white guy telling it, and that caused a really admirable level of care in his approach to it. … There was a sort of collective reverence for what they saw as the 44 // FILM & TV

privilege of getting to share the truth of what had occurred with such a broad audience.”

Lindelof uses Tulsa’s violent past to provide context for the show’s present, as a white supremacist group called the Seventh Kavalry has declared war on minorities and the police who enforce reparations for victims of racial injustice.

“We start out in the show with this really interesting reversal of the dynamic that has inflicted our country recently,” Nelson said. “You’re taught early on in this show, in the first scene that takes place in the present, that you better watch out for nuances and complexities in this world, because there’s going to be no clear right and wrong. You’re going to encounter all the complexities and frailties of human interaction.”

But can a major TV series, fi lmed offsite in rebate-rich Georgia, do right by a traumatized community nearly 100 years after the fact?

The day after the episode aired, Kristi Williams was part of the search for mass graves from the 1921 Massacre at Oaklawn

Cemetary. Williams, vice chair of the African-American Affairs Commission for the City of Tulsa and member of the Tulsa Mass Graves Investigation Public Oversight Committee, said the committee had “to fight just to get them to search in places where eyewitness accounts have said” bodies were located. While Tulsa history has long been buried, Watchmen presents a unique opportunity for public excavation.

“I thought, ‘Finally our story is out to the world,’” Williams said.

“That was important for me, even if it was still fictional in some ways. It gave people something to search for, to seek more, and so I thought that was important. … It went deep. It was raw truth in a way, as far as the severity of what has happened to Tulsa.”

Williams described Greenwood’s ongoing fight against gentrification, Tulsa’s failing equality indicators and issues surrounding police brutality. Watchmen imagines Tulsa repaired after the Massacre, but even then the fight against violence and racism is an ongoing issue. To this end, Williams points to what she considers the show’s

greatest strength: honesty.

“First and foremost, tell the truth no matter how uncomfortable it is—the more uncomfortable it is, I think you should say it,” Williams said. “We have veered away from that and I think it’s just so important. That’s the only way we’re going to find growth is in those uncomfortable conversations, and uncomfortable experiences. So, I think anyone can tell that story and just be honest about it.”

Nelson said the key to that authenticity was to not overthink it. “As soon as you get caught up as an actor in the ‘importance’ of a role, you’re trapping yourself,” he said. “Damon’s writing is just so good that all I really had to do was find truth in our collaboration with this character and let the cultural significance take care of itself.”

However the series unfolds, it’s important to acknowledge the Race Massacre was not simply two days in 1921—it’s an ongoing cycle of violence and oppression in Tulsa. Fiction cannot right wrongs, but sometimes that’s what it takes for people to listen and for change to begin. a November 6 – 19, 2019 // THE TULSA VOICE

onscreen

A sing-along screening of Fiddler on the Roof (1971) kicks off the Oklahoma Jewish Film Festival on Nov. 10 at Circle Cinema. | COURTESY Blackhorse Lowe’s third feature FUKRY will make its Oklahoma debut Nov. 7 at Circle Cinema.

DESTINY JADE GREEN

DECOLONIZING COMEDY Blackhorse Lowe widens the lens on Native life

NAVAJO FILMMAKER BLACKHORSE LOWE depicts Native experiences unlike any director working today. His idiosyncratic style may be the result of not taking himself too seriously, an occasional trap for some Indigenous storytellers, as he crafts films that are distinctly his own. Armed with surrealist wit and a down-to-earth sensibility, Lowe is a jack-of-all-trades filmmaker who writes, directs, produces, photographs, edits and acts in all his movies.

Lowe’s two most recent full-length films strongly establish him as a leading director of Native comedies in a post-Sherman Alexie landscape. Chasing the Light (2016) is a dark comedy following a character played by Lowe on a suicidal Ulyssean journey around Albuquerque. FUKRY, his third and most recent feature, had its world premiere at the imagineNATIVE film festival on Oct. 25 and will make its Oklahoma debut Nov. 7 at Circle Cinema.

A color-saturated, screwball-inspired comedy also set in ABQ, FUKRY focuses on an off-beat group of Natives, relieved of the burden of acting as cultural representatives.

“With FUKRY we were going for all-out ridiculousness and just no realism, practically,” Lowe said. “It is Native representation, but I’m trying to take away the shackles of what they used to be, where you always had to be forthright in some sort of ‘wise, sage person’ always handing out wisdoms, with the eagle calls and the usual tribal issues.”

