When you notice the signs of a stroke (sudden loss of balance, unclear vision, face dropping, arm weakness or difficulty speaking), it’s time to act fast. Ascension St. John offers 24/7 emergency care and is connected to the Ascension St. John Heyman Stroke Center, which has been recognized for its excellence in stroke care.
Trust us to be there when every second counts, offering lifesaving care before and after a stroke to help you fully recover. Find
26 Fundamentals of Women’s Health
Women have specific health needs, proving healthcare is not a onesize-fits-all experience.
30 Empowered Together
Female entrepreneurs face unique challenges, but Oklahoma women are changing the narrative.
34 Our State Heritage
From general history to a guide to Okie emblems, enjoy a crash course in Oklahoma's fascinating story.
38 A Wealth of Possibilities
Investing is not just for the uber-rich; finance experts discuss helpful resources.
42 Holy Smokes
For as long as humans have wielded fire and meat, barbecue has existed. Oklahoma is home to countless BBQ restaurants and passionate pitmasters. We talk to a few about preferred cooking methods, grilling essentials and the beauty found in BBQ's communal nature. State 4
Off Oklahoma designers meld artistic prowess with philanthropic efforts.
Life & Style
20 Destinations
A stunning melding of cultures, cuisines and architecture, Panama provides a dynamic tourist experience.
22 Health
23 FYI
24 Outside the Metro
25 Scene
Taste
48 First Bite Owasso’s MAD (Modern American Diner) Eats is a comfort food haven.
49 Local Flavors
50 Chef Chat
51 Tasty Tidbits Where & When
52 Entertainment May beckons with outdoor events, plus performances, sports and community gatherings.
55 Film & Cinema
56 Closing Thoughts
PRESIDENT AND EDITORIAL DIRECTOR
DANIEL SCHUMAN
OKLAHOMA OKLAHOMA OKLAHOMA
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VIDA K. SCHUMAN
MANAGING EDITOR
MARY WILLA ALLEN
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JOHN WOOLEY
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40 40UNDER TM 918 MAGAZINE
Letter from the Editor
As you’re reading this, I hope you find yourself in a backyard, drink in hand, enjoying the smoky and savory smells of barbecue on a beautiful, not-scorchingly-hot day in May. Whether you’re a major grilling enthusiast, slightly curious about smoking meats, or just want to learn how to char-grill your veggie skewers, our barbecue and grilling feature is just the ticket (page 42). We talk to some of Oklahoma’s most lauded pros about how to host a great backyard BBQ, ideal cooking methods and what essentials you need to become a primo pitmaster.
Next, we take a sharp left turn into both our Women’s Health and Women in Business special features. In the former, doctors discuss the most common illnesses affecting women and how to spot the warning signs, as well as critical, female-specific health tests all women should be scheduling depending on their ages (page 26). In the latter, we sit down with female entrepreneurs, recommend grants for women-owned businesses, present networking opportunities and offer a few tips on perfecting your elevator pitch (page 30).
New this year is the Our State Heritage feature (page 34). Think of it like a mini history lesson in all things Oklahoma; we cover major events that have happened since our founding in 1907, key players in our state’s success, our many iconic emblems and, of course, the profound contributions Native Americans have made in ensuring the longevity of Oklahoma's success. Not to sound like an infomercial announcer, but that’s not all! We also present our investing feature with sage advice from the finance pros (page 38), alongside interviews with talented Oklahoma fashion designers (page 4), a review of a hidden gem Owasso-based diner (page 48) and some suggestions for an entertaining and educational Memorial Day Weekend (page 23).
Happy May, my friends. Wear your sunscreen!
Mary Willa Allen Managing Editor
Tummy rumbling? See more barbecue photos from Oklahoma creators at okmag. com. Photo by Stephanie Phillips
The State
ALL THINGS OKLAHOMA
Style with a Mission
Oklahoma designers meld their artistic prowess with philanthropic e orts.
Fashion design is art, and Dante Biss-Grayson and Nicole Moan are fashion designers because, well, art would not leave them alone.
“I didn’t grow up wanting to do fashion,” says Biss-Grayson, who is a member of the Osage Nation and spent part of his childhood with his grandparents in Pawhuska. “I grew up wanting to be an artist.”
Moan’s parents were artists, and when she was 11, she started sewing her own clothes. She knew she had a creative spark, but she also sought stability.
“I went to school for automotive and engineering, because I was afraid of not being able to make ends meet.” But art, Moan says, “came back and just bit me. I can’t get away from it.”
Both artists give the world beautiful things to see and wear – and both create with philanthropic missions in mind.
Biss-Grayson attended the Institute of
American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, where his mother was a student, as well as the Gerrit Rietveld Academy in Holland. He spent 12 years with the U.S. Air Force and as a Department of Defense contractor, and after multiple deployments, recognized in himself the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder.
He turned to art, but not just to heal himself. He wanted to help fellow veterans, and the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) epidemic was heavy on his heart. Military veterans have a high suicide rate, and homicide is among the top ve causes of death among young Native women.
He and his wife, Yanti, created the SkyEagle Collection, and his rst piece was a skirt printed with the red hand that is the symbol of the MMIW movement.
“ e red hand symbolizes the connection between the physical world and the spiritual world,” according to the MMIW website. “Native Americans believe that the dead can see red, so by wearing red,
we invoke the help of our ancestors and spiritual guides.”
Moan, based in OKC, studied art at Oklahoma City Community College. Her rst pieces were decorative tiles and wall sculptures, but she’s since become known for her wearable art.
“I made my rst ceramic corset in 2000,” she says. “I was making custom tile, and we needed something to wear to an event. When you are a poor artist, you learn how to make ends meet.”
When she showed up wearing her rst creation, “we de nitely had everybody talking to us,” she recalls. “I still have the rst ones, they are hung up on my wall.
ey are kind of barbaric looking,” she adds with a laugh.
Ceramic corsets had been around for a while, but Moan says she was the rst to make a wearable version. She’s since branched out to design matching skirts and headpieces, along with jewelry and handbags.
Biss-Grayson started with ribbon
Above and facing page: OKC-based designer Nicole Moan began her career creating decorative tiles and wall sculptures, but has since become known for her wearable art. Above photo courtesy Nicole Moan; facing page photo by S.E. Detweiler.
skirts, including sponsoring a project to design and manufacture 400 skirts to donate to battered women’s shelters on reservations.
“Ribbon skirts are good medicine,” he says. “But they have evolved, and there are contemporary ones that I’m designing, and I design couture ribbon dresses.”
e Sky-Eagle Collection now includes dresses, scarves, neckties, track suits and men’s ranch shirts, in vivid colors with Native-inspired motifs. Biss-Grayson’s designs have been seen on the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival and on Oscar night, and twice at New York Fashion Week.
“We’ve evolved from a brand to an actual fashion house,” Biss-Grayson says of the business based in Taos, N.M. “We do business consultation, brand development, media marketing. We produce fashion shows.”
Biss-Grayson’s rise has been part of a renaissance in Indigenous fashion.
“Native fashion shows are popping up all over the place,” he says. “Our motto is ‘Native fashion is for everybody, for all ages and sizes.’”
After he does a show that includes those outside the “usual” model body type, Biss-Grayson says, “a lot of people message me and thank me for opening up the runway for everybody. I think everybody should have a chance to look good and feel good.”
Moan has exhibited at fashion weeks in Dallas, Kansas City and Los Angeles. Every day she works, preparing for the next festival or fashion show. is was her rst year to be chosen for the Oklahoma City Festival of the Arts.
In the midst of all that industry, Moan nds contentment. She lives in a house lled with plants that she has owned since she was 19. Her studio, powered by solar energy, is on her property, as is a garden and lots of animals. She walks ve miles every morning and evening,
often stopping to greet her neighbors and their pets. She recently acquired a loom and plans to start making her own fabric from found items.
And she nds the time to share her skills. When friends give up sewing, they donate their fabric to her, and sometimes even their sewing machines. She teaches others how to sew, then gives them a machine. She does the same thing with kilns – thermally insulated ovens most often used for pottery and ceramics.
“We have to work as a community, right?” she asks.
Biss-Grayson continues to paint, with an exhibition of his expressionist landscapes planned for November at the Taos Art Museum. His newest fashion creations include trench coats and high heels, and he recently designed neckties for employees of the Osage casinos.
KIMBERLY BURK
Directly above: Dante Biss-Grayson, who spent much of his childhood in Pawhuska, created the Sky-Eagle Collection to help fellow veterans and raise awareness for the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) epidemic. Photo by Tyler Simnick courtesy Dante Biss-Grayson
Flour Power
Bakery owners can attest: Their businesses make for some dough-lightful days.
For some, baking is a family tradition, while others get into it for the creativity and to fill a niche in the community. Katia Anaya Braga’s family has a long history in the bakery business, dating back to Mexico in 1912. Their company, Pancho Anaya Bakery, expanded to Tulsa about 25 years ago.
“We were welcomed in Tulsa from the very beginning,” says Braga, now the bakery’s human resources manager. That support “allowed us to grow to where we are now," she says.
Pancho Anaya Bakery has three locations in Tulsa and has expanded into manufacturing, working with state wholesalers and national distributors.
Deniece Blasko’s Bluebird Bakery marked a homecoming for the
National Okie Acclaim
One of Oklahoma’s bakeries has garnered national attention: Tulsa’s Country Bird Bakery was named one of the 22 best bakeries in the United States by the New York Times and its owner, Cat Cox, is currently a finalist for Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker in the distinguished James Beard Awards.
southeastern Oklahoma native. Blasko served in the Navy and worked in the aerospace industry before moving back to Oklahoma and opening the Mill Creek storefront in 2021. She enjoyed baking as a hobby and felt like she was being nudged into creating the business; after hosting a soft opening for the bakery, the positive community response helped further convince her about committing to the business.
The dream of opening the Harvey Bakery & Kitchen in Oklahoma City grew, in part, from the popularity of desserts that were available at Hall’s Pizza Kitchen, also in OKC, says Molly Grenier, CEO of Halls Kitchen Group.
Grenier says the appeal of the housemade desserts, along with bringing in pastry chef Alyssa Ulrich, led to a shared dream of starting the bakery in 2021.
“Oklahoma City is so welcoming to local creative places like Harvey,” Grenier says. “This community supports our restaurant and truly has made Harvey its place.”
Rising to the Occasion
Experts agree: Long, long hours await anyone who wishes to run a bakery. Pastry chef Jean-Baptiste “JB” Saint Amon starts his day quite early.
“I bake everything for the store between 3 and 7 a.m,” says Saint Amon, owner of Saint Amon Baking Co., a French bakery in Tulsa opened in 2016. After baking, it’s time to open the shop,
work on orders, do inventory, complete payroll and sometimes train interns, he says. During busy periods, Saint Amon mentions that he’ll often stay at work until 9 p.m. The payoff after those long days? Hearing compliments from bakery patrons.
“My favorite part of the job, at this point in my career, is to hear the feedback from customers, when they say things like they just came back from Paris and our pastries taste as good, if not better,” says Saint Amon. “That’s the kind of feedback that makes it worth having 15- to 16-hour days.”
Tasty Treats & Traditions
Another reward of this line of work, owners agree, is the chance to be creative, to share their culture and to offer Oklahomans a place to gather.
Braga says one of her favorite aspects of the business is “being able to make these delicious products and then share them with our community.”
Blasko says she loves channeling her creativity into her baked goods.
“I’m a perfectionist,” she says. “I want my items to be beautiful and taste amazing at the same time.”
Grenier enjoys seeing the interactions among people who visit the bakery, whether they're meeting up with old friends or enjoying lunch with coworkers.
But, the biggest question remains: How do those in the business work around the constant cravings?
“I make sure I have a big breakfast before I come to work,” Braga says with a laugh.
SHARLA BARDIN
A Tulsa mainstay, Pancho Anaya Bakery, run by the Anaya family, began in Mexico in 1912 and expanded to Oklahoma 25 years ago.
Photos courtesy Pancho Anaya Bakery
If you’re a stargazer, even a little light pollution can ruin your whole evening. The good news is that Nebraska has a multitude of sites with virtually no light pollution. Even one designated as a Dark Sky Park, which means it’s one of the darkest places in the world. So grab your telescope and visit other galaxies from right here in Nebraska. It’s everything you were unexpecting.
Protecting What Matters
The Oklahoma Conservation Commission advocates for the state’s natural resources.
The Oklahoma Conservation Commission (OCC) aims to conserve, protect and restore Oklahoma’s natural resources, working in collaboration with the conservation districts and other partners on behalf of the citizens of Oklahoma. The OCC is a non-regulatory agency dedicated to voluntary, locally led conservation initiatives, says Justine Anderson, the commission’s public information manager.
“Through a common-sense approach, the OCC focuses on protecting Oklahoma’s natural resources, like habitats, air, soil and water resources,” she says.
An average day at OCC varies significantly depending on the employee, she says.
“Many of our employees interact with landowners every day to help address their conservation concerns,” Anderson says. “We want the public to view us as a resource for helping them bring conservation to their land, no matter how big or small. You’ll often catch us at various events throughout the state, educating people about the different impacts you can make on our state’s resources.”
The OCC supports our state’s 84 conservation districts in the ever-increasing demand for responsible care of Oklahoma’s natural resources.
“Conservation districts are the primary local unit of government responsible for the conservation of renewable natural resources in Oklahoma,” says Anderson. “In close collaboration with local landowners, local government units and other agencies, they help provide resources and technical and financial assistance for things like controlling and preventing soil erosion, preventing impairments of dams and reservoirs to prevent damage from flooding, preserving and promoting native vegetation, and more.”
She continues: “The Oklahoma Conservation Commission is filled with people who are passionate about conserving the natural resources of Oklahoma.” These people range from re-
searchers and practitioners to implementers and advocates, who are passionate about providing technical and financial assistance, accurate data and engaging educational experiences – all with the common goal to conserve the renewable natural resources of our state and help fill the conservation advocacy pipeline.
“They do so through things like educating landowners about sustainable farming best practices, like no-till farming, and identifying, prioritizing and managing waters in Oklahoma impacted by non-point source pollution, such as sediment, nutrients and animal waste,” says Anderson. “And also by providing and implementing cost-share programs for landowners who install conservation structures, engage in conservation practices or best management practices on their land; assisting landowners with concerns about invasive species; or developing conservation and nutrient management plans that address resource concerns of Oklahoma landowners.”
SHARON MCBRIDE
OCC staff help lead courses in grazing management through a partnership with the Noble Research Institute. Photos courtesy OCC
OCC Water Quality staff performs various tests on a stream to determine water quality.
An Animated Field
Animation and digital design are lucrative industries with passionate instructors.
Animation and digital design, like most special skills, have evolved over time. What used to be an expertise rooted solely in traditional artistic talents has progressed to require knowledge of advanced computer technology. Luckily, students have opportunities to learn and master the craft right here in Oklahoma.
Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology (OSUIT) in Okmulgee offers a 100% online Associate of Applied Science degree (AAS) in the subject.
“The 3D modeling and animation program at OSUIT is more than just an education – it’s a launch pad for creative careers,” says Heather Ortiz, Ed.D., the interim dean of the OSUIT School of Creative and Information Technologies. “By blending hands-on learning with industry-driven curriculum, our students graduate with the skills, experience and professional connections to make an immediate impact on fields like animation, game design and visual effects. At OSU Polytech, we don’t just teach; we prepare innovators and storytellers for the future.”
The 79-credit-hour, two-year program is designed to provide a deep immersion into the subject, and is built specifically around industry needs. Perks include small class sizes, cutting-edge software and hands-on training that allows for personalized instruction.
“Obtaining an AAS degree in 3D modeling and animation from OSUIT is ... about mastering the art of visual storytelling, refining technical skills and building a portfolio that speaks to industry standards,” says instructor Tony Galindo.
Oklahoma City Community College (OCCC) currently offers an in-class AAS degree in Digital Media Design, and the college is in the process of building a focused certificate just for animation.
“This skill set involves being able to plan; understanding arcs, timing and spacing; when to apply squash and stretch; and the anticipation or overlapping of action,” says Chloe Elimam, a professor of Digital Media Design and 3D Art. “We currently offer courses that fo-
cus on the pipeline of creating an animation. In Fundamentals of Digital Drawing and Design, students learn design principles to create characters, worlds and storyboards, and color scripts for an animation using digital drawing tools and software. Students have used the Applied Animation course to expand their knowledge on that subject, working with industry standard tools to practice 3D modeling and texturing.”
The door is wide open for potential designers – all you need is curiosity and determination.
“If you’re interested in animation, absorb as much as you can about it,” says Elimam. “Learn the names and careers of some of the most influential animators of our time, watch everything, and watch it again to pay attention to the motion and the acting, specifically. Listen to interviews, attend workshops, draw in your sketchbook, look for motion in the real world and start to develop your eye as an artist. Be inspired and recreate it.”
Career Options in Animation
“The career options for someone with training in animation include being a 2D/3D animator, motion graphics designer, character designer, environment designer, art director, storyboard artist, background colorist, color script artist, visual effects artist, visual development artist or a concept artist,” says Elimam.
OSUIT’s curriculum equips students with real-world skills applicable to careers in illustration, film, architecture, product modeling, special effects, previsualization and environmental design, says Galindo.
“Through hands-on projects, real-world internships and expert guidance, students graduate with the confidence and experience to step into animation, game design, digital media and more.”
CAROL MOWDY BOND
OSUIT’s Associate of Applied Science degree program prepares students for careers in everything from illustration to film, architecture and product modeling.
Photos courtesy OSUIT
The Great Equalizer
Pickleball welcomes players of all ages, abilities, strengths and incomes.
Pickleball has been around since 1965, but the funnily named sport doesn’t have a ballshaped pickle or a pickle-shaped ball in use – and most of the time, said ball isn’t even green.
“Pickleball is a blend of tennis, badminton and ping-pong, played with a paddle and a perforated plastic ball, or wiffle ball, on a small, netted court,” says Michael Manglardi, co-founder and vice president of operations at Diadem Pickleball Complex, which has locations in Tulsa and Coconut Creek, Fla.
There are also special rules to the game.
“We have a unique two-bounce rule regarding the serve and return of serve,” says Casey Murchison, a pickleball coach at the Premier Pickleball Academy in OKC. The game is primarily played as a doubles game, although singles is a popular option as well.
“Pickleball is loved for its accessibility, easy-to-learn rules and socialness,” says Manglardi. “Once you start playing, you won’t be able to stop – trust us!”
Pickleball is the great equalizer when it comes to sports: players of all ages, sizes and athleticism levels can have fun
getting out and playing, says Manglardi. It’s especially friendly to beginners who want to see fast improvement and want to take up a new sport without needing hundreds of hours of lessons and practice. Since pickleball appeals to all ages – from kids to seniors – it makes for the perfect sport to bring people together.
Murchison agrees.
“The general demographic here in the Oklahoma City metro area for pickleball is older, but the sport is attracting more and more young people all the time,” he says. “The biggest growth is in the 25-34 age group.”
Manglardi has also noticed a substantial rise in participation from elder Gen Z and younger millennials.
“Over recent years, the average player’s age has dropped into the 30s and is getting younger each year,” he says.
Alongside being an equalizer for players of all skill levels, pickleball is also an accessible sport for different income levels.
“Yes, you’ll also see varying levels of athleticism, from former pro athletes to first-time competitors; pickleball welcomes all,” says Manglardi. “Also, because all you need is a paddle, some balls and a pair of shoes, most anyone can get out and play with a minimal investment
in equipment and court times.”
Historically, pickleball was known as a ‘retirement community’ sport intended for senior players. Although many highend resorts and country clubs are adopting pickleball, the sport can be as fancy or as bare-bones as you want it to be.
