TulsaPeople January 2022 by TulsaPeople

NEW DISCOVERY LAB OPENS

202 2 CHARITABLE E VENT S CALENDAR

LIVES WELL LIVED

January 2022

Local filmmaker spotlights Native Oklahoma a n d Tu l s a

TULSAN OF THE YEAR

STERLIN HARJO

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SATURDAY, JANUARY 15, 2022 9 A.M. TO 1 P.M. You’re invited to visit the Health Zone at Saint Francis on Saturday, January 15, for our annual Health and Wellness Expo. Join us for fitness classes, free health screenings, wellness education, a tour of the facility and more. HE A LT H ZO N E F E AT U R E S A N D S E RVICES: • Two indoor saltwater pools

• Suspension training

• Steam rooms and saunas

• Premier cardio, weight training and strength equipment

• Year-round swimming lessons

• Kids Zone activity center

• Aqua Stand Up® paddleboard classes

• Indoor walking track

• Specialized kids’ programming

• Racquetball courts

• Grab-and-go deli

• Pickleball and basketball

• Membership discounts for Warren Clinic patients and seniors

• Zumba, barre and yoga • Pilates equipment studio • Indoor cycling studio • Boot camp

• R.I.P.P.E.D. and RUMBLE classes • Massage and spa services • Personal trainers

Visit our website saintfrancis.com/healthzone for complete event details. 5353 East 68th Street South | Tulsa, Oklahoma | 918-494-1671

May 2022 bless you with health, wealth, and happiness.

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South: 100 S. Riverfront Drive, Jenks | Midtown: 4110 S. Rockford Avenue, Tulsa

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From tennis elbow to runner’s knee to that nagging joint pain you feel when you’re simply living life — the sports medicine specialists at Utica Park Clinic use the latest diagnostics and advanced therapies to help athletes and weekend warriors

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JANUARY 2022 | VOLUME 36 ISSUE 3

Sterlin Harjo

7 CITY DESK Tulsa Artists Coalition highlights local artists. Game on at Tulsa Arcades. New Women’s Business Center.

65 LIFESTYLE New Year, new you! Home scents.

26 Q&A Kevin Gross, president and CEO of Hillcrest HealthCare System and 2022 Tulsa Regional Chamber chairman. BY CONNIE CRONLEY

28 REWRITING THE HOLLYWOOD PLAYBOOK Sterlin Harjo, Tulsan of the Year BY TIM LANDES 4

TulsaPeople JANUARY 2022

33 LIVES WELL LIVED

42 2022 CHARITABLE EVENTS CALENDAR

TulsaPeople remembers those we lost in 2021. BY JANE ZEMEL

A round-up of this year’s fundraisers and special happenings. BY AMANDA HALL

89 TABLE TALK

39 BUILDING FOR THEIR FUTURE The anticipated Discovery Lab opens this month at its new home along Riverside Drive. BY JAMIE RICHERT JONES

ON THE COVER: Sterlin Harjo, Tulsan of the Year. Photo by Shane Brown.

Mother Road Market updates. Three places for fresh juice. Dining out at Saffron.

STERLIN, CITY DESK: GREG BOLLINGER; TABLE TALK, LIFESTYLE: MICHELLE POLLARD

Connie Cronley finds hope in the kitchen.

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FROM THE PUBLISHER

It’s no secret the January issue of TulsaPeople is one of my favorites. I like it because of two signature features we

photography. A native of Oklahoma City, she

the Year and spotlighting notable Tulsans we lost

The decision of whom to hire for the position

present in the issue each year: naming a Tulsan of during the past year in Lives Well Lived. Each

feature uniquely embodies and reflects our magazine.

Congratulations to Sterlin Harjo, our “Tulsan

of the Year.” The fi lmmaker’s work is bringing

significant movie-making acclaim and projects to Tulsa and Oklahoma. As you will read in Digital Editor Tim Landes’ excellent profi le beginning on p. 28, Harjo’s fi lms and documen-

taries — including the dark comedy “Reserva-

came down to two fi nal candidates: an expe-

rienced photographer in Tulsa who possessed an impressive portfolio, and the less experi-

enced but clearly talented Pollard. The difference between the two candidates was a special

“spark” we recognized in Michelle. It earned

her the job offer. Clearly, a great hiring decision made for the magazine 22 years ago.

Other individual SPJ Award winners were

Tim Landes, News Writing; Ethan Veenker,

Column Writing; Connie Cronley, Column

debunked the Hollywood myth that there is no

Reader Service; Madeline Crawford, Page

interest in Native American stories. And, that

Writing and Profi le Writing; Natalie Mikles, Design; and Georgia Brooks and Madeline

an uber-talented professional doesn’t have to go

Crawford, Cover Design.

television industries. “You can do it at home with

TulsaPeople’s columnist

demonstrates that fact on his home turf at an

Cronley, on the publica-

to Tinseltown to find success in the movie and

your friends,” Harjo says, as he professionally award-winning level.

Our “Lives Well Lived” feature begins on p.

33. It shines deserved recognition on Tulsans who

enriched the Tulsa landscape for decades. The piece was coordinated by Editor Anne Brockman along with former Editor Missy Kruse, and written by Jane Zemel.

I’m proud to report to our readers that

TulsaPeople was recently honored with 12 awards from the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ).

In addition to receiving two fi rst place awards for

Congratulations to

extraordinaire, Connie

PUBLISHER Jim Langdon PRESIDENT Juley Roffers VP COMMUNITY RELATIONS Susie Miller EDITOR SENIOR EDITOR DIGITAL EDITOR ABOUT TOWN EDITOR

Anne Brockman Morgan Phillips Tim Landes Blayklee Freed

EDITORIAL CONSULTING Missy Kruse, The Write Company CREATIVE DIRECTOR ART DIRECTOR MANAGING PHOTOGRAPHER VIDEOGRAPHER

Madeline Crawford Georgia Brooks Michelle Pollard Greg Bollinger

ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVES Andrea Canada Josh Kampf Rita Kirk CONTROLLER Mary McKisick DISTRIBUTION COORDINATOR Amanda Hall INTERN Deborah Laker

MEMBER

Life On Fire: Oklahoma’s Kate Barnard,” pub-

TulsaPeople’s distribution is audited annually by

lished by the University of Oklahoma Press.

A legendary early day reformist and politician, the fiery Barnard was the fi rst woman to be

elected as an Oklahoma state official and served as the state’s commissioner of charities and corrections from 1907-1915.

A copy of the book can be purchased at: Sweet

Tooth Candy and Gift Co., 3541 S. Harvard

“Best Photographer” in the state.

Ave.; or Magic City Books, 221 E. Archer St. TP

Michelle has received numerous awards over

1603 South Boulder Avenue Tulsa, Oklahoma 74119-4407 P: 918-585-9924 F: 918-585-9926

tion of her fi fth book, “A

news writing and page design, our photographer Michelle (Weeks) Pollard was honored as

TulsaPeople Magazine is published monthly by

desired to live and work in Tulsa (smart girl!).

tion Dogs” and feature fi lms “Love and Fury,” “Mekko” and “Four Sheets to the Wind” — have

Volume XXXVI, Number 3 ©2022. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher, including created advertising in a proofed or printed stage.

Ave.; Tulsa Historical Society, 2445 S. Peoria

Langdon Publishing Company sets high standards to ensure forestry is practiced in an environmentally responsible, socially beneficial and economically viable manner. This issue of Tulsa People was printed on recycled fibers containing 20 percent post-consumer waste with inks containing a soy base blend. Our printer is a certified member of the Forestry Stewardship Council and the Sustainable Forestry Initiative, and additionally, meets or exceeds all federal Resource Conservation Recovery Act standards. When you are finished with this issue, please pass it on to a friend or recycle it. We can have a better world if we choose it together. Disregard any TulsaPeople subscription solicitation that is not directly mailed from the Langdon Publishing office at 1603 S. Boulder Ave. Contact Langdon Publishing directly if you are interested in subscribing or renewing your TulsaPeople subscription.

the years for her skills — including other Photographer of the Year honors — since she joined the magazine in November 1999. I remember

interviewing Michelle for the job at TulsaPeople.

It was a few months after she had graduated from the University of Oklahoma with her degree in 6

TulsaPeople JANUARY 2022

Jim Langdon PUBLISHER

S AY N O T O H A T E

VIEW FROM ABOVE L GREG BOLLINGER

ocal fiber artist Taylor Painter-Wolfe is inspired by scenes of topography and the natural mosaics land creates when viewed aerially. “I think more than anything I get inspiration from the material itself. It’s different every time,” she says. “Felting — and dyeing — is pretty unpredictable. … It can dictate the direction a piece is going to go, based on how the colors turned out, how the felt turned out, what kind of shapes, what kind of textures, that kind of thing.” TP LEARN MORE ABOUT PAINTER-WOLFE’S FIBER ART AT TULSAPEOPLE.COM. TulsaPeople.com

NOTEBOOK BY MORGA N PHILLIP S

FIRST WHITE RHINO BORN AT TULSA ZOO

Greenwood to open Women’s Business Center National and local leaders gathered at Greenwood Cultural Center in mid-December to announce the launch of a women’s business center that will assist female entrepreneurs. Funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration, the Greenwood Women’s Business Center will be located inside the GCC. “For phase one we’ve dedicated 5,000 square feet, but phase two will be 15,000 square feet of space and opportunity for women to grow Tulsa, to grow Oklahoma and to grow the region,” says Freeman Culver, president and CEO of the Greenwood Chamber of Commerce. Services offered at the center will include counseling, mentorship, training and technical assistance to help women start or build their businesses. Phase one is expected to be completed this spring. “Women are the fastest-growing entrepreneurial segment with nearly 1,200 businesses started by women in this country every single day,” says Natalie Madeira Cofield, assistant administrator for the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Office of Women’s Business Ownership. Madeira Cofield noted the ramifications COVID-19 has had on women in the labor force, and says there is no better time than the present to increase women’s access to economic opportunities. The Greenwood Women’s Business Center will be operated by U.S. Black Chambers Inc. with the Greenwood Chamber. Culver noted that 80% of business owners in the 100 Block of North Greenwod Avenue are women. 8

TulsaPeople JANUARY 2022

TULSAN APPOINTED TO HIGH COURT Gov. Kevin Stitt appointed Tulsan Dana Kuehn to the Oklahoma Supreme Court on July 26, 2021. She succeeded Tom Colbert, the first African American to serve on the court, after his retirement Feb. 1. Most recently Kuehn was a judge for the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals from 2017 to 2021. Her previous positions also include felony prosecutor with the Tulsa County District Attorney’s Office, associate district judge of Tulsa County, and chief of the Tulsa County Civil Division. She has been inducted into the University of Tulsa College of Law Hall of Fame and received the W. Thomas Coffman Community Service Award and the Mona Salyer Lambird Spotlight Award. In 2017, the American Board of Trial Advocates recognized Kuehn as Judge of the Year for the State of Oklahoma.

GREENWOOD: MORGAN PHILLIPS; KUEHN AND ZOO: COURTESY

John Veal, Oklahoma district director for the U.S. Small Business Administration; Rose Washington-Jones, CEO of Tulsa Economic Development Corp. Creative Capital; Ron Busby, president and CEO of U.S. Black Chambers Inc.; Natalie Madeira Cofield, assistant administrator for the Office of Women’s Business Ownership at the U.S. Small Business Administration; and Freeman Culver, president and CEO of the Greenwood Chamber of Commerce, at a Dec. 8 ribbon cutting for the Greenwood Women’s Business Center

White rhinos are classified as a “near threatened” species with fewer than 20,000 left in the wild, so their birthdays are cause for celebration in the conservation community. Born Nov. 27 weighing 127 pounds, Hodari is the first white rhino calf to be born at Tulsa Zoo. He and his mother, Sally, are visible to guests on warm days in the zoo’s Mary K. Chapman Rhino Reserve yard. In July 2021, Tulsa Zoo welcomed another special bundle of joy: a Malayan tiger cub named Dara. There are fewer than 250 Malayan tigers in the wild due to threats such as habitat loss and poaching, according to zoo officials. Dara is the sixth Malayan tiger cub to be born at the zoo.

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BIZ WHIZ

Covers

Tulsa Arcades will move this spring from its current location near East 21st Street and South Garnett Road to the owners’ home near Tulsa Hills. Most of its business comes from the company’s website, tulsaarcades.com, and word of mouth. Owner JC Reynolds, pictured, says they almost always have a waiting list.

NEW WAY TO PLAY TULSA ARCADES RE-UPS THE RETRO GAMING BUSINESS. BY LUCAS BRADLEY

t least one generation remembers feeding PacMan quarters, and JC Reynolds of Tulsa Arcades is helping bring those days back to living rooms. In 2018, Reynolds and his wife, Michelle, both found themselves out of work due to health and financial woes. “I was like, ‘What do I do?’ My wife was coming down with breast cancer and lost her job, so I was trying to figure out how to make some extra income,” Reynolds says. He started buying arcade games, tricking them out and flipping them. That often means putting a custom control panel in an existing gaming cabinet. “We do custom cabinets, maybe with different graphic wraps and things like that,” he says. “They’re mainly multicades — they can play different games, Pac Man, all the different classics people love to play.” The business took off quickly, with Reynolds estimating $15,000 in sales in the fi rst month. 10

TulsaPeople JANUARY 2022

Since then, he’s up to about $50,000 per month. And talk about your bootstraps. “I started buying arcade parts and accessories from a local vendor,” he explains. “I’d have problems with those parts and think, ‘How do I make this better? How do I make this work?’” His solution was to buy a Computer Numerical Control (CNC) cutter. “I started from the ground up and learned from watching YouTube how to operate this machine,” he says. It worked. Business boomed, and COVID-19 actually helped. “People were stuck at home, so what do they want to do? They want to play video games,” Reynolds says, adding that business is leveling off a bit now that more activities are open. However, “Arcades are really popular,” he continues. “Retro gaming has come back. People have a desire to bring those childhood memories into their homes and share them with their kids. I think there’s always going to be a demand for that.” TP

Many Tulsans know Robert “Hap” Fry for his highly decorated law practice that focuses on divorce and child custody litigation, but many others recognize him as the longtime walking companion of Badger, his fluffy black Aussiedoodle. The pair has been a staple at Utica Square for years and stood out because of Badger’s custommade wheels for his hind legs. In fact, Fry and Badger were featured on the cover of TulsaPeople’s September 2019 issue as some of Tulsa’s most “familiar faces.” In the article, Fry recounted how his children encouraged him to get a dog after the death of his wife in 2011. Finding Badger in 2012 was the start of a special friendship. When a 2017 accident left Badger partially paralyzed, Fry spared no expense or effort to save him, traveling as far as North Carolina for experimental treatments. After his recovery, Badger and Fry were largely inseparable, with Badger even accompanying Fry to his law office. With the help of the dog’s chariot, the two enjoyed their daily walk among the patrons and vendors of Utica Square, as well as special events like Summer’s Fifth Night. Badger’s favorite stop? The Dolphin Fine Linens, where his girlfriend Rosie, the resident shop dog, resides. Rosie was TulsaPeople’s most recent cover dog in November 2022. Badger died Nov. 17, leaving a hole in the hearts of Fry and all who knew the beloved pup. Fry says, “I want to thank the people of Utica Square — the store owners, employees and customers — for making Badger’s and my life so joyful, especially after his accident.” — MORGAN PHILLIPS

GREG BOLLINGER

REVISITED

BLUEPRINT

TCC BLUEPRINT IS FOR STUDENTS & PARENTS/GUARDIANS 9:30 A.M., SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2022 TCC NORTHEAST CAMPUS You have a Blueprint for your child’s freshman year at college? Did you know if you live in Tulsa County, your graduating high school senior can go to TCC for almost free, which can save you tens of thousands in college costs? TCC Blueprint teaches you everything you need to know about our Tulsa Achieves program. We’ll cover eligibility and program requirements, explore academic majors, college resources, and why TCC is the less debt, more value solution to college.