Early projects like 5th World (2005) and Shimásáni (2009) established Lowe as a culturally significant filmmaker with a sharp sense of history. However, his recent comedies scramble the expectations of audiences looking for “traditional” representations of Native life. He shows us that Indigenous people also appreciate noise music, surf THE TULSA VOICE // November 6 – 19, 2019

and punk rock, skateboarding and miming.

Poking fun at art-world types and disingenuous white allies, FUKRY widens the lens on Native life to a degree not seen in film.

“I know artists and drug dealers and musicians and fuck-ups that are also Natives, so those people I find more interesting. Those are more real to me, so that’s what I make movies about,” Lowe said.

“We’re not going overboard saying, ‘We’re Native’ all the time. We just happen to be … but we also happen to really like our art works and our practices. I feel it’s important to show other brown people and brown faces and other experiences out there.”

Lowe moved to Tulsa after receiving a Tulsa Artist Fellowship in 2019, joining a cohort including two long-time Native collaborators: director Sterlin Harjo, and inter-disciplinary artist and composer Nathan Young. Lowe finished FUKRY in his TAF studio space with a special project grant. He also co-hosts Cinetelechy, a Native, Latinx and queer film series, with TAF curatorial fellows Atomic Culture.

“I think men and women regardless of your nation or your upbringing or what nationality you identify with—it’s just all a mess, regardless,” Lowe said with a laugh. “Emotions and love and everything else in between: It all just either works, or it doesn’t. It doesn’t matter what color you are. You either love or hate or resent, or go through all these different ups and downs of it, but no one is safe from love.”

— MASON WHITEHORN POWELL

NATIVE SPOTLIGHT: FUKRY Circle Cinema, 10 S. Lewis Ave. Thursday, Nov. 7, 7:30 p.m. | $10

A NEW TRADITION The Oklahoma Jewish Film Festival celebrates six years at Circle Cinema

by JEFF HUSTON L’CHAIM! That customary Jewish toast (meaning “To life!”) is a fitting sentiment for the Oklahoma Jewish Film Festival (OKJFF), which kicks off its 6th annual event at Circle Cinema on Nov. 10 with Fiddler on the Roof, the beloved musical that turned that toast into song.

When the inaugural program launched in 2014, the OKJFF sought to “foster understanding between people of all backgrounds by providing insights into Jewish culture and history,” said Drew Diamond, executive director of the Jewish Federation of Tulsa.

The festival has done just that, continuing this year with a diverse lineup of films from all over the world.

“Foreign stories can be specific to a region or religion [and yet] once the story is underway, you see that we are more alike than different,” said Kerry Wiens, the Circle’s OKJFF curator.

Following the Fiddler on the Roof singalong opener, this year’s program highlights contemporary films ranging in genre, nationality and perspective.

In addition, the free showcase panel event “Film Distribution: Stories & Strategies” brings in studio veterans from New Line Cinema and Tulsa’s VCI Entertainment to help filmmakers get their work distributed.

The 6th Annual Oklahoma Jewish Film Festival is produced in partnership with The Jewish Federation of Tulsa, the Sherwin Miller Museum of Jewish Art, and Circle Cinema. The festival runs from Nov. 10– Nov. 14. For tickets, visit circlecinema.org or the OKJFF Facebook page.

FESTIVAL SCHEDULE All Seats $10, except where noted SUNDAY, NOV. 10 Fiddler On The Roof : Sing-Along!

(1971) — 1 p.m.

Directed by Norman Jewison | Musical Redemption — 7 p.m.

Directed by Yossi Madmoni, Boaz Yehonatan Yaacov | Israel | Drama MONDAY, NOV. 11 G.I. Jews — 3:20 p.m. — Free Directed by Lisa Ades | United States | Documentary Film Distribution: Stories & Strategies — 5:30 p.m. reception, 6:30 p.m. panel Fig Tree — 7 p.m.

Directed by Aalam-Warqe Davidian | Ethiopia | Drama TUESDAY, NOV. 12 93Queen — 2 p.m. — $5 Directed by Paula Eiselt | United States | Documentary Love In Suspenders — 7 p.m.

Directed by Aalam-Warqe Davidian | Israel | Romantic Comedy WEDNESDAY, NOV. 13 93Queen — 7 p.m. — $5 This second showing will include an evening encore presentation.