“You can play pickleball anywhere you have a 20’ x 44’ flat, smooth concrete slab,” says Murchison. “You can put four pickleball courts on one tennis court as long as you bring your own portable nets. Some churches allow pickleball to be played in their gymnasiums on certain days and times.”
According to Murchison, you can find pickleball gear at most retail sports, or you can always purchase gear where classes are taught.
CAROL MOWDY BOND
Diadem Pickleball Complex in Tulsa offers pickleball leagues, clinics, classes and professional training. Photos courtesy Diadem Pickleball Complex
Wooden Wonders
Woodturning enthusiasts say the craft offers a creative outlet, teaches new skills and provides a sense of accomplishment.
Looking to chisel out some time to explore a new hobby? Wanting to branch out and meet others? Then stop pining and check out woodturning – a pastime that enthusiasts say offers camaraderie, creativity and craftsmanship.
Woodturning is the process of using a wood lathe with hand-held tools to fashion wooden pieces or blocks into forms and shapes. And opportunities abound in the state for those interested in the craft, including classes and demonstrations offered by woodturners’ associations in the Oklahoma City and Tulsa areas.
Bill Adams got into woodturning about ten years ago, he says.
“I needed something to do as a hobby when I retired,” he mentions. So, he bought a lathe and set about to learn more about turning. “I was absolutely hooked. I fell in love with it.”
He fondly remembers the small bowl he made as his first piece. Since then, he’s created a vast array of items, including vases, bowls, a replica of a hot air balloon and Christmas ornaments. Once, his grandson found a stick and asked him to create something with it; Adams
turned it into a pen for him. To that end, Adams mentions that he’s amazed by the possibilities that can come from a block of wood and a knowledge of the craft.
“Wood comes in all different sizes and shapes and origins,” he says, “and you never know what beauty is in a piece of wood.”
Adams is also the president of the Northeastern Oklahoma Woodturners Association in Tulsa. The association offers introductory classes, meetings, seminars, clinics, shows and exhibits. One of the aspects Adams enjoys most about the association is the friendships that he’s gained and the skills and tips shared among members.
Jim Oliver, president of the Central Oklahoma Woodturners Association, shares the sentiment about the camaraderie among those interested in the craft.
“We are there for helping people with their woodturning,” he says. The association hosts monthly meetings with woodturning demonstrations and discussions and offers classes at the association’s shop in Oklahoma City.
Oliver, who has been a woodturner for about 14 years, says he’s always enjoyed working with tools. He also likes the creativity that comes from fashioning
a block of wood into bowls, vessels and other usable items.
“It’s very rewarding to see something finished,” he says.
It’s also a hobby that continues to captivate him: “There’s so many different things to learn about it,” he says.
Ursula Faus takes classes with instructors from the Central Oklahoma Woodturners Association. She started instruction last fall and has made items including a bud vase, bowls, Christmas ornaments and a peppermill.
Faus, of Norman, mentions she likes learning new hobbies and has some past experience with woodworking, including carving and creating kids’ toys with a scroll saw. Faus looks forward to the classes, projects and the one-on-one mentoring and finds the sessions “truly a welcoming environment and excellent learning situation.” She also appreciates the artistry with the craft and “watching how a block of wood becomes something” and the color and texture that can emerge.
Faus says there’s also the point of pride with a finished product, “and being able to say, ‘I made that.’”
SHARLA BARDIN
Getting Into Woodturning
Want to learn more about woodturning? Check out the American Association of Woodturners website at woodturner.org for more information about chapters in Oklahoma.
seminars, clinics, shows and exhibits. Photo courtesy NEOWTA
Offering Hard-Earned Assistance
Veterans are taken care of by state-based programs and nonprofits.
Amid anxiety about how federal budget cuts might affect America’s veterans and the benefits they receive, the job of assisting this population in Oklahoma continues. A number of organizations, aided by the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs, are ready to step in.
Daron Hoggatt, the Veterans Affairs Department’s public information officer, says his team works closely with several nonprofit organizations and Oklahoma’s Native American tribes to deliver services to veterans, which range from eradicating homelessness to providing healthcare, aiding in employment and combating mental health issues.
So far, he says, actions at the federal level have had minimal effect on Oklahoma. In fact, the department was hiring this year for its soon-to-open home for veterans in Sallisaw. The department also operates similar homes in Ardmore, Sulphur, Lawton, Oklahoma City, Claremore, Clinton and Norman.
Assisting the department’s efforts are nonprofit organizations that provide a
variety of services to veterans and their families, helping them adjust to life outside the armed forces. Hoggatt says that in late March, the Veterans Affairs Department staged its first Advisory Forum, bringing nonprofits and tribes together in an effort to address veterans’ needs.
“The idea came through the [Oklahoma] Veterans Commission, and our executive director said we will take this on,” Hoggatt says.
The nonprofit Oklahoma Veterans Alliance estimates that 312,492 veterans live in Oklahoma, which is close to the Veterans Affairs Department’s estimate of 250,000 to 300,000. The department has several programs designed to assist veterans. Not the least is its employment program that helps veterans transition from the structure and regimentation of military life to the freedom of civilian life, and to take advantage of skills acquired in the armed forces.
“A lot of times they just don’t know where to begin,” says Hoggatt.
One nonprofit organization, Tulsa’s Coffee Bunker, has a mission to ease the transition for veterans and their families. Michael Horton, Ph.D., the nonprofit’s executive director, says their assistance ranges from getting veterans out of homelessness to helping them find successful careers. Recipients range from young adults to veterans in their sixties and older.
The Coffee Bunker serves a light lunch, and has intake workers who can assess a veteran’s needs. A food bank is available through cooperation with the Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma, and computers are on hand for visitors to update their resumes.
Funding comes from philanthropic sources, grants and fundraising, Hunter says, and the organization has an annual $550,000 budget.
He mentions that veterans either get their needs met there or are referred to other service sources.
“People keep coming back, so that tells me we’re doing something right,” he says.
Another nonprofit, Honoring America’s Warriors, is based in Oklahoma City and offers a range of physical, mental health and wellness support. It also provides funeral and burial assistance to veterans’ families, and even operates a service dog program.
Program manager Chris Alexander says the service dog program provides dogs to qualifying veterans at no cost, and has placed about 150 animals with veterans since starting about 10 years ago.
“We provide the dog, training, equipment and food to veterans,” he says, and also offers color honor guards for public events such as Oklahoma City Thunder basketball games, and flag and rifle teams and buglers for veterans’ funerals.
“We want to make sure that every veteran who passes away gets the full honor they’ve earned,” he says.
HENRY DOLIVE
For More Information:
Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs 855-701-6382 oklahoma.gov/veterans
Honoring America’s Warriors in OKC presents a range of physical, mental health and wellness support, as well as a service dog program.
Photo courtesy Honoring America’s Warriors
Oklahoma on the Silver Screen
Diverse ecoregions, substantial tax credits and a highly skilled local workforce mean more films and TV series are filming in the Sooner State than ever before.
Oklahoma is becoming a stronger and more consistent player in the film industry, with plenty of new movies and television shows filming here regularly.
“Oklahoma is thrilled to be hosting a number of film and television productions in 2025 from local, national and international filmmakers,” says Jeanette Stanton, Oklahoma Film and Music office director. “To name a few, production recently wrapped on the road trip comedy New Years Rev, a Green Day inspired film co-produced by Live Nation, and production is currently underway for Sterlin Harjo’s latest series The Sensitive Kind, starring Ethan Hawke among an all-star cast of talent,” she continues.
The full list of other films and TV shows currently or soon-to-be in production can be found on the Oklahoma Film and Music website, okfilmmusic.org.
Films like Killers of the Flower Moon and Twisters both elevated Oklahoma’s film status even further, showcasing what is becoming an extremely desirable filming location.
“These high profile projects have showcased the state’s diverse landscapes
and filming capabilities, including our skilled workforce and infrastructure, further attracting interest from the industry,” says Stanton.
Although both films had an enormous economic impact on the state, it goes further than monetary gain.
“For Killers of the Flower Moon, audiences are diving deeper into the history and culture of the Osage Nation, whereas for Twisters, there has been a renewed interest in weather related studies and phenomena,” says Stanton. “In addition to highlighting these aspects of each respective film, our office published an editorial for both projects which highlights these areas of interest as well as filming locations, impacted businesses and related stats concerning their production in Oklahoma.”
Another reason production studios love filming in Oklahoma? The tax incentives. Every production wants to hear about ways to save money – and Oklahoma is fully committed to the cause.
“Administered by the Oklahoma Film and Music Office, the ‘Filmed in Oklahoma Act of 2021’ is the state’s incentive program, offering a cash rebate of 20 to 30% for qualified projects that conduct principal photography within the state,”
says Stanton. “One of the most unique and advantageous aspects of filming in Oklahoma is that the state’s rebate can be used in conjunction with additional tribal and city incentives, of which the state has a growing number offered through local film commissions and city offices.”
Beyond those enticing benefits, Oklahoma offers even more reasons to film inside the Sooner state – such as diverse ecosystems and top-of-the-line facilities and infrastructure.
“The state boasts twelve distinct ecoregions, offering a wide array of picturesque backdrops and versatile terrains suitable for various filming needs,” says Stanton. “Oklahoma maintains a robust state of productions throughout the year, contributing to a growing pool of experienced local crew members. An expanding list of film support companies, including sound stages and post production providers, are located throughout the state, providing critical support to productions. These factors, combined with the state’s supportive infrastructure and community, make Oklahoma an attractive destination for film productions.”
DREW JOSEPH ALLEN
Directly above and right: The Story Behind the Story, a television series hosted by Mike Rowe, utilizes Oklahoma's diverse ecoregions and venues for its filming. Photos courtesy Impact Media
Very top: Twisters released in 2024, shot primarily in OKC, El Reno, Chickasha and other Oklahoma locations. Photo by Melinda Sue Gordon
A Journey of Discovery
Learning a second language boosts confidence, creates connections and helps with brain plasticity.
Enhanced travel experiences. Social opportunities. Personal enrichment and satisfaction. Greater opportunities for connection. Staving off memory loss and cognitive decline. These are just a few pros of learning a second language at an older age – and you can do it right here in Oklahoma.
“Learning a language is more than just learning words,” says Tina Peña, associate professor of Spanish at Tulsa Community College. “It’s about connection –connecting with people, connecting with cultures. It’s a journey of discovery.”
While many people are either born into households speaking two languages or pick it up in high school or college, others start their journey later – in their
50s, 60s and 70s.
“Maybe they’ve been missionaries or have enjoyed traveling abroad,” Peña says. “Maybe they want to advance their career or have Hispanic friends of other cultures and want to be able to speak the language – or speak to their in-laws if they are in an interracial marriage. Whatever the reason, it’s about making life a little more meaningful.”
Some studies show that learning a new language can have major benefits for the brain, says E.G. Rollins, Ph.D., the chair of the Department of Modern Languages and Performing Arts at Oklahoma City Community College.
“Learning a language improves cognitive skills and is one of the best ways to avoid or delay Alzheimer’s disease and dementia,” he says. “Research shows that learning another foreign language is an
exercise to keep the neurons flexible in aging adults.”
That’s in part because of the extra work it takes an older brain to learn new information.
“It enhances your brain function because learning a language takes a lot of effort,” Peña says. “At a certain age, your brain does not want to memorize things. Another thing I see is that knowing or learning other languages increases confidence quite a bit, because your brain is proving that you can do it.”
To that end, instructors at both TCC and OCCC work to tailor language classes for maximum engagement and comprehension.
“Courses are very interactive, with pair and small group activities to encourage conversation in the target language,” Rollins says. “Students perform short skits, presentations and games in our classes.”
Peña says she likes to bring in native speakers so students can listen to them and ask questions.
Working with older learners can sometimes bring about a struggle with newer technology; Rollins says he and his instructors have that covered.
“An advantage to taking the language [course] in the classroom is that professors provide the traditional paper handouts that are more familiar to older students,” he says. “We also encourage all students, but especially any older adult needing more traditional learning methods, to use the loose-leaf form of the language textbook as a supplement to the required online textbook.”
The challenge of learning a new language at an older age can be rewarding if students take a few things to heart, Peña says.
“Set realistic goals,” she advises. “Concentrate on the small milestones –like learning maybe 10-15 words a week. Practice daily, because your brain will continue wanting more and more and more. And embrace your mistakes. We learn by making mistakes, so laugh and enjoy the process.”
GRETCHEN EICHENBERG
Tulsa Community College welcomes students of all ages into their varied foreign language courses. Photo courtesy TCC
Across the Radio Waves
An Oklahoma-based broadcast station was one of the first of its kind in the country.
The communications revolution set in place by the advent of radio transformed the world. Many in Oklahoma were at the forefront of these changes, even as the state itself was coming into its own at the beginning of the 20th century.
WKY radio, which crackled to life in Oklahoma City as experimental station 5XT in April of 1921, was one of those forerunners. The Department of Commerce granted their license, and in March 1922, the station would receive the call letters it still claims today.
“The granting of the license gave the station the distinction of being the eleventh broadcast station in the United States and the first to be licensed for regular programming west of the Mis-
WKY, based in OKC, was the eleventh broadcast station in the United States and the first to be licensed for regular programming west of the Mississippi. Photo courtesy the Oklahoma Historical Society
sissippi,” writes Donald K. Tolman in his article for The Chronicles of Oklahoma, Through the Ether: The Birth of Radio in Central Oklahoma.
Earl C. Hull and his business partner, H.S. Richards, started WKY in the garage of Hull’s home with just 20 watts of power. Hull gained experience with radio technology during his military service in World War I. He came home to Oklahoma, started the Oklahoma Radio Shop with Richards, and hooked up a voice transmitter in his garage to broadcast weather, live music performances from local talent, sports scores, news and recorded music from a Victrola.
Radio-like transmissions began connecting people over long distances as far back as 1891. All public radio use was stopped during WWI so that the transmissions could be utilized for military
purposes. But after the war, people like Hull and Richards were ready to use radio for entertainment and to share information with far-away audiences.
The WKY radio station later moved from Hull’s garage into its first business location in the Huckins Hotel in downtown OKC. Edward K. Gaylord purchased it in 1928, and the station hit the big time with increased wattage and other enhancements as the years went on.
“The viability of the new medium was evident, as the station made a profit during the early years of the Great Depression,” writes Bill Moore in the article on WKY in The Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture. “As a result, Gaylord added more up-to-date technology again in 1936, making the broadcasting facility one of the nation’s most sophisticated.”
WKY moved to its current location on Northwest 64th Street in Oklahoma City in the early 2000s and today broadcasts daily as The Sports Animal. Safe to say the history of this long-lived radio station is as varied and interesting as the history of radio itself.
BONNIE RUCKER
A Famous Connection
According to an article by Bill Moore for the Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture, a household name in the news spent time on WKY early in his career.
Walter Cronkite, despite his inexperience, was hired to give play-by-play commentary on University of Oklahoma football games in October 1937.
“When he called that first ‘live’ game between OU and the University of Tulsa, the results were less than desirable, but he improved,” writes Moore. “He finished the season, soon moved to Kansas City, covered World War II as a war correspondent, and later anchored the CBS evening news on television.”
The Pick King
Oklahoman Robert Swain has created guitar picks for some of the world’s most successful musicians – and even a U.S. president.
It happened back in 1998, when the late country star Chris LeDoux was playing at a (now also late) club called Tulsa City Limits. I was working as an entertainment writer for the Tulsa World at the time, there to review the show, when I fell into a conversation with another Tulsa entertainment guy, Robert Swain.
I knew that Swain, under the name PicKing, had been creating personalized guitar picks for several years, and that LeDoux was one of his clients. I also knew he had a lot of other nationally known performers who used his picks, and I wondered if the time was ripe for me to do a newspaper story on him and his business.
He dissuaded me, saying something like, “I’m just not sure yet whether or not it’s all going to work out.”
Well, here it is 2025. And, despite Swain’s misgivings, it’s all worked out incredibly well for the PicKing and his custom-imprinted guitar picks, with hundreds of thousands – probably mil-
lions – of them purchased and utilized over the years by the likes of Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, Jimmy Buffett, Randy Travis, Tim McGraw and many, many more – including a sitting United States president. (More about that shortly.)
For Swain, who now lives with his wife in a town outside of Nashville, the fact that he became a major supplier of customized picks to the stars remains a source of amazement.
“It’s one of those things where you just pinch yourself when you’re visiting with all these people, these legends,” he says. “As a kid growing up in Owasso, Oklahoma, rodeoing and listening to Merle Haggard and Loretta Lynn on eight-track tapes, I never thought I would have a significant role in their stories.”
Before picks became his livelihood, Swain had a Tulsa-based business called BadgeMaker, which, he explains, “did name badges for the Tulsa Zoo, different banks in Tulsa, the Village Inn, Goldie’s Hamburgers – different restaurants. I had a pretty good-sized business, and I
was still doing some name badges until 2016. So I worked both of them [BadgeMaker and PicKing] side by side for years.”
Swain had remained a country-music fan; he’d even seen a glimmer of success as a nascent songwriter. Looking around for ways to connect with the music business, he hit upon something that wasn’t “too far” from imprinting plastic name badges.
“The transition over [to picks] was pretty simple,” he explains, “except that, obviously, you were printing a much smaller item.”
Armed with this new idea, he approached Dell Davis, the director of Tulsa’s annual Bluegrass & Chili Festival, and offered to do some picks for the event at no cost to her.
“She was willing to accept the free gesture, and off I went,” he remembers. “I had no picks and had never tried to imprint one before. I contacted D’Andrea, one of the biggest pick manufacturers in the world, to see if they would sell me some blank guitar picks. I about choked
Oklahoma pick maker Robert Swain has worked with everyone from Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard to a sitting U.S. president. Photo courtesy Robert Swain
when they said their minimum order was 432 picks. It wasn’t much money, but it was a lot of picks to me.
“When the picks arrived, I couldn’t get the box open fast enough. I was amazed at how well they imprinted. Dell let me hand them out backstage to the different artists and they were well-received.”
Davis, he adds, helped him in other ways, as well.
“Dell encouraged me to go with her and her husband to IBMA, the International Bluegrass Music Awards convention in Owensboro, Kentucky. I went with them and set up on the end of their table, where they were promoting the Chili Fest. And I had quite a bit of luck. Bluegrass performers hadn’t gotten into the world of personalized guitar picks, so it was kind of a new step for both of us.
“I started working with Rhonda Vincent, the Lonesome River Band, Jim & Jesse, different ones, and I started doing the picks for the IBMA and the things they had going on. Those were the early days.”
Bluegrass events and musicians remained his biggest clients for several years, and then, in 1997, he notes, “I stepped past my fear and went to the SRO [Standing Room Only] convention in Nashville.” A gathering of booking agents and artist managers, it netted him his “first bona fide country act: Janie Fricke.
“I was far from established,” he says, “but I was off and running.”
Emboldened by this experience, he returned to Nashville for the week-long Country Radio Seminar, which drew country artists and radio personalities from all over. At one point during the week, Swain found himself outside the Ryman Auditorium, home of the famed Grand Ole Opry radio broadcasts.
“I walked up and laid my hands on that brick exterior, and I said to a friend, ‘If I ever get to do picks for the Grand Ole Opry, I’ll die.’ And the hair stood up on my arms.
“In 30 days, we were doing picks for the Grand Ole Opry.”
A couple of years later, another milestone in the PicKing story came along, involving one of the biggest acts ever to hit country music and his stage manager, Randall “Poodie” Locke. It was 1999, and Willie Nelson was playing Tulsa’s (nowrenamed) Brady Theater.
“That’s when I first met and hooked up with Willie, out there in the parking lot,” Swain recalls. “I went and knocked on the door of their bus, and that’s when I met Poodie. And Poodie immediately
started promoting me to everyone he knew.”
It was a business and personal relationship that continued until Locke’s 2009 death.