Good things start here. Tulsa Achieves Week starts Feb. 14 For more information and to register, go to

TulsaCC.edu/BluePrint

COFFEE WITH

ABBY KURIN FMAC EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SHARES HER FAVORITE PROJECTS OF 2021. PHOTO AND INTERVIEW BY TIM LANDES

t’s an unseasonably warm morning in December, but that doesn’t stop Abby Kurin from enjoying her steaming oatmilk latte with cinnamon. She’s poured it into her insulated pink cup as she sits inside Topeca Coffee, 100 E. Second St. Kurin is executive director of the Tulsa Office of Film, Music, Art and Culture, which means she’s been busy despite the ongoing pandemic. ON TULSA FMAC’S GROWING PRODUCTION SCHEDULE ... It has been a wild year. We worked with 11 productions in 2017. In 2018 it jumped to 20, and then in 2019 it went up to 32. Then when the pandemic hit, fi rst everyone was like, “What are we going to do?” Like taking care of everyone, making sure we can get back to work safely. Th roughout the pandemic, paired with state legislatures supporting the growth of the fi lm rebate, the County supporting the Tulsa County Film Recovery Program through CARES Act funding resulted in us working with 41 productions. So that absolutely shows the impact of people coming and making projects. That number just is going to continue to rise.

“RESERVATION DOGS” WAS ONE OF THE BIGGEST HITS OF 2021, AND IT WAS FILMED HERE. ON WHAT ITS SUCCESS MEANS FOR THE FUTURE ... Following Sterlin Harjo on Instagram, it’s so funny because you see him resharing all the “Reservation Dogs” promos, the taxi cabs, the billboards from all around the country. People around the world fell in love with “Reservation Dogs,” and they’re like, “Where was this?” It was right here in Oklahoma. When we’re promoting fi lming to happen in the state and specifically in our region, the fi rst 12

TulsaPeople JANUARY 2022

thing we do now is tell the story how Sterlin Harjo’s “Reservation Dogs” was based and fi lmed here. And then the response is often like, “Oh, that’s incredible!” That’s such a great story to tell and such an incredible example to give that you can make your projects here. WHEN SHE EMBARKED ON THIS CAREER, SHE FULLY BELIEVED SHE’D SOMEDAY BE HELPING FILMMAKERS LIKE MARTIN SCORSESE, AND SHE IS ... We just have such an incredible statewide passionate group of individuals. No one person is responsible for the trajectory of this. It’s everyone involved, and it’s everyone continuing to get involved and advocating and wanting to be a part of the industry. So yeah, my bright-eyed, 23-year-old self that was like, “I want to work in fi lm” … I always knew this was only going to get better and better, and it just keeps getting better and better. BESIDES “RESERVATION DOGS,” SHE’S ALSO OBSESSED WITH ANOTHER BIG TELEVISION SHOW ... “Succession” is so good. Chuck (Foxen) and I celebrated our anniversary by cooking dinner and watching it. We’re really enjoying it. Oh, and “Ted Lasso.” I think every human should watch it.

WHEN IT COMES TO MOVIES ... I loved “Spencer,” but I’m a huge Princess Diana fan. And “Ghostbusters: Afterlife.” Loved it. So great. I also watched “Sound of Identity” for the second time. It’s a Kirkpatrick and Kinslow Production and such an incredible story. I’m a huge fan of Lucia Lucas. FMAC HELPED SUPPORT MORE THAN 600 LOCAL LIVE PERFORMANCES THROUGH THE PLAY TULSA MUSIC PROGRAM THIS YEAR. SPEAKING OF MUSIC, ABBY’S MOST-PLAYED MUSIC LAST YEAR ... If I’m being fully transparent, I got three Taylor Swift albums, and I’m feeling pretty damn good about that. I really am. Oh, my gosh, it was the best. I love them all. I feel like at some point I need to be honest about my love for her. A WOMAN’S GOT TO EAT. ON HER FAVORITE MEAL IN TULSA ... My absolute new fave I can’t get enough of is Que Gusto. I am there once a week. They make a gluten-free empanada, and then their yucca fries ... holy moly! Sign me up. One day I danced out of there, oh, so happy, and I’m pretty sure the chef was like, “I don’t know about her, but OK.” TP

OUR FAMILY IS READY TO SERVE YOUR FAMILY

APPLAUSE

Tulsan Eugene Blake, left, has judged dog shows for more than 30 years. For a gallery of images from his career, visit TulsaPeople.com.

Kelli McLoud-Schingen

Starring John Burns and Mecca Marie, World Stage Theatre Co.’s 2020 production of “I Have Before Me a Remarkable Document Given to Me by a Young Lady from Rwanda” earned five TATEs (Tulsa Awards for Theatre Excellence).

LEADING ROLE

WORLD STAGE THEATRE CO. CELEBRATES FIVE YEARS. BY BRANDON SCHMITZ

ince its founding in 2017, World Stage Theatre Co. has sought to bring more multicultural stories to Tulsa. “It’s been an amazing past five years,” says Kelli McLoud-Schingen, founder and artistic director. “I never thought we’d make it this far, but I’m so grateful we have.” Originally from Chicago, the director grew up around myriad theater groups from across the city. She came to Tulsa in 2007 for her husband’s job. “I’ve loved working in Tulsa, but I’d always felt as if something was missing,” she says. “I wanted to not only tell these different kinds of stories, but also bring international artists to Tulsa, as well as take Tulsa artists abroad.” In spring 2018 the company partnered with Theatre Pops to debut its fi rst show, “Disgraced,” a play centered on sociopolitical themes such as Islamophobia and the self-identity of MuslimAmerican citizens in post-9/11 America. From there, World Stage has taken its production abroad to countries such as the Netherlands.

TulsaPeople JANUARY 2022

Future travel opportunities include Ireland, France and Rwanda, McLoud-Schingen says. Having secured its own rental space at 306 S. Phoenix Ave., World Stage also aims to offer classes for students who otherwise wouldn’t have such opportunities. Moving forward, the founder says she wants to continue fostering relationships with other Tulsa theater groups. “We’re against the idea that it’s a competition among theater companies scrounging for scarce resources,” she says. “We have different audiences, and we want everyone involved to realize that the rising tide raises all ships.” World Stage’s next shows are “The Song of Jacob Zulu” (Jan. 27-Feb. 6) and “The Revolutionists” (April 21-May 1), both at the Tulsa Performing Arts Center. “Everything we do is driven by our mission to educate and provide access,” McLoud-Schingen says. “All the shows we select, the actors we hire — this is who we are.” For more information, visit okworldstage.org. TP

After more than three decades judging dogs around the globe, 85-year-old Tulsan Eugene Blake has reached the pinnacle of his career. This month, he will judge the illustrious hound group for the first time at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show in New York City. At 18, Blake got his start bathing dogs at a Houston grooming shop and became enthralled with the world of purebreds. In 1957, he began showing dogs although he was not allowed, as a person of color, to stay in hotels or eat in restaurants with the other handlers. He also started a late-night dog training class in a Sears parking lot and quickly garnered a reputation as a top trainer. “People saw a gift I didn’t know I had, and it just came out,” he says. As a professional handler, Blake piloted multiple breeds to No. 1 rankings. He handled a Saluki named Karim into the top 10 rankings of All-Breeds and won the Hound Group at Westminster in 1973 with an Afghan Hound named Apollo. He began judging in 1990 and still judges 100120 dog shows per year. This is Blake’s second judging assignment at Westminster, America’s second-longest-running sporting event. Judging is more objective than the public realizes, Blake says. “The American Kennel Club breed standard is written, and you follow the standard to come up with your winner,” he explains. When he’s not on the road at dog shows, you can often find Blake at Aurora Kennel, 9721 E. 61st St., with his life partner, shop owner Julie Mueller. — MORGAN PHILLIPS JAN. 24-27 146TH ANNUAL WESTMINSTER KENNEL CLUB DOG SHOW Televised on Fox Sports. Full schedule of events at westminsterkennelclub.org.

APPLAUSE: ANDREW NICHOLS; COURTESY EUGENE BLAKE

BEST IN SHOW

Let us entertain you SARAH COBURN JANUARY 29, 2022

Tickets on sale now!

STOMP February 18-19, 2022

PILOBOLUS DANCE March 24, 2022

SPECIAL VALENTINE’S DAY EVENT

BERNADETTE PETERS FEBRUARY 14, 2022

ROOTS

Cole and Allison Cunningham at their retail store, Mythic City, at the Shops at Mother Road Market. Mythic Press makes custom apparel for Mythic City, businesses and other customers at its shop at East Third Street between South Lewis and Utica avenues.

Songwriters Jon Worthy, Kate Constentino, Sarah Moseley, and Katelyn and Derek Drye sold out Nashville’s notable venue the Listening Room Cafe for Songbird City’s inaugural event in October 2021. Moseley, who is from Tulsa, started the company in November 2020.

AUDIBLE HEIRLOOMS TULSA NATIVE EMPLOYS TEAM OF SONGWRITERS IN NASHVILLE. BY TIFFANY HOWARD

ounded by Tulsa native Sarah Moseley, Songbird City is a Nashville-based company that specializes in putting words to speechless moments through custom song creation. Singing and songwriting from a young age, Moseley grew up in choir and performing at local music events, like the Bixby Green Corn Festival and Mayfest. She graduated from Broken Arrow High School in 2007, attended Belmont University in Nashville and earned her degree in music business. Now, Moseley and her husband call Nashville their permanent home. The idea for Songbird City grew out of Moseley’s wish to help other struggling Nashville songwriters when venues shuttered their doors during COVID-19. At the time, Moseley also was songwriting for fi lm and television, but as the fi rst and only custom song company based

TulsaPeople JANUARY 2022

in Nashville, Songbird City grew so rapidly that she now does it full time. Along with her team of eight other Nashville-based songwriters, Moseley is always ready to work with clients to create “audible heirlooms” for special moments, including anniversaries or other big events. Though it’s not the only custom song company, Songbird City is the only one in which all songwriters currently reside in Nashville. “We wanted our niche to be, ‘We’re Music City songwriters,’ which is so special because people travel from all over the country to experience the music of Nashville,” Moseley says. “So why not have one write a custom song for you? “It’s been so rewarding because it’s not just about me. It’s about helping the songwriters and the community, and getting to gift someone a custom song is just so special.” TP

Mythic Press has become a Tulsa staple known for designing and producing apparel that showcases the pride Tulsans have for their city. Cole and Allison Cunningham, native Oklahomans and owners of Mythic Press, launched their online store seven years ago. On Sept. 18 the popular brand opened its first retail store, Mythic City, at the Shops at Mother Road Market on Route 66. Before owning their business, Cole ran a branding agency and began to screen print apparel on the side. The business took off much quicker than expected, and Cole began Mythic Press in 2015. He began designing T-shirts to celebrate the new Tulsa flag design in 2017, and business has been booming since. Allison joined in 2018. Cole’s background, paired with Allison’s previous experience in museum development and fundraising, led them to create a business model unique to their strengths. The couple felt strongly about giving back to the Tulsa community by giving customers the chance to participate in fundraising. “We love Tulsa and are firmly invested in this city,” Allison says. “Every item sold includes a donation to a local organization. We’re doing our small part to promote and unite Tulsa.” To date, Mythic Press has raised over $50,000 for local nonprofits. Mythic City is open 11 a.m.-6 p.m., TuesdaySunday, at 1102 S. Lewis Ave., Suite E. Its online store can be found at shop.mythic.press. — HANNAH MARSHALL

ROOTS: COURTESY; GREG BOLLINGER

HOMETOWN pride

New Year, New Dog Dish! We invite you to come see and enjoy our new store at 2803 South Harvard beginning January 3rd!

2803 SOUTH HARVARD | 918-624-2600 | OPEN MON.–SAT.

The store your pet deserves!

COMMUNITY

Ok, So storyteller GK Palmer, who won the July 2021 Best Story title

LIFE STORIES TULSANS BRAVE ENOUGH TO TAKE THE STAGE AT AN OK, SO STORY SLAM SAY IT’S LIFE CHANGING. BY ALICIA CHESSER

TulsaPeople JANUARY 2022

Current Grand Slam title holder Rachel Ann Dennis; Ok, So founders Branda Piersall and Michelle Bias; and Best Story winner GK Palmer Visit oksotulsa.com for more information, and follow Ok, So Tulsa on Facebook for upcoming events.

from when she was 13 years old at a January 2020 event as a magical experience. “Ok, So is about telling stories that are true — that mean something,” she says. “Branda and Michelle have lovingly built a community of people who are so supportive. It only took a moment on stage for me to get comfortable and tell my truth.” With storytelling workshops and other community offerings on the horizon, Ok, So is dedicated to empowering Tulsans to craft and share their experiences in a welcoming, diverse setting. “You never know what you’re going to get,” Piersall says. “Sometimes a story itself is less meaningful than watching someone go through the process of being brave enough to get up there.” The group also offers up storytellers to entertain at local events.

The next Ok, So slam Jan. 13 at Living Arts of Tulsa is themed “Mama Said,” and the group is holding a curated event Jan. 22 called “The Ties that Bind.” Stay tuned in February for the ever-popular “Attraction” event, followed by “Confessions” in March. As Angela Evans, 2018 Grand Slam winner, explains, “There is something special about the vulnerability, the intimacy you feel on that stage. Where else can you cackle so hard you’re crying one minute, and then be teary-eyed and covered with goosebumps the next? Once a month Ok, So makes a little magic, and it’s pretty cool that anyone can be part of it.” “It’s these moments of community, of shared humanity,” Piersall agrees, “that make it so amazing.” TP

GREG BOLLINGER

onathan Lamorena had only been in Tulsa for a week, and he thought sharing a personal story at an Ok, So Story Slam would be an opportunity to connect with people in his new hometown. As it turned out, he not only made friends — this fi rst-time storyteller won second place in that night’s open mic in August. “The experience was a personal lift, almost surreal,” Lamorena says. “I often listen to talks or speeches shared on YouTube, TED Talks and the like. The setting and temperature of the room felt like that. It was like checking something off your bucket list. I was surprised how good it felt after sharing my story.” That feeling is a common denominator in descriptions of Ok, So events. The fi rst, held in 2013, came about when former high school acquaintances Branda Piersall, a hospice nurse, and Michelle Bias, a life coach and family constellations facilitator, reconnected and bonded over their love of storytelling. “I had discovered the Moth Radio Hour and solicited them to come to Tulsa,” Piersall recalls. “The producer said, ‘Tulsa’s kind of a small place for us to go. But there isn’t any reason why you can’t do something like this yourself. Just don’t call it the Moth.’” Since then Ok, So has hosted monthly story slams, curated events and an annual Grand Slam competition at the Tulsa Performing Arts Center. At the monthly open mics on second Thursdays, attendees put their name in a hat for the chance to tell a true story in front of the crowd. There’s no reading from a script — just a short, candid narrative. “Storytelling is an underrated skill that takes a lot of practice,” Lamorena says. “I feel like when I share about my challenges and how I’ve grown because of them, I’m helping others in their journey.” Current Grand Slam title holder Rachel Ann Dennis describes sharing her coming-out story

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MUSIC NOTES

Hutton Lowry

For more information, visit the band’s Instagram at @jasperwilderness.

LISTENER-DEFINED EXPERIENCE TULSA BAND REFLECTS ON 2020’S RELEASES. STORIES BY JULIE WENGER WATSON

ulsa-based, alt-rock outfit Jasper Wilderness has been together less than two years. The band’s fi rst single, “Cherish the River,” was released in February 2020 and has garnered over 300,000 streams on Spotify. The band’s five-song EP, “Coming Home to Silence,” debuted in November. Written and recorded during the pandemic, the EP music reflects that experience. “‘Coming Home to Silence’ was born out of a lot of artistic writing sessions that we wouldn’t have been able to have without the lockdown,” says lead singer Gabe Phillips. “We’re a pretty small, tight-knit group, so we were able to meet during the craziness and get some good creative energy and get on the same page about how we wanted to pursue music. Now it feels like we have a great foundation for stepping out and playing live.” Bassist Sam Bowling agrees the unexpected time together allowed the band to coalesce. “Now we know what we’re supposed to sound like and how we’re supposed to present ourselves,” he says.