THURDSAY, NOV. 14 The Last Band In Lebanon — 7 p.m.

Directed by Ben Bachar, Itzik Kricheli | Israel | Comedy a FILM & TV // 45

free will astrology

by ROB BREZSNY

SCORPIO (OCT. 23-NOV. 21): Studies suggest that on average each of us has a social network of about 250 people, of whom 120 we regard as a closer group of friendly acquaintances. But most of us have no more than twenty folks we trust, and only two or three whom we regard as confidants. I suspect that these numbers will be in flux for you during the next twelve months, Scorpio. I bet you’ll make more new friends than usual, and will also expand your inner circle.

On the other hand, I expect that some people who are now in your sphere will depart. Net result: stronger alliances and more collaboration.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): I blame and thank the Sagittarian part of me when I get brave and brazen enough to follow my strongest emotions where they want to lead me. I also blame and thank the Sagittarian part of me when I strip off my defense mechanisms and invite the world to regard my vulnerabilities as interesting and beautiful. I furthermore blame and thank the Sagittarian side of me on those occasions when I run three miles down the beach at dawn, hoping to thereby jolt loose the secrets I’ve been concealing from myself. I suspect the coming weeks will be a favorable time to blame and thank the Sagittarian part of you for similar experiences.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Persian polymath Avicenna (980–1037) wrote 450 books on many topics, including medicine, philosophy, astronomy, geography, mathematics, theology, and poetry. While young, he tried to study the Metaphysics of Aristotle, but had difficulty grasping it. Forty times he read the text, even committing it to memory. But he made little progress toward fathoming it. Years later, he was browsing at an outdoor market and found a brief, cheap book about the Metaphysics by an author named al-Farabi. He read it quickly, and for the first time understood Aristotle’s great work. He was so delighted he went out to the streets and gave away gifts to poor people. I foresee a comparable milestone for you, Capricorn: something that has eluded your comprehension will become clear, at least in part due to a lucky accident.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): In addition to being a key figure in Renaissance art, fifteenth-century Italian painter Filippo Lippi had a colorful life. According to legend, he was once held prisoner by Barbary pirates, but gained his freedom by drawing a riveting portrait of their leader. Inspired by the astrological factors affecting you right now, I’m fantasizing about the possibilty of a liberating event arriving in your life. Maybe you’ll call on one of your skills in a dramatic way, thereby enhancing your leeway or generating a breakthrough or unleashing an opportunity. (Please also re-read your horoscope from last week.)

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): “Stand high long enough and your lightning will come,” writes Piscean novelist William Gibson. He isn’t suggesting that we literally stand on top of a treeless hill in a thunderstorm and invite the lightning to shoot down through us. More realistically, I think he means that we should devotedly cultivate and discipline our highest forms of expression so that when inspiration finds us, we’ll be primed to receive and use its full power. That’s an excellent oracle for you.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Aries psychologist James Hillman said we keep “our images and fantasies at arm’s length because they are so full of love.” They’re also quite flammable, he added. They are always on the verge of catching fire, metaphorically speaking. That’s why many people wrap their love-filled images and fantasies in metaphorical asbestos: to prevent them from igniting a blaze in their psyches. In my astrological opinion, you Aries folks always have a mandate to use less asbestos than all the other signs—even none at all. That’s even truer than usual right now. Keep your images and fantasies extra close and raw and wild.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Poet James Merrill was ecstatic when he learned the Greek language. According to his biographer, he felt he could articulate his needs “with more force and clarity, with greater simplicity and less self-consciousness, than he ever could in his own language.” He concluded, “Freedom to be oneself is all very well; the greater freedom

Place the numbers 1 through 9 in the empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once.

NOVICE

is not to be oneself.” Personally, I think that’s an exaggeration. I believe the freedom to be yourself is very, very important. But for you in the coming weeks, Taurus, the freedom to not be yourself could indeed be quite liberating.

What might you do to stretch your capacities beyond what you’ve assumed is true about you? Are you willing to rebel against and transcend your previous self-conceptions?

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Musician Brian Eno made a deck of oracular cards called Oblique Strategies. Each card has a suggestion designed to trigger creative thinking about a project or process you’re working on. You Geminis might find it useful to call on Oblique Strategies right now, since you’re navigating your way through a phase of adjustment and rearrangement. The card I drew for you is “Honor thy error as hidden intention.” Here’s how I interpet it: An apparent lapse or misstep will actually be the result of your deeper mind guiding you to take a fruitful detour.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): We devote a lot of energy to wishing and hoping about the meaningful joys we’d love to bring into our lives. And yet few of us have been trained in the best strategies for manifesting our wishes and hopes. That’s the bad news. The good news is that now is a favorable time for you to upgrade your skills at getting what you want.