“Willie was going through 20,000 picks a year,” notes Swain, “so in that 10-year period between 1999 and 2009, I did 110,000 guitar picks for Willie. Poodie would call up and order 10 gross [1,440] – or, as he’d say, ‘I need ten more grosses of picks.’”
As you might imagine, Swain has a story for just about every pick he’s ever produced. One he particularly likes to tell involves a sitting president of the United States. Its genesis goes back to the late ‘90s, when one of his clients, Randy Travis, was filming a movie in Sheridan, Arkansas, called The White River Kid
“We were still in Tulsa then, and it wasn’t far. So we took off and went down there to get in the movie – like everyone would like to do, you know,” he says with a chuckle.
There, he met a woman in charge of props and traded her a variety of picks for a Randy Travis poster from the film. As it turned out, she’d been a friend of then-President Bill Clinton since childhood. She sent the picks Swain had traded her to Clinton, who liked them so much he kept them in his top desk drawer in the Oval Office.
“She said that with the holographs, he’d take ‘em out and flash them at people when they came in,” noted Swain, laughing. “And she asked if I’d consider doing a pick for him. I told her, “Well, I can’t do the Presidential Seal or anything like that without going through a lot of red tape, so it’s probably not a good idea.’”
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Still, she persisted.
How can I ‘test drive’ my retirement plan?
Test driving aspects of your plan before you’re actually in retirement can help provide a sense of security for this next phase of life. 1. Consider what an ideal retirement looks like in the long term. How you choose to spend your time (and in many cases, your money) in retirement is your decision to make, but it’s not always an easy one. Consider sitting down with your spouse or family members to explore how aging and future milestones may alter your retirement. 2. Test drive your retirement lifestyle. Many people pledge a significant amount of savings towards a particular lifestyle in retirement. Be prudent and build some flexibility into your plan to avoid unintended consequences. 3. Simulate your retirement expenses. The idea that your cash flow no longer comes from a reliable paycheck, but from other sources like Social Security and personal savings can come as a shock – even to those who are well prepared for this change. 4. Perfecting life in retirement. A little practice can go a long way toward easing emotional and financial concerns when it comes to making the jump into retirement. Consider working with a financial advisor who can help you determine a budget and a retirement income plan that fits your needs and desires.
David Karimian, CFP®, CRPC®, APMA® Prime Wealth Management
A private wealth advisory practice of Ameriprise Financial 2431 E 61st St, Suite 400, Tulsa, OK 74136 918.388.2009
David.x.Karimian@ampf.com www.primewealthmgmt.com
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“Finally I said, ‘Look, I’ll do the picks. But you take the heat.’ So I did a white pearl pick, the Presidential Seal was in gold on front, with a metallic blue highlight around the oval. And then on the back in metallic blue was Bill Clinton’s signature.”
In response, he got a personal letter from the president, and – according to the Clinton friend who brokered the deal – another honor as well.
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“My understanding from her,” he says, “is that they’re supposed to have a place in his Presidential Library.”
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DAVID KARIMIAN CFP®, CRPC®, APMA®
Life & Style
A MAP TO LIVING WELL
The Motion of the Ocean
A stunning melding of cultures, cuisines and architecture, Panama provides a dynamic tourist experience.
Panama is an enigma from the moment you arrive.
For those coming by plane, the trip starts with a unique visual: an aerial view of shipping vessels gliding across the sea, preparing for their turn through the Panama Canal. As if that isn’t already a novelty, the next startling discovery is the vision of endless skyscrapers and buildings in Panama City, so many that they seem unquantifiable.
Panama has several distinctions from her neighboring Central American countries. She’s the bridge of the Americas and also the country that holds one of
the modern wonders of the world; the stunning Panama Canal.
The sleek, clean infrastructure of Panama City is modern and impressive. The melting pot of cultures and investors has forged a city steeped in diversity, and a feeling of motion is omnipresent. If you’re relaxing at
Multiple skyscrapers dot Panama City's skyline, juxtaposed with traditional architecture. All photos by Gina Michalopulos Kingsley
Flying into Panama City, you'll likely see shipping vessels traversing through the Panama Canal.
a beach, you’ll see the patient movement of ships lined up in the sea waiting to enter the canal. If you’re driving into the city, you’ll see the congested movement of cars merging into traffic jams that can last hours. If you’re touring the canal, you’ll see the steady, precise movement of the lock system at work with the fascinating control and motion of water released into the process.
In addition to the wonder of the Panama Canal and the lush jungles and islets, a true treasure is Casco Viejo, a district of corridors with brick roads and intricate architecture. Pirate Henry Morgan plundered Panama Viejo, but the Panamanian’s resilient revival and restoration persevered. The old town has a magnetic and jubilant energy.
“Saunter” is too cliche to describe how to move through her streets, so let’s get creative:
Venerate. Visit the Metropolitan Cathedral, where saints' relics are displayed. Popes have visited this cathedral elevated to a basilica.
Caffeinate. Try the famous Geisha coffee and enjoy a brewing tutorial from a barista in a hip coffeehouse.
Perambulate through the galleries and boutiques.
Decorate yourself with artisan jewelry from the vendors on the seaside promenade.
Gravitate towards the photoshoot of the girl in her Quinceneara regalia.
Elevate yourself to the bell tower of a soaring church through steep staircases. Open one of the many intricately carved doors to appreciate the breathtaking panoramic views. Grandiose statues with outstretched hands or angel wings over-
looking the skyline of skyscrapers across the sea convey a feeling of benevolent protection.
Rotate and gyrate in a salsa dance lesson. You’ll work up an appetite for dinner.
Hydrate and pontificate over your new cultural discoveries on a rooftop bar during the 2-for-1 happy hour specials. Then, dine on flavorful food in a snug tavern with live music, and savor the sabores of each delicacy served by waiters in Panamanian hats.
And what about those Panama hats? Although it’s an identifiable Panamanian look, the hat actually originates from Ecuador. When Ecuadorian hat makers emigrated to Panama, that increased the production volume. The hat’s popu-
larity grew when President Theodore Roosevelt was photographed wearing one when visiting the Panama Canal construction.
Contemplate how the combination of antiquity and modernity is a starkly contrasting image of merging historic eras.
Ruminate on the irony that the Panama Canal is the ‘crossroads of the world’ that technically has no roads at all. Meditate on your location in the world. You’re on the “bridge” of the Americas!
Unlike other modern wonders of the world which only benefit their own regions, the Panama Canal benefits the entire world. It’s best defined by the phrase, “A land divided; a world united.” GINA MICHALOPULOS KINGSLEY
You'll see many a ship waiting their turn to enter the Panama Canal.
Cuisine options are vast – and delicious –in Panama.
Casco Viejo is a district of corridors with brick roads, intricate architecture and plenty of history.
Understanding Hair Loss
Both male and female pattern hair loss are common; a dermatologist explains the early signs and variety of treatment options.
Androgenetic alopecia, known as male and female pattern hair loss, is the most common genetic reason for hair loss and/or baldness, affecting an estimated 50 million men and 30 million women in the United States.
“In women, referred to as female pattern hair loss (FPHL), it begins in midlife between ages 40 and 60, but can occur earlier for some women,” says Pamela Allen, M.D., an OU Health dermatologist in Oklahoma City. “For men, male pattern hair loss (MPHL), usually appears by age 50, but can begin much earlier, starting in late teens or early twenties.”
She says signs of hair loss may begin with a noticeable increase in hair shedding; a widening of one’s middle hair part; hair thinning on the crown of the scalp with an inability to cover with hair; a receding temporal hairline; and being able to notice one’s scalp skin through their hair strands. Also of note, she says androgenetic alopecia does not affect the sides and posterior scalp hair regions.
You may have heard that hair loss traits are inherited from the ‘mother’s side’ of the family, but this is a myth.
“Androgenetic alopecia is hereditary,” says Allen. “The genes can come from your mother, father, or both. It is also recognized that hormones may play a role in FPHL, as it is commonly seen after menopause.”
While hair loss is common, most everyone wants to keep their hair as long as they can –and there’s no shortage of products and treatments claiming to either prevent hair loss or support hair regrowth. According to the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery, nearly 150,000 individuals within the United States and Canada received a surgical hair restoration procedure in 2022.
“Supplements, such as biotin and folic acid, have been touted to help grow and thicken hair, but scientific findings are mixed,” says Allen. “Most studies showed these supplements had no effect on hair growth or thickness. However, one study showed that omega-3 fatty acids, omega-6 fatty acids and antioxidants taken in combination for six months produced thicker hair and less hair loss in 120 healthy women. As always, it is recommended to discuss these supplements with your doctor before taking them, as some may interact with medications.”
She says hair loss shampoos can increase moisture, making hair look fuller
and thicker while lessening breakage, but they don’t regrow hair or prevent hair loss from worsening.
“Minoxidil, which can be found overthe-counter as a topical solution or foam applied to the scalp, is the most-recommended treatment for both FPHL and MPHL,” says Allen. “It increases blood flow to the scalp, and Minoxidil can be prescribed in its oral form for hair growth.”
She also says there are several oral medications that work to reduce the hormonal influence of androgenetic alopecia.
“Hair loss must be stabilized on these oral medications before a hair transplant is considered as an option,” says Allen. “Home laser devices and platelet-rich plasma injections may help stimulate hair growth. Stem cell use is still in its experimental stage.”
If you begin noticing any type of hair loss, Allen recommends seeing a dermatologist for a proper diagnosis.
“Discuss these treatment options with your dermatologist to individualize your care,” she says. “There is no cure for androgenetic alopecia – and once stabilized on a regimen, it is considered lifelong treatment.”
REBECCA FAST
Honoring Fallen Heroes
Memorial Day is more than a long weekend – it’s a chance to pay respect to fallen American military members.
Memorial Day in the United States is often conated with the rst big trip to the lake or a random day o from work – but its signi cance extends far beyond that.
“Memorial Day is based upon Major General John A. Logan of the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) establishing ‘Decoration Day’ as a day to decorate the graves of Union soldiers in 1868,” says James Erb, a curator at the Muskogee War Memorial Park. “ en in 1971, the federal government established May 30th as a federal holiday.”
Erb, a U.S. Air Force veteran who served from 1970 to 1988, continues: “ e meaning has changed over the years; today, it is a day to re ect on the sacri ces of members of our military services and rst responders, and pay respect to them.”
According to Erb, Oklahomans can show that respect for the day and the fallen heroes by attending services and memorials that are being held in and around our local communities by service organizations such as the American
Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars group.
If museums are more your thing, many o er tours and memorial services on this day of remembrance.
“ ere are several museums in Oklahoma that have military artifacts and displays,” says Erb. “By visiting them and learning more of our history, they will help keep these museums open and allow them the opportunity to teach a slice of American history.”
Erb, of course, encourages people to visit the museum he maintains – the Muskogee War Memorial Park Museum, home of the WWII submarine the U.S.S. Bat sh, to “learn of the sacri ces and triumphs of the Submarine Service.”
Denise Nell, executive director of the Oklahoma National Guard Museum, is quick to stress the importance of our country’s history and sacri ces, evidenced in a service she’s planning for Memorial Day.
“It’s an important ceremony to remember the people who have given their lives in service for their country,” says Nell. “ e week after Memorial Day, the museum will be closing for nearly a year to move to a new location and reopen in May of 2026. Come visit before it closes.”
Derrick Redd, director of the Fort Gibson National Cemetery, mentions that a guest speaker will be on hand to address the 10 a.m. memorial service put on by his organization, along with American ags gracing every headstone – a sight sure to evoke a feeling of pride in visitors.
“Oklahomans are a patriotic bunch and have always turned out to honor those who have paid the ultimate price to ensure American freedom,” says Erb. “Politics notwithstanding, this is a day to come together and pay tribute to these heroes. It is also appropriate to say ‘thank you’ to veterans you encounter in your daily endeavors.”
DEBI TURLEY
Memorial Day Weekend Events:
Roots Ball Town Center Mainstage, Medicine Park
May 23-25
Boley Rodeo Main Street, Boley May 24
Chuck Wagon Festival
National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, OKC May 24-25
Memorial Day Commemoration
Oklahoma National Guard Museum, OKC May 26
Fort Gibson Memorial Day Service
Fort Gibson National Cemetery May 26
U.S.S. Bat sh Memorial Day Commemoration
U.S.S. Bat sh & War Memorial Park, Muskogee May 26
Norman Veterans Car Show
Norman Veterans Center May 31
The Fort Gibson National Cemetery will host a Memorial Day service on May 26. Photo courtesy the Fort Gibson National Cemetery
Never a Dull Moment
Davis beckons for warm-weather fun, history and some adrenaline-pumping activities.
Discover the natural beauty and rich history of the Arbuckle Mountains in Davis, where Turner Falls Park sits waiting to be explored and other nearby attractions like Pecan Valley Inn, the Arbuckle Historical Society Museum, Collings Castle and the 777 Zipline provide a perfect blend of relaxation and adventure.
Turner Falls Park features a stunning 77-foot waterfall, caves, hiking trails and swimming areas. It’s a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts seeking natural beauty and adventure, and the park’s rugged landscape and crystal-clear waters make it one of Oklahoma’s top scenic attractions.
Turner Falls Park is named after
Mazeppa Thomas Turner, who discovered the waterfall in the late 1800s after settling near Honey Creek. The park has been owned by the city of Davis since 1919.
“[The city of] Davis purchased 370 acres for the park from the Turner family in 1925, paying a reported sum of $17,000,” says Thomas Miller, the park’s operations manager.
Although it’s known for its waterfall, the park also features caves, natural swimming pools and diverse wildlife, making it a popular destination for naturalists, while the Arbuckle Mountains, some of the oldest formations in the U.S., provide a beautiful backdrop.
While exploration is welcomed at the park, individuals should put safety first.
“Visitors should keep in mind their
personal health limitations and unfamiliarity of the park when venturing out onto trails and into the mountains,” Miller says. “We highly recommend, before leaving a group to venture out on your own, to make sure someone knows where you are going and set a time to arrive back with your party, have a fully charged cell phone with you, have plenty of water, and have a tracking app on your phone.”
A short drive from Turner Falls, Pecan Valley Inn Bed and Breakfast offers a charming and peaceful retreat in the countryside. The historic, Victorian-style inn provides cozy accommodations and a relaxing atmosphere, making it an ideal place to stay while exploring the Arbuckle Mountains and nearby attractions.
Located in downtown Davis, the Arbuckle Historical Society Museum preserves the region’s history through artifacts, photographs and exhibits. Visitors can learn about early settlers, Native American heritage and the development of Davis and the surrounding Arbuckle region.
Collings Castle, nestled within Turner Falls Park, is an abandoned, medieval-style stone castle built in the 1930s. It adds a unique historical element to the park, offering visitors a glimpse into the past while they explore the ruins and enjoy the surrounding nature.
For adrenaline junkies, 777 Zip offers an exhilarating zipline experience with breathtaking aerial views of the waterfall and Arbuckle Mountains.
The attraction was built in 2016 by Gary Fielding, a retired director of Falls Creek Conference Center.
“I was accustomed to being around 5,000 young people each week,” Fielding says. “I couldn’t just sit idle at home. [So] I installed the 777 Zipline, which cost $333,000, leasing the property from the City of Davis.”
Fielding promised the city they would donate the ride to the city in eight years, and in March 2024 he did just that. Fielding says the Chickasaw Nation has been instrumental in promoting 777, helping attract over 230,000 visitors from across the United States and other countries.
Fielding offers senior citizen and military discounts, as well as group rates for schools, corporate groups and churches.
Whether you’re seeking adventure, relaxation or a deeper connection to Oklahoma’s history, this region has something for everyone.
ROCCO GEPPI
Turner Falls Park features a stunning 77-foot waterfall, caves, hiking trails and swimming areas. Photo by Lori Duckworth/Oklahoma Tourism
David Haws, J.W. Craft, Bo Beaudry; Ascension St. John SportsPlex renaming event, Ascension St. John, Tulsa
Mike & Cindy Rudolph, Kyle & Jen Rudolph; Candyball, Child Advocacy Network, Tulsa
Drs. Matthew & Cyndi Wilkett; Tulsa Heart Ball, American Heart Association
Pryce & Paige Fischer; Hock E Aye Vi Edgar Heap of Birds: HONOR SONG opening, Oklahoma Contemporary, OKC
Rebecca & Tom Bennett III; Carnivale, Mental Health Association Oklahoma, Tulsa
James Hulsey, Katie Michelsen; Sarah Chang Returns concert, OKC Phil
Erin Engelke, Stacy McNeiland; ReMerge groundbreaking ceremony, CARE Center, OKC
Mayor Monroe Nichols, Carrie Blumert, Mark Davis; Carnivale, Mental Health Association Oklahoma, Tulsa
Anthony Gorospe, Kelsey Payton, Laura & Todd Bryant; Candyball, Child Advocacy Network, Tulsa
Sunny Cearley, Adam Brooks; Fairytale Ball, Oklahoma Children’s Theatre, OKC
Clark Brewster, Dawn Moody, Lee Levinson, Oren R. Griffin; 2025 Law Gala, University of Tulsa
The Fundamentals of Women’s Health
Healthcare is not a one-size-fits-all endeavor – whether that’s related to age, race or sex. In fact, from birth to geriatrics, women have specific needs, require specialized testing, and run higher risks of certain diseases than their male counterparts. We explore those femalespecific health issues, alongside sobering maternal mortality statistics in the U.S. and how Oklahoma providers are working to change those outcomes.
By Rebecca Fast
The Complexities of Women’s Healthcare
Both women and men suffer from many of the same illnesses and diseases. However, some conditions affect women more than men, such as osteoporosis, strokes and Alzheimer’s disease. While hormonal factors and longer life expectancies can play a role, there are also unique traits within the female body that require specialized healthcare and medical treatment.
“Women tend to live longer than men, largely because younger men have higher rates of death from accidents and injuries,” says Rachel Franklin, M.D., an OU Health family medicine physician and Regents Professor at the OU College of Medicine in Oklahoma City. “As people age, they also become more susceptible to conditions like osteoporosis, strokes and Alzheimer’s disease. That said, women’s bodies are quite different from men’s bodies, and often in unexpected ways. It’s more than a matter of hormones. Women have higher fat-to-lean muscle ratios, less stomach acid and less activity of some body processes.”
Franklin says these differences cause a number of issues. For example, women have higher blood alcohol levels after drinking the same amount as men – independent of their body weight – and a woman’s blood alcohol levels stay higher longer.
“The same is true for medicines that affect the brain: we are more easily affected by anxiety medicines, sleep aids and other substances that cross the boundary between our blood and brain,” she says. “Women have more side effects to medicines, including higher risks of dementia, breast, colon and esophageal cancers, and irregular heartbeats due to medications.”
In addition to these cancers, there are several female-specific cancers such as cervical, uterine and ovarian. The American Cancer Society estimates that in 2025 there will be approximately 69,000 new cases of uterine cancer, 21,000 new cases of ovarian cancer and 13,000 new cases of cervical cancer.
“Cancer is a scary word, but we should always remember that the number one killer of women continues to be heart disease,” says Franklin. “Heart disease kills more women than the next five causes of death combined, including all forms of cancer. One in three women die from heart disease, and women are less likely than men to survive a year after their first heart attack.”
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2021, heart disease was responsible for the deaths of more than 310,000 women – or about 1 in every 5 female deaths. Other leading causes of death for that year included cancer, COVID-19, stroke and Alzheimer’s disease.
Women + Medical Research
“Throughout medical history, most research has focused on male bodies, and only now are we beginning to understand women’s unique health needs,” says Allen. “For example, standard heart attack risk calculators still don’t account for the impact of pregnancy. Conditions like pre-eclampsia and gestational diabetes can double, or even quadruple, a woman’s risk of heart disease, yet they remain overlooked in many assessments.”