TulsaPeople JANUARY 2022

Phillips, Bowling and dobro (a resonator guitar) player Jacob Brallier met as students at Oral Roberts University. Drummer Jeremy Pelotte, keyboardist Justin Scott and Bowling’s brother, guitarist Nick Bowling, round out the band. While Phillips notes all of them share Christian faith, their music isn’t overtly religious. “We want to evoke a desire in people to be deeply human and to move deeper, closer to what it means to be themselves,” Phillips says. Even the band’s name is something the band wants listeners to define for themselves, Sam Bowling adds. Bowling explains the messaging in the new EP starts with the title, “Coming Home to Silence.” “Society as a whole has become very oversaturated with noise,” he says. “It feels like wherever you go, you can’t really find peace. We want to present a journey of what it looks like to live in a world without peace, and then at the end, offer a solution — to shut out outside noise and really find a place where you can start thinking for yourself. I believe peace and quiet is the way to find it.” TP

Rock band Tool returns to the BOK Center on Jan. 30. Formed in 1990, the four-time Grammy Award-winning group has maintained a large and loyal fan base for decades, despite large gaps of time between albums, infrequent tours and band members who border on reclusive. Professional photographer Phil Clarkin, 38, has been a fan since high school. “After a few times through their first two albums, it all clicked,” Clarkin recalls. “I was hooked from that point forward.” He has seen the band live multiple times, including photographing them at a 2019 tour stop in Tulsa. “They are a band that has always had a very strict photo policy, and even though I’m the lead house photographer at BOK Center, they only approved a couple of media outlets,” says Clarkin, who shot the concert for the Tulsa Voice. Drummer Danny Carey’s talent stands out to construction professional Hutton Lowry, 37. “Tool was one of a select few bands that influenced my pursuit of percussion,” says Lowry, who can’t name just one favorite song or album. “These songs take the listener on a journey, each to a different place and time,” he explains. “Most are dark, but each album has its own color.” Shawn Emig, 50, has been a fan since ’92. He’s been to 10 concerts, including a show at Tulsa Theater in ’96. Over the years, his appreciation of Tool’s music has grown. “Looking back, initially it was as simple as, ‘They’re dark, heavy, intense — I’m in!’ Over time though, it’s more about the uniqueness of what they do, the way they structure their songs, play around with different time signatures, use minimal guitar solos,” he explains. “No one else sounds like them, which is a rarity these days.” Lowry agrees. “It’s heavy metal, progressive metal and alternative metal all in one,” he says. “No one else has the same sound.” TP

JASPER WILDERNESS: COURTESY; LOWRY: GREG BOLLINGER

TOOL TIME

EXPLORE the possibilities Private tours offered by appointment, visit us virtually or at a Welcome Wednesday Open House.

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Tulsa Yarn Dolls Gabriela Gonzalez, Audra Brulc, Kathleen Brulc and Linda Unruh

THREADS

The Tulsa Yarn Dolls meet from 6:30-8 p.m., every first and third Thursday, at Hardesty Regional Library, 8316 E. 93rd St. Show up to help or to donate yarn, and keep up with them on Facebook: @tulsayarndolls.

MORE THAN PLAYING WITH YARN NEEDLEWORK GROUP TULSA YARN DOLLS MEETS TO KNIT AND CROCHET FOR CHARITY.

eated around a massive table in a meeting room at Hardesty Regional Library, a group of women are nearly drowning in varicolored yarn. Every shade of the spectrum is represented. The women knit, crochet and chat, looking up now and again to check their patterns or hold their works-in-progress against the light. The Tulsa Yarn Dolls, as they call themselves, began in 2017. Initially a faith-based organization creating prayer shawls, they are no longer affi liated with a church and stress that anyone is welcome. There’s no needlework discrimination either — all forms of craft are welcome. “Anything that’s a craft,” says Yarn Doll Linda Unruh, said to be the group’s fastest worker. “Bring your stuff and come sit. We chitterchatter and play with yarn.” Modesty is well and good, but the Dolls do more than play with yarn. Although personal projects are allowed and the group is more than willing to offer help (or to teach newbies outright), its prime focus for years has been a higher calling: charity. “At some point you run out of how many blankets and shawls and scarves and hats you can make for your family,” Unruh says. “We don’t sell them. Charitable gifting is what we do.”

TulsaPeople JANUARY 2022

Tulsa Yarn Dolls donate projects including blankets, hats, shawls and dolls.

In fact, nearly half the meeting was spent trying to recall and list the group’s charity projects — hundreds of blankets, hats, shawls, dolls and more created and donated over the past few years — especially impressive for a group whose largest meeting boasted seven attendees. These charitable projects include blankets and throws for patients at Rivercross Hospice; red hats to raise awareness of congenital heart disease through the American Heart Association;

blankets for children through Project Linus; and handmade children’s toys through the Child Abuse Network, to name only a few. But there is another purpose for meeting: decompression after a long week in a contentious world. “It gives me the time to kind of sit and be calm, and it settles my heart, so to speak,” Unruh says. Fellow Yarn Doll Kathleen Brulc concurs, saying, “The sense of community and the sense of purpose are very intertwined for me.” Brulc recalls a special memory. In late 2017, as Philbrook Museum of Art was deinstalling the many miles of yarn hung by artist HOTTEA (aka Eric Rieger) for the inaugural installation of the Zink Rotunda Art Project, the Tulsa Yarn Dolls were there to pick up the scraps. Literally. They had been contacted by the museum and had been offered the yarn for their own charitable purposes. The Dolls set up shop there in the rotunda, knitting and crocheting away, when a woman from China, speaking through her daughter, asked if she could join. She produced some needlework tools from her purse and got right down to business with them, in that moment a Tulsa Yarn Doll herself, helping to give the art before her another life, for other people to enjoy. TP

GREG BOLLINGER

BY ETHAN VEENKER

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ART SPOT

Tulsa Artist Coalition Gallery exhibiting artists include Dorris Levasheff (left), Cristiana Prado (above) and Tyler Griese (below). Visit TulsaPeople.com for more on these artists and their upcoming shows.

THE SOLOISTS T BY BLAYKLEE FREED J A N UARY

Cristiana Prado

Prado specializes in 3-dimensional ceramic sculpture. She teaches art to all ages: elementary students at Tulsa Public Schools, students learning art fundamentals and appreciation at Tulsa Community College, and ceramics students at the University of Tulsa. Her upcoming show “Offering and Guarding” connects back to her hometown of Salvador, Brazil, which includes a rich fusion of Indigenous, African and European cultures. “Living in this country made me appreciate even more my culture back home,” Prado says. “Because feeling homesick, always missing something, I value more certain things more now than when I was there.” Prado will display colorful ceramic figures with varied texture and design inspired by Orishas, African gods and goddesses who serve as guardians, helping people achieve their destinies. 24

TulsaPeople JANUARY 2022

F E BRUA RY

Dorris Levasheff

At the time of writing, Levasheff was working on a 6-foot-8-inch painting in her quintessential contemporary style with bold strokes and colors. “Viktorea,” the larger-than-life acrylic piece on three-quarter-inch plywood, is modeled after her daughter of the same name. The piece will be included among other paintings in her upcoming show about reflecting on how humans treat one another. “To me, my art is about communication, and this particular show is going to be called ‘Reflections,’” Levasheff says. “It’s reflecting on how you see things, social things about the planet, how everyone should be treated equally with respect (and be) able to communicate with each other in a nice manner and to exchange ideas.” That intention — communication — is also apparent through the material she often uses for jewelry-making: telephone wire.

MARCH

Tyler Griese

Before he moved to Tulsa in 2019, local artist and TCC professor Griese had his sight set on exhibiting at TAC Gallery. “I love the space. I love how community oriented it is,” Griese says. “I love the traffic it gets, the diversity of shows, the diversity of artists — everything from representational paintings to installations.” In March, Griese will show snapshots of life in detailed oil paintings at TAC Gallery. Those foundations, he says, are necessary for working in all artistic mediums, including his own of photography and figurative painting. Griese shoots all of the scenes he paints. “I get inspired at times by mundane things being beautiful, and I think that’s what I try to incorporate in my work — the beauty of the mundane — in a sense that as many people as possible can relate to it,” he says. TP

GREG BOLLINGER

TULSA ARTIST COALITION GALLERY FOCUSES ON LOCAL TALENT.

ulsa’s art community is robust with talent, but local artists in the mid 1980s had a hard time finding venues to showcase their work. They formed Tulsa Artists’ Coalition in 1986 in a grassroots support effort and have been exhibiting art at 9 E. Reconciliation Way since 1996, according to TAC President Dean Wyatt. “At the end of the day, it’s really about supporting local artists,” he says. For 2022, TAC Gallery has a schedule packed with expressive artists eager to share paintings, sculptures, jewelry and more. For each month through March, one local artist shows a solo exhibition at TAC Gallery that opens on first Fridays.

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KEVIN GROSS PRESIDENT AND CEO OF HILLCREST HEALTHCARE SYSTEM AND 2022 TULSA REGIONAL CHAMBER CHAIRMAN BY CONNIE CRONLEY

hat is the adage about history giving us the right leaders at the right time? As the COVID pandemic continues to roil and surge, how timely that the incoming chairman of Tulsa Regional Chamber is health care professional Kevin Gross. As president and CEO of Hillcrest HealthCare System, Gross has frontline experience dealing with one of the toughest times in the city’s public health history. The place, the time and the leader: perfect match. “I feel we have turned the corner,” Gross said in a November 2021 interview. COVID-19 will never go away “and for 2022 it’s anybody’s guess,” he says, “but with the number of people vaccinated, the number who have had COVID and the precautions we’ve taken,” he believes “we’ve got it under control.” That gives him the freedom to focus on other Chamber objectives.

“My wish for Tulsa is that we can have good, strong growth, but not lose our character — maintain the things that attract people to Tulsa.” — KEVIN GROSS can achieve? What does the Chamber need to do to make that happen? Or, do differently to achieve real growth in the next decade?”

WHAT IS YOUR IMMEDIATE GOAL? As Chamber chairman, Gross is focusing on economic development, attracting and retaining businesses. It’s a very competitive marketplace out there, nationally and internationally, he says, but the timing is right. “Everything took a bit of a pause in 2020 because of the pandemic and shutdowns, but things are reopening and there’s going to be a lot of activity,” Gross says. “Companies are back at expanding, looking at relocating, and we’re in the appropriate position to capitalize on that.”

AND SPEAKING OF THE FUTURE ... “I want to continue supporting TYPROS … the leaders of the future.” TYPROS, the Chamber’s organization for younger people, provides an opportunity for leadership roles and networking among peers. Gross says, “Mentoring can’t be understated for young people. I was given an opportunity by one of my mentors to run a hospital when I was 30 years old. Without that opportunity — somebody willing to take a chance on me — my career would be totally different.”

WHERE DOES THE CHAMBER START? “First, I want to continue to support the efforts of (outgoing) chair Rose Washington-Jones, moving toward being more diverse and inclusive as an organization,” he says. “The incoming board is the most diverse group of individuals the Chamber has had.” Another goal is looking forward to the next decade. The 2020 census results indicate the Tulsa metro has surpassed a million people, “a big milestone,” so Gross is challenging the Chamber board and staff to anticipate the next census. He asks, “What do we want Tulsa to look like in 2030? What kinds of things do we imagine we

BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE. It’s an election year at the state level and nationally there are mid-term elections. “Part of what the Chamber does is advocacy work, so we’ll be spending a lot of time looking at the issues, reviewing people who are running for public office and helping shape the agenda,” he says. “It’s important to have good leaders in public office.”

TulsaPeople JANUARY 2022

WHAT ARE TULSA’S STRENGTHS FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH? “The Chamber has a great economic development team and great success. Tulsa is a great place to live, raise a family and work. We have the tools we

need. That includes resources, places for companies to relocate and economic incentives.” WHAT OTHER FACTORS CONTRIBUTE TO GROWTH? Tourism and the economic impact of more than 7 million people who visited Tulsa last year, staying in hotels, eating in restaurants and shopping, contributing to Tulsa’s growth by spending more than $800 million. “An important part of what we do is to promote Tulsa as a place to visit. One of the highlights of 2022 is the PGA Championship in May, which will bring tens of thousands of individuals here for tourism. Thanks to our partners at Southern Hills Country Club, this will be a great opportunity to showcase Tulsa.” YOU’VE BEEN HERE BEFORE, HAVEN’T YOU? BOTH HERE IN TULSA AND AT THE CHAMBER. “I’ve come to Tulsa twice.” He was here from 2004-2006, with Hillcrest and the Chamber, and when his successor at the hospital system retired and he was invited back, “I jumped at the opportunity.” WHY? “All the things we have to offer here. Tulsa is a very livable city, lots of things to do, easy to be involved in the community. A very comfortable place to live and work.” WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PLACE IN TULSA? “That’s a hard one. Clearly, Gathering Place has put us on the map as a world-class recreational center for families, thanks to the George Kaiser Family Foundation and other donors that made it happen. Also, my list of top places includes the BOK Center, a great venue that attracts a variety of performers and performances, concerts and events from professional bull riding to ice skating. “When I came to Tulsa in 2004, downtown was a totally different place and there was not much going on there after 5 o’clock at night. That changed with the BOK Center at one end, ONEOK Field at the other and the infill of restaurants, museums and activities. Now, downtown is an exciting place at night with plenty of people and activity. The vision that developed the BOK was the spark that made the revitalization of downtown happen.”

Kevin Gross leads Hillcrest HealthCare System and is incoming chairman of the Tulsa Regional Chamber, a driver of regional and individual prosperity in northeast Oklahoma representing 2,000 member organizations and more than 170,000 workers.

GETTING PERSONAL KEVIN GROSS

MICHELLE POLLARD

WHO WAS YOUR BIGGEST INFLUENCE IN LIFE? “My father. He was the classic success story, the son of immigrants (from Ireland), didn’t finish high school, went off to World War II, returned and found a job as a salesman for a company that manufactured concrete, was with that organization for 32 years and retired as president of the company. He truly experienced the American dream and he shaped my life, my values and provided the opportunity for me and my two sisters to go to college. His work ethic and values shaped me to be the person I am today.” WHAT’S THE BEST ADVICE YOU EVER RECEIVED? “Two rules: (1) If you take care of the big things, the little things will take care of themselves, and (2) there are no big things.” The advice was for running hospitals, but it applies to life. “In other words, there are a million things to do 365 days a year. You can’t do a couple of things and expect everything will work out; you have to do a lot

of things and do them consistently over a long period of time to be successful.” WHAT WAS THE TOUGHEST TIME IN YOUR LIFE? “The last 22 months. I’ve been running hospitals for 36 years and never had a 22-month period like we’ve had with this pandemic. It has challenged everyone. A hospital is a 24/7 operation. We don’t close. We’ve never been through anything like this in the health care industry.” WHAT DO YOU DO FOR FUN? “I work hard so I don’t have a lot of spare time, but I do enjoy fishing of all kinds.” WHAT IS YOUR WISH FOR TULSA? “Other cities have grown but got challenged with congestion, high cost of living and high cost of housing. My wish for Tulsa is that we can have good, strong growth, but not lose our character — maintain the things that attract people to Tulsa.” TP

BORN: Philadelphia EDUCATION: Bachelor’s of science in biomedical engineering from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois; MBA from Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania FIRST JOB: Recruited by Ernst & Young in Houston FAMILY: Wife, SUSAN GROSS; daughter DIANA BOOREN (husband SCOTT BOOREN is chief financial officer of Southern Hills) with three children, ages 6 months, 4 and 7; daughter ANDREA GROSS, physical therapist in Tulsa; and daughter JULIA GROSS, student at Kansas State University School of Veterinary Medicine PROFESSION: Gross leads the operations of the Hillcrest HealthCare System — nine facilities with 6,500 employees.