With that in mind, I present you with the simple but potent wisdom of author Maya Angelou: “Ask for what you want and be prepared to get it.” To flesh that out, I’ll add: Formulate a precise statement describing your heart’s yearning, and then work hard to make yourself ready for its fulfillment.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): What are the key parts of your life—the sources and influences that enable you to be your most soulful self? I urge you to nourish them intensely during the next three weeks. Next question: What are the marginally important parts of your life—the activities and proclivities that aren’t essential for your long-term success and happiness? I urge you to corral all the energy you give to those marginally important things, and instead pour it into what’s most important. Now is a crucial time in the evolution of your relationship with your primal fuels, your indispensable resources, your sustaining foundations.

MASTER

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): “When she spoke of beauty, he spoke of the fatty tissue supporting the epidermis,” wrote short story author Robert Musil. He was describing a conversation between a man and woman who were on different wavelengths. “When she mentioned love,” Musil continued, “he responded with the statistical curve that indicates the rise and fall in the annual birthrate.” Many of you Virgos have the flexibility to express yourself well on both of those wavelengths. But in the coming months, I hope you’ll emphasize the beauty and love wavelength rather than the fatty tissue and statistical curve wavelength. It’ll be an excellent strategy for getting the healing you need.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Libran blogger Ana-Sofia Cardelle was asked, “What is your signature perfume?” She said she hadn’t found one. But then she described how she would like to smell: “somewhere between fresh and earthy: cinnamon and honey, a rose garden, saltwater baked in the sun.” The coming days will be an excellent time to indulge in your own fantasies about the special fragrance you’d like to emanate. Moreover, I bet you’ll be energized by pinpointing a host of qualities you would like to serve as cornerstones of your identity: traits that embody and express your uniqueness.

You don’t have to believe in ideas that make you sad or tormented. Drop them. t h i s w e e k ’ s h o m e w o r k // T E S T I F Y AT F R E E W I L L A S T R O L O G Y. C O M .

46 // ETC.

November 6 – 19, 2019 // THE TULSA VOICE

THE FUZZ THE TULSA VOICE SPOTLIGHTS: TULSA SPCA

2910 Mohawk Blvd. | MON, TUES, THURS, FRI & SAT, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. 918.428.7722

CLARICE has been a delight since coming to Tulsa SPCA. She doesn’t bark much or pull too hard on a leash. She seems unreactive around other dogs and loves attention from humans.

Clarice is a sweet girl and will make her family very happy! She’s about 1.5 years old and weighs 44 lbs.

ACROSS 1 Get a look at 4 Mature goslings 9 Fancy celebration 13 Provide an alibi for, say 17 Vocalist James or Jones 18 Site for strikes and spares 19 Portion out 20 Like a skinny-dipper 21 Get a whiff of a compost pile?

23 AWOL, for one?

25 Patronizes, as a resort 26 Belly, to a doctor 28 “Eek!” 29 Friend in Nice 30 Collection of treasures 31 Charitable offerings 33 Closest pal, for short 36 Orderly line of linemen?

39 Org. with many bins 42 Dinghy pair 44 Code components 45 Inc. relative 46 Pack (down) 47 Side with?

48 Put on the brakes 50 “The Simpsons” disco guy 52 Tickles, in a way 54 Slapdash 56 Asked earnestly 57 Diminutive 58 Vietnamese observance 59 Proverbial sword beater 60 Off-the-wall 63 Comes together 64 Spot for a salt scrub 66 Person with incredible instincts?

68 Above, to a bard

DC is a sweet 12-year-old senior cat who, like all the seniors at Tulsa SPCA is available for a “name your price” adoption donation.

Just look at that beautiful coat! DC is about 10 lbs.

69 Stick a toothpick in 71 What memory foam mattresses lack 72 Photo events, briefly 74 Anticipatory time 77 Bibb units 79 Used a doorbell 80 Mr. Right 82 Rap-sheet listing 83 Carry a balance 84 App downloader 85 Realtor’s goal 86 Emails discreetly, briefly 87 Air quality index org.