According to the Gates Foundation, while women make up half of the world’s population, only one percent of healthcare research spending goes toward female-specific conditions not related to cancer. In addition, women were historically excluded from participating in clinical research trials until the subject was revisited in the 1980s, resulting in the U.S. Congress passing a law in 1993 requiring the inclusion of women and minorities in clinical research. As more women are included in clinical trials and medical research, the hope is to achieve greater equity in positive health outcomes.
Maternal Mortality: Sobering Statistics
According to the 2024 Health of Women and Children Report by the United Health Foundation, the rate of maternal mortality in the United States is the highest among high-income countries and Oklahoma recently ranked 47th in the nation for maternal and child health.
“Oklahoma is not unique in the challenges we face in maternal health care,” says Candice Meyer, D. O., medical director of women’s services for Warren Clinic in Tulsa. “As women in the U.S. expand their childbearing years longer, the average age of first-time mothers has risen. This means we are also seeing more chronic and pre-existing health issues in pregnancy, such as high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity.”
However, she says while there’s been an increase in maternal death rates in recent years, there’s also been a shift in awareness.
“There has been a large push for more research and education,” says Meyer. “This recognition has driven the development of new protocols and safety measures – specifically work in tighter control of hypertension and faster response times to postpartum hemorrhage. Hopefully, we see this impact with maternal measures improving in the upcoming months and years.”
Challenges within maternal healthcare include racial/ethnic disparities, complicated health conditions, financial constraints, a lack of access to maternal health care in rural areas and a lack of postpartum support.
“Reducing racial disparities and strengthening health equity must be a top priority,” says Meyer. “For so long, this was not included in the curriculum or managed by individual institutions, but now we are seeing more training in these areas, even at the medical school and residency levels. At Saint Francis, we have implemented educational training for OB/GYN physicians and maternal nursing staff on implicit bias and health equity which has helped improve care. We were recently recognized as High Performing by U.S. News & World Report for excellent
Black maternal patient outcomes.”
Meyer believes that improving Oklahoma’s maternal mortality rates starts with improving access to care.
“This requires a multidisciplinary approach, incorporating both the primary physician and obstetrical team and increasing the availability of specialty services such as cardiology and maternal fetal medicine through outreach and virtual services,” she says. “The Saint Francis perinatal education team performs outreach teaching to rural and community sites regardless of health system affiliation so that no matter the patient’s location, they still receive the latest and highest standards of care. I see expanding virtual services and outreach programs such as these making huge improvements to access.”
She also notes that insurance and Medicaid providers have begun to expand coverage for postpartum care and doula services.
“These types of changes should continue to bring awareness to the state of maternal care and help us continue to improve outcomes and provide high-level care to our Oklahoma mothers,” says Meyers.
Staying Vigilant: Screenings and Tests to Schedule
Each year, preventative healthcare helps reduce the risk of diseases and disabilities, and saves lives. For women, there are several health screenings recommended at various ages that support a proactive approach in maintaining one’s health. Estacia Cooper, APRN-CNP, MSN, WHNPBC, with Ascension St. John Women’s Health in Owasso, shares that it’s encouraged for visits with a women’s healthcare provider to begin during the teen years.
“These appointments are great opportunities for [teenagers] to learn about their health and healthy lifestyles, the menstrual cycle, healthy relationships and sexually transmitted infections,” says Cooper. “It’s also important to have a safe place to come and be able to ask questions regarding changes in the body with puberty and find out what is normal. These appointments do not require an exam, but if a concern or issue needs to be addressed, an exam may be recommended.”
For adult women, Cooper says yearly wellness exams are recommended. However, cervical cancer screening guidelines have changed to extend the time between Pap tests, also called a Pap smear.
“Today, there is more known about how cervical cancer develops and that there are certain types of HPV (human papillomavirus) that lead to cancer,” she says, adding that Pap testing or cervical cancer screening should begin at the age of 21. “The new guidelines prefer a Pap test only every three years for women between the ages of 21 to 29. For women aged 30 to 65, there are three options for cervical cancer screenings. The first option is a Pap test and an HPV test, also called co-testing every five years. The second option is a Pap test only every three years or, finally, HPV testing only every three years. If women over the age of 65 do not have a history of abnormal cervical cells or a history of cervical cancer and have had adequate testing prior to the age of 65, they may stop having Pap tests.”
Regarding breast cancer screenings, Cooper says women with an average risk of breast cancer should begin screening at age 40.
“Mammograms are safe and an important tool that can help identify breast cancer, even in women that do not have symptoms,” she says. “While the clinical breast exam and patient self-breast exams may miss cancer too small to feel, mammograms can detect breast cancer early. When cancer is found in the early stages it can be successfully treated. Women are encouraged to become familiar with their breasts, as sometimes there are signs that they may see and not always feel. If changes or concerns arise, they should notify their healthcare provider.”
Yearly exams with a primary care physician also serve as a critical touch point of healthcare.
“For adult women, the wellness appointment serves to assess general wellbeing and health risks and may include screening for infectious diseases, family planning, counseling and immunizations,” says Cooper. “What you know about your family history can help your healthcare provider individualize your health screenings and preventative care. Your
family history gives us clues to potential risk factors to disease.”
She says identifying your risks for certain health conditions, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes or even cancer, can help you take steps toward potentially reducing your chances for disease. In addition, knowing your family history and risk factors helps your healthcare provider tailor your health plan – which could include early monitoring or screenings as needed.
“As women move to the menopause years, routine annual visits are still important,” she says. “Being able to discuss concerns or ask questions regarding your health as you age can help you continue to make healthy lifestyle choices, increasing the opportunity for optimal health in the later years. Colon cancer screening and bone density tests are other evaluations that can be offered and should be discussed with your healthcare provider regarding when to begin. Our bones change over time and go through processes of building and breaking down, and with age, this process of building bone slows, and break down occurs faster which weakens bones, increasing the risk of fractures. The bone density test screens for this weakening called osteoporosis.”
Despite one’s age, taking the time and energy to regularly evaluate one’s health and follow recommended screening guidelines can help foster a better quality of life and possibly avoid long-term healthcare costs.
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EMPOWERED TOGETHER
Female entrepreneurs face unique challenges in the world of business – from lack of capital access to bias and fewer networking opportunities. However, Oklahoma women aim to change the narrative. We talk financing options, community resources, women-owned businesses to support and how to nail an elevator pitch.
By Faith Harl
Obstacles Female Business Owners Face
Women have made significant strides as business owners and entrepreneurs in the last five years. Between 2019 and 2024, women-owned businesses increased by 17%, generating $3.3 trillion in revenue nationally, according to the 2025 Impact Report by Wells Fargo.
Despite these advancements, gender inequity still exists. Securing funding is one of the biggest hurdles that women face when launching a business, with only 1.9% of the venture capital funding going to female-founded companies.
This gap becomes even more stark for women who belong to minority groups.
“Native American women are one of the most underfunded, under-resourced founder groups,” says Chris Wright, the director of the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the University of Tulsa.
A lack of funding can be attributed to two reasons. First, investors are prone to gender and racial biases. In a study published by the Harvard Business School, men who made identical pitches as their female counterparts were 60% more likely to receive funding.
The second reason is that women may struggle with leveraging the right connections.
“There are a lot of ladies that I work with that have been a stay-at-home mom for ten years, and they don’t have a close circle of friends,” explains Lakisha Meade, manager of business and entrepreneurial services at REI Oklahoma. “Setting up that stream of networking and friends can be a process.”
Additionally, women shoulder the majority of responsibility when it comes to unpaid caregiving for their children. The added pressure can make it difficult for women to focus on growing their business while maintaining a work-life balance.
Financing for Women Business Owners
Despite funding disparities between men- and women-led businesses, organizations across the state are committed to helping close this gap.
REI Oklahoma, which is dedicated to cultivating economic growth, established the REI Women’s Business Center over 20 years ago as an avenue for women to access training, networking and one-on-one support for their businesses.
By connecting with the organization’s business lending program, women can secure loans that they may not qualify for otherwise.
“We focus on the startup businesses that can’t go to the bank for a traditional loan,” says James Harrington, the vice president of business resources at REI Oklahoma. “About 50% of the people that we help with loans are women.”
Small business owners that export goods outside of Oklahoma may qualify for grant funding through the State Trade Expansion Program (STEP), an initiative established by the U.S. Small Business Administration. In addition to STEP, the SBA offers several investment programs for small businesses focused on technology and research.
To help Cherokee women access capital, the Cherokee Nation and University of Tulsa partnered to create the AcceleratHER Fellowship, a 12-week hybrid program that provides funding, mentorship and culturally relevant training to selected fellows.
“It’s a detriment to the community that we don’t always get to see [Native women’s] brilliant ideas come to life,” says Tralynna Scott, the chief economist for the Cherokee Nation and the Cherokee Nation special envoy to the U.S. Department of Treasury. “We want to instill confidence in this sub-demographic of entrepreneurs to really give them the courage to go for it.”
Women that are accepted into the AcceleratHER program receive a $10,000 non-dilutive seed grant to kickstart their businesses.
“For our city to thrive, we need to have programs and resources that are accessible to everybody,” explains Wright. “[These programs] are a differentiator for the city of Tulsa.”
Forming a Community
Networking is an essential skill for business owners and entrepreneurs. Having a sense of community to turn to for support can help women navigate challenges they may encounter when establishing and running a business.
Forming solid connections can also help entrepreneurs identify sales leads and partnerships, stay in-the-know about emerging trends, and increase the visibility of their brand. There are a variety of networking opportunities available to women and small business owners that take place throughout the year.
The Oklahoma Department of Commerce (ODC) hosts a series of Lunch & Learn meetings to help empower entrepreneurs with business strategies and relevant information. Ray Little, the director of entrepreneurship and small business at the ODC, helps lead the program. Topics covered include business licensing, tax requirements and forms and certifications.
“I’ve always been an entrepreneur at heart, and it’s my passion to help people start and achieve their dreams,” shares
Amanda Thompson, a fellow of the AcceleratHER program, received national recognition for her business plan to help address unaffordable housing in Oklahoma via her company, Prime Craftsman Homes. Photo courtesy AcceleratHER
Little. “That’s how you get wealth in this country, by starting your own business and creating something out of nothing.”
Similarly, REI Oklahoma puts on the OKC Women’s Business Breakfast every first Thursday of the month.
“Whether you’re looking for a bookkeeper, an attorney or women who are in similar industries, this [event] is about making connections,” says Meade.
Local chambers, like the Tulsa Regional Chamber of Commerce and the Greater Oklahoma City Area Chamber of Commerce, are great resources for business owners, too. Usually a small fee is required to join, but they offer extensive events and networking opportunities geared at businesses of all sizes.
Social media can also be a networking tool. Facebook communities like the Tulsa Small Business Moms and the Tulsa Business Owners Networking Group are inclusive, online spaces that enable local business owners and entrepreneurs to promote their services, ask questions and mingle at in-person events.
Women-Owned Businesses to Support
Women have been the founders of schools, publications and medical facilities long before statehood. They continue to play a pivotal role in commerce.
“We have 205 women-certified businesses here in Oklahoma, and I think that’s amazing,” says Little.
Amanda Thompson, who was a fellow of the AcceleratHER program, received national recognition for her innovative business plan to help address unaffordable housing in Oklahoma. Her business, Prime Craftsman Homes, has built 49 tiny homes since 2024.
“The women in the program really see a need not only for themselves, but for their community,” says Scott. “That’s what I love about female-owned businesses.”
On a mission to increase literacy and create a community space for Black and Brown people, Onikah Asamoa-Caesar founded Fulton Street Books & Coffee in 2020. At least 70% of the books that she curates for the store are written by people of color or marginalized communities. Other women-led businesses in Tulsa include Buck Atom’s Curio Shop, the Wildflower Café and Dog Dish.
Oklahoma City is home to several women-led businesses, as well. Founded by Tammy Greenman, Kelsey Karper, Laurent Massenat, Hugh Meade and Laura Phillips-Shin, Factory Obscura is an immersive art experience that strives to spark wonder and connection. Plant People, Painted Door and Boom Town Creamery are a few other beloved businesses in the area that are owned and operated by women.
says Wright.
Business owners must have a strong vision for their business. By clearly articulating their short- and long-term goals, they can motivate others to buy into their ideas and give direction to stakeholders and employees.
Equally as important is a healthy dose of confidence and competitiveness. Business owners need to be willing to share their achievements, network and persuade investors to earn capital. They also need to understand what differentiates their company from other market options.
Without a doubt, every business leader needs an understanding of business fundamentals – from accounting to marketing.
“I’d recommend having a very good business plan to start with and doing some market research,” adds Harrington. “Connect with the people at REI Oklahoma and explore other resources to really build out a successful plan.”
Perfecting Your Pitch
Investors usually take a few minutes to listen and review a business pitch before making up their minds. Grab their attention, and be ready to strike while the iron is hot with these tips:
• Practice, practice, practice.
• Personalize your pitch to your audience.
• Communicate your business model and go-to market.
• Provide financials to illustrate how investors can benefit.
• End with a call to action.
As an entrepreneur, Wright weighs in on what makes a pitch great: “Some of the best pitches that I’ve seen are when the founders are able to communicate a real, personal connection to the problem they’re solving,” he says. “The storytelling component is really important.”
Those who visit REI Women’s Business Center can access training, networking opportunities and one-on-one support for their business ideas. Photo courtesy of REI
Kayla Palmer, another fellow of the AcceleratHER program, is the founder of Palmer Construction & Marine Company. Photo courtesy AcceleratHER
McMurray Heidi
With Heidi as your partner in real estate, ALL roads lead to home. Offering over three decades of experience and successes, Heidi has accumulated over $60 million in recent production as a solo agent – often out-producing entire realty teams. She continues to be a top-tier expert in both commercial & residential markets, meeting the needs of her clients, buyers and sellers alike.Additionally, Heidi recently became the host of The American Dream TV – a Telly and Emmy award winning broadcast. She showcases selling Oklahoma, interviewing local businesses, entrepreneurs and families who are making our state a coveted place to live their American Dream.
Heidi’s expertise is vast, ranging from new construction and resale to renovations and interior design. Working with a wide variety of clientele, she consistently achieves Top Agent awards for production volume in properties sold.
A trusted guide, Heidi harbors a keen understanding of microeconomic factors impacting the Oklahoma markets including shifting realty values, mortgage rate and finance options, hot selling metro locations and consumer motivations.
“It is difficult for locals to imagine how much our market is changing, but Tulsa is becoming a rockstar choice amongst families across the U.S. We are experiencing historical growth –a reverse migration back to the Heartland,” she says.
Continuously offering her time and energy, Heidi boasts an extensive professional network streamlining the sales process from the early stages of preparing to list, with proven results at the closing table. She is dedicated to a seamless experience, lifting the many stressors which accompany making a big local or out-of-state move.
Heidi strives for a five-star day at the closing table, which she achieves through her sharp ability to negotiate and her passion for exceeding expectations.
“I love people and to serve families; there is nothing more rewarding than to watch dreams unfold and people’s lives change for the better – there’s NO place like HOME!” she explains
Whether that dream is to live in South Tulsa or Midtown, or enjoy sprawling acreage where “the wind comes sweeping down the plains,” Heidi’s desire is to make her client’s dream come true.
Heidi received her bachelor’s degree in business from Oral Roberts University and after graduating, got her Oklahoma license in 1991.
“WE MAY BEGIN OUR JOURNEY IN REAL ESTATE, BUT MY GOAL IS TO END AS FRIENDS!” - HEIDI
Our STATE HERITAGE
"OKLAHOMA, where the wind comes sweepin’ down the plain / And the wavin’ wheat can sure smell sweet / When the wind comes right behind the rain!"
Yes, yes – we’re sure you’ve heard our state’s iconic song, but do you know when and how Oklahoma was founded? How about some of the state’s most in uential gures and key historical moments? Just how important Native Americans are to the fabric of our state’s success? Well, if not, you’re in luck – we outline all that and more in the following pages to remind you that the land we belong to is, indeed, quite grand.
By Kimberly Burk
OKLAHOMA’S BEGINNINGS
It's likely that no state has a more complicated and distinct origin than Oklahoma.
e area east of the Panhandle was acquired in the 1803 Louisiana Purchase, and soon became part of the schemes of omas Je erson and succeeding presidents to force all Indian tribes west of the Mississippi River.
“Je erson was convinced it would take many generations for white settlers to occupy all the Louisiana Purchase, and it took three,” says Oklahoma State Historian Matthew Pearce.
e rst region to be known as Indian Territory would encompass the present states of Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska and part of Iowa. Relocation by treaty began soon a er 1800, and the Indian Removal Act of 1830 forced large numbers to present-day Oklahoma on what became known as the Trail of Tears.
A er Kansas and Nebraska entered the union, more Indians were moved further south to present-day Oklahoma. Plains tribes were placed on reservations in the western half of the territory.
e Dawes Severalty Act gave the government the power to break up communally held tribal land and allocate it to individuals. e Unassigned Lands in Oklahoma were then opened for non-Indian settlement through land runs, a lottery and an auction.
e greatest impetus for statehood began a er the Land Run of 1889. About 50,000 settlers began to clamor for statehood so as to gain representation in Congress, according to the Oklahoma Historical Society.
Leaders in Indian Territory favored double statehood. When it became apparent that would not happen, white settlers lobbied to join the two territories. Oklahoma was admitted to the union on Nov. 16, 1907, as the 46th state.
Oklahoma a er the land runs looked di erently than people might imagine, Pearce says.
“We think of a homesteading family in the middle of the prairie with a dugout,” he says. “But most people moved to a town or city. e railroads were in the area, and had been involved in platting town-sites. Settlers started purchasing town lots to establish businesses.”
ough Oklahoma would come to prosper as an agricultural state, “it was tough to farm, especially the rst year. But people were drawn to the opportunity of a chance to own land. e United States was rapidly industrializing, but still there was the perception that the way you can make yourself is through farming.”
A scene during the Cherokee Outlet Opening, 1893. Photo courtesy the Oklahoma Historical Society
MAJOR MOMENTS IN OKIE HISTORY
Our Founding
A er residents of the Twin Territories voted for statehood in 1907, President eodore Roosevelt admitted Oklahoma as the 46th state on Nov. 16, 1907.
On Dec. 3, Roosevelt announced to Congress: “Oklahoma has become a state, standing on full equity with her elder sisters, and her future is assured by her great natural resources.”
Pearce says he nds Oklahoma history interesting “because it serves as a microcosm of so many regional, national and trans-national stories. We are a very diverse and multicultural state. at ties into our history stretching back to the forced expulsion of Native and enslaved people here, to more recent stories of people nding a home here, such as refugees from the fall of South Vietnam.”
e Tulsa Race Massacre
Oklahoma’s major historical moments rarely happened in a vacuum. e Tulsa Race Massacre on May 31, 1921, took place shortly a er the end of World War I, Pearce noted.
“Many African-Americans had served in World War I, had been to France to experience a society absent of Jim Crow segregation. ey came home and were expected to again become subservient. ey started advocating openly for civil rights.”
But many white Americans were out to strengthen segregation, Pearce says, with similar incidents of racial violence breaking out in Chicago, St. Louis and other cities.
Route 66
Next year, Oklahomans will celebrate the 100th anniversary of Route 66. It’s a highway that remains signi cant today.
“By the 1940s and 1950s, highway travel is starting to replace railroads for goods and for leisure travel,” Pearce says. “We see the proliferation of car culture. Businesses were developed to cater to travelers’ needs.”