TulsaPeople.com

GREG BOLLINGER

TulsaPeople JANUARY 2022

TULSAN OF THE REWRITING

THE HOLLY WOOD

PLAYBOOK

STERLIN HARJO HAS DEVOTED HIS CAREER TO TELLING NATIVE STORIES, AND OVER THE PAST YEAR HAS MADE UNPRECEDENTED STRIDES IN NATIVE REPRESENTATION IN THE TOUGH-TO-CHANGE FILM AND TELEVISION INDUSTRIES. HE’S DONE IT FROM HIS HOME IN TULSA — AND WE RECOGNIZE HIM AS TULSAN OF THE YEAR. BY TIM LANDES

Fifteen years ago, Cufe, a young Seminole/Muscogee man, left his hometown of Holdenville, Oklahoma, after his father’s death by suicide. He traveled to Tulsa, where he found a new start. Six years ago, a Muscogee man named Mekko was released from prison and came to Tulsa, where he spent most of his time on the streets in the Kendall Whittier District, often posted up just outside Circle Cinema. Their stories are intimate, known by few. Then in fall 2021, four teenagers growing up in a small community on the Muscogee Nation Reservation just south of Tulsa captured America’s attention. The dark comedic adventures of the “Reservation Dogs” have audiences laughing across the country as the show knocks down Hollywood barriers while garnering critical acclaim and awards, and in the process catapulting co-creator Sterlin Harjo to the next level of fame. The 42-year-old Seminole/Muscogee filmmaker has grinded out a career focusing on local stories about Native families and communities. He’s realistically depicted Native life in Tulsa and Oklahoma through his films and documentaries and proved you don’t have to go to Hollywood to find success in the movie and television industries. You can do it at home with your friends. Harjo’s work is changing the Hollywood playbook regarding how Native Americans are presented in film and TV. His show is the first to have an all-Indigenous writer’s room. He has debunked the longstanding Tinseltown myth that there is no interest in authentic Native stories being told. It also was the first scripted network television series to film the entirety of its season in Oklahoma. For these reasons Harjo is our Tulsan of the Year. “That’s the ultimate praise,” Harjo says. “If you can make people at home proud, then you really did something good. I didn’t leave here. I’ve only tried my best to bring the work here. We’ve brought a lot of money into town. It just feels really good to be recognized. I’m very proud to be Tulsan of the Year. It’s awesome.”

TulsaPeople.com

FAMILIAR FACES FX Networks’ “Reservation Dogs” has a soundtrack loaded with music by Native musicians and artists with strong Oklahoma ties. Sterlin Harjo has long supported the local music scene, says Tulsa roots country musician Jacob Tovar. So, when Harjo invited Tovar and his band to appear in Episode 7 of “Reservation Dogs,” Tovar, a cinephile himself, was thrilled. “I’m really into films, so it was a great experience to be on the production side,” Tovar says. “He used ‘Three Good Reasons,’ written by Dennis Howard and me, as the upbeat song at the bar and ‘Cleveland Summer Nights,’ written by Wink Burcham and recorded by Isaac Hanson, as the slower, more emotional one that played several times in that episode and in the credits.” Musician JD McPherson no longer lives in Tulsa, but he’s known Harjo since their film school days at the University of Oklahoma. “Right before the show aired, Sterlin told me ‘Wolf Teeth’ was going to be in the second episode, and I flipped out,” McPherson recalls. “He told me it was in the scene, ‘There’s a rumble at the Indian clinic,’ and I just died laughing. I was surprised by ‘Lucky Penny’ in the other episode. I had no idea. I’ve never been prouder for a music placement.” Oklahoma City Native rap duo and brothers Lil Mike and Funny Bone (“Mose” and “Mekko” in the series), have seen the popularity of their own music grow since being featured in the show. “I think it’s dope they’re using all Indigenous artists, creators and music. I think it only strengthens the show,” Funny Bone says. “It also brings awareness to artists who normally wouldn’t have that push. It’s been a plus for us because we are independent artists. There’s no big label behind us.” Former Oklahoman and Muscogee Nation citizen Sten Joddi, a hip-hop artist (“Punkin’ Lusty” in the series), echoes these sentiments. “Being asked to act on the show was cool, but being asked to send in a few tracks for possible use was the coolest thing for me. Music is my passion, and showcasing my music was incredible for me and my family,” he says. “All the artists featured in the series bring their swag of Oklahoma to the world — the bands, the singers, the rappers. I’m just thankful and grateful for being on something so groundbreaking and amazing.” — JULIE WENGER WATSON 30

TulsaPeople JANUARY 2022

BRINGING NATIVE STORIES TO LIFE

Harjo grew up in Holdenville, which had a population just under 5,000 when he graduated in 1998 and left for the University of Oklahoma to learn how to become a painter. He had a little too much fun and found himself on academic probation. He quit for a bit, tried writing a script on his own, then returned and enrolled in an Intro to Film and Video Studies class taught by Misha Nedeljkovich that solidified his new career path.

Harjo grew up in a family of artists and storytellers. He enjoyed listening to the adults talk about past adventures as they sat around the table holding cups of coffee. They were simple, often funny, stories of life as Native folks in rural Oklahoma. He also loved watching movies. There was “The Outsiders,” “Rumble Fish,” “Stand By Me,” “The Goonies” and whatever else he could watch on HBO after it was hooked it up illegally by a family friend. He and his dad, Brownie Harjo, would watch war movies like “Big Red One,” “Hamburger Hill” and “Platoon.” They’d also watch movies featuring outdated and stereotypical depictions of Native Americans full of errors because that’s all there was. When his dad brought home a copy of Michael Jackson’s short film for “Thriller” it was the first time Harjo had seen a making-of feature, which revealed the magic happening behind the scenes. Harjo’s work in film school caught the attention of Sundance Labs, which had previously helped launch the careers of Paul Thomas Anderson, Quentin Tarantino, Wes Anderson and other Hollywood heavyweights. In 2004 he received a fellowship from the Sundance Institute, and the next year he premiered his short film “Goodnight, Irene” at Sundance Film Festival. Next Harjo made his first feature, “Four Sheets to the Wind,” in Holdenville and his new home of Tulsa, then took the movie to Sundance in 2007, where it was nominated for a grand jury prize. He had found his voice and style, and he was making friends with other creatives that would change everyone’s lives after years of grinding out more movies and documentaries on micro budgets. Shane Brown met Harjo at the Cherokee International Film Festival in 2005. They reunited years later at This Land Press, where Brown served as a photographer and Harjo made documentary shorts. In 2013, Harjo asked Brown to be cinematographer for his documentary “This May Be the Last Time.” In it, Harjo investigates the 1962 disappearance of his grandfather and examines the songs of encouragement sung by the friends and family who searched for him. That was followed in 2015 with Brown back behind the camera taking Harjo’s direction to film “Mekko.” Brown says not only did he have a good chemistry working with his friend, but he, too, believed in the subject matter. “At some point my career just became heavily involved with environmental and Indigenous issues, and I have Ryan Redcorn and Sterlin to thank for that,” says Brown, a Cherokee Nation citizen from Skiatook. “Those are stories I want to tell that are a part of American history and also just telling these stories in a different way.” While nearly all of Harjo’s work has been done in Oklahoma, his documentary “Love and Fury” sent Harjo, Brown and other Tulsa-based crew across the country and into Europe as they followed Native musical and visual artists. It premiered at the 2020 Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival and filmmaker Ava DuVernay’s ARRAY bought the distribution rights, then released it on Netflix in December 2021, making it Harjo’s biggest film launch to date.

‘SKODEN’

While at Sundance in 2004, Harjo met New Zealand filmmaker Taika Waititi and they hit it off. Over the years they traveled together, hung out and often talked about their childhood adventures. Waititi would talk about his

TOVAR: GREG BOLLINGER; PREMIERE: TIM LANDES

Jacob Tovar

Harjo is still trying to grasp the changes that have come with finding success by Hollywood standards. In the fall he presented at the Emmys and has given award acceptance speeches in New York City and Hawaii. He’s sat on panels in Los Angeles with comedian and actor Marc Maron and appeared on his popular podcast. His sunglassed smiling face constantly appears in Hollywood trade publications with the announcement of a new project in development. As Harjo recently walked through a Los Angeles airport, a stranger recognized the filmmaker. That was a first. When he’s at home in Tulsa, which is rare the past few months, he can no longer frequent his favorite coffee shop, bar or go anywhere in town without a stranger approaching him expecting him to be something bigger than he is, he says. “In some ways it bowls you over like a giant bowling ball or drowns you like a giant wave,” Harjo says. “Then in other ways, it’ll probably hit me five years from now, but I definitely feel it, and I definitely wasn’t ready for it. It’s been a whirlwind. It’s kind of hard to process and really hard to reflect on because I’m still going through it.” On Aug. 2, Harjo, along with many of the cast and crew, celebrated the Tulsa premiere of “Reservation Dogs” at Circle Cinema. Within days they repeated the process in LA. Then the FX show premiered Aug. 9 on Hulu and became an overnight success. Harjo’s life changed in an instant after years of hard work. There was a quick announcement that the second season is official. There was the Sept. 19 red carpet walk into the Emmys and standing on stage with the cast to present an award. There were post-show selfies with Oscar winner Barry Jenkins and comedians Cedric the Entertainer and Conan O’Brien. There was his first NBA game sitting courtside in Oklahoma City and in-game recognition on the Jumbotron. His social media accounts exploded with people following and tagging him as they shared their love for the show and his previous works. Industry executives were finally interested in Harjo’s stories and ideas. There were meetings followed by announcements of more projects in development, including a Netflix project with basketball star LeBron James. So when did it all sink in that his life has changed? “I saw a young Native girl online dressed up as (‘Rez Dogs’) actress Paulina Alexis at the Emmys,” Harjo says. “She wasn’t even dressed up as the character (Willie Jack) but dressed as the actress when she was at the Emmys. That blew me away because we all know how Halloween is tricky for Native people when you get all the people dressed up in fake buckskin and stuff. Not only did we see characters, but to see a young girl dressed as one of the actors from the show when they were at the Emmys — that really blew me away and made me very proud.”

Revisit our November 2020 episode with Sterlin Harjo.

Sterlin Harjo walks the green carpet at the Aug. 2, 2021, premiere of “Reservation Dogs” at Tulsa’s Circle Cinema. Audiences filled the screening rooms to watch the first three episodes of the groundbreaking series set in Oklahoma.

Maori heritage. Sterlin would share stories of his tribal upbringing in small-town Oklahoma. They realized they were on to something. “We just hooked up through that and became friends over the years, and I think our friendship really developed just based on the fact that we came from completely different places on the other side of the world, separated by 200,000 miles, but that our experiences growing up were pretty much exactly the same,” Waititi told Entertainment Weekly in an August 2020 interview. “So all of our conversations always inevitably led to stories about where we’re from, and we related to each other deeply over those stories and our backgrounds.” It was February 2020. Waititi had just won an Academy Award for his adapted screenplay for “JoJo Rabbit.” The gold statute laid on a bed between the Oscar winner and Harjo as they watched audition footage of teenagers vying for roles for their new show, “Reservation Dogs.” FX had wanted to shoot the show in New Mexico, but Harjo pushed back for an Oklahoma set. He drove around small towns taking pictures of possible locations and emailed them to the executives with a message. “I said, ‘When you’re doing a Native story, the land you shoot it on is the most important part. A lot of people survived attempted genocide to get here, and that’s who these characters are representing, so if we’re doing it in New Mexico, I need to change the story,’” Harjo says. “To their credit, they said, ‘Yeah, let’s do it.’ Then the next question was crew, and I was like, ‘There are so many talented people here.’ We filled it with local crew, and it was a great experience.” Abby Kurin, executive director of the Tulsa Office of Film, Music, Art and Culture, says they were thrilled when

HARJO ON WHAT HE’D SAY TO THE 2007 HIM THAT APPEARED ON THE COVER: “I would say buckle up, because there’s going to be tons of things that feel like failure. But it’s all meant to be, and it’s all basically getting you ready for success. You’re going to learn a lot, and it’s not going to come as fast as you think it’s going to come.”

Harjo sold FX on making it at home because it sent a message to other local filmmakers they can stay home to create high quality content. “To have somebody who’s so passionate about Oklahoma and Indigenous stories, and to bring those productions to the area is a huge opportunity,” Kurin says. “He’s really opening the doors for more opportunities for everyone. And bringing such a huge scope to stories of Oklahoma to a worldwide view. It’s a huge impact.” Longtime collaborator Dylan Brodie came on board as associate producer, and more local crew helped on set. Harjo’s 1491s comedy troupe mates Dallas Goldtooth and Ryan Redcorn helped in the writer’s room, and Goldtooth appeared as Spirit, one of the show’s most popular characters. “This project felt different and special,” says Brown, who served as set photographer. “I know there are probably a dozen, maybe two dozen or more people who would agree with me. It’s just there were so many friends that had worked together on other projects who came together to make the show. That’s the thing, Sterlin didn’t forget when Hollywood offered him an opportunity. He brought everybody else up with him.” When it came to casting the teens, they hired D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai as the lead, Bear Smallhill. He was joined by Devery Jacobs as Elora Danan Postoak, Paulina Alexis as Willie Jack and Lane Factor as Cheese, rounding out the gang that lives by the slogan, “Skoden” meaning “Let’s go then.” They filmed eight episodes during spring and summer 2021, wrapping production in July. According to an Oklahoma Film and Music Office estimate, the production had an economic impact of over $10 million spent TulsaPeople.com

directly in-state with the creation of over 800 local career opportunities. When it came time to celebrate the Tulsa premiere, Woon-A-Tai was glowing with excitement as he posed for photos and talked about his experience. “It’s surreal to think this all started with two guys sitting in the backyard thinking about it, then they brought in all these talented people to make it happen,” he says. “Sterlin is a creative genius. Watching all this unfold and how he’s making cultural changes and how he’s comfortable with that when a lot of directors aren’t ... He’s a once-in-a-lifetime kind of guy.” Woon-A-Tai saw something critics agree with. The show has been praised for its authentic representation and depiction of Native youth. Hulu saw subscriptions increase in Oklahoma, New Mexico and Arizona and then up through the plains states, as well as in Alaska, which Harjo says “incentivizes Hulu to do more Native content, which is the ultimate goal.” Entertainment Weekly named it the best show of the year. Rolling Stone, The New Yorker, American Film Institute, New York Times and many more have ranked “Reservation Dogs” among the best shows of 2021. It picked up the Gotham Award for breakthrough series in late November to kick off an awards season that could bring more trophies to Harjo’s shelves. “The work Sterlin Harjo and his team have done in bringing an authentic storytelling of modern Indigenous American life to a global audience will have an influential impact for years to come,” says Muscogee Nation Principal Chief David Hill, who announced the creation of the Sterlin Harjo Scholarship to go toward a career path in the film

TulsaPeople JANUARY 2022

and television industries. “The impact on our Reservation, the city of Tulsa and the state of Oklahoma cannot be overstated. Representation matters, and for so long our people, and specifically our youth, have not been able to enjoy an accurate reflection of their daily lives on screen. The trail Sterlin has blazed will be followed by so many who know the fulfillment of their dreams is now possible.” Harjo has a full slate. He has season 2 of “Rez Dogs” filming soon. He is co-developing “Rez Ball” for Netflix, adapting the book “Yellow Bird” for Paramount+, and then there’s a new heist miniseries for FX. Harjo says there are even more projects he can’t talk about. After years of stressing about financing and getting projects made, the future is bright for Harjo and Native storytelling. It wouldn’t be possible without the success of his “Reservation Dogs.” “I’m really proud of what it did, and what it’s doing. It feels like it really has changed something,” says Harjo, who Hollywood Reporter named one of the most influential people in comedy. “We talk a lot about changing stuff, but it really does feel like something shifted with ‘Reservation Dogs.’ I’m very proud it has done what it’s done and is so popular because it really did break through, and it has crossed over. “It’s something I knew could happen if given the opportunity to tell our stories the right way. It’s something I’ve gambled on my whole career, and honestly felt like I failed at a lot throughout my career because I made independent films. It’s easy to feel like there’s no audience ... A lot of things lined up, and we did prove there’s an audience for Native stories.” Skoden, indeed. TP

“THAT’S THE THING, STERLIN DIDN’T FORGET WHEN HOLLYWOOD OFFERED HIM AN OPPORTUNITY. HE BROUGHT EVERYBODY ELSE UP WITH HIM.” SHANE BROWN

SHANE BROWN/COURTESY FX

Actors Paulina Alexis, Lane Factor, D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai and Devery Jacobs in a scene from the first season of “Reservation Dogs,” which is nominated for a Golden Globe Award

Lives WELL LIVED There are never enough words to honor the notable men and women we lost this past year, yet here we celebrate their contributions to the spirit and character of the Tulsa community. We remember business, civic and military leaders; philanthropists and public servants; educators and legislators; musicians and performers; broadcasters and restaurateurs who enriched the Tulsa landscape for decades.