89 Rowlands of “The Notebook” 91 Rhythm instrument 92 “Keep it down!”

93 Firm producing Valentine’s Day candy?

99 Highly important 100 Frond-bearing plant 101 Muse of love poetry 102 “We’re toast!”

104 First name in hot dogs 107 Congolese or Nigerian, e.g.

109 Migrate for the winter, say 113 Entry in the Guinness World Leopards book?

115 Auto mechanic, at times?

117 “It’s all yours!”

118 Painful pang 119 Online publication 120 Pols with a donkey symbol 121 Nailed, as a test 122 Animal in a tractor logo 123 Passover celebration 124 Uncanny skill, for short

DOWN 1 Editor’s “don’t delete” 2 Mediterranean volcano 3 Course that’s good for one’s GPA 4 King Arthur’s nephew 5 Over the moon 6 Golf’s “Big Easy” Ernie 7 Put out bait, say 8 Tweezer target 9 Fireplace sights 10 “... or ___!”

11 Pedicure target 12 “And so on” letters 13 “Delta of Venus” author Nin 14 Post-meal sound 15 Outer boundary 16 Driving-range props 17 Suffix for lion 19 Ranked higher than 22 Edward’s adoptive mother in “Twilight” 24 Song from the choir 27 X-ray examiners, for short 32 Homegrown 33 Talk big 34 Moralistic tale 35 Pursuit of healthy gift basket ingredients?

37 Walk wearily 38 Gunk 39 “I think this soup needs more seasoning,” for one?

40 Process, as ore 41 Vaulted church recesses 43 Additive sold at NAPA 46 Private pupil 48 “That’s all ___ wrote”

The Tulsa SPCA has been helping animals in our area since 1913. The shelter never euthanizes for space and happily rescues animals from high-kill shelters.

They also accept owner surrenders, rescues from cruelty investigations, hoarding, and puppy mill situations. Animals live on-site or with foster parents until they’re adopted. All SPCA animals are micro-chipped, vaccinated, spayed/neutered, and treated with preventatives. Learn about volunteering, fostering, upcoming events, adoptions, and their low-cost vaccination clinic at tulsaspca.org.

BENDER is an excited boy ready to meet his forever family! He’s lived with another dog his size and done well but can be a little much for calmer dogs.

Bender would love a family who plays with him and trains him to be the best smash-faced boy he can be! Bender is about 30 lbs.

49 Grill master’s utensil 50 Words that might not be in the OED 51 Takes care of 53 Champagne cocktail 55 Lets off the hook 56 Plug projection 60 Thatching material 61 Strong string 62 Weaken, as confidence 65 Covers with blacktop 67 Big scene 69 Good-sized hunks 70 Birdcage feature 73 According to 75 Attach importance to 76 Nemesis 78 Range rover 80 “This ___ outrage!”

81 Source of trips in the ’60s 84 Form a labor organization 88 Flamboyance 89 Tex-Mex dip 90 Posh properties 93 German gent 94 Abject fear 95 Bouquet tosser 96 University of Oregon locale 97 Picnic spoiler 98 Run-of-the-mill 100 Meant to be 103 Massive crowd 104 Workplace standards agcy.

105 Job detail, for short 106 Apple discard 108 Fairway shout 110 Strings at luaus, briefly 111 Short-term hire 112 Appt. book divisions 114 LAX posting 116 “You can’t get ___ of me that easily!”

KAYLIE is a shy and skittish kitty who does best when she is the only cat.

Once you get her out of her shell, she wants pets and to snuggle in your lap. Kaylie would make a great TV or book buddy. She is 1 year old and about 8 lbs.

UNIVERSAL SUNDAY CROSSWORD NO LESS

By Gail Grabowski, edited by David Steinberg

© 2019 Andrews McMeel Syndication THE TULSA VOICE // November 6 – 19, 2019

RINGO is a sweet and docile Shepherd mix. He promises not to jump on you or push you around. He is about 5 years old and walks well on a leash. Ringo seems to get along with lots of different dogs and would do well in almost any home!

11/10 ETC. // 47

SATURDAY

11.09

SATURDAY

11.30

THURSDAY

12.05

JO KOY

8PM

HOLIDAY DREAMS

8PM

TRAVIS TRITT

8PM

TURN IT ON, TURN IT UP SCAN TO PURCHASE TICKETS

Schedule subject to change.

Pleas e re cycle this issue.