Today, tourism is one of the largest industries in Oklahoma, Pearce says. Motorists who make the Route 66 journey from Chicago to Santa Monica, Calif., are vital to the industry. Route 66 became a primary route for migrants to California, especially during the Dust Bowl.
e Dust Bowl
“One of the most-requested topics for me to talk about is the Dust Bowl,” says Pearce, who works for the Oklahoma Historical Society. “ ere is no denying the absolute scale and severity of the Dust Bowl.”
e drought was worse in western Oklahoma and the Panhandle, but the exodus was greater elsewhere in the state, Pearce says.
In wheat country in western Oklahoman, “many farmers owned their land. e likelihood of them leaving their land was much less. But the migrant and tenant farmers in southern and eastern Oklahoma were forced out by landlords. ey comprised what we think of as 'Okies.' Prices fell, and they stopped growing cotton.”
e Dust Bowl and Great Depression of the 1930s were followed by World War II, which brought a greater military presence to the state in the form of Tinker Air Force Base and other installations.
e Fight for Civil Rights
In 1948, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in a case brought by Ada Lois Sipuel Fisher that the state must provide instruction for Black students equal to that of whites. Fisher became the rst African-American admitted to the University of Oklahoma law school.
Ten years later, schoolteacher Clara Luper and her students pioneered Oklahoma City’s sit-in movement at downtown lunch counters.
Many civil rights activists trace their roots to the All-Black Towns, Pearce says, which were founded by formerly enslaved people who had come with Indian tribes or migrated to the territory a er the Civil War.
Shirley Nero, a retired educator who grew up in the historically Black town of Clearview, was among Black students who worked to better their opportunities a er enrolling at East Central University in the late 1960s.
“We were going to break the barrier,” Nero says. “ e white kids weren’t mean or hateful, it was just the way they prevented you from doing things.”
Governor Charles N. Haskell's inauguration and Oklahoma Statehood Day in Guthrie, Nov. 16, 1907. Photo courtesy the Oklahoma Historical Society
Tulsa dominated by billowing smoke during the Tulsa Race Massacre, June, 1921. Photo courtesy the Library of Congress
Curio and Souvenir Shop with neon signs from along Route 66 in Tulsa, June 2020. Photo courtesy the Oklahoma Historical Society
A farmer and his sons walking into a dust storm in Cimarron County, Okla., April, 1936. Photo courtesy the Library of Congress
Civil rights protesters in front of Green's in Oklahoma City, circa 1964-1965. Photo courtesy the Oklahoma Historical Society
A Black student group was formed.
“We had dances. We created and performed plays. We had oats in the parades," says Nero. "We had queen candidates. We had study groups in the library. We made friends with the president of the college and met with him every other week.”
By the time she graduated, Nero says, “it had made a huge di erence. ey came to respect our group. We advocated for our own rights, for the right to have a part in the student government.”
SOONER STATE ICONS
Will Rogers was, in his day, the No. 1 radio personality, No. 1 at the movie box o ce, the nation’s most-sought-a er public speaker and the most-read newspaper columnist, according to the curators at the Will Rogers Memorial Museum in Claremore.
Oklahoma has produced a giant share of luminaries, but for worldwide notoriety, it’s hard to beat William Penn Adair Rogers, born on Nov. 4, 1879, in Indian Territory near what would later become Oologah.
“Will Rogers’ human nature, wisdom and humor were nurtured on the sprawling frontier governed by Cherokee Indians,” according to his biography on the museum’s website. Rogers o en expressed pride in his Native ancestry. He died in 1935 when a plane piloted by the famed Wiley Post crashed in Alaska.
Woodrow “Woody” Guthrie, one of Oklahoma’s most creative native sons, wrote two autobiographical novels, numerous essays and articles, more than 1,000 songs and poems and hundreds of letters, according to the Oklahoma Historical Society. He was a major in uence in the urban folk revival and social protest songwriting. Born on July 14, 1912, in Okemah, Guthrie moved to Pampa, Texas, in 1929, where he experienced the Dust Bowl years. He learned to play guitar, ddle, banjo and mandolin. When he made money from playing at dances, he o en gave it to someone he thought needed it more, according to the OHS.
In the early 1940s, he wrote some of his best-known songs including “So Long, It’s Been Good to Know You,” “ is Land Is Your Land,” and “Bound for Glory.”
By 1950, Guthrie was showing symptoms of Huntington’s disease. He died on Oct. 3, 1967. His descendants, including son Arlo, have carried on his tradition of musical performance and social activism. A music festival is held in his honor every July in Okemah.
Ralph Waldo Ellison, born in OKC in 1914, was the grandson of slaves and is best known as the author of Invisible Man, the 1952 novel that addressed many of the social issues faced by African-Americans in the early 20th century. More than 40 years later, Nobel Prize winner Saul Bellow declared: “ is book holds its own among the best novels of the century.”
Ellison spent the two years in Rome as a Fellow of the American Academy and taught at Bard College, the University of Chicago, Rutgers, Yale and New York University, according to the OHS. He died in 1994.
Actor, director and producer Ron Howard was born in Duncan in 1954. His father, Rance, majored in drama at the University of Oklahoma. Ron made his lm debut at the age of 18 months. In 1960 was cast as Opie on e Andy Gri th Show. In the mid-1970s he became America’s favorite teenager in Happy Days.
Howard’s directorial debut came in 1977 with Grand e Auto, in which he also served as screenwriter and star. His smash hits include Splash, Night Shi , Cocoon, Parenthood, Apollo 13 and e Grinch. A 1992 lm, Far and Away, told the story of an Irish couple who come to Oklahoma Territory to take part in the Cherokee Outlet Land Run, according to the OHS.
Jim orpe, born in 1888 on the Sac and Fox Reservation, is remembered as one of the greatest sportsmen of the 20th century, winning two Olympic track and eld golds and playing baseball, football and basketball at the highest level, according to Olympics.com.
In presenting orpe with two gold medals in Stockholm in July 1912, King Gustav V of Sweden said to him: “You sir, are the greatest athlete in the world.”
orpe played baseball for the Rocky Mount club in North Carolina in 1909 and 1910, receiving small payments. When a newspaper report about it appeared, it was deemed orpe had infringed the rules regarding amateurism, and in 1913 he was stripped of his titles. In 1983, some 30 years a er his death, the International Olympic Committee reinstated his medals at an emotional ceremony attended by two of his children.
Wilma Mankiller, rst female principal chief of the Cherokee Nation, was also the rst woman elected chief of a major Native tribe, according to the National Women’s History Museum. Born in 1945, in Tahlequah, Mankiller moved with her family as a child to San Francisco as part of a Bureau of Indian A airs’ relocation policy. In a 1993 interview, Mankiller described the move as “my
Wilma Mankiller, 1991. Photo courtesy the Oklahoma Historical Society
Ralph Ellison, 1952. Photo courtesy the Oklahoma Historical Society
Woody Guthrie, 1943. Photo courtesy the Library of Congress
own little Trail of Tears,” a reference to the forced removal of Cherokees to Indian Territory. Mankiller worked to empower Native communities in California and would bring back that knowledge to Oklahoma. She founded the community development department for the Cherokee Nation, improving access to water and housing. She was elected principal chief in 1985 and led for 10 years. She was inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame in 1993, and in 1998 received the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
NATIVE AMERICA’S PROFOUND IMPACT
e history of Oklahoma’s Native population is typically associated with the Indian Removal Act of 1830, when members of such tribes as the Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Muscogee (Creek) and Seminole were forced to migrate to what was then Indian Territory. But the Osage, Caddo, Pawnee, Wichita, Apache, Cheyenne, Arapaho, Comanche, Kiowa, Osage and several other tribes called the region home well before European colonization. Regardless of when or how they arrived, what the tribes soon had in common was hardship resulting from U.S. government e orts to assimilate them, to take away their traditional forms of government and to undermine their cultures, says Megan Baker, a member of the Choctaw Nation and an assistant professor of anthropology at Northwestern University.
e 1975 Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act brought hope and a sea of change. It allowed for tribes to have greater autonomy and assume responsibility for services administered to them by the federal government.
In other words, “self-government was coming back,” says Baker, who spent four years working for her tribe’s cultural preservation department while researching her Ph.D. “ ey could now govern themselves according to their own kind of culture. ey had been taught to be ashamed of their culture. With self-determination they were becoming proud of their culture again.”
Self-determination brought economic development, which Baker witnessed when her family traveled from California to visit relatives in McCurtain County.
“Hochatown is crazy now, but back then there was nothing but forest," she says. "I watched things pop up here and there. I was really interested in what the tribe was doing, how it was reshaping the area.”
Osage Nation Principal Chief Geo rey Standing Bear, speaking in March during Sovereignty Day, summed up what self-determination means for his tribe.
“From where I sit, the Nation is doing very well,” Standing Bear said. “We are … getting that Osage back in our lives and I see it and you see it when these little children come and pray for us at our dinners in our own language; and it’s emotional, as it should be.”
OUR EMBLEMS
e scissor-tailed ycatcher was adopted in 1951 as the state bird, but it had not been an easy sell to the legislature, what with the bird only hanging around every summer long enough to reproduce.
“ e scissortail was eventually chosen for its diet of harmful insects, its Oklahoma-centered nesting range and by the fortunate circumstance that no other state had designated it,” according to the Oklahoma Historical Society.
e mistletoe is Oklahoma’s oldest symbol, chosen as the Oklahoma Territory’s oral emblem in 1893. e mistletoe survived its designation when Oklahoma became a state a er one senator “passionately orated on the subject, recalling that mistletoe was the only greenery available to decorate graves during the hard winter of 1889.”
In 1986, then-Rep. Kelly Haney wrote legislation naming the Indian blanket as the o cial wild ower. e new symbol was honored at a ceremony attended by more than 20 tribes. Haney later served in the state senate and as principal chief of the Seminole Nation, and was the creator of “ e Guardian” statue that sits atop the state capitol.
e American bison was adopted as the state animal in 1972. e resolution states: “ e magni cent animal was native to both the grasslands and woodlands of what is now Oklahoma and was signi cant in the cultures and ceremonies of many of the Indian tribes who lived in Oklahoma and have passed along their heritage to modernday Oklahomans.”
e state monument is the Golden Driller, which stands in front of the Tulsa Expo Center. A plaque at the base reads: “Dedicated to the men of the petroleum industry who by their vision and daring have created om God’s abundance a better life for mankind.”
“Labor Omnia Vincit,” Latin for “work conquers all things,” was referred to as a motto in the 1893 statute describing the Grand Seal of the Territory of Oklahoma, according to the OHS.
In 1992, the honeybee became the state insect.
“ e honeybee is critical to crop pollination and plays a vital role in our varied and plentiful food supply,” the resolution stated.
Pleasant Porter, Chief of the Creek Indian Nation in Muskogee, Indian Territory, taken prior to December 8. 1904. Photo courtesy the Oklahoma Historical Society
AWEALTH OF POSSIBILITIES
Investing is not just for the uberrich. Finance experts discuss helpful resources for beginners, mitigating financial risk, the many investment avenues you can take and best practices to ensure you’re seeing a steady ROI.
By Gretchen Eichenberg
Helping Beginning Investors
With so many resources now available – from social media to podcasts and even artificial intelligence – you might say new investors have a wealth of financial information at their fingertips. While accessibility is a good thing, finding credible sources that have your best interest at heart can be tricky.
“I think the key word is ‘trust,’” says Tanya Wilson, client advisor at Arvest Wealth Management. “Getting information from a trusted source, whether that’s from a financial advisor or a podcast, that should be your top priority.”
Wilson explains that a financial advisor should be a fiduciary.
“What that means is someone that puts your best interest above his or her own interest,” she says. “There are plenty of things that can be learned from podcasts or classes or online sources, but keep in mind that that’s broad, general advice, and working with an advisor will help you tailor a plan that’s specific for your needs rather than just a one-size-fits-all approach that’s presented online or in a class or a podcast.”
John Symcox, senior vice president and chief innovation officer at First Fidelity Bank, says new investors can learn the basics of financial language from websites like Investopedia – but warns not to get all of your info from one place.
“The most important tip is to diversify your resources, look in many different places and pay attention to common themes and conflicting opinions,” Symcox says. “Stay off Reddit or social media when you are just beginning because there is so much uncited information.”
Symcox suggests identifying a few financial professionals to connect with –and meeting with them before taking any advice.
Wilson adds that finding a financial advisor, in person or online, should not cost you any money.
“It should never cost anything for an initial meeting with an advisor,” she says. “Upfront, if they offer a session or a meeting for a fee, that should be a red flag.”
Where to Start
Starting with a strong financial foundation, no matter how large or small your current assets are, is crucial, Wilson says.
“That foundation includes things such as an emergency savings plan, manageable debt and adequate insurance,” she says.
She recommends her clients have three to six months of living expenses in a savings account that is outside of the market, in the event that someone can’t work or has an unexpected expense.
“Like maybe they need new tires or they need a new hot water heater,” she says. “Having that account assures that they’re not going to have to take funds from a funded retirement account or another account that may have taxes or penalties due if they take a withdrawal.”
A debt review is important because it can look for opportunities to refinance debt at lower rates. Having adequate insurance, like life or disability insurance, is important, too, because those events can quickly derail your plan if you have an unexpected death or if a disability keeps you from working.
“Most of those coverage types are available through an employer and they’re very affordable through a group policy,” she says. “If you don’t have that, then you can seek those out outside of your employer. That just helps keep your financial plan on track.”
A clear budget is vital to understanding where your money goes, Symcox says.
“Saving and investing is about getting your money to work, so contributions are king,” he says. “Understand your emotional state with money. Investing will come with gains and losses, so the main question is what your risk appetite is.”
Keep in mind, he says, that success is subjective.
“Make sure you are clear on what success means to you,” he says. “Using the S.M.A.R.T. goals method to assess success is a great idea. Specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound investment goal setting helps to set realistic expectations.”
How to Mitigate and Calculate Risk
Investment professionals are conflicted in the area of risk, Symcox says.
“Different investments carry different risk exposures,” he says. “That is why diversification is the best way to manage risk overall. Thinking about industries, asset class, geography and other indicators that can affect a company’s performance.”
He says the riskiest investments are often ones that people make trying to chase returns.
“Typically, younger investors have time on their side, so it is better to think about contribution as the main objective,” he says. “As you age, preservation and limiting losses becomes more important.”
The degree of risk that’s necessary for everyone to reach their goals is unique to each investor, Wilson says.
“So while I may think of myself as risk-inverse or conservative, which I typically am, will taking a conservative approach that feels good to me help me reach my retirement goals? It may not,” she says. “But I have to take on some risk. I have to add risk to my portfolio so that I can reach my goals.”
Typically, investments that offer the highest risk also offer the highest reward.
“Let me use a college savings account as an example,” Wilson says. “Parents start those when they have a newborn or a very young child. And so when they do that, they have 18 years to invest the funds for growth. So they can afford to take on more risk when the child is young, because if there’s a market downturn during that time, they have time to recover it before needing the funds for college.”
The closer the child gets to age 18, the parents may want to shift the account to something that’s less risky to preserve the capital so that funds are available for college expenses when needed.
Investing Tips from the Pros
Start now. That’s Symcox’s advice to new investors.
“Start budgeting, start saving and start learning,” he says. “Use qualified accounts first if possible – 401K, 403B, IRAs and others.”
He suggests looking for ways to
embed saving into your lifestyle, either by investing a potion of each paycheck, setting up a round-up or per-transaction saving, like $.25 per debit card transaction, or another method.
“Investing comes with ups and downs,” he says. “Be sure you are paying attention but not emotionally reacting. When the market goes down, then buy more shares. The worst mistake for beginners is they are scared at times and that makes them buy high and sell low.”
He recommends to buy and keep buying using a concept called “dollar-cost-averaging.”
“This flattens out the cost per share as the values fluctuate,” he says. “Learn how to hedge or mitigate the different risks with investment positions. There are many strategies to do this.”
Wilson suggests contributing into your 401k or other workplace retirement plan.
“At the very least, capture the match that may be offered by your employer,” she says. “This is the easiest way to save for retirement because it’s automatically deducted on your paycheck.”
Beyond that, Wilson says to always understand where and how your money is invested.
“Review your account statements quarterly,” she says. “Most likely, you’ll get a quarterly statement. And if you have retirement plans from previous employers, consider consolidating those to make it easier to track them.”
In short, plan ahead and steady the course.
“We plan for volatility because we know it’s going to happen,” Wilson says. “So getting on a good path, having a good savings rate, taking that disciplined approach – that’s what’s going to make you a successful investor.”
Main Investment Types
Bonds have low risk, stable returns and a variety of options, from government to corporate to municipal bonds.
“It’s company debt packaged and sold as bond shares,” Symcox says. “A way for a company or municipality to raise money with a promise to repay.” Bonds can be less risky than stocks.
“They’re typically suitable for clients that are seeking interest income,” Wilson says.
Real estate property investments can be packaged or individually invested, Symcox explains. He recommends investors understand the underlying properties, as they can come with unexpected expenses. Wilson agrees.
“A rental property can have hurdles to overcome because it will require a large down payment,” she says. “So this is suitable for clients that have time to service tenants and have the funds available for out-of-pocket expenses, like the down payment or maintenance taxes and insurance on the property.”
Stocks represent ownership in a business with the potential in sharing in that business’s profits.
“Equity ownership in the company receives dividend distributions from profit, or the purpose is for the company to grow and increase the value per share,” Symcox says. But there’s risk involved.
“They’re typically riskier than bonds and they’re more suitable for clients seeking long-term growth,” Wilson says. “And the key to that is longterm.”
Mutual funds are bundled stocks and bonds managed by a fund manager with a specific objective, Symcox says. He adds that it’s a good diversification strategy, but that investors should learn about share classes and expense ratios before entering into these.
“They’re not traded on an open exchange,” Wilson says. “They’re purchased directly from a mutual fund company and they’re suitable for clients that are seeking the benefit of diversification. If you’ve ever had a 401K, you’ve most likely owned a mutual fund.”
Index funds track a market index, like the S&P 500, Dow or Nasdaq 100.
“They are seldom exact to the indexes but are a great base for a broad diversified position,” Symcox says.
Wilson adds that index funds are passive investments.
“Those are appropriate for clients that are seeking movement that aligns with that index such as the S&P,” she says. “It’s not something that’s actively traded. When I say passive, it’s more of a buy and hold.”
ETF or exchange-traded are similar to mutual funds but are generally lower cost because they are not actively managed like mutual funds are, Symcox says.
“These are good for diversification and self-directed investment management,” he says.
Wilson agrees.
“A lot of times people confuse exchange traded funds with mutual funds,” she says. “An exchange traded fund is a collection of stocks that are sold together as one product or share, but they’re traded throughout the day on an exchange. They often have lower fees than a mutual fund.”
HOLY
For as long as humans have wielded fire and meat, barbecue has existed – born as a practical cooking method, forged into a cultural commonality across continents, refined by technology and globalization, yet forever anchored in its primal, simple technique. Oklahoma is home to hundreds of BBQ restaurants and thousands of passionate pitmasters. We talk to a few of them about preferred cooking methods, grilling essentials, savory sauce predilections, and the beauty found in the communal nature of barbecue.
By Tracy LeGrand
Barbecue’s Origins
Barbecue – perhaps the most primal cooking method to exist – has been around for centuries. But where did it originate?
In the book The Indigenous People of the Caribbean, Samuel M. Wilson uses archaeological and ethno-historical evidence to trace barbecue’s roots to the Caribbean islands, where Native traditions mingled with Spanish explorers’ techniques, and later European settlers’ adaptations. Fast forward to today, and barbecue is a rich tapestry of Native, African and European influences, woven into a distinctly American art form that shifts in flavor and flair from region to region.
American barbecue specifically has evolved over centuries, from Indigenous Caribbean tribes cooking meat over indirect flames using green wood, a method dubbed “barbacoa,” to the spread of BBQ techniques through the American South, often thanks to the comparative ease of raising pigs. By the pre-Civil War era, American southerners had refined the art of slow-cooking pork and beef to tender deliciousness.