BY JANE ZEMEL

Averill’s life was music, including writing the score for American Theatre Co.’s musical adaptation of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol,” a production Tulsa theatergoers sold out annually for 44 years. He composed dozens of scores for ATC and arranged music for the New Christie Minstrels. Averill also arranged folk, Broadway, jazz and pop music.

Richard “Rick” Averill

AVERILL: COURTESY; BALLARD: MICHELLE POLLARD; BEATTIE: HARVEY PAYNE

NOV. 28, 1946-AUG. 29, 2021

“Rick was a musical genius. His knowledge of the structure of music, musicals and musical genres was flawless.” — BOB ODLE, who wrote lyrics to Averill’s tunes; the Hammerstein to his Rodgers

JULY 23, 1949-SEPT. 28, 2021

Beattie was an outdoorsman. As the fi rst director of the Oklahoma Nature Conservancy, he helped acquire Tallgrass Prairie Preserve, Black Mesa and Cucumber Creek, as well as caves and trails around Tulsa. His passion for long-distance running led to the founding of the Tulsa Run in 1978. And as someone who loved anything that barked, he was proud of establishing the off-leash Joe Station Dog Park along Charles Page Boulevard. “Herb was an environmental warrior.

One of his greatest conservation lega-

cies is the part he played in establishing the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve in Osage County. Herb was the fi rst director of

Former Tulsa Public Schools Superintendent Ballard was a powerful force in Oklahoma education as an advocate for resources for public school students and classroom teachers. At TPS, he helped pass a $415 million bond package and oversaw school consolidation. His highest compliment was to call someone a wonderful educator. After TPS, he returned to the classroom as a professor at University of OklahomaTulsa’s College of Education.

Keith Ballard

Herb Beattie

JAN. 2, 1935-AUG. 25, 2021

“Keith Ballard was a mentor, a dear friend, a lifelong educator and a relentless advocate for Tulsa teachers, children and families. His legacy can be felt in every corner of our district.” — DEBORAH GIST, superintendent, TPS

the Nature Conservancy’s Oklahoma

Chapter that was created in 1986, and

only two years later the opportunity to purchase the historic 29,000-acre

Barnard Ranch presented itself. Herb and the founding board seized the

opportunity and pushed the Nature

Conservancy’s national office to take on

the $15 million project. Now at 40,000acres, the Joseph H. Williams Tallgrass Prairie Preserve is the largest protected

tallgrass prairie in North America, and the most aggressive attempt to fully

restore an example of the tallgrass prairie ecosystem with its fi re-bison interaction management program."

— BOB HAMILTON director, Tallgrass Prairie Preserve

TulsaPeople.com

Former U.S. District Judge Brett served the Tulsabased Northern District for 24 years, including as chief judge from 1994-1996. He was a member of both the Tulsa and Oklahoma Halls of Fame. The hardest part of his job, as he described, was learning to listen, and he thought it important for litigants to leave the courthouse feeling they got a fair shake.

Clyde Cole

MAY 4, 1932-JAN. 21, 2021 As president of what is now the Tulsa Regional Chamber for 31 years, Cole was instrumental in such advancements as Leadership Tulsa, River Parks, Tulsa Performing Arts Center, Tulsa Community College and University Center at Tulsa (now Oklahoma State University-Tulsa and Langston University-Tulsa). During his tenure, Tulsa also attracted such major employers as Whirlpool, Kimberly Clark, Hilti and American Airlines.

Thomas Brett

OCT. 2, 1931-FEB. 6, 2021

Civic pride guided Colwell. He was a Downtown Tulsa Rotary Club member for more than 40 years and served as its president. He also was president of Tulsa’s Public Relations Society of America chapter. As an awardwinning PR specialist, he established his own fi rm before finishing his career with the Williams Cos. The recipient of many awards, he also taught public relations at University of Tulsa.

“It is no overstatement to say that Tulsa would not be what it is today without the leadership of Clyde Cole. As head of the Tulsa Chamber, he helped develop our region economically, socially and culturally. He journeyed as far as Japan and Russia to elevate Tulsa’s visibility

“Judge Brett was an exceptional judge because of his great judgment, his kindness and compassion, his hard work, his amiability and his firm commitment to the rule of law. He inspired future generations of lawyers and judges to achieve the highest level of professionalism, ethics, civility and excellence.” — GREG FRIZZELL U.S. District Judge, Northern District of Oklahoma; former law clerk for Justice Brett

Tim Colwell

DEC. 17, 1952-JAN. 14, 2021

“For Tim, every day was an opportunity to find joy and celebrate life. He enthusiastically greeted friends, exclaimed their names and always had a big hug or sound handshake. Tim loved going to the ballpark, grabbing some hot peanuts and cheering the Drillers to victory. That’s how he was. He cheered everyone to achieve great things. His zest for life and generosity of spirit were contagious and an example for us all on how to live life to its fullest.” — MELISSA CLARK former colleague and friend

and forge relationships with prospective employers. He also elevated our city’s

A longtime leader in the Oklahoma Legislature, Ford served 14 years in the House and 24 years in the Senate, helping to architecturally restore both chambers. He commissioned Oklahoma artist Wayne Cooper’s “Washington Irving Meeting the Osage,” an event that happened in his senate district. The painting is still on display at the Capitol. As the founder of the Oklahoma Senate State Historical Preservation Fund, he raised more than $2.5 million for an art collection that tells the story of Oklahoma.

profi le in the sports world by attracting marquee events such as the PGA and U.S. Open championships. I knew Clyde well, as both a mentor and a friend. He modeled the value of thinking regionally, and of building deep relationships within the business community. More than anything, he loved this community and its people, and he never missed a chance to make Tulsa a better place.” — MIKE NEAL president and CEO, Tulsa Regional Chamber

Charles Ford

AUG. 2, 1931-SEPT. 1, 2021 34

TulsaPeople JANUARY 2022

“Sen. Ford’s legacy is shared with thousands of students and visitors every year who learn about the notable people, events and landscapes of our state depicted in the artwork of the Oklahoma State Capitol. More than 100 works of art at the Capitol were made possible through his efforts to raise millions of dollars in donations.” — AMBER SHARPLES executive director, Oklahoma Arts Council

BRETT: COURTESY OKLAHOMA HALL OF FAME ARCHIVES; COLE: COURTESY TULSA WORLD; COLWELL, LOGSDON: COURTESY TULSA HISTORICAL SOCIETY; EVERITT: COURTESY KEN BUSBY; FORD: COURTESY OKLAHOMA SENATE; HORNER: MICHELLE POLLARD; LIVINGOOD: COURTESY STREET SCHOOL

The arts were everything to Everitt — as an administrator, educator and performer. As executive director of the Arts and Humanities Council of Tulsa (now ahha) from 1977-1991, he created such long-running programs as Artists in Schools and Tulsa Chautauqua. Everitt also co-founded the Gilbert and Sullivan Society of Tulsa (which expanded to Light Opera Oklahoma) and was often featured in leading roles.

John Everitt

NOV. 30, 1935-JAN. 7, 2021

“John was a creative and colorful champion of all things artistic. His efforts and leadership enhanced the legacy, presence and contribution of the Tulsa cultural community and the city’s national reputation for unusual excellence in the arts.” — RON PREDL professor emeritus, University of Tulsa School of Music; retired executive director, Tulsa Symphony

After 29 years of practicing law, Livingood returned to his fi rst love: teaching. He was beloved at Street School — which combines education and therapeutic counseling for at-risk youth — from 2009 until the day he died, inspiring hundreds of students over the years. Grateful for the education his own children received, he became involved with Tulsa Public Schools as a school board member and as president.

Matt Livingood

DEC. 18, 1951-MARCH 7, 2021

“His passion for our mission and commitment to our youth was the perfect combination. Matt listened, encouraged and mentored students. Our youth would gather around him to hear a joke, to talk with him about current events, or to just be heard.” — LORI MCGINNIS-MADLAND president and CEO, Street School

Maxine Horner

JAN. 17, 1932-FEB. 7, 2021 “Trailblazer” is too tame a term for Horner, one of the fi rst two Black women elected to the Oklahoma Senate, where she served for 18 years. She also championed the cause of Tulsa Race Massacre survivors and co-founded the Greenwood Cultural Center. Most recently, she chaired a citizen committee overseeing the search for burial sites from the Massacre.

“The loss of my big sister was tremendous to our family, friends and loved ones, but also to the Tulsa community and the state of Oklahoma. She was truly a dynamic leader with vision and an incredible human spirit. A game

Logsdon shared a hometown with Woody Guthrie and was instrumental in getting Okemah to support its local son. She and her husband, Guy, worked unrelentingly to gain recognition for Guthrie’s Oklahoma roots. They sang regularly at Woodyfest in Okemah and supported the Woody Guthrie Center in Tulsa. She also sang with Tulsa Opera and her church choir, and spent thousands of hours as a docent at Gilcrease Museum.

Phyllis Logsdon

NOV. 17, 1935-AUG. 12, 2021

“In all she did, whether it was her accomplishments in education, her lovely musical talent, or her support and love for her family, Phyllis was the very definition of grace. We know that, while we miss her light in this world, she is singing along with her dear Guy, Woody, Bob Wills, and so many others in the bigger universe where the music never ends. If you listen closely, I think you can hear her taking the lead on the chorus of ‘Oklahoma Hills.’ Sing on, Phyllis.” — DEANA MCCLOUD executive director, Woody Guthrie Center

changer! She received many honors and accolades as senator and as founder of the Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame and the Greenwood Cultural Center, and from her leadership producing Juneteenth. She had such humility and grace, but when needed could be as tough as nails. Ask those who know about the ‘red shoes.’” — CHUCK CISSEL brother and former CEO of the Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame TulsaPeople.com

Greg McGill

Joseph W. Morris

Nelson Rogers

DEC. 1, 1949-DEC. 31, 2020

APRIL 8, 1922-NOV. 11, 2021

OCT. 23, 1936-DEC. 31, 2020

McGill was the ultimate restaurateur — from his college job at Steak and Ale, to Charlie Mitchell’s, to Full Moon Cafe, to the first McGill’s on East 21st Street, to the second on 61st, to McGill’s on the 19th floor of Catoosa’s Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. He believed he was in the people business first, and that if he took care of his staff, they would take care of the guests.

Morris received his law degree from Washburn University School of Law and an advanced degree from the University of Michigan Law School. He was a former U.S. District Court Chief Judge for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, and his vast energy experience includes being the former vice president and general counsel of Shell Oil Co., and the former general counsel of Amerada Petroleum Corp. He also served as Dean of the College of Law at the University of Tulsa and taught oil and gas law and arbitration law for many years.

Rogers didn’t plan to join the family business his father started in 1929, but after a career in banking and finance, he returned to Tulsa to run Nelson’s Buffeteria from 1976 until it closed in 2004 in downtown at 514 S. Boston Ave. It was a popular downtown lunch spot — especially on Thursdays, when its signature chicken-fried steak headlined the menu. Rogers likened the restaurant business to inviting people into his home.

“Greg was a well-respected restaurateur and valued friend whose life influenced so many. His ever-positive attitude and conviction to customer service is remembered and admired by all who knew him.” — HAL WALKER, business partner

“We are deeply saddened by the passing of our shareholder, mentor and friend. Judge Morris leaves behind a great legacy.” — JOHN DALE, shareholder and CEO, GableGotwals

“Nelson’s Buffeteria never changed, but Tulsa did. Nelson was a hard worker, but what his friends most loved him was his spirit of fun. He made things brighter. And he could make the best chicken fried steak in town.” — RODGER RANDLE friend and former mayor of Tulsa

We also remember: LARRY MERRITT FEB. 10, 1951-SEPT. 26, 2021 Owner of Merritt’s Bakery BILL THOMPSON APRIL 19, 1934-JUNE 27, 2021 Former CEO of MAPCO who was a civic leader and supporter of the arts

Harry Stege

MAY 31, 1934-JAN. 30, 2021 As a young officer, Stege worked the 1970s version of CSI. During his term as chief of police from 1977-1983, Tulsa Police Department added the aviation unit; also, five of his officers died in the line of duty. After retirement, he became involved in the Tulsa Police Officers’ Memorial, a physical symbol of continuing respect for the sacrifices made by fallen police officers. “Chief Stege was always a friend of the street cop. Even after his retirement from his careers in law enforcement he co-founded the International Association of Cold Case Investigators. He was committed to making a difference.” — MIKE HUFF retired TPD homicide unit supervisor 36

TulsaPeople JANUARY 2022

MARY WARNER NOV. 9, 1931-AUG. 5, 2021 Former Tulsa school board member who was a key supporter of voluntary integration ED WHEELER JAN. 22, 1938-AUG. 31, 2021 Army Brigadier General whose post-military life focused on advertising and corporate PR BILL WHITE JUNE 3, 1931-JAN. 2, 2021 Owner of Bill White Chevrolet and once one of the largest downtown landowners RONNIE WILSON APRIL 7, 1948-NOV. 2-2021 Founding member of iconic Tulsa music group The GAP Band

James M. Sturdivant

SEPT. 14, 1937-NOV. 24, 2021 Sturdivant received his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Oklahoma. He served as counsel in hundreds of cases involving business disputes, antitrust, contracts, trade regulation, financing and securities. He was a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and the International Academy of Trial Lawyers. Jim and his wife supported the Tulsa community through the Tulsa Area United Way and Tulsa Botanic Garden and leave behind a great legacy. “Jim was member of the firm nearly 60 years and he had a distinguished litigation career. Jim was a major contributor to the growth and reputation of our firm and will be greatly missed by his family and law colleagues in and outside of our firm." — JOHN R. BARKER shareholder of GableGotwals

For someone who started out in the Air Force, Thornton made his mark with wheels on the ground. He bought his first car dealership in 1971. Don Thornton Ford was the top volume store in Tulsa for many years. Eventually, he added Lexus, Land Rover, Cadillac, Audi, Jaguar and Volkswagen to the Don Thornton Automotive Group, which now employs and supports more than 300 Tulsa families.

Don Thornton

STEGE, VAUGHN, ZARROW: MICHELLE POLLARD; MCGILL: COURTESY HAL WALKER; ROGERS, THORNTON: COURTESY; MORRIS, STURDIVANT: COURTESY GABLEGOTWALS; YAZEL: COURTESY TULSA COUNTY

SEPT. 29, 1933-JULY 9, 2021

“Don Thornton began his career in the automobile business in his 20s and never looked back. Don connected with people easily and never forgot a name or a face. Throughout his entire career, he focused on the customer and tried to keep it simple. He never looked back at past mistakes and always looked ahead for how to be better. He loved telling a good story and spoke often of his early years growing up in Wilmington, North Carolina, and his time as a navigator in the Air Force. He lived a life of faith and family and has left a legacy of hard work, integrity and courage to all he knew and loved.” — TOM BLOOMFIELD son-in-law and general manager of Don Thornton Cadillac

Known as the dean of Tulsa television, Vaughn’s career covered 40 years, 30-plus of those at KOTV Channel 6 as news director, evening anchor and managing editor. He worked for radio and TV stations in major markets — Los Angeles and New York — before settling in Tulsa. To no one’s surprise, Vaughn was inducted into the Oklahoma Broadcasters Hall of Fame.

