Is Mike Mazzei’s Tax Plan Built on Sand?
By Drew Williamson
The fastest way to win a Republican’s heart is usually through a big tax cut, and that rings particularly true when it pertains to Oklahoma’s GOP gubernatorial primary election. Mike Mazzei seems to be attempting to take this path via “a plan” being pitched ad nauseam to Oklahoma voters, promising to eliminate our state income tax and also put an end to property taxes for seniors and veterans. This sounds amazing, and after all, Mike Mazzei is a financial planner and a self-proclaimed budget expert. However, the details are murky and Mazzei Math simply doesn’t add up. These cuts will never happen—nor can they, unless we want to live in a bankrupt state and have the most underfunded schools in the country.
Starting with Mazzei’s “plan” to end our state income tax, let’s be clear: No state with a tax on earned income has ever gotten rid of it. Mazzei promises to immediately cut our state’s top rate from 4.50% to 3%, a decrease of 1.50%. Compare that to Kevin Stitt’s effort to simply get the top rate reduced by just 0.50% this year, ultimately settling for half that amount and a cut of 0.25% from 4.75% to 4.50%. This is about a 5% overall decrease, whereas Mazzei claims he will ask for 33%. This will never get approved by the legislature, and here’s why: Losing 1/3 of our tax revenue from individuals equates to $1.2 billion of budget deficits, which will have to be somehow paid for through budget cuts or made up for with other sources of revenue.
His next grand promise is to eliminate property taxes on Oklahoma seniors and veterans. Using U.S.
Census data, the state’s seniors account for approximately 20% of Oklahoma’s ad valorem taxes, which would amount to roughly $1.5 billion of lost revenue for our schools, career tech, county government, health departments and public libraries. $900 million of this would be taken from our already 50th ranked and arguably still underfunded public schools, and $225 million from career tech, which most everyone feels needs to receive more funding. If you include Oklahoma veterans under the age of 65, you lose an additional $200 million. If you’re keeping score, at this point this is a total lost tax revenue of approximately $3 billion.
Mike Mazzei knows this will never happen; the legislature will never approve it. Mazzei is simply buying votes with the promise of tax cuts and writing checks that won’t clear the bank.
Mazzei builds his sales pitch on his background as a financial planner, equating helping people
plan their retirement with running a state government and a $13 billon budget. He says, “I have a plan” ad nauseam on the stump and in interviews. However, his plan is half baked, as it’s only a bunch of promises, otherwise known in planning parlance as “goals.” All good plans begin with goals, but that’s where Mazzei’s plan ends. The planning process involves the how, and that’s where Mazzei’s plan gets murky. He’s making promises he knows he cannot keep. This will never happen in Oklahoma, without massive tax increases in other areas, such as consumption-based taxes. He talks about cutting spending, but offers little detail, as Oklahoma’s core services have already been cut to the bone. It’s a fantasy, not a plan. Mike Mazzei knows this, but his only real “goal” is winning the runoff in August.
Oklahomans are being fed a promise of prosperity, a golden age of growth, all based on lower taxes. Mazzei fails to point out that on average, Oklahomans pay ostensibly the same amount of state and local taxes as those who live in Texas. We actually pay less than Floridians, and only slightly more than Tennessee residents. We don’t have a tax
problem; we have a very poorly led state government and bottom-ofthe-barrel educational and healthcare systems. This is not fixed with Mazzei’s spreadsheets that don’t add up, it’s done with leadership. He says his background as a planner will make him a good governor, as if Oklahoma is electing him to manage a Roth IRA. The only plan I’ve seen is incomplete and doesn’t make sense. It’s also a common practice of financial planners to get clients by making rosy projections that will likely never materialize, just in an effort to win business, or in this case win votes.
Mike Mazzei is trying to buy Oklahomans’ votes with a plan built on sand. Don’t fall for it.
Drew Williamson is a Partner with Red Center Media-Oklahoma Gazette and served as Trustee of Teachers Retirement System-Oklahoma from 2019-2023.
Primary Recap
An Overview of the Primary Election Results
By Erika Buzzard Wright
Oklahoma’s June 16 primary election did more than narrow crowded fields. It sent a message loud enough for every candidate, consultant, and lawmaker to hear: Oklahomans are tired of chaos.
Across the state, voters chose between serious public service and another round of ideological warfare. In race after race, they pushed back against candidates openly aligned with anti-public school rhetoric. For public education supporters, the results are worth celebrating.
In legislative primaries, Oklahoma Freedom Caucusaligned candidates and other hardline anti-public school candidates took it on the nose. For months, that faction aimed its fire not only at Democrats, but at fellow Republicans it deemed insufficiently pure — including sitting lawmakers, Senate leaders, and pragmatic conservatives trying to keep the Legislature functioning.