Matt Thompson, VP of operations for Rib Crib, says a great bark – which is the combo of spices, smoke and protein – is an essential component to nail when making barbecue.
Photo by Stephanie Phillips
SMOKES!
GETTING LOST IN THE SAUCE
Some barbecue pros make their own sauces. Others slather on their favorite local or national brands. Some think the less sauce you use, the better, while others encourage generous utilizations. In the end, to sauce or not to sauce is a question personally posed to each pitmaster.
Chuck Gawey, owner of Tulsa based Albert G’s Bar-B-Q, created his own tomato-based sauces (classic and hot) over thirty years ago and still has it bottled in Sapulpa.
“There’s a lot of good sauce out there,” he says. “Really good ribs and brisket don’t need sauce, but it does add something. It’s personal preference.”
Oklahoma doesn’t have a single, universally defined barbecue
of barbecue traditions, with Texas to the south and Kansas City to the north. Sooner State barbecue sauces lean towards a sweet-and-spicy profile and tend to have a tomato base with sweetness from molasses, brown sugar or honey, along with a smack of heat from peppers, cayenne or hot sauce. Some pitmasters add Worcestershire sauce or mustard for some
Platters at Albert G’s Bar-B-Q in Tulsa come with everything from brisket and bologna to tabouli and okra. Photo by Stephanie Phillips
Low and Slow
From rotisserie to charcoal to an array of woods like hickory or mesquite, barbecue offers endless cooking possibilities. Yet Oklahoma’s pitmasters share a unifying mantra: Low and slow, the time-honored key to smoky goodness.
“For cooking big meats, like brisket or pork, I like low and slow cooking with pecan wood,” says Travis Clark, owner of Clark Crew Barbecue with locations in Tulsa and OKC. “We use that same pecan wood for our ribs, turkey and chicken, but at a higher temperature. For grilling, I love direct fire on open coals with a charcoal and wood mix. That’s for steaks, burgers, pork steaks and sausage.”
Matt Thompson, vice president of operations for Oklahoma BBQ behemoth Rib Crib, says that his team members are also “big fans of low and slow to make sure the smoke flavor is there,” he says. “Our smokers stay well below 300° which also helps tenderize the meat and keep it juicy.”
Gawey concurs; this method is tried and true.
“Everything is indirect, every time,” he says. “Our pork butts and briskets go in the smoker at 6 p.m., and at 7:30 a.m. the next day I take it off. It’s low temperatures, and we use pecan and hickory. In the morning after I pull it off, we bump up the temperature a bit to 250 or so degrees to cook ribs, bologna and turkey.”
Tips from the Pitmasters
Deliciousness is in the eye (or, rather, stomach?) of the beholder, but Oklahoma pitmasters share insights into what makes barbecue truly tasty for them.
“We use all our own seasonings, and they are the same exact ones we sell,” says Clark. “[We’ve got] years of researching and testing these out at competitions. They are balanced, and complement the meat, but are not overpowering.
“The technique to focus on, then, is tenderness,” Clark continues. “Learn what it feels like when it’s done; it’s not always a temperature, as every piece of meat is different. And above all, don’t over-smoke your meat. Barbecue doesn’t have to be over-smoked. Find the balance you like.”
Rib Crib’s Thompson says the bark – the combo of spices, smoke and meat – is essential.
“That’s where a lot of wow factor comes in for barbecue,” he says. “When the bark is right, every bite is a ‘holy smokes’ moment. We slather and season to make sure there is a good bark,
“It’s about caring about the products we’re putting out. It’s been 33 years now, but we can always do better,” he says. “A great rub is important too. We’ve had the same one all these years.”
In a heavily saturated barbecue market, each pitmaster needs something to help them stand out. Cindy Watts, owner of OKC’s Bedlam Bar-B-Cue, keeps her ‘gimmick’ simple: a focus on creating the highest quality product she can.
“We don’t want any hormones; it’s all-natural and grass-fed, unprocessed,” she says. “That usually – but not always – means the most expensive ingredients. Nothing frozen. And we make our own rubs and sauces that flavor everything.”
For Thompson, smoking meats daily and keeping things fresh is a major priority, too.
“Our craftsmen begin and end their days prepping meats and loading the smokers to make sure we can keep up with demand,” he says.
Iron Star Urban Barbecue, OKC; photo by Choate House
A COMMUNAL DINING EXPERIENCE
Backyard barbecue bashes thrive on stellar meats, good company and a few key touches: ice-cold drinks, a steady flow of food, and a warm and welcoming vibe that keeps everyone mingling. Barbecue is, after all, a communal experience.
“A friend of mine, Mike Mills, always says that ‘barbecue is not a concept, barbecue is a culture.’ Barbecue brings people together,” says Clark. “We have huge, 30- to 40-top parties of guests all the time. It’s a communal type of food; people pass it and share it. Barbecue is the best food for that, it’s what we do at gatherings. It’s what brings families together.”
New Tech vs. Old School Craft
Cutting-edge grilling technologies are continually advancing, but local restaurant owners tend to stick to time-honored secrets forged through years of mastering the craft.
“I’m a master electrician by trade,” says Clark. “If you rely on something electronic, it will let you down. I’d prefer to invest in my people and training versus an electronic probe or machine that will fail. People can care about a piece of meat and have pride in it – no wireless probe can sense tenderness to know when it’s right.”
However, if you’re a backyard BBQ enthusiast who enjoys some gadgets at the grill, try:
Your Grilling Essentials
Ready to become a pitmaster? Here are some tools to utilize.
1Grill: Choose a charcoal grill or gas grill. If you want to go more advanced, try a pellet grill or ceramic kamado.
2TONGS: Long, sturdy, stainless-steel tongs about 16 inches long are ideal to flip meat.
3Thermometer: A digital meat thermometer is critical for ensuring your food is cooked through.
4Grill brush: Keep your grates clean and extend the life of your grill with a heavy-duty brush.
5Basting brush: A silicone brush safely coats meat without losing bristles.
6Chimney starter: For charcoal users, a chimney starter ignites coals quickly, so you can skip the lighter fluid.
7Grill basket or skewer set: Perfect for veggies, shrimp or kebabs.
8Cast iron skillet: Or a griddle to sear steaks, cook sides like veggies or cook bacon.
9Heat-resistant gloves: Protect hands with leather or Kevlar gloves when handling hot grates or coals.
10Fuel: Stock quality charcoal or hardwood pellets for pellet grills. Gas users need spare propane.
• Smart grills that integrate app-based controls and WI-FI connectivity
• Robotic grill cleaners such as the Grillbot, which autonomously scrubs grates with motorized brushes
• Wireless meat thermometers like the Meater Pro, which probe with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, and have a 165-foot range
• Laser surface thermometers like the Etekcity Infrared map out grill hot spots without contact, and temperature controllers like the Flame Boss 500, which fine-tune airflow in smokers via a fan system synced to a smartphone
Clark Crew BBQ, Tulsa and OKC; photo courtesy Clark Crew
The Pros and Their Favorites
We asked our barbecue experts: What’s your favorite barbecue dish?
Cindy Watts: “I like our jalapenos poppers, the sliced brisket, oh, and our green rice – that’s a broccoli cheese rice casserole from my cousin’s grandmother’s family recipe.”
Travis Clark: “Brisket and burnt ends. It’s a longer, more challenging cook. If it’s not done right, it can turn out tough. But when you get it right, it’s some of the best meat you can eat. I like a chopped brisket sandwich with spicy sauce, personally.”
Matt Thompson: “I love sweet and sticky ribs with a bark that’s almost like candy. Tons of flavor, so tender – and nothing says ‘barbecue’ quite like that for me.”
Chuck Gawey: “It’s hard to pick one thing. A lot of time and effort go into the ribs and brisket. If I have a sandwich, I love our chopped brisket bologna combo, and I do use sauce. Oh, and our smoked turkey that is smoked and then dropped in the fryer.”
Great Oklahoma Barbecue
Is this an exhaustive list of Oklahoma’s tastiest barbecue? No! So don’t get onto us if someone’s missing, capeesh? But it’s a great way to get started on your Okie BBQ journey...
Burn Co. Barbeque: The pitmaster rules the Hasty Bake at Burn Co. in Tulsa, turning out sought-after charcoal-smoked brisket, pulled pork, baby back ribs, sausages and quirky favorites like The Fatty, resplendent with bratwurst, hot links and smoked sausage.
Rib Crib: Since 1992, Oklahomans have frequented their favorite of more than 60 Rib Crib locations across eight states, where award-winning, slow-smoked-on-site daily meats are augmented by classic sides like fried okra and cowboy beans.
Albert G’s: From-scratch creations at Albert G’s include chopped brisket, hot links, Polish sausage, tabouli and coleslaw, with three convenient Tulsa locations.
The Butcher Barbecue Stand: Locals and travelers cruising historic Route 66 flock to the family-run Butcher Barbecue Stand in Wellston for mouthwatering, competition-grade barbecue.
Oakhart Barbecue: Let your senses guide you to Oakhart Barbecue in Tulsa’s Pearl District, where central Texas-style barbecue is smoked low and slow over post oak. Standout menu items include pepper-rubbed spare ribs with a sweet glaze, succulent brisket, and house-made sausages.
Leon’s Smoke Shack: Family-run Leon’s Smoke Shack is a haven born from Leon Thompson’s
passionate hobby, now thriving at two Tulsa locations. Crowd-pleasing dishes are smoked to perfection over a blend of pecan, hickory and post oak woods.
Mac’s: An iconic Skiatook hotspot, Mac’s Barbeque is a beloved institution opened by Mike and Vickie McMillian in 1985 and is still a no-frills, down home, family-run and award-winning barbecue joint serving up classics along with house specialties.
Smokies Hickory House: For over two decades, pitmaster Tom Eddings has been serving up smoky delights cooked over hickory wood at Smokies in Broken Arrow. This family-run gem is renowned for hearty platters loaded with brisket, pork, ribs, sausage and hot links.
Bedlam Bar-B-Q: Using curing and dry-rub applications, Bedlam Bar-B-Que and its long-held family recipes are sure to impress OKC diners. Make sure to try specials like smoked chicken on the bone and Edward’s Hot Plate, with pork hot links, jalapeno sausage and spicy cowboy beans.
Clark Crew Barbecue: Boasting hundreds of championships and competition honors, Clark Crew Barbecue, a cherished family-run Oklahoma icon, delivers expertly smoked Wagyu beef, smoked-then-fried wings, wood-fired pizza and irresistible desserts.
Iron Star Urban Barbecue: For nearly 25 years, Iron Star Urban Barbecue has dished out house-smoked meats kissed with a meticulously honed secret rub. Inspired by Oklahoma’s infamous lady outlaw Belle Starr, this upscale yet laid-back OKC gem remains a local favorite.
BurnCo Barbeque, Tulsa; photo courtesy BurnCo
The Rib Dinner at Rib Crib comes with ten hickory-smoked ribs and two sides, which range from seasoned fries and mac and cheese to coleslaw and okra. Photo by Stephanie Phillips
FOOD, DRINK AND OTHER PLEASURES
Feeling Glad at MAD
Owasso’s MAD Eats is a comfort food haven.
The pre-COVID era was drawing to a close when Erik Reynolds, who helped kick-start Tulsa’s fine dining renaissance when he opened Smoke on Cherry Street eight years before, decided to build a branch of the restaurant in Owasso.
“My partners bought the property,” Reynolds recalls. “It was big enough for two restaurants, and we had to come up with something for the space. I decided to create something cool, family-friendly, with a relaxed, fun atmosphere. Now as a chef, diner food is really what I like. It’s simple, comforting, I love everything about it. A lot of chefs, like me, start their careers with fancy restaurants and then want to open something simple. It’s our roots. It’s classic American food. I wanted to take traditional dishes and do something better with them, elevate them.”
The idea thrilled him.
“We’ll have breakfast and street tacos and cool, fun appetizers,” he mentioned just before MAD Eats opened. “Fried chicken, champagne cocktails, local beers and ridiculously huge milkshakes. It’s going to be a madhouse!”
And indeed it was. There was a short lull because most people in Owasso thought that for dining purposes, you head to 96th Street, and MAD Eats is close to 76th. But when they learned about the sleek, bright and beautiful wood paneled dining space and just how delicious the food was, the crowds started pouring in. They still do.
“Last Saturday,” Reynolds says, “we had eight hundred customers. It gets crazy in here. We have four cooks on the line and two prepping and they serve all eight hundred. I pay well, but I run a tight ship.”
MAD stands for Modern American Diner. Reynolds created the concept, the logo (yes, there are T-shirts) and the menu. About 85% of what comes out of
the busy kitchen is made from scratch. That includes the cakes and pies, all baked in-house and all delicious. It includes the breakfast items, served all day. It also includes the chicken-fried meatloaf. Most people, Reynolds says, are surprised by the dish but end up asking:
The milkshakes at MAD come in 25-ounce beer mugs, replete with brownies, candy, cereal and, of course, a cherry on top.
Photos courtesy MAD Eats
While diners are initially surprised by the chicken-fried meatloaf dish at MAD, they end their meal as staunch supporters, Erik Reynolds says.
“Why doesn’t everyone do it this way?”
And that house-made touch also includes the Monte Cristo, a ham and cheese sandwich that’s fried, then dusted with sugar and raspberry-chipotle sauce. The sauce, Reynolds explains, imparts “a little bit of heat and smokiness, it’s just so good.” So good, indeed, that everyone used to order it, it had to be made from scratch for each order, and it jammed up the kitchen. Reynolds decreed it would be served Mondays only – but devoted fans protested. Now it’s back on the
menu every day.
And it’s a long menu. There are nachos and tacos, burritos and four kinds of mac and cheese. (One features fried chicken tenders, buffalo sauce and creamy ranch in addition to the cheese.) There’s fish and chips, chicken-fried steak and lots of sandwiches. But the biggest hit? The milkshakes. They serve 200 to 300 every weekend. The shake comes in a big, 25-ounce beer mug, brimming with whipped cream. There’s flair on the side of the glass, icing with miniature cakes or M&Ms or maybe cotton candy stuck in. Kids’ eyes open wide when they see their shake arriving.
“Wow! All this for me?” They ask. (For adults who want to join in the sugary fun, they have boozy shakes, too.)
At MAD Eats, the food is so good that it’s so hard to stop eating. But, says Reynolds, “I’m here to please your palate and your tummy. I’m not here for your diet."
BRIAN SCHWARTZ
Hefner Grill
Described as a “fresh twist on seafood accompanied by a premier lakefront view,” Hefner Grill on the shores of OKC’s Lake Hefner presents a timeless vibe, sophisticated cuisine and a service-driven staff .
Hefner Grill is open seven days a week for lunch and dinner, with brunch service on Saturday and Sunday. The all-day menu, which offers variety without overwhelming diners, includes starters like salt and pepper shrimp, crispy calamari, crab dip and lemon garlic hummus. For lighter fare, try the coconut chicken salad, with mixed greens, green apple, carrot, mango and radish in a citrus-ginger vinaigrette, or the ‘Shrimp Louie,’ with jumbo gulf shrimp, iceberg wedge lettuce, tomato, avocado, Thousand Island dressing and champagne vinaigrette.
Main entrees will impress. Try the fish and chips, or opt for the pecan crusted trout, replete with rice, seasonal vegetables and house-made tartar sauce. Other options include the hand cut filet, the New Orleans bayou shrimp and the sea bass. Fear not –those without an affinity for seafood can enjoy the classic cheeseburger, club sandwich or chicken ciabatta. For weekend morning visitors, the brunch menu presents omelettes, pancakes, quiche and an array of Benedicts.
On Monday through Friday from 3-6 p.m., in the bar and on the patio, enjoy ‘Social Hour’ deals, including discounted bar bites, like coconut shrimp and tuna tartare, as well as $8 classic cocktails like the Old Fashioned and Moscow Mule.
Rendang and Co.
One of Tulsa’s best kept (and most delicious) secrets, Rengang and Co. offers authentic Indonesian cuisine from James Beard Award semifinalist Indri Bahar.
Start your experience off on the right foot with mouthwatering appetizers, including broccoli and meatball soup, martabak (deep fried, beef-filled pancakes) and bakso bakar – grilled beef meatball skewers. Other jajanans, or snacks, include beef broth soup, stream fish dumplings and deep fried tofu.
Entering entree territory, try the Rendang and Co. fried rice meal – dubbed an ‘All-Time Favorite’ – with beef rendang fried rice, chicken or lamb sate, a chicken wing, plus fried egg and garlic crackers. Another beloved dish is the bihun goreng, which comes with fried rice noodles, veggies and protein options including chicken, tofu, beef rendang or shrimp. Signature dishes at Rendang include the nasi padang, with beef, chicken or vegetable curry alongside a hard-boiled egg and red and green chili paste; as well tongseng kambing – fried lamb stew with house curry spices and soy sauce. Rendang also offers vegetarian dishes, a kid’s menu, lighter lunch fare and an assortment of drinks, including teas, sodas and hot options. Complete your experience with traditional Indonesian desserts and well-known sweet classics like fresh mango juice or an Oreo milkshake.
MARY WILLA ALLEN
Photo courtesy Hefner Grill
Photo courtesy Rendang and Co.
One of MAD’s most popular dishes, the Monte Cristo, is a ham and cheese sandwich dusted with sugar and raspberry-chipotle sauce.
You'll find queso, cheddar jack cheese, beans, pickled jalapenos, pico, smashed avocado and lime crema on MAD's nachos.
The Magic of Cooking
Chef Connor Underwood brings global expertise and an unyielding passion for food to OKC’s The Jones Assembly.
As a kid, Connor Underwood says his grandmother always asked him to light the grill before his dad got home from work. This small but consistent ritual begot a lifetime of love for the culinary arts, as Underwood would often be found eating seasonal fruits over his deck railing or helping his dad and grandma at the grill, creating delicious, memorable meals.
“I fell in love with the feeling of feeding others – the smile it put on their face and the heat of the grill,” he says.
Becoming a professional chef, however, was not Underwood’s plan. In college, he studied communications, but participated in an exchange program in his penultimate semester at the University of Hawaii at Hilo.
“To pay for rent, I worked at a local restaurant and fell in love with the produce,” he says. “For my final spring semester, I settled into a condo ... at the base of the Keystone resort, where I worked during the day as a burger cook and at night in a beautiful French
kitchen. This is where I found my place.”
After getting his bachelor’s, Underwood enrolled in culinary school at the Kapiolani Community College, apprenticing under chef Alan Wong. From there, he traveled abroad to hone his craft – even spending a year in Italy mastering the art of hand-rolled pasta.
“My time traveling and working has opened doors I never thought possible," he says. "It created challenges with both language and cooking styles, and pushed me to a place where I was truly challenged, both inside and outside of the kitchen. Now, I have found my home in Oklahoma, near my family, and with a great set of co-workers.”
That home is, in part, at OKC’s The Jones Assembly, one of the city’s most popular entertainment and dining venues. He took the helm late last year and has aimed to elevate the dining options –but keep things approachable, too.
Jones’ updated menu, Underwood describes, is “an eclectic collaboration of both myself and my team. With the help of my chef de cuisine, Patrick Hart, we have added various pastas, fish and,
most importantly, technique to the menu,” he says. “We keep it centered on local ingredients and will always have our staples like wood fired pizzas and plays on Oklahoma favorites.”
Running all the culinary operations for a 20,000 square-foot space that also hosts a bevy of musical acts and other entertainment options is, for Underwood, a new and thrilling experience.
“The Jones is by far the most unique setting I have ever cooked in, even in comparison to luxury hotels, resorts, Michelin restaurants – the Jones continues to surprise me,” he says. “The only way to juggle an operation like this is with the support of my co-workers and my culinary team.”