Clayton Vaughn

JAN. 12, 1935-MARCH 3, 2021

“Most never met him personally, but came to feel they knew him, and had learned they could trust him to report the truth. Clayton held that trust with responsibility, pride and respect. On behalf of all of us, I say what he said to viewers at the end of every newscast: ‘Thanks for sharing your time.’” — GLENDA SILVEY former KOTV news anchor

Maxine Zarrow

JUNE 16, 1925-JUNE 14, 2021 Topping Zarrow’s list of philanthropic passions was her work with the Mental Health Association of Oklahoma, followed by Gilcrease Museum and Mayo Clinic. She was instrumental in establishing and expanding the Zarrow Pointe retirement facility. She and her husband built an ongoing legacy for Tulsa-area charities with the Maxine and Jack Zarrow Family Foundation, supporting mental health, children, education, arts and Jewish causes. “Our lives are full of ‘influencers.’ We have teachers, family, friends, colleagues, confidants, etc., that help shape who we are. For me, Maxine was all of those and then some. Maxine believed strongly in “Tikun Olam”, the Jewish

Yazel understood a public servant’s job is to do the best they can in the best interest of the people they represent. First elected Tulsa County Assessor in 2002, Yazel went on to win re-election three times. As a Marine Corps veteran, he never backed down from a fight and, as the Tulsa World reported, “was known to pick one from time to time.”

Ken Yazel

FEB. 27, 1945-OCT. 4, 2021

“Ken displayed a resolute, decisive and direct manner to many. However, those of us who worked closely with him saw a generous, caring, thoughtful individual who deeply loved and cared for his family members and was easily moved by the needs of others. Growing up as a part of his family’s traveling circus, serving in the Marines, and being recommended and promoted to pursue a higher education, Ken had a diverse and interesting life. He exemplified his love of country and the principles upon which it was founded. He served as a mentor, a leadership example and most of all as a friend.” — JOHN WRIGHT Tulsa County Assessor

tenant to repair the world, and it was exemplified in the way she lived her life. Maxine would do the right thing simply because it was the right thing to do. She didn’t need to be told, nor did she expect fanfare. If something needed to be fi xed, she fi xed it. Whether she was standing right in front of me or in the back of my mind, I always wanted to be a better person because of her. I think anyone who knew her would say the same.” — JIM JAKUBOVITZ CEO, Zarrow Pointe TP TulsaPeople.com

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TULSA,OK (918)-437-5802

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OF TULSA’S

DISCOVERY LAB Now Open!

Discover more! 918.712.1441 38

TulsaPeople JANUARY 2022

420 S. 145th East Avenue, Ste. K, Tulsa, OK

D Building for their

FUTURE

THE ANTICIPATED DISCOVERY LAB OPENS IN EARLY 2022 AT ITS NEW HOME ALONG RIVERSIDE DRIVE.

MICHELLE POLLARD

BY JAMIE RICHERT JONES

iscovery Lab has come a long way since its humble beginnings in 2007 as a museum without walls, then called the Tulsa Children’s Museum. In 2013, it found a more permanent home in the vacant Owen Park recreation center. Now, 15 years later, the once nomadic science show is upgrading to a $52 million architectural masterpiece at East 31st Street and Riverside Drive. Ray Vandiver, longtime executive director of Discovery Lab, is excited for Tulsans to finally experience a vision come to life. “You’ll see a lot of the elements of Owen Park in the new space but made more grand and spacious,” he says. One experience that fits that definition is the perennially popular “tape slide,” a series of tunnels and slides made entirely of packing tape that hung from the ceiling of the Owen Park location. Fans of that attraction will be delighted to know it got an impressive upgrade. “We joke it’s going to be the Taj Mahal of tape tunnels,” says Anne Mannell, founding board member and director of organizational development. “We have 10 tape tunnels at the new site.” “Basically they are suspension bridges, so I think it’s safe to say Discovery Lab has the longest suspension bridge made entirely out of packing tape in the world,” Vandiver adds. Along with old favorites, Discovery Lab is widening the scope of its vision to incorporate new projects. With the help of $4.5 million from Tulsa Public Schools bond money, the building will now house the TPS STEAM Center. The center consists of five state-of-the-art classrooms on the second floor, totaling about 4,500 square feet. The custom design will enable museum staff to provide hands-on, project-based learning for thousands of TPS students each year. The STEAM Center will only take up half the capacity of the education center, allowing for visitation from other districts, as well. In financial terms, the bond money only covered STEAM Center programming. Mannell and Vandiver initially pitched the audacious $50 million plan to their longterm funders. “It was kind of a funny line to walk because you’ve got to still be funding the Owen Park location and the constant change-outs while you’re raising an additional $50 million off to the side,” Mannell says. Both Mannell and Vandiver say plans to expand have been in the works for nearly a decade, but how those ideas would be brought to life took time to cultivate. “The plan and the founders’ concept of putting together the Owen Park experience helped us establish not only our approach to exhibits and our educational philosophy, but our community partnerships with funders,” Vandiver says. “As we were demonstrating our success at Owen Park and demonstrating the need for expansion for the needs of Tulsa, those relationships had already been established and that trust had been built.” With funding coming in and a blank slate of endless possibilities, it was time to bring the dream to life. However, when your job is to inspire creativity and curiosity, where do you go for inspiration? The tight-knit community of children’s museums around the country played a key role in cultivating the vision. “We traveled with KKT, our architectural firm, to inspirational sites across the country to be informed by best practices,” Vandiver says. “We visited Explora in

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TulsaPeople JANUARY 2022

Discovery Lab’s Anne Mannell, founding board member and director of organizational development, and Ray Vandiver, executive director

The KKT team behind the new Discovery Lab, from left, standing: Jim Geurin, Jim Boulware, Bryan Sudbrink, Austin Drumm, Dawn Nichols, Caitlin Smith; from left, sitting: Brandon Hackett, Sarah Gould, Liz Rohrbacker

communication between the design team, the architects and the team at Crossland Construction. Crossland preconstruction director Eric Lopp recognized the attention to detail the brick facade would require. “Probably one of the first challenges we saw with the project was the design of the exterior brick and making sure we were able to bring the architects’ vision to life,” Lopp says. “We went through several mock-ups early on during design to help make sure we were creating that vision and then bringing it to life for the bidders throughout the process.” Another unforeseen challenge has been current supply chain issues. “We thought we had finished the campaign almost a year and a half ago,” Mannell says. “The cost of concrete, steel and rebar has gone through the roof. That’s what held us up on making an actual announcement date. The supply chain has given us some sleepless nights.” Fortunately, the team was prudent in its planning and appropriated funds for the unexpected.

“We built in a $5 million operating reserve into our campaign just for potential issues down the road,” Mannell says. “It doesn’t do any good to open this beautiful facility and not have a plan for the future.” That careful consideration carried through all aspects of the expansive project, which includes a 250-seat outdoor amphitheater, Hydro Lab, a toddler area, cafe and gift shop. In fact, each idea was curated with such care Vandiver and Mannell had difficulty deciding what aspect they were most excited for patrons to experience. “I love the idea of that frenetic excitement that’s around challenge-based learning,” Mannell says. “I’m also really excited about our imaginarium space. It’s a projected reality space that is a seamless projection on all the walls and the floor of the space. It’s based on gaming technology and the experience is driven by sensors.” Vandiver is enthusiastic about the exhibit called Ballapalooza. “It’s a ‘systems thinking’ experience that is loosely based on the oil and gas industry,” he explains. “There’s a central geyser, and as soon as the plastic balls

MICHELLE POLLARD; RENDERING COURTESY DISCOVERY LAB/KKT ARCHITECTS

Albuquerque, Exploration Place in Wichita, Amazeum in Bentonville and the Thinkery in Austin. Our community of children’s science centers are really open and interested in sharing their best ideas. In some cases, they invited their architects to sit with our architects to tell us the things that were working and weren’t working.” Through those collaborations, the team at Discovery Lab has created a one-of-a-kind, awe-inspiring educational super structure to ignite the wonder in people of all ages. They finally broke ground in February 2020 but experienced delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic. One unique aspect of the museum’s original philosophy was a perpetual cycle of new exhibits fabricated in-house. Adhering to that strategy, the design team focused heavily on the resources needed to create a continuous rotation of innovative exhibits. “We spent a lot of money to make the space so incredibly flexible that you could wipe the slate clean in a couple of years and start over and you would have power everywhere you need it, you would have data everywhere you need it, drainage, water, pressed air,” Mannell says. “It is just this crazy tricked-out box we’ve made. The exhibits in there now won’t be there forever. We’ll constantly be changing and adding.” The ability to design and fabricate all programming in house sets Discovery Lab apart from most of their peers. “It’s unusual for a museum to have as robust of an exhibits department as we have,” Mannell says. “There are only a handful of museums across the nation that design, develop and build their own exhibits. We also design, develop and build for other museums, to be sold or leased.” The revenue generated from exhibit design and fabrication for other facilities helps fund new programming for Discovery Lab. “As we move forward, our identity includes this ever-changing landscape of educational experiences and programming,” Vandiver says. “So all of the exhibits — while they are robust, rugged and solid with a permanent feel to them — they’re not designed to be permanent. So once we open, we will immediately start developing new exhibits. “After they are retired here, they are packaged and sent around the country as part of our traveling exhibits program,” Vandiver says, adding Discovery Lab also gets exhibits on loan from other museums. “That allows us to remain relevant and connected with the cutting-edge best practices in our field.” The exhibit department is so valuable to the spirit of Discovery Lab, the KKT team, including owner Sarah Gould, architects Jim Boulware and Austin Drumm, interior designer Liz Rohrbacker, project manager Brandon Hackett and structural engineer Jim Geurin, used the department’s concepts as the cornerstone of their design. “In their own exhibits, one of their primary goals is to find new and unique uses for ordinary materials,” says Kate Cofer, KKT’s business engagement lead. “We thought that would be a great concept for the exterior of the building, as well. We took lots of cues from their organizational philosophies, as well as their current exhibit and design concepts to propose a unique building that was specifically representative for them.” Their ambitious design includes an intricate, four-dimensional, brick exterior that creates the illusion of movement. The complex configuration required constant

A rendering of the exterior of Discovery Lab

The Central Gallery will be home to many of Discovery Lab’s exhibits, including the new tape tunnels and slides.

reach a critical volume there is an eruption showering them in all directions. It’s visually stunning, dynamic, lots of movement, and requires an interconnectedness with other guests and families to make it all happen. It’s a fun way to help children and families learn more about systems thinking, critical thinking and problem solving.” Innovation isn’t limited to inside the museum. Located next door to Gathering Place, Cofer says KKT worked in tandem with MVVA, the Gathering Place landscape architects, to ensure the building would fit into the context of the park. This includes artfully designed storm water gardens that filter rain that comes into the parking lot before it goes into the Crow Creek watershed. “One of the great things about Gathering Place is there is always something new and different to discover,” Cofer says, “and we wanted to continue that through Discovery Lab.” Inspiration can be spontaneous, and that is how the rooftop veranda came to fruition. It provided another opportunity for sensory satiation and to delight in the breathtaking views.

The new Little Lab will be geared toward younger children.

“The roof terrace wasn’t originally part of the programmed building square footage,” Cofer explains, “but once our site was settled, we realized we would have a great view of the downtown Tulsa skyline overlooking Gathering Place, the Arkansas River and Riverside Park. We flew a drone up to the height of the desirable views and designed the third floor to that height. This space will both provide Discovery Lab with programmable space and also an extra revenue stream they hadn’t expected at the beginning of the project. The space is already being reserved for many events in 2022.” The highly anticipated attraction has been a labor of love for the team. “Our identity is rooted in Tulsa,” Vandiver says. “We are not only unique to Tulsa, we are uniquely Tulsa.” “Every day when I go in its something different,” Mannell says. “It might be that I’m working on an exhibit or fundraising for that exhibit, but it’s so cool to have been involved during this time. I’m very thankful for that experience.” TP

BY THE NUMBERS 7.5-acre site 175 parking spaces 75,000-plus plants, trees, shrubs 250-seat natural stone amphitheater 57,000-square-foot building (3 floors, 1 elevator, 9 offices, 5 classrooms, 2 large open office spaces, 1 conference room, 1 breakroom, 1 event space, 1 gift shop, 1 workshop, 1 science lab) 700 tons of steel 3,300 cubic yards of building concrete 73,153 bricks

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2022 CHARITABLE EVENTS CALENDAR Published in association with the Tulsa Community Foundation COMPILED BY AMANDA HALL JANUARY 14 THE DREAM MEET Benefits Aim High Academy. aimhighgym.org 15 RIVERFIELD ROCKS Benefits Riverfield Country Day School. cainsballroom.com/event/ riverfield-rocks-2022

11 SPIRIT OF COLLABORATION Benefits Route 66 Native Arts Alliance. rt66nativeartsalliance.com

22 TOYLAND BALL Benefits Parent Child Center of Tulsa. toylandball.org

12 HEART BALL Benefits American Heart Association. heart.org

TRIVIA NIGHT Benefits Bishop Kelley High School. bishopkelley.org/trivia

13 WINTER CONCERT Benefits Tulsa Youth Symphony. tulsayouthsymphony.org

28 TRIVIA NIGHT Benefits Cascia Hall Preparatory School. casciahall.com

VALENTINE PARTY Benefits Power of a Nickel. powerofanickel.org

29 ICONS AND IDOLS Benefits Tulsa Ballet. iconsandidols.org FEBRUARY 3-4 BEYOND AWARENESS SUMMIT Benefits the Demand Project. give.thedemandproject.org 4 VOLUTE Benefits Volunteers of America. voaok.org/volute 9-10 K95 CARES FOR ST. JUDE KIDS RADIOTHON Benefits St. Jude Children’s Hospital. stjude.org 42

TulsaPeople JANUARY 2022

10 GIRLS NIGHT OUT Benefits Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma. okfoodbank.org/womenscouncil/girls-night-out

19 50TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION Benefits Dillon International. dillonadopt.com PINK STILETTO Benefits Susan G. Komen. komen.org/oklahoma 24 HEART OF HENRY Benefits Tulsa Day Center. tulsadaycenter.org/give-help/ charitable-events 25 MONARCH BALL Benefits DVIS. themonarchball.com 26 CANDY BALL Benefits Child Abuse Network. candyball.org

COOKING UP COMPASSION Benefits Catholic Charities of Eastern Oklahoma. cceok.org/cuc GALA 2022: A MARDI GRAS GRAND BALL Benefits Youth Services of Tulsa. yst.org 26-27 NATUREWORKS ART SHOW Benefits NatureWorks. natureworks.org TBA FOUNDATION FOR TULSA SCHOOLS EVENT Benefits the Foundation for Tulsa Schools. foundationfortulsaschools.org MARCH 4 VINTAGE ’53: NIGHT AMONG THE STARS Benefits TSHA Inc. tsha.cc 5 ASCENSION ST. JOHN ZOORUN Benefits Tulsa Zoo. tulsazoo.org/run BRAINIAC BALL Benefits Family and Children’s Services. brainiacball.com SAPPHIRE CELEBRATION ANNUAL AUCTION Benefits Riverfield Country Day School. riverfield.org 8 LIVE UNITED AWARDS LUNCHEON Benefits Tulsa Area United Way. tauw.org

arockingtributebenefitting green country habitat for humanity

Save the date | October 29, 2022 6 PM | Cox Business Convention Center Join us for cocktails, dinner and a rocking musical tribute! rockthehousetulsa.org