Many of those same losing candidates voluntarily signed on to the
2026 OKGOP State Party Candidate Survey statement opposing “any increased funding for the government schools.” Most Republican candidates did not sign it. It was not mandatory. It was a choice.
On June 16, Oklahoma primary voters said no.
The Freedom Caucus wave crashed and burned. Sen. Dusty Deevers, a founding member and vice chair of the Oklahoma Freedom Caucus, finished last in his Republican primary and was shown the door. Other Freedom Caucusbacked efforts to punish legislative leaders failed, too. The seven targeted incumbents were all re-elected.
Roughly 70% of candidates who signed the “oppose funding” statement lost outright, and a handful were pushed into runoffs against opponents who did not sign it. Voters soundly rejected the message that public schools are the enemy, teachers are the problem, and every challenge should be answered by starving local districts of resources.
Culture-war politics and performative fights did not translate into broad electoral strength. Oklahoma is conservative, and no one should pretend otherwise. But there is a difference between conservatism and extremism, governing and grandstanding, asking serious policy questions and declaring war on schools that serve children in every county. Oklahoma’s children need lawmakers who understand real problems: teacher shortages, chronic absenteeism, special education needs, mental health concerns, transportation costs, and classrooms stretched too thin. Those problems require responsible leadership and a willingness to invest in kids.
The governor’s race now moves to a critical August 25 runoff between Attorney General Gentner Drummond and former state Sen. Mike Mazzei. Both finished with just over a quarter of the vote, with Drummond narrowly ahead. The winner will face Democrat Cyndi Munson and independent candidates in November.
For public school supporters, the contrast matters. Mazzei signed the “oppose funding” position. Drummond did not. In the televised Republican gubernatorial debate,
Mazzei said Oklahoma’s public education system was “hijacked by the radical left” and claimed, “We’ve got 541 school districts that are run by liberal, left-leaning radical socialists.” Drummond drew a different line: “First, I’m going to defend the teachers,” adding that Oklahoma has “great teachers and great administrators” who need leadership from the governor’s office.
After eight years of Gov. Kevin Stitt, this race will test whether voters want more combative, topdown politics or a different kind of leadership.
But no race may matter more for Oklahoma public education than State Superintendent.
On the Republican side, Robert Franklin and James Taylor advanced to the August 25 runoff. Franklin led the seven-candidate field with 22.6% of the vote, followed by Taylor at 19.7%. On the Democratic side, Jennettie Marshall defeated former El Reno Superintendent Craig McVay.
Continued on next page
Gentner Drummond
Primary Recap
An Overview of the Primary Election Results
By Erika Buzzard Wright
Continued from previous page
But getting into a runoff is not the same thing as being prepared to lead Oklahoma’s public school system.
This is not a symbolic office. The State Superintendent oversees the agency responsible for the largest share of the state budget, hundreds of employees, thousands of educators, more than 500 school districts, and more than 700,000 students. The job requires executive leadership, fiscal responsibility, policy knowledge, management experience, and understanding of school finance, accreditation, federal programs, teacher recruitment, special education, rural schools, and district pressures.
That is where experience matters. Taylor has some classroom expe-
rience, but no clear record of administrative or large-scale leadership experience. He has aligned himself with the culture-war and government-dictated religious themes that defined Ryan Walters’ tenure, and his campaign team includes people directly aligned with Walters. He has also proposed consolidating Oklahoma’s 500-plus school districts — a sweeping idea with serious implications for rural communities and local control.
Marshall has served on the Tulsa Public Schools Board of Education, but outside of that, her background as a pastor with work in funeral service and corrections does not demonstrate large-scale public education leadership or the administrative experience to lead OSDE. Both Taylor and Marshall are embroiled in lawsuits involving Oklahoma’s two largest school districts.
At a time when the next State Superintendent must rebuild trust with local districts, restore credibility to OSDE, and repair damage done under Walters, Oklahoma does not need another superintendent who begins in conflict with the school communities they would serve.
Franklin has the clearest education leadership background remaining in the race. He has spent more than four decades in public education, including public schools, career technology, and state-level service. He has worked with Sand Springs Public Schools and Tulsa Technology Center, served on the Statewide Charter School Board, and been inducted into the Oklahoma Educators Hall of Fame. From special education teacher to his current role at OU-Tulsa’s Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, he brings tested, statewide-relevant experience to the work ahead.
Oklahoma is trying to climb out of Walters-era destruction and the bottom of national education rank-
ings. That will not happen with more chaos, candidates who lack large-scale leadership experience, or a superintendent who treats public schools as political battlegrounds.
The June primary gave public school supporters real hope. Extreme anti-funding candidates lost. Freedom Caucus-style politics took a serious hit. Several races rewarded experience over noise.