For many chefs, the last thing they prefer to do after clocking out is to keep cooking. For Underwood, this couldn’t be further from the truth.
“I love to cook for my family and friends,” he says. “My backyard has been converted to a live-fire set-up, where my friends and I often play around with various food and game meats.”
Time in his backyard today is perhaps reminiscent of time spent at the grill with his grandma, Laria, whom he describes as “an amazing cook, who would often throw little things in the mix and whisper to me not to tell anyone,” he says. “It was the ‘magic of cooking,’ she would say.”
MARY WILLA ALLEN
Chef Connor Underwood took the helm of The Jones Assembly in late 2024, and has aimed to elevate the cuisine while keeping the new menu – which launches this month – approachable to diners. Photo courtesy The Jones Assembly
Tasty Tidbits | Taste
The Chowhouse
The Chowhouse has been a downtown Tulsa staple since 2004. Family-owned and led by fourth generation restaura teurs, the Chow house is the place to be for comfort food done right.
Appetizers range from classics, like fried green toma toes and cheese fries, to downright funky, like ‘pucker chips,’ a.k.a fried pickles, and ‘Great Balls of Fire,’ a.k.a. calf fries with buffalo hot sauce.
Entrees are a dream – try Mom’s Meatloaf, replete with onion rings, mashed potatoes and green beans, or Pop’s Pot Roast with glazed carrots and mashers.
Other must-tries include the fried catfish, chicken and waffles, Southwest burger and PBT sandwich with pimento cheese, jalapeno bacon, fried green tomatoes and lettuce. Cocktails, beer, wine and dessert are also available – and delicious.
L’Arc Pâtisserie
Find modern French desserts in a warm and welcoming environment at OKC’s L’Arc Pâtisserie in the Village. Described as a boutique dessert shop “where tradition meets innovation in the world of French desserts,” L’Arc is unlike anything you’ve seen before.
Some desserts are almost too pretty to eat. Try the ‘Basil Inspiration’ with lime sponge cake, basil ganache and strawberry compote, or the ‘Russian Tale,’ with chocolate sponge cake, dark chocolate mousse, mango cream and raspberry coulis. Other must-tries include the ‘Cloud Petite,’ with cream cheese mousse, mango purée, berry coulis and sablé cookie, as well as the ‘Pistachio Heaven,’ with pistachio ganache cream, cherry compote, pineapple cream and almond sponge cake. You can also enjoy entire (beautifully designed) cakes, plus scones, tartes, coffees and teas.
Photo courtesy The Chowhouse
Photo courtesy L’Arc Pâtisserie
Where & When
GREAT THINGS TO DO IN OKLAHOMA
EVENTS LISTED ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE. CHECK INDIVIDUAL WEBSITES FOR UPDATES.
IN TULSA Performances
American Theatre Company presents: Always... Patsy Cline May 2-11 Tulsa PAC Based on the true story of a pen-pal friendship set to the soundtrack of the country’s most vibrant voice, Always…Patsy Cline is a true story about Cline’s friendship with a fan from Houston named Louise Seger, who befriended the star in a Texas honky-tonk, and continued a correspondence with Cline until her untimely death in a plane crash. tulsapac.com
Alton Brown Live: Last Bite May 4 Tulsa PAC The famed foodist reflects on his decades in food media, presents several of his favorite culinary mega-hacks, sings some of his funny food songs and in general, offers a culinary variety show the likes of which human eyes have never seen. tulsapac.com
Tulsa Ballet presents: Signature Series May 8-10 Tulsa PAC Tulsa Ballet closes its season with Signature Series, an always unforgettable evening made up of three works by three exceptionally talented choreographers, sure to please everyone regardless of their taste in dance. tulsaballet.org
Tulsa Opera presents: Renee Fleming's Voice of Nature May 10 Tulsa PAC It’s the most sought-after ticket of the season when international superstar soprano Renée Fleming, who has been heard everywhere from the opera stage to The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King to singing the National Anthem at the 2014 Superbowl, brings her legendary voice to Tulsa. tulsaopera.com
Dane Cook May 17 River Spirit Casino Resort Comedy trailblazer and actor Dane Cook is known for his legendary stand-up comedy specials, unparalleled stage presence and outrageous observational humor. riverspirittulsa.com
Tulsa Symphony presents: Debussy and Rachmaninoff May 17 Tulsa PAC Season XIX concludes with Navarro’s joyful Downey Overture for Orchestra, Debussy’s gorgeous Nocturnes, and Rachmaninoff’s lush and dramatic Symphony No. 2 Guest conductor Marcelo Lehninger and the Tulsa Chorale will help end the 2024-2025 season on a high note. tulsasymphony.org
Theatre Tulsa presents: Alice in Wonderland Jr. May
PERFORMANCE
A Packed Schedule
Our major metros are bustling with performances galore in May.
CELEBRITY ATTRACTIONS
The Tulsa PAC beckons with options for everyone. First, enjoy American Theatre Company’s Always... Party Cline, running May 2-11. Then, close out Tulsa Ballet’s electric season with Signature Series on May 8-10, which offers three works by different choreographers. After, Tulsa Opera offers Renee Fleming’s Voice of Nature on May 10. Tulsa Symphony brings the heat this month with Debussy and Rachmaninoff, running May 17 with guest conductor Marcelo Lehninger. Next is Theatre Tulsa’s Alice in Wonderland Jr., May 23-25, followed by one of the most anticipated shows in Celebrity Attractions’ line-up this season: Wicked, running May 28-June 5.
In OKC, you can enjoy the tail-end of OKC Broadway’s presentation of & Juliet, running through May 4 at the Civic Center Music Hall. Also at the Civic is Shorts, OKC Ballet’s final showcase of the season that offers three short ballets in one production, running May 9-11. Shakespeare fans will want to stick around the venue for Storyteller Theatre’s rendition of Much Ado About Nothing, May 9-18, or enjoy Crescendo! with Canterbury Voices on May 15. OKC Phil offers a double feature in May: An Alpine Symphony on May 17 and Cody Fry Live on May 23-24. And Edmondites, don’t miss Celtic Throne II, coming to the Armstrong Auditorium on May 4.
23-25 Tulsa PAC Step into the wild world of Wonderland! Fall down the rabbit hole with Alice as she navigates the curious world of Wonderland on a journey of self-discovery. theatretulsa.org
Celebrity Attractions presents: Wicked May 28-June 5 Tulsa PAC From the first electrifying note to the final breathtaking moment, Wicked – the untold true story of the Witches of Oz – transfixes audiences with its wildly inventive story. celebrityattractions.com
Concerts
Warrant with Lita Ford May 1 Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Tulsa See the band with special guest, Lita Ford, celebrating 35 years of the hit song "Cherry Pie." hardrockcasinotulsa.com
The Roots May 3 River Spirit Casino and Resort Formed in 1987 in Philadelphia, the Roots have become one of the best known and most respected hip-hop acts in the business. riverspirittulsa.com
G-Easy May 6 Cain's Ballroom See the rapper on his Helium Tour cainsballroom.com
Jason Bonham's Led Zepplin Evening May 10 River Spirit Casino Resort When Jason Bonham was a small child and got called in to entertain, the family friends he played his drums for could be anyone from Jimmy Page to some
of the guys from the group Bad Company. riverspirittulsa.com
Classic Albums Live: Pink Floyd "The Dark Side of the Moon" May 10 Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Tulsa Fans of Pink Floyd won't want to miss this exciting album listing event. hardrockcasinotulsa.com
Lee Brice May 15 River Spirit Casino Resort When Curb Records recording artist Lee Brice isn’t selling out arenas, he's writing and recording songs, building new brands like American Born whiskey, or with his wife Sara, two young boys, and daughter. riverspirittulsa. com
Pop 2000 Tour May 22 Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Tulsa See some of the early 2000's hottest acts, including Chris Kirkpatrick, Ryan Cabrera and LFO. hardrockcasinotulsa.com
Wade Bowen May 24 Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Tulsa See the country crooner for one night only. hardrockcasinotulsa.com
Randall King May 30 Cain's Ballroom The country singer comes to Cain's Ballroom with Caden Gillard. cainsballroom.com
Oluwabanke Bajela Through May 17 Living Arts Oluwabanké Bajela will be presenting a solo show throughout Myers and West End Gallery. She will be
creating an exhibition focused on blending traditional works with digital technology, resulting in an immersive and thought-provoking atmosphere. livingarts.org
Full Circle: Red Heat Collective Through May 24 108 Contemporary "Full Circle” refers to a group of artists who are interconnected and interdependent, where individuals contribute to the collective wellbeing and benefit from the support of others, creating a sense of belonging and shared responsibility, essentially completing a cycle of giving and receiving in a group, much like the circular motion of a full circle. 108contemporary.org
Theodore Fried: Art in Hiding Through June 6 Sherwin Miller Museum of Jewish Art The SMMJA is home to the world’s largest collection of work by Jewish-Hungarian painter Theodore Fried. Fried fled occupied Europe for the United States in 1942, leaving much of his work behind. He continued to work in New York and elsewhere, and retrieved his hidden work in the 1950s and 1970s. jewishmuseumtulsa.org
Invite to Life Through June 6 Sherwin Miller Museum of Jewish Art Award-winning author and photographic artist B.A. Van Sise explores the varied and sometimes complicated lives of Holocaust
survivors in the United States. jewishmuseumtulsa.org
War Club: Native Art & Activism Through June 29 Philbrook War Club is the culminating exhibition of Anita and Yatika Fields’s project delving into Native artwork and ephemera from important historical and contemporary moments of resistance. philbrook.org
SAMURAI: Armor from the Collection of Ann and Gabriel Barbier-Mueller Through Aug. 3 Philbrook Coming from the Collection of Ann and Gabriel Barbier-Mueller, SAMURAI: Armor from the Collection of Ann and Gabriel Barbier-Mueller unveils the culture, lifestyle and art of the samurai warrior in Japanese society philbrook.org
Japonisme: New Perspectives from the Land of the Rising Sun Through Aug. 3 Philbrook Japan’s borders were largely closed to outsiders for centuries until 1854, when the country was opened to trade and travel. Japanese goods hit markets across Europe and America, sparking an international craze known as “Japonisme.” Artists seeking to defy European conventions saw new possibilities in Japanese art and a visual language that changed the West. philbrook.org
Eduardo Sarabia: Ceiba Sagrada Through Dec. 28
Philbrook Los Angeles-born, Mexico-based Eduardo Sarabia has become one of the better-known artistic voices of his generation for using materials and imagery associated with street culture, craft and folk history to draw connections between his personal story and the narrative of Mexico. philbrook.org
Earth Embodied Through Dec. 28 Philbrook New acquisitions by artists including Starr Hardridge, Kay WalkingStick and Emmi Whitehorse join old favorites such as Alexandre Hogue’s Mother Earth Laid Bare (1936) and Felice Schiavoni’s Madonna and Child with the Young Saint John (1850) to explore the range of ways artists envision the concept of the earth embodied. philbrook.org
Temple Israel Songbook Illustrations Through Dec. 31 Sherwin Miller Museum of Jewish Art Ready for a trip down memory lane? Revisit the charm of Sunday school at Temple Israel with these delightful, vibrant illustrations by Tulsa native Carmelita Avery. Created in 1945, these pieces capture the playful spirit of the era. jewishmuseumtulsa.org
Slumgullion: The Venerate Outpost Ongoing Philbrook Philbrook is proud to partner with award-winning artist Karl Unnasch to present Slumgullion, a full-scale log cabin built from the skeleton of a late-
Wicked; photo by Joan Marcus
1800s pioneer home. philbrook.org
Sports
Tulsa Drillers Baseball May 1-4, 13-18, 20-25 ONEOK Stadium The professional baseball season kicks off in Tulsa. milb.com/tulsa
Tulsa Oilers Football May 3, 10, 30 BOK Center See the team play against Green Bay, Iowa and Quad City. bokcenter.com
Oklahoma Dressage Spring
I & II May 3-4 Expo Square The Oklahoma Dressage Society promotes and supports dressage, offering year round opportunities and events. The group organizes shows and educational opportunities throughout the state, while cheering on competitors at all levels. dressageoklahoma.org
OKRVA Regional
Championships May 3-4 Expo Square Volleyball fans won't want to miss this competition. okrva.com
Breeder's Invitational May
10-24 Expo Square Breeder's Invitational is a non-profit corporation formed to promote and enhance the Cutting Horse industry by building another major event with a very large purse. In the first twelve shows, the Breeder's Invitational has paid out nearly $20 million and is ranked as one of the major events in the industry. breedersinvitational. azurewebsites.net
Rooster Days Rodeo May 12-13 Round-Up Club Arena, Broken Arrow The Rooster Days Rodeo is an annual event coinciding with the Rooster Days Festival in downtown Broken Arrow. rodeoticket.com
Super Chip RC Drag Race May 23-25 Expo Square Fan of drag racing? You won't want to miss this exciting event. exposquare.com
Community
First Friday Art Crawl May 2
Downtown On the first Friday of every month, guests will be able to see a new exhibit opening and enjoy live music, a cash bar and snacks. humanities.utulsa.edu
Germanfest May 2-4 1429 Terrace
Dr. Dine on authentic German fare, listen to live polka music and watch as skilled folk dancers grace the stage at the annual Germanfest in Tulsa. gastulsa.org
Oklahoma Alliance for Animals Rock and Rescue May 3 Expo Square Help out the OAA and enjoy some cute animals, too. animalallianceok.org
Tulsa International
Mayfest May 9-11 101 E. Archer
St. The premier arts and culture festival has been a cherished tradition for more than 50 years. tulsamayfest.
org
Oddities and Curiosities
Expo May 10-11 Expo Square The Oddities & Curiosities Expo is the largest internationally traveling oddities event showcasing hand selected vendors, artists and small businesses with all things weird. odditiesandcuriositiesexpo.
com
Girls Day Out May 17 Expo Square Take your girls and enjoy a fun gathering with music, food and other goodies. revolve-productions.
com
Oklahoma Renaissance Festival Through June 1 The Castle of Muskogee Step back in time to the
16th century with Queen Elizabeth I of England and over 400 entertainers and artisans as they create the boisterous Village of Castleton at the Oklahoma Renaissance Festival. okcastle.com
Florigami in the Garden Through Sept. 21 Tulsa Botanic Garden See the larger-than-life FLORIGAMI IN THE GARDEN exhibit at the Tulsa Botanic Garden. tulsabotanic.org
Charitable Events
Monarch Ball May 2 Arvest Convention Center The Monarch Ball is Domestic Violence Intervention Services of Tulsa's grandest event. Enjoy a roaring '20s theme in the spirit of innovation and transformation. dvis.org
Rock the House May 3 Arvest Convention Center Dust off your cowboy hats and join Green Country Habitat for Humanity's signature event. This unforgettable evening features live entertainment, fine dining, dancing and fun surprises. rockthehousetulsa.org
Garden Gala May 10 A New Leaf At the annual Garden Gala guests will enjoy live music, auctions, dinner, wine pull and a beautiful array of spring plants for sale. anewleaf.org
Conservation of Tap May 16 Tulsa Zoo The Tulsa Zoo's premier beer-drinking event features unlimited samplings from local breweries, distributors and home brewers. In addition to the beer selection, enjoy live music, food and animal encounters. tulsazoo.org
The Party: Just Wear White May 30 OKPOP Museum Step into the glitz and glamour of Studio 54, where the beats are hot, the fashion is fierce and the energy is electric. This is not just any party—it’s a legendary night of retro fun, mixology, and giving back, all to support Family and Childrens' Services. thepartyok.org
SPORTS
IN OKC Performances
OKC Broadway presents: & Juliet Through May 4 Civic Center Music Hall Created by the Emmy-winning writer from “Schitt’s Creek,” this hilarious new musical flips the script on the greatest love story ever told. okcbroadway.com
Celtic Throne II May 4 Armstrong Auditorium, Edmond Celtic Throne II—Psalter of Ireland represents a substantial step up from Celtic Throne, with advances in set design, costumes, lighting and special effects, and state-of-the-art visual technology. armstrongauditorium.org
OKC Ballet presents: Shorts May 9-11 Civic Center Music Hall Enjoy three short ballets all in one production. Shorts has something for everyone including a neoclassical ballet by George Balanchine, an AfroCuban work by Stephanie Martinez, and a world premiere with a rock and roll vibe by OKC Ballet's very own Ryan Jolicoeur-Nye. okcballet.org
Storyteller Theatre OKC presents: Much Ado About Nothing May 9-18 Civic Center Music Hall Check into the Messina hotel for a round of laughs in Much Ado About Nothing, featuring some of Shakespeare's most favorite comedic couples and characters. okcciviccenter.com
Cresendo! An Evening with Canterbury May 15 Meinders Hall of Mirrors Enjoy an evening with music by the Canterbury Chamber Voices in a virtuosic performance benefitting Canterbury’s ongoing mission of excellent choral music education. canterburyokc.com
OKC Phil presents: An Alpine Symphony May 17 Civic Center Music Hall Enjoy Alexander Mickelthwate as conductor and special guest Clayton Stephenson on
the piano. okcphil.org
OKC presents: Cody Fry Live with OKC Phil May 23-24 Civic Center Music Hall Cody Fry's music sounds like the moment in your favorite old flick when the film changes from black-and-white to technicolor in a rush of emotion. As his orchestration booms, you practically expect a Golden Age romance to unfold to the narration of his vocals. okcphil.org
Concerts
Katy Perry May 9 Paycom Center See one of the biggest names in pop music for one night only. paycomcenter.com
Morrissey May 10 The Criterion Alternative rock icon Morrissey visits OKC. criterionokc. com
Beach House May 12 The Criterion Indie/synth group Beach House comes to the Criterion. criterionokc.com
Ivan Cornejo May 16 Zoo Amphitheatre Iván Cornejo is an American singer-songwriter who plays regional Mexican music with an indie and rockfish style. okczooamp. com
Art
Cowboy Boots – From Roundups to Runways Through May 4 National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum Cowboy Boots: From Roundups to Runways will transport visitors on a journey through time, tracing the evolution of cowboy boots from their 19th-century origins to their modern-day status as a cultural icon. This exciting temporary exhibition offers a rare glimpse into the craftsmanship, history and enduring appeal of these timeless boots. nationalcowboymuseum. org
Get In On the Action
Beautiful weather and extra daylight means it’s time to enjoy plenty of sports events in May.
In Tulsa, visit the BOK Center for Tulsa Oilers football, May 3, 10 and 30. Expo Square is ripe with events; try the Breeder’s Invitational on May 10-24 or the Super Chip RC Drag Race, May 23-25.
The OKC Fairgrounds offer a few goodies, including the Route 66 Morgan Classic Horse Show on May 22-24, and the OQHA Redbud Spectacular Horse Show on May 27-June 8. Fans of pushing the body to new limits won’t want to miss the Route 66 Festival Triathlon, May 31 at 7201 E. 33rd St. in Edmond.