Proceeds benefit Green Country Habitat for Humanity’s mission of providing financial education and affordable homeownership. Learn more about our programs at greencountryhabitat.org

tulsa’s favorite new fundraiser that rocks the house

12 DANCE OF THE TWO MOONS: AN OTHER WORLD EXPERIENCE Benefits Indian Health Care Resource Center. ihcrc2moons.org FIESTIVALE: MY TACKY VALENTINE Benefits Eisenhower International School PTA. one.bidpal.net/ihearteis/ welcome RED RIBBON GALA Benefits Tulsa CARES. redribbongala.org ST. PATRICK’S DAY RUN Benefits Special Olympics Oklahoma. sook.org

25 FOUNDER’S DINNER AND AUCTION Benefits Eagle Point Christian Academy. epca.net 26 CARNIVALE Benefits Mental Health Association Oklahoma. bestpartyintown.org CASA CASINO: CASABLANCA Benefits Tulsa CASA. casacasino.org 30 BATTLE OF THE BANDS Benefits Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma. okfoodbank.org 31 PINNACLE AWARDS Benefits YWCA. ywcatulsa.org/get-involved/ pinnacle-awards

Clarence Boyd, Emily Dukes and Glenda Love-Williams at the Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits Oklahoma Nonprofit Excellence (ONE) Awards Alzheimer’s Association Mah Jongg for Memories Play-Day Tulsa County Commissioner Karen Keith; Phil Armstrong, project director for the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre Centennial Commission; and Tim Lyons, TTCU Federal Credit Union president and CEO, during Tulsa Area United Way’s Day of Caring

TulsaPeople JANUARY 2022

TBA CORNHOLE TOURNAMENT Benefits Youth at Heart. youthatheart.org APRIL 1 AN EVENING TO REMEMBER Payne County Youth Services Inc. pcys.org CORONATION XIII Benefits Imperial Court of All Oklahoma. impcourtok.org/coronation 2 OPERA BALL Benefits Tulsa Opera. tulsaopera.com RAISING HOPE BLUE TIE GALA Benefits the Demand Project. give.thedemandproject.org 7 CLARY RUNWAY Benefits Community HigherEd. events.communityhighered.org/ clary-runway

OYSTERS AND ALE Benefits Hospice of Green Country. hospiceofgreencountry.org/ oystersandale 8 STREET PARTY Benefits Street School. streetschool.org WILL ROGERS HIGH SCHOOL HALL OF FAME GALA Benefits Will Rogers High School Community Foundation. willrogersfoundation.net WOMEN OF THE YEAR LUNCHEON Benefits Tulsa Area Alumnae Panhellenic. tulsapanhellenic.org 8-9 SPRINGFEST! Benefits Tulsa Garden Center. tulsagardencenter.org/ springfest

9 THE GLOW GALA Benefits Global Gardens. globalgardensglow.org OKLAHOMA NONPROFIT EXCELLENCE AWARDS (ONE AWARDS) Benefits Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits. okcnp.org/page/one-awards 10 CAN SUPERHERO CHALLENGE Benefits Child Abuse Network. cansuperherochallenge.org 10-18 KNOCK OUT VIOLENCE Benefits DVIS. dvis.org 14 HEADLINERS Benefits Tulsa Press Club. tulsapressclub.org 15 GO GIRL GALA Benefits Girl Scouts of Eastern Oklahoma. gogirlgala.org

MAH JONGG: COLE SAYRE; ONE AWARDS: TABOR WARREN PHOTOGRAPHY; DAY OF CARING: COURTESY TULSA AREA UNITED WAY

10 CELEBRATE LIFE Benefits LIFE Senior Services. lifeseniorservices.org

There’s no other event like the Tulsa Boys’ Home’s Annual Run for the Roses Kentucky Derby party! All proceeds benefit Tulsa Boys’ Home to support troubled Oklahoma boys. We expect nothing short of a thrilling, sold out extravaganza for the 2022 Run for the Roses event; full of fun, food, prizes, horse racing, and more! Our 18th Annual Run for the Roses will kick off at 1:30pm on Saturday, May 7th, at the fabulous Pavilion at Expo Square. Festivities will conclude at approximately 5:45pm after the running of the Kentucky Derby. Our guests will enjoy the sights and sounds of Churchill Downs, including a simulcast of all afternoon Derby Day races on giant screens, along with the opportunity to place bets on all afternoon races piped in live from Churchill Downs! Our guests will also enjoy fabulous food and refreshing drinks at our open bar, thousands of fresh red roses, more than a hundred exciting silent and live auction items, and much more! Tulsa Boys’ Home provides the highest quality residential care to young boys needing placement outside their home, for the purpose of developing well-adjusted, responsible adults, and strengthening the family. Since 1918, Tulsa Boys’ Home has helped provide healing and hope for more than 13,500 troubled young boys from all 77 counties throughout the great state of Oklahoma. We focus on providing true healing and a new found sense of hope in the shattered lives of the young boys we serve. Forty of our residents are placed by the Child Welfare Division of the Department of Human Services (DHS). The other twenty-four are privately placed by parents or legal guardians.

For sponsorship or registration information regarding this year’s event, please contact Roxanne Cook at 918-245-0231, ext. 5004. You can also find event information on our website at www.tulsaboyshome.org. Photos from previous Run for the Roses fundraisers may also be viewed at facebook.com/tulsaboyshome.

21 WOMEN’S ASSOCIATION ANNUAL SPRING LUNCHEON Benefits Tulsa Boys’ Home. tulsaboyshome.org

23 BEST OF BRUNCH Benefits DVIS. dvis.org GEM GALA Benefits Junior League of Tulsa. gemgalatulsa.com GEM GALA GOLF TOURNAMENT Benefits Junior League of Tulsa. gemgalatulsa.com

22 CELEBRATE CASCIA Benefits Cascia Hall Preparatory School. casciahall.com

SPRING CARNIVAL Benefits Tulsa Dream Center. tulsadreamcenter.org

CIRCUS BOWL Benefits Junior Achievement of Oklahoma. oklahoma.ja.org

VINTNER DINNER AND AUCTION — PHILBROOK WINE EXPERIENCE Benefits Philbrook Museum of Art. wine.philbrook.org

GRAND SLAM GALA Benefits Youth at Heart. youthatheart.org/gala GRAND WINE TASTING — PHILBROOK WINE EXPERIENCE Benefits Philbrook Museum of Art. wine.philbrook.org

WAFFLES FOR WISHES Benefits Make-a-Wish Oklahoma. wish.org/oklahoma

TCC President Emeritus Tom McKeon, current TCC President Leigh Goodson, TCC President Emeritus Dean VanTrease and Greg Stone, Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs at the Tulsa Community College Foundation Vision Dinner Country group Lady A entertains a virtual Tulsa Heart Ball audience. Addison and her parents attend the Hydrants of Hope Spring Fling.

TulsaPeople JANUARY 2022

25 WISH UPON A PAR GOLF TOURNAMENT Benefits Make-a-Wish Oklahoma. wish.org/Oklahoma 26 DREAM MAKER LUNCHEON Benefits Pathways Adult Learning Center. pathwaysok.org 28 RAISE THE ROOF Benefits Revitalize T-Town. tinyurl.com/raisetheroof2022 29 CONSERVATION ON TAP Benefits Tulsa Zoo. tulsazoo.org/tap GLAMP FIRE Benefits Camp Fire Green Country. tulsacampfire.org/events SHOT IN THE DARK GOLF EVENT Benefits the Arc of Oklahoma. thearcok.org

30 ELECTRIC LIME GALA Benefits Discovery Lab. discoverylab.org/electric-limegala GARDEN PARTY Benefits Little Light House. littlelighthouse.org

MAY 2 TEE OFF FOR TOWN AND COUNTRY Benefits Town and Country School. tandcschool.org/activities/ fundraiser/golf_tournament

TASTE OF TULSA Benefits Big Brothers Big Sisters. bbbsok.org

3 AWARDS LUNCHEON Benefits Goodwill Industries of Tulsa. goodwilltulsa.org/rsvp

WALK MS Benefits National Multiple Sclerosis Society. walkms.org

7 RUN FOR THE ROSES Benefits Tulsa Boys’ Home. tulsaboyshome.org

TBA PRANKS AND PAWS TRIVIA NIGHT Benefits Tulsa SPCA. tulsaspca.org/trivia-night

OVERTURE Benefits Signature Symphony. signaturesymphony.org 8 SPRING SERENADE Benefits Tulsa Youth Symphony. tulsayouthsymphony.org 10 EMPTY BOWLS Benefits Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma. emptybowlstulsa.com

SPRING FLING: TIM LANDES; HEART OF TULSA, VISION: COURTESY

16 WHERE HANDS AND FEET MEET Benefits TSHA Inc. tsha.cc

SAVE THE DATE

LOCATION

SATURDAY, MARCH 12, 2022 COX BUSINESS CONVENTION CENTER EVENT CHAIRS

BECOME A SPONSOR

MARLA & STEVE BRADSHAW REDRIBBONGALA.ORG HONORING

BENEFITTING

BETSY & GERRY JACKSON TULSA CARES

A N E V E N I N G O F T R U T H , B E A U T Y, F R E E D O M , A N D L O V E I N S P I R E D B Y M O U L I N R O U G E .

FOR SPONSORSHIPS, PLEASE CONTACT CARLY SENGER AT 918.834.4194 OR CARLYS@TULSACARES.ORG BENEFITTING TULSA CARES, A UNITED WAY PARTNER AGENCY

APPETITE FOR CONSTRUCTION Benefits HBA Charitable Foundation. tulsahbacf.com

GREAT PLAINS JOURNALISM AWARDS Benefits Tulsa Press Club Foundation. tulsapressclub.org

9 TOP OF THE TOWN Benefits Community Service Council. csctulsa.org

28 LITTLE LIGHT HOUSE GOLF TOURNAMENT Benefits Little Light House. littlelighthouse.org

14 AVIATOR BALL Benefits Tulsa Air and Space Museum and Planetarium. tulsamuseum.org

SPRING FUNDRAISER Benefits Bit by Bit Therapeutic Riding Center Inc. bitbybitok.org

11 RELAY FOR LIFE Benefits American Cancer Society. relayforlife.org/tulsametrook

JULY 8 ROUTE 66 NATIVE ARTS GALA Benefits Route 66 Native Arts Alliance. rt66nativeartsalliance.com

14-JUNE 19 DREAM HOME TOUR Benefits St. Jude Children’s Hospital. stjude.org/give/dream-home/ tulsa.html 23 FRANK RHODES GOLF CLASSIC Benefits Tulsa Boys’ Home. tulsaboyshome.org TBA THE PARTY: JUST WEAR WHITE Benefits Family and Children’s Services. thepartyok.com

JUNE 2 JA CLASSIC Benefits Junior Achievement of Oklahoma. oklahoma.ja.org 4 TOUR DE NEIGHBORS Benefits Broken Arrow Neighbors. tourdeneighbors.com 6 SWING FOR SIGHT Benefits Vizavance. vizavance.org

18 TULSA FLAVORS AT ST. JOHN STREET PARTY Benefits Ascension St. John Foundation. stjohnhealthsystem.com/ foundation/street-party

9 ROUTE 66 NATIVE ARTS FESTIVAL Benefits Route 66 Native Arts Alliance. rt66nativeartsalliance.com TBA BINGO BASH Benefits Tulsa SPCA. tulsaspca.org/bingo-bash LIP SYNC BATTLE Benefits Pathways Adult Learning Center. pathwaysok.org

Laci Lynn Schwoegler was one of three live artists to auction their paintings at the end of the night to raise money for the Demand Project.

14 RESCUE LOVE PET PHOTO CONTEST Benefits Tulsa SPCA. gogophotocontest.com/ tulsaspca 20 JA CLASSIC Benefits Junior Achievement of Oklahoma. oklahoma.ja.org 27 MAKER FAIRE TULSA Benefits Fab Lab Tulsa. tulsa.makerfaire.com WILD BREW Benefits G.M. Sutton Avian Research Center. wildbrew.org

Maria Kimball, Angel Mendoza and Nikki Christian at 2020’s Western Days benefiting Saint Simeon’s Foundation

FESTIVAL: COURTESY PHILBROOK MUSEUM OF ART; RAISING HOPE: MIKE TEDFORD AND DEANA SPYRES; WESTERN DAYS: COURTESY SAINT SIMEON’S

A family makes s’mores over a fire pit at the 2020 Philbrook Museum of Art Festival.

17 TU UNCORKED Benefits Tulsa Chapter of the University of Tulsa Alumni Association. tualumni.com/uncorked

AUGUST 5 RINGMASTER’S GOLF AND GALA Benefits Tulsa State Fair Ringmasters. tulsastatefair.com/golf-gala

TulsaPeople JANUARY 2022

Save T h e Date

Saint Simeon’s is a mission of the Episcopal Diocese of Oklahoma

9-18 RESTAURANT WEEK Benefits Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma. okfoodbank.org/restaurantweek 13 WESTERN DAYS Benefits Saint Simeon’s Foundation. saintsimeons.org 16 HUES FOR HOPE Benefits Global Foundation for Peroxisomal Disorders. thegfpd.org WALTZ ON THE WILD SIDE Benefits Tulsa Zoo. waltzonthewildside.org

17 ROCK PAPER SCISSORS Benefits Pencil Box Tulsa. pencilboxtulsa.org

TBA TAPS AND TEES Benefits Tulsa Press Club. tulsapressclub.org

21-23, 28-30 HALLOWZOOEEN Benefits Tulsa Zoo. tulsazoo.org/boo

22 EVENING OF GIVING Benefits HBA Charitable Foundation. tulsahbacf.com

OCTOBER 6 COOKING FOR A CAUSE Benefits Iron Gate. irongatetulsa.org

22 FALL CARNIVAL Benefits Tulsa Dream Center. tulsadreamcenter.org

24 RACE FOR THE CURE Benefits Susan G. Komen. komen.org/oklahoma

8 BY YOUR SIDE 5K Benefits Parkside Psychiatric Hospital and Clinic. parksideinc.org

ST. JUDE RUN/WALK Benefits St. Jude Children’s Hospital. stjude.walkrun/tulsa WINE AND JAZZ FESTIVAL Benefits the Stonebrook Project. thestonebrookproject.org 30 WINE AND ROSES AT WOODWARD PARK Benefits Tulsa Garden Center. tulsagardencenter.org

18th annual Rib Crib Pitmasters Golf Tournament participants Andrew and Amanda Therrell, Derek Reiners, Dave Johnson, Phil Houchin, Micah Alexander, Eric Griffin and Garrett Mills A New Leaf’s Garden Party patrons Hank Spieker and Jennifer and Scott Rodehaver Salvation Army Maj. Mark and Maj. Jan Harwell with guest speaker Chris Gardner at the Salvation Army’s 28th annual William Booth Society Gala

TulsaPeople JANUARY 2022

15 FALL CARNIVAL Benefits Pathways Adult Learning Center. pathwaysok.org LEGACY OF LAUGHTER Benefits Zarrow Pointe Retirement Center. zarrowpointe.org

NOCHE DE GALA Benefits Hispanic American Foundation. haftulsa.org 23 MUSEUM GALA Benefits Sherwin Miller Museum of Jewish Art. jewishmuseumtulsa.org 28-NOV. 6CARE CARD Benefits Family and Children’s Services. carecardok.com

29 ROCK THE HOUSE Benefits Green Country Habitat for Humanity. rockthehouse.org TBA AVIATOR BALL Benefits Tulsa Air and Space Museum and Planetarium. tulsamuseum.org HUMAN NATURE Benefits Up With Trees. upwithtrees.org MUTT STRUT Benefits DVIS. dvis.org STACKED DECK Benefits Resonance Center for Women. resonancetulsa.org/getinvolved/fundraiser

RIB CRIB: BRITTNEY ASHTON PHOTO; GARDEN PARTY: GRAMI PHOTO; WILLIAM BOOTH SOCIETY GALA: ACE CUERVO

SEPTEMBER 8 TULSA FLIGHT NIGHT Benefits Tulsa Flight Night. tulsaflightnight.org

Modus drives change Modus drives change 10,000 10,000times timesand andcounting. counting.