The Three Shades Through Aug. 23 OKCMOA Enjoy this single-gallery installation featuring one of the masterworks of modern sculpture, Auguste Rodin’s The Three Shades, on loan from a private collection. okcmoa.com
Land Use: Humanity's Interaction with Nature Through Sept. 28 OKCMOA This gallery features modern and contemporary paintings, photographs, video art and digital art that relate to humanity’s use of and interaction with the environment. okcmoa.com
Hock E Aye Vi Edgar Heap of Birds: Honor Song Through Oct. 20 Oklahoma Contemporary Oklahoma Contemporary presents the first major retrospective of Oklahoma City-based artist Edgar Heap of Birds, who is known internationally for conceptual artwork that addresses Indigenous rights, sovereignty and relationships to place. oklahomacontemporary.org
Chihuly Then and Now: The Collection at Twenty Ongoing OKCMOA Redesigned in collaboration with Chihuly Studio, Chihuly Then and Now: The Collection at Twenty incorporates a unique design, featuring five decades of glass and painting and tells a comprehensive story of Chihuly’s groundbreaking career. okcmoa.com
Hock E Aye Vi Edgar Heap of Birds: Neufs for Oklahoma Autumn Ongoing Campbell Art Park/Oklahoma Contemporary Oklahoma Contemporary is honored to present Neufs for Oklahoma Autumn, a basketball court installation commissioned as a public art iteration of the Neuf painting series by renowned artist Hock E Aye Vi Edgar Heap of Birds. oklahomacontemporary.org
Cynthia Daignault: Oklahoma Ongoing OKCMOA This exhibition features one painting, Oklahoma by Cynthia Daignault, as a tribute to the history of the Oklahoma City bombing from 1995. okcmoa.com
Sports
OKC Comets Baseball May 1-4, 6-11, 20-25 Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark The professional baseball season continues in OKC. milb.com/ oklahoma-city OU Baseball May 2-4, 15-17 L. Dale Mitchell Park, Norman See the Sooners during an exciting baseball season. soonersports. com
World Warm Up Circuit May 9-11 OKC Fairgrounds The Paint Horse Club of Oklahoma (PHCO) is an American Paint Horse Association (APHA) Regional Club, chartered in 2023. See its annual World Warm Up Circuit this month. painthorsecluboklahoma. com
Sooner State Bully Showdown May 10 OKC Fairgrounds TCBR was founded on the Texas – New Mexico border with innovating concepts to make registering your dog, litter and competing in worldwide TCBR events easier than ever before. tcbrglobal.org
Route 66 Morgan Classic Horse Show May 22-24 OKC Fairgrounds Equine enthusiasts won't want to miss this exciting show. horseshowsbyandy.weebly. com
OQHA Redbud Spectacular Horse Show May 27-June 8 OKC Fairgrounds The Oklahoma Quarter Horse Association is the state affiliate of the AQHA supporting efforts to sustain and
Around the state, enjoy the Duncan Pro Rodeo, May 2-3 at the Stephens County Fair and Expo Center; the Atoka Point Race, May 9-10 at Atoka’s Motorsports Park; and the Special Olympics Summer Games, May 24-June 1 at Stillwater High School.
No – of course we didn’t forget about baseball and softball! For pro ball, enjoy the Tulsa Drillers May 1-4, 13-18 and 20-25 at ONEOK Stadium, and the OKC Comets May 1-4, 6-11 and 20-25 at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark. Both OU and OSU’s baseball teams play at home May 2-4 and 15-17 at L. Dale Mitchell Park in Norman and O’Brate Stadium in Stillwater, respectively. Check out OSU softball May 2-4 at Stillwater’s Cowgirl Stadium, and don’t forget to head to OKC’s Devon Park on May 29-June 6 for the NCAA Women’s College World Series.
TULSA OILERS FOOTBALL
Photo courtesy the Tulsa Oilers
Where & When | Entertainment
encourage growth of the Quarter Horse Industry in the state of Oklahoma. okqha.org
NCAA Women's College World Series May 29-June
6 Devon Park See the best collegiate softball teams compete for top prizes. ncaa.com
Route 66 Festival
Triathlon May 31 7201 E. 33rd St., Edmond The Route 66 Triathlon held at Lake Arcadia is a draw for athletes throughout the region and surrounding states. triokc.weebly.com
CommunityArt
First Friday Gallery Walk May
2 Paseo Arts District Make your way to the First Friday Gallery Walk in Oklahoma City's Paseo Arts District to enjoy art gallery openings, wine tastings, live music and more. thepaseo.org
OKC's Cinco De Mayo
Celebration May 2 Scissortail Park Gather your friends and family and head to Scissortail Park to celebrate Cinco de Mayo in Oklahoma City. business. okchispanicchamber.org
Norman Pride Festival
Weekend May 2-4 Various locations, Norman You are invited to celebrate the LGBTQ2SIA+ community during exciting events at Norman Pride Weekend this May. normanokpride.org
BikeFest May 4 1701 S. Western Ave. Spend time with fellow bike enthusiasts and learn more about cycling from participating organizations and shops that will have booths set up throughout the event. bikemonthok.org
2nd Friday Norman Art Walk May 9 Norman Arts
COMMUNITY
District The 2nd Friday Norman Art Walk, a monthly celebration of the arts in Norman, connects the downtown arts district with outlying galleries, performance halls and Campus Corner. 2ndfridaynorman.com
Oklahoma City Flower and Garden Festival May 10 Myriad Botanical Gardens Gardeners, plant lovers and cooking enthusiasts will enjoy the Oklahoma City Flower and Garden Festival. myriad.org
Second OHOF Saturdays May 10 Oklahoma Hall of Fame Second Oklahoma Hall of Fame Saturdays invite families to learn about an Oklahoma Hall of Fame member with crafts and activities. oklahomahof.com
Oklahoma Opry May 10, 17, 31 ACM@UCO The Oklahoma Opry, Oklahoma's official country music show, has been providing the best in spectacular, family-friendly entertainment since 1977. ohfo.org
Mother's Day Dessert Cruise May 11 Various locations Pamper mom with an afternoon on the Oklahoma River. The Mother's Day cruise will offer champagne and mimosas at the cash bar and complimentary bitesized desserts. embarkok.com
Oklahoma Craft Beer Festival May 24 OKC Fairgrounds The Oklahoma Craft Beer Festival invites you to celebrate local, regional and international breweries. okcraftbeerfestival. com
Chuck Wagon Festival May 24-25 National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum Enjoy wholesome entertainment at its finest
The Month of Festivals
during the annual Chuck Wagon Festival. nationalcowboymuseum.
org
Paseo Arts Festival May 24-26 Paseo Arts District The annual Paseo Arts Festival in Oklahoma City showcases the original works of over 90 visual artists. the paseo.org
Charitable Events
10th Annual Faces of Remerge Luncheon May 1 OKC Convention Center Celebrate a decade of empowering women and transforming lives with ReMerge. remergeok.org
FAM: Where Earth Meets Sky May 2 First Americans Museum Where Earth Meets Sky: Mskwabek serves as a fundraiser for the museum’s important work in sharing the collective histories of the 39 distinctive Tribal Nations in Oklahoma today, as well as a celebration of community and allyship. famok.org
Taste of OKC: Big Brothers and Big Sisters May 2 OKC Cox Convention Center The annual Taste of OKC fundraising gala supports BBBS' mission to facilitate life changing matches for youth in Oklahoma City. bbbsok.org
Raising the Barre May 8 Susan E. Brackett Dance Center This annual luncheon, held at Oklahoma City Ballet's iconic Susan E. Brackett Dance Center, raises critical funds for Oklahoma City Ballet. The luncheon includes a short presentation and a variety of performances. okcballet.org
Upward Transitions: Centennial Gala May 9 Skirvin Hilton Hotel Celebrate 100 years of Upward Transitions’ service to the
No matter your special interests, May has a community event for you.
In Tulsa, visit 1429 Terrace Dr. for Germanfest, running May 2-4. Then, venture downtown for one of the most anticipated events of the year: Tulsa Mayfest, May 9-11. Other Tulsa offerings include the Oddities and Curiosities Expo, May 10-11 at Expo Square; the Oklahoma Renaissance Festival, through June 1 at the Castle of Muskogee; and Florigami in the Garden, a new exhibit at Tulsa Botanic Garden through Sept. 21.
community. upwardtransitions.org
Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive May 10 OKC Metro USPS Post Offices The Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma partners with the National Letter Carriers' Association Branch 458 and USPS to host an annual food drive. rfbo.org
THE STATE Performances
Trisha Yearwood May 3 McKnight Center for the Performing Arts, Stillwater Trisha Yearwood is performing live in Stillwater to celebrate the release of her new upcoming album — her first project entirely written by her. mcknightcenter.org
Concerts
Chris Isaak May 3 Winstar World Casino and Resort, Thackerville Country crooner Chris Isaak returns to Thackerville. winstar.com
Little Big Town May 9 Chotaw Casino and Resort, Durant One of the biggest names in country music comes to Durant. choctawcasinos.com
Halsey May 18 Choctaw Casino and Resort, Durant Pop sensation Halsey visits Oklahoma. choctawcasinos.com
The Black Keys May 23 Choctaw Casino and Resort, Durant You won't want to miss alternative rockers The Black Keys. choctawcasinos.com
Vince Gill May 30 Winstar World Casino and Resort, Thackerville Vincent Grant Gill is
an American singer, songwriter and guitarist known for his tenor voice and contributions to country music. See him live in Thackerville. winstar.com
Sports
Duncan Pro Rodeo May 2-3 Stephens County Fair and Expo Center Join the excitement at the Stephens County Fairgrounds for PRCA Professional Rodeo action as cowboys and cowgirls from all over the country compete and bring live rodeo performances. mccoyrodeo. com
OSU Softball May 2-4 Cowgirl Stadium, Stillwater See the OSU Cowgirls softball team play at home. okstate.com
OSU Baseball May 2-4, 15-17 O'Brate Stadium, Stillwater Baseball season is back and better than ever with the Cowboys. okstate.com
Atoka Point Race May 9-10 Atoka Motorsports Park Drivers from across the country will gather for exciting drag racing on the dirt track. atokasanddrags.com
Special Olympics Summer Games May 14-16 Stillwater High School Make your way to Stillwater this May for three incredible days of athletic competition during the Special Olympics Oklahoma's Summer Games. sook.org
NJCAA Division II World Series May 24-June 1 David Allen Memorial Ballpark, Enid Bring the entire family to the NJCAA Division II World Series to cheer for your favorite team. davidallenballpark. com
In Norman, celebrate the LGBTQ community at Norman Pride Festival Weekend, Nov. 2-4 in various locations citywide. Take a quick trip to OKC for the Oklahoma City Flower and Garden Festival, May 10 at Myriad Botanical Gardens. If you’re looking to impress mom, enjoy the Mother’s Day Dessert Cruise, May 11 on the Oklahoma River. Can’t-miss festivals include the Oklahoma Craft Beer Festival, May 24 at the OKC Fairgrounds; the Chuck Wagon Festival, May 24-25 at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum; and the Paseo Arts Festival, May 24-26 in the Paseo Arts District.
Looking to road trip? Visit the McAlester Italian Festival, May 9-10 at the Southeast Expo Center; the tailend of OSU Museum of Art's exhibition Ralph Steadman: And Another Thing through May 10 in Stillwater; the Arts for All Festival, May 9-11 at Lawton’s Shepler Park; the Stilwell Strawberry Festival, May 10 in downtown Stilwell; the Bixby BBQ and Blues Festival, May 15-17 at Washington Irving Memorial Park; or the Magnolia Festival of Oklahoma, May 29-31 at Durant’s Choctaw Event Center.
Community
Rose Rock Music Festival May 2-4 304 S. Main St., Noble Come to the Rose Rock Music Festival for a fun-filled weekend featuring plenty of family activities. nobleok.org
Porchfest at Carlton Landing May 3 Citywide, Carlton Landing Join the town of Calrton Landing for great music complemented by art, food and fun. carltonlandingfoundation.org
McAlester Italian Festival May 9-10 Southeast Expo Center, McAlester The annual Italian Festival in McAlester has been a beloved Oklahoma tradition since its inception. travelok.com
Arts for All Festival May 9-11 Shepler Park, Lawton The Arts for All Festival is southwest Oklahoma's largest juried arts festival, drawing people from Oklahoma and Texas for a weekend of art, entertainment and foods. lawtonartsforall.org
Stilwell Strawberry Festival May 10 Downtown Stilwell Held since the 1940s to promote the strawberries grown in the area, the annual Stilwell Strawberry Festival has become one of Oklahoma's most-loved hometown traditions. strawberrycapital.com
Stillwater Wine and Craft Festival May 10 Payne County Expo Center Shop over 75 vendors of wine, beer, crafts, home décor, woodworking, jewelry, clothing, food, art and much more. visitstillwater.org
Dancing Rabbit Music Festival May 10 304 E. Choctaw Ave., McAlester Enjoy live music, a variety of food trucks, shopping and local beer spread along downtown McAlester. dancingrabbit.live
Ralph Steadman: And Another Thing Through May 10 OSU Museum of Art, Stillwater Ralph Steadman: And Another Thing takes the viewer on a visual adventure through the culture-shifting and fearless life of one of the most influential artists of our time. museum.okstate.edu
Bixby BBQ and Blues
Festival May 15-17 Washington Irving Memorial Park One of the largest barbecue competitions in Oklahoma, the Bixby BBQ 'n Blues Festival features two days of mouthwatering barbecue and great music. bixbyrotarybbq.com
May Daze Festival May 16-17 Downtown Blanchard The annual May Daze Festival marks the unofficial start to summer in Blanchard. travelok.com
Bethany 66 Festival May 24 Ashbury and College Ave., Bethany Enjoy a Saturday afternoon complete with familyfriendly activities, food trucks and sidewalk sales. travelok.com
Magnolia Festival of Oklahoma May 29-31 Choctaw Event Center, Durant Honoring the heritage of Durant, the annual Magnolia Festival of Oklahoma began in 1997 and features a variety of activities perfect for a fun-filled family weekend. magnoliafest.com
Photo courtesy Tulsa Mayfest
TULSA MAYFEST
A Whole ‘Lotta Action
Get
ready for plenty of thrillers during May’s cinematic o erings.
May arrives with nicer weather and plenty of new movies to catch. An eclectic group of stories ensures there should be something for everyone this month.
First o , strap in for a weird time with e Surfer. Starring Nicolas Cage as the titular surfer, the plot concerns his desire to return to his childhood beach to catch some waves with his son – but things quickly go awry. Early reviews are positive, with the lm tackling themes of toxic masculinity and what is sure to be another wildly interesting performance from Cage. It releases on May 2.
If you need a hit of adrenaline at 35,000 feet, look no further than Fight or Flight. Josh Hartnett (Black Hawk Down) stars as a washed up hitman tasked with bringing in a high value target on a ight. However, the plane is full of other hitmen – all aiming to do the same thing. Appearing to be similar in style to
Bullet Train (2022), the movie looks to have some fun action, plenty of bullets ring, and a very game Hartnett giving it his all. Whether or not this is a good time is up in the air. e lm takes o on May 9.
For a di erent kind of high-octane action, check out Mission: Impossible –e Final Reckoning. Tom Cruise returns as Ethan Hunt, an IMF agent ready to do the impossible to save the world yet again. e story continues from the previous lm, Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One, with Hunt and his team o to do insane stunts. Big set pieces, a huge cast and one of the biggest estimated budgets for a feature lm ever, e Final Reckoning is shaping up to be a true summer blockbuster. Although the movie was originally presented as a send-o to the main character, Cruise doesn’t seem so sure he’s ready to hang it up yet. Either way, the movie should be a good time when it releases on May 23. If you need a legacy sequel I didn’t think we’d see, don’t miss Karate Kid: Legends Taking place three years after the events
of Cobra Kai (2018-2025) – the spin o TV show about the now adult Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) and Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) and their revived rivalry – the lm follows a new protagonist named Li Fong (Ben Wang, American Born Chinese) and his desire to learn martial arts. Jackie Chan returns as Mr. Han following his appearance in e Karate Kid (2010), a lm that wasn’t an established part of the canon but now, apparently, is, as well as Macchio as LaRusso, both there to guide Fong on his path. Hopefully this will hit all the right marks when it releases on May 30.
Lastly, another lm from Wes Anderson called e Phoenician Scheme drops this month. Billed as an espionage thriller, the cast list, as usual, is stacked. Names include Benicio del Toro, Michael Cera, Tom Hanks, Bryan Cranston, and Bill Murray. I’m sure Anderson’s iconic style will be on full display when this hits theaters on May 30.
DREW JOSEPH ALLEN
Karate Kid: Legends; photo courtesy CTMG Inc./Sony Pictures Entertainment, all rights reserved
Lance Cheney, A.S.I.D. RICHARD NEEL INTERIORS
May Ad Watermark 0525018 Richard Neel (MP).indd 1
Stephanie Stump
Stephanie Stump, a lifelong Tulsan and labor and employment attorney, is currently serving as Discovery Lab’s interim executive director and CEO, helping lead the search for the museum’s next leader. No stranger to the Discovery Lab, Stump is the former board president and a founding board member of the museum, and even served as president during the museum’s expansion, overseeing the successful openings of the Owen Park and Riverside locations. We caught up with Stump and got her thoughts on...
... the founding of Discovery
Lab.
I like to think that Discovery Lab was community inspired, community driven and community built. It was a collaborative effort between parents, educators and community members who dreamed of creating a world-class science museum in Tulsa. Learning is not a one-size-fits-all process, and we wanted to be a place where every child, regardless of background, could explore, learn and play.
... how Discovery Lab has grown.
Discovery Lab was initially conceived as a museum without walls. We began by taking our small, traveling exhibits to local events and schools and asking everyone we interacted with how we could make an impact in the local educational landscape. We also engaged top consultants in the field to undertake studies on educational impact and learning philosophy, as well as created a master plan and business plan.
In 2012, we opened our first site in a former recreational center at Owen Park which the City of Tulsa let us rent for $1 per year. We renovated the building and built our own exhibits, which is where our famous tape tunnels (an elaborate structure made of packing tape) were born!
After seven years of learning and “making mistakes as fast as we could,” we opened our current 57,000-square-foot facility on Riverside, just south of the Gathering Place. We are currently in our third year of operations and have welcomed over 500,000 visitors so far. And we still have the tape tunnels, but the tape slide is much higher and faster, much to the kids’ delight.
... positive surprises in her interim CEO role.
Although I have been involved with Discovery Lab in several ways over the past 16 years, getting to know our amazing staff on a deeper level over the past couple of months has been the greatest gift to me. Everyone here believes in our mission and works tirelessly to inspire wonder and curiosity in each child, whether they come for a week-long camp, a field trip, or participate in one of our outreach programs. Our staff make our mission a reality.
... a day in the life.
Honestly, every day is so different, but we begin each day in our lobby with an all-staff meeting, which is a way for everyone to connect and know what is going on that day. After that, each day is an opportunity for me to dive in and
learn about all the ways we are making an impact in our community. We are also using this period of transition to touch base with our donors and strategic partners to discuss our successes over the past year and as well as what the future holds for Discovery Lab. But my favorite part is sneaking away between meetings and working the entrance of the tape tunnels. Seeing the kids’ faces light up as they race into the tunnels is such a joy.
... Discovery Lab’s objective.
Our mission is to inspire children, connect families and build community through exploration, exhibits, programming and play. I think we accomplish this by creating experiences that are so unique and fun that children don’t realize they are learning, collaborating and discovering new things.
Through our outreach programming, we bring the fun right to kids through our over twenty community partners, such as Women in Recovery and Boys & Girls Clubs. One in five children in Oklahoma live below the poverty line and many don’t have adults in their lives who can take the time to just play with them. Through our partnerships with organizations that provide necessities for families, when our educators show up and “play” with them, we remind the kids and their adults that they deserve more than the basic necessities; they deserve to have fun and to experience joyful curiosity. No one does that better than Discovery Lab.
... Discovery Lab in 20 years.
At Discovery Lab, we fabricate our own exhibits that are unique to Tulsa and uniquely Tulsa. I hope that stays the same, as well as our core value of accessibility. We want to be a place where everyone who comes through our doors feels like they belong and can learn and play in a safe, positive environment. In 20 years, I hope the children who discover their love of STEAM today are now the top innovators, problem solvers and leaders in our community.
...goals.
I look forward to welcoming the next great leader of Discovery Lab. My goal during this period of transition is to keep Discovery Lab doing the great work it has been doing – inspiring the children of Oklahoma, one at a time!
Photo courtesy Discovery Lab
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