Modus, a Tulsa-based non-proﬁt started as a Modus, a Tulsa-based started as a pilot program in 2017,non-proﬁt recently celebrated program 2017, recently celebrated th ridein given to Tulsans facing itspilot 10,000 th ride given to Tulsans facing its 10,000 transportation barriers. transportation barriers. Modus, which initially focused on filling a service gap Modus, which initially focused on filling a service gap for young people who needed to get to social service for young people who needed to get to social service agencies, has since expanded to offer life-changing agencies, has since expanded to offer life-changing rides to people of all ages seeking to access education, rides to people of all ages seeking to access education, employment or medical care. employment or medical care. How Modus removes transportation barriers How Modus removes transportation barriers With the high cost of buying a car and long wait times With the high cost of buying a car and long wait times forfor public transportation, public transportation,Modus Modusoffers offersananinnovative innovative solution to put opportunities within reach. solution to put opportunities within reach. Modus Modus partners with local non-profits who enroll the partners with local non-profits who enroll the most most transportation-vulnerable individuals into the program. transportation-vulnerable individuals into the program. Both riders and drivers are vetted Both riders and drivers are vettedtotoensure ensurea asafe safeand and comfortable ride. Volunteer drivers are thoroughly comfortable ride. Volunteer drivers are thoroughly trained and given access totoModus’ trained and given access Modus’ride-schedule ride-scheduleapp app so so they cancan choose the they choose therides ridesthat thatfitfittheir theirschedule. schedule. Rides areare often as as short asas fifteen minutes, Rides often short fifteen minutes,but butcan canbe beaa defining difference-maker peopleseeking seekingtotobetter better defining difference-maker forfor people their lives. their lives. How help How to to help Learn more about volunteering modustulsa.orgororby by Learn more about volunteering atat modustulsa.org scanning code below. Donationsare arealso alsobeing being scanning thethe QRQR code below. Donations accepted purchase vehicles forqualified qualifiedindividuals. individuals. accepted to to purchase vehicles for

With the offer of a simple ride, Asia was able to complete CNA With the offer of aajob simple ride, Asia was training and start in the medical field.able to complete CNA training and start a job in the medical field.

Asia’s story Asia’s story Although Asia was ready to put in the hard work to Although Asia was ready to put in the hard work to become a certified nursing assistant, the lack of become a certified nursing assistant, the lack of reliable transportation made it difficult to get to reliable transportation made it difficult to get to training on time. With the help of volunteer Modus training on time. With the help of volunteer Modus drivers, completed her her training training and and drivers, Asia Asia recently recently completed started CNA. started aa new new job job as as aa CNA. Asia other Modus Modus clients: clients:people peoplewho who Asia isis like like so so many many other are education and andemployment employment are working working hard hard toward toward education but reliableway wayto toget getthere. there. but who who lack lack an an affordable, affordable, reliable

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Learnmore moreabout about how how you you can can drive Learn drive change changewith with Modusby bydriving driving or or donating. donating. MODUSTULSA.ORG Modus MODUSTULSA.ORG

NOVEMBER 4 WALK THE RED CARPET WITH OPERATION HOPE PRISON MINISTRY Benefits Operation Hope Prison Ministry. ohpm.org 10 GIFTS OF HOPE Benefits Youth Services of Tulsa. yst.org/holiday-assistance 11 NATIONAL PHILANTHROPY DAY Benefits Association of Fundraising Professionals. afp-eastok.org 12 CATTLE BARON’S BALL Benefits American Cancer Society. cancer.org

17 BARBECUE, BEER AND CIGARS Benefits Tulsa Boys’ Home. tulsaboyshome.org 19 THANKSGIVING EVENT Benefits Tulsa Dream Center. tulsadreamcenter.org 29 GIVING TUESDAY Benefits Revitalize T-Town. revitalizettown.org/ events/#givingtuesday DECEMBER 3 DARNABY ARTS AND CRAFTS SHOW Benefits Darnaby Elementary PTA. darnabyartsandcraftsshow.com 4 TOY RUN Benefits Tulsa Dream Center. tulsadreamcenter.org

8 GIFT OF HOPE FUNDRAISING LUNCHEON Benefits Tulsa Boys’ Home. tulsaboyshome.org 12 12&12 DAY Benefits 12&12 Addiction Recovery Center. 12and12.org 17 CHRISTMAS EVENT Benefits Tulsa Dream Center. tulsadreamcenter.org TBA ABATE OF TULSA TOY RUN Benefits Toys for Tots. abateoftulsa.com PEGGY V. HELMERICH DISTINGUISHED AUTHOR AWARD GALA Benefits Tulsa City-County Library. tulsalibrary.org

CHECK TULSAPEOPLE.COM EACH MONTH FOR UPDATED EVENT LISTINGS THROUGHOUT 2022.

Patrons Christina Sampson, Jamie Gregg and Jamila Riggins attend a Boss Mom Crew’s Mix and Mingle.

TulsaPeople JANUARY 2022

Lauren “Rainbow” Lunsford wears her own look at Living Arts of Tulsa’s annual Champagne and Chocolate.

CHAMPAGNE AND CHOCOLATE: ADAM KOLOFF AND DESTINY GREEN; MIX AND MINGLE: PRIYA UPLAONKAR/PRETTY PIXELZ; WALTZ: KATE AND RYAN PHOTOGRAPHY

Tulsa Zoo’s WALTZ on the Wild Side patrons Nick and Ruth Holland

Art Show & Sale

FEBRUARY 26 & 27, 2022 SATURDAY: 10AM-5PM • SUNDAY: 11AM-5PM TULSA MARRIOTT SOUTHERN HILLS - 1902 EAST 71ST STREET

AMY LAY

UNION, OREGON

CHRIS WILSON MARIETTA, GEORGIA

FOR MORE INFORMATION - ARTSHOW@NATUREWORKS.ORG

natureworks.org

Tulsa nonprofit. Global impact.

Hues for HOPE Friday, September 16, 2022

The Historic Cain’s Ballroom // Downtown Tulsa Reserve your tickets: huesforhope.org

Hues for HOPE celebrates the beautiful children affected by a rare, terminal condition and raises funds to accelerate treatment options for peroxisomal disorders. In 2022, we will bring together MORE families and MORE scientific researchers, volunteers and educators. Your support will make a difference in the life of a family affected by a peroxisomal disorder and the growing global community that supports them.

Benefiting:

2021 GFPD Patient Ambassa dor, Elijah with his family

#huesforhope

Live Auction & Silent Auctions | Dinner | Open Bar | Raffle Prizes | Live Art Entertainment

2022 EVENTS Please join us for one – or all – of our 2022 events to make a difference in the lives of Tulsa Tech students and our community!

Tulsa Tech Education Foundation would like to share our deepest gratitude with the major donors who have supported TTEF’s mission throughout the pandemic and recognize our most generous community partners.

H ALL OF FAME SPONSORS

Oklahoma Surgical Hospital Flintco & Construction Industry Friends EX EC UTI VE LEVEL SPONSOR

Techsico

Trivia for Fun People Feb. 17, 2022 Tulsa Tech Health Sciences Center, 3420 S. Memorial Drive

Swing for Success Golf Tournament April 21, 2022 GolfSuites Jenks, 600 Riverwalk Terrace

TEC HNI CI AN LEVEL SPONSORS

MEPO Oklahoma BizJet GH2 Architects

Concert for a Cause June 2022 TBA

APPRENTI CE LEVEL SPONSORS

Christian Brothers Automotive L&Y Group

Thanks to our donors, TTEF has provided more than 414 grants to deserving Tulsa Tech students who requested assistance with tuition, testing and competition fees, uniforms, supplies and other needs related to career training.

To learn more about Tulsa Tech Education Foundation, please visit ttef.net and follow us on Facebook at TTEFoundation.

1 IN 4 OKLAHOMA CHILDREN MAY GO TO BED HUNGRY. YOU CAN HELP.

EMPTY BOWLS A HUNGER AWARENESS DINNER

TUESDAY, MAY 10, 2022 COX BUSINESS CENTER HONORARY CHAIRS RON BRADY & MIKE THOMPSON THANK YOU TO OUR EARLY SPONSORS* Mary K. Chapman Foundation

United Health Care

George Kaiser Family Foundation

GableGotwals

Ruth K. Nelson

Indian Health Care Resource Center

BlueCross BlueShield of Oklahoma

Jeanette and Terry Kern

Fiber Pad, Inc.

Lynn Jones and James Medill

McElroy Manufacturing, Inc.

Security Bank

QuikTrip

Northeastern Oklahoma

River Spirit Casino Resort Saint Francis Health System

Woodturners Association WaterWorks

*Sponsors as of 12/17/2021

SPONSORSHIPS AND TICKETS AT EMPTYBOWLSTULSA.COM

TULSA CASA PRESENTS

MARCH 26, 2022 — HYATT REGENCY TULSA DOWNTOWN CASA Casino is Tulsa CASA’s annual fundraising gala. Featuring dinner, a live auction, and casino games, CASA Casino directly benefits Tulsa CASA’s vital programs. Join us for this magical night of fun, food, and fundraising!

High Roller Sponsor $10,000 • TWO preferred tables of 10 • VIP Cocktails • Live recognition at the event • Listing in all event publicity • Party favor for each guest • Complimentary champagne

Royal Flush Sponsor $4,000 • ONE preferred table of 10 • VIP Cocktails • Live recognition at the event • Listing in all event publicity • Party favor for each guest • Complimentary champagne

Jackpot Sponsor $7,000 • TWO preferred tables of 10 • VIP Cocktails • Live recognition at the event • Listing in all event publicity • Party favor for each guest • Complimentary champagne

Full House Sponsor $2,000 • TWO standard table of 10 • VIP Cocktails • Listing in all event publicity • Party favor for each guest

Pair O’ Dice Sponsor $500 • Preferred seating for 2 • VIP Cocktails • Listing in all event publicity • Party favor for each guest

Individual event tickets are also available for $200 per person.

For more information, contact Development Director Rachel Kolarik. 918-584-2272 | rachel.kolarik@tulsacasa.org | casacasino.org

It is Celebrate LIFE’s silver anniversary! March 10, 2022 Honorary Chairs Leslie and Bob Pritchard

Please join us for a fresh take on a storied event! Tickets on sale now www.LIFESeniorServices.org or call (918) 664-9000 ext.1213 COX BUSINESS CENTER | TULSA, OK

VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA OKLAHOMA PRESENTS

A N E W E V E N T C R E AT I N G M O M E N T U M

F R I D AY, F E B R U A R Y 4 , 2 0 2 2

COX BU S IN E SS CON V E N T ION C E N T E R BENEFITTING VETERANS, THE AGING, THE HOMELESS AND THE DISABLED

JOIN US!

F O R M O R E I N F O R M AT I O N V I S I T VOAO K .O R G / VO L U T E

TulsaPeople JANUARY 2022

BENEFITING THOSE SERVED BY CATHOLIC CHARITIES OF EASTERN OKLAHOMA

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2022 AT 6 PM

250 PER PERSON | UNDER 35 $150 PATRON TABLES AVAILABLE

cceok.org/cuc

TulsaPeople.com

We look forward to seeing you on Thursday, September 8, 2022

THANK YOU FOR STEPPING UP TO THE PLATE, TULSA! TulsaPeople’s 15th Annual Restaurant Week was a great success thanks to Tulsa diners and the 49 restaurants listed below. More than $40,000 was raised to benefit the Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma’s Foods for Kids programs. Special thanks to the George Kaiser Family Foundation for their generous gift of matching funds for the past 15 years and to Curtis Restaurant Supply for their continued support!

2021 FEATURED RESTAURANTS: Baxter’s Interurban Grill Biga Italian Restaurant

SEPT. 9-18, 2022

Bin 35 Bistro Bird and Bottle The Bistro at Seville

Created by TulsaPeople Magazine SPONSORED BY:

Roka

Juniper

Roppongi

La Tertulia

Sisserou's Caribbean Restaurant

The Local Bison

Society Burger (Cherry Street and South Tulsa)

Bramble Breakfast and Bar

McNellie's South City

The Chalkboard Daily Grill Dilly Diner Elgin Park Elote Fassler Hall

TulsaPeople JANUARY 2022

James E. McNellie's Pub

McGill's on Yale

Duet Restaurant and Jazz

RibCrib (Harvard, Yale, Skelly and Sheridan locations)

Bluestone Steakhouse and Seafood (Broken Arrow, Jenks and downtown locations)

BENEFITTING THE COMMUNITY FOOD BANK OF EASTERN OKLAHOMA

In the Raw (Vu, On the Hill and Brookside locations)

Melting Pot

Taziki's Mediterranean Cafe (Cherry Street and South Tulsa)

The Tavern

Oren

The Vault

Palace Cafe

Waldo's Chicken and Beer

Peacemaker Lobster and Crab Co.

Wild Fork

Prairie Fire Pie Prhyme: Downtown Steakhouse Queenie's Cafe

Yokozuna Blue Dome Yokozuna on Yale

WE PROUDLY CONGRATULATE OUR SPJ AWARD WINNERS! LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS

MAN OF MANY WORDS For 10 years Booksmart Tulsa, the Tulsa Literary Coalition and Magic City Books have reinvigorated Tulsa as a literary city. Tulsan of the Year Jeff Martin is to thank for that. BY CONNIE CRONLEY

An inside look at the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office Cold Case Task Force

TIM LANDES

BY TIM LANDES

The intersection of North 19th and West Union streets in Collinsville. It was in this area where Rebekah Barrett was found unconscious in the street on April 23, 1995.

It’s dark outside the radius of the streetlight at North 19th and West Union streets in Collinsville. A couple hundred yards to the east, another light: from the orange steeple of a church that sits just off the road. A row of lights illuminates the parking spots near the church entrance; then it’s darkness to the street. “It was right in here that her body was found,” says Rick Lawrence, a Tulsa County Sheriff Ofﬁce’s Cold Case Task Force investigator. He sits in the passenger seat of an unmarked TCSO SUV as it rolls into the light. Sgt. Tressi Mizell, Task Force supervisor, brakes. “The suspect lived a block from here?” “Just right up there on the corner,” responds Lawrence as the vehicle resumes rolling north back into the dark. TulsaPeople.com

TulsaPeople.com

First Place, News Writing: Tim Landes “Light In the Darkness”

First Place, Best Photographer: Michelle Pollard

First Place, Page Design: Madeline Crawford “Man of Many Words”

JULY 2020

2020 PORTFOLIO

JANUARY 2020

TulsaPeople was recently honored with eleven awards in the 2021 Society of Professional Journalists, Oklahoma Pro chapter awards. In addition to the magazine’s two first place awards for news writing and page design, TulsaPeople photographer Michelle Pollard was honored as “best photographer” with first place honors as well! The magazine was also recognized with three second place awards, five third place awards, and TulsaPeople.com was recognized for online community engagement with second place. We are proud of these awards which reflect the journalistic quality and excellence we strive for each day. Congratulations to our talented professionals.

Second Place, Column Writing: Ethan Veenker, “Pending pomp and circumstance” May 2020 • Second Place, Profile Writing: Connie Cronley, “Man of many words” January 2020 • Second Place, Reader Service: TulsaPeople Staff, “Get away!” May 2020 • Third Place, Reader Service: Natalie Mikles, “Bowling for flavor” February 2020 • Third Place, General Photography: Michelle Pollard, “Poof” October 2020 • Third Place, Page Design: Madeline Crawford, “Slice of heaven” November 2020 • Third Place, Cover: Georgia Brooks, Madeline Crawford, October 2020