But the work is not finished. Several “oppose funding” candidates are still headed to runoffs. The governor’s race is not settled. The State Superintendent race is alive. In low-turnout runoffs, every vote carries even more weight.
August 25 is the next test. Voters will decide whether Oklahoma continues down a path of chaotic attacks on public schools — or begins rebuilding trust, stability, competence, and respect for the educators and communities holding this state together.
Robert Franklin
Fun With Fractions
Governor Stitt, now famously “that guy,” per Rod Polston, spent the recent session pitching “A Half and a Path,” hoping lawmakers would slash Oklahoma’s income tax by 0.5%. The legislature politely handed him half of a half, or a 0.25% cut, and called it a day. So roughly the same percentage as Sara Polston served of her sentence.
Timing Is Everything
Speaking of Sara Polston, the story that just keeps on giving has her husband Rod Polston exchanging phone calls with “that guy” (Governor Kevin Stitt) in oddly “coincidental” moments in her Prison to Praise Testimony timeline—coming soon to Pure Flix!—including right before she was transferred to Mabel Basset Correctional Center, right before she was approved for the ankle monitor program, and again right before she’s moved to segregated housing at Eddie Warrior Correctional Center. Not coincidentally, in a segment that will need to be cut for the Pure Flix version, Rod tells his wife that someone important “pushed it from the top,” which, yeah, sounds NSFTV.
Life Comes at You Fast
And while we’re on the subject of testimonies, Reverend Jackson Lahmeyer, founder of Pastors for Trump, confused his role in running for Oklahoma’s 1st Congressional District with King David’s role of being a horny king.
Like David seeing Bathsheba bathing naked (clearly not a Never Nude), Lahmeyer lusted after a woman via text, said woman turned out to be Miss Oklahoma 2007 Caitlin Key and the textual affair turned out to be a sexual affair—something he admitted after dropping out of the District 1 race, which he did after seeking “counsel and prayer with God and spiritual advisors.” God did not respond to requests for a comment, but Pastor Lahmeyer should go revisit some of those David stories to see where this is headed.
Whew!
This one is going to feel like a deep, cleansing breath. Mayor David Holt recently announced that Oklahoma City is near the top of the rankings once again when it comes to running our city government. Holt wrote: “This week, we have been ranked the No. 2 best-run large city (more than 500,000 residents) in the United States and No. 12 overall.” This according to WalletHub, which sounds like a place to borrow money, but isn’t. We have no idea who is running the other cities, nor how they feel about beauty queens, Bible stories, capricious and temporary endorsements and dirty talk, but go ahead and exhale, because we have no snark for this news.
Robert Franklin
A Conversation with Enes Kanter Freedom
Part I: The Cost of Freedom
By James Biscone
When Enes Kanter Freedom was 9 years old, neighborhood children handed him an American flag and a lighter.
The children wanted him to burn the flag.
Growing up in Turkey, Freedom says anti-American sentiment was commonplace. Politicians routinely attacked the United States, Christianity and the West, and those messages filtered down to children.
“I looked down and thought, ‘This is not the right thing to do,’” Freedom recalls.
Confused, he ran upstairs to his mother.
“They’re telling me to hate America, hate the West, hate Christian people. What do I do?” Her answer would shape the rest of his life.
“My mom said, ‘I’m not going to tell you what to do, but do not hate anyone before you meet them.’”
Years later, that young boy from Turkey would become an NBA player, an American citizen, a global human rights advocate, a New York Times best seller, a Nobel Peace Prize nominee and one of the most outspoken critics of authoritarian governments in professional sports.
Growing up, Freedom’s focus was simple: education and basketball. His parents insisted on both. When opportunities arose for him to remain overseas and pursue professional basketball as a teenager, his father pushed him toward America instead.
“He made me promise that I would be a good student before being a good basketball player,” Freedom says.
At 17, Freedom arrived in the United States. He attended high school in California, played college basketball at Kentucky and eventually became the third overall pick in the NBA Draft.
Basketball provided fame, opportunity and financial success. It also gave him something far more powerful.
A platform.
Looking back, Freedom traces the beginning of his activism to 2013, when corruption allegations engulfed the Turkish government. At the time, he viewed the issue less as politics and more as principle.
“If you’re fighting against free media and putting innocent journalists in jail, I’m going to say something,” he said.
The consequences were severe. According to Freedom, Turkish authorities targeted members of his family. His father lost his position as a scientist. His sister struggled to find work despite completing medical school. His younger brother’s basketball opportunities disappeared because of the family name.
Eventually, relatives publicly disowned him in what Freedom believes was an effort to protect themselves from government pressure.
The situation escalated further when authorities detained his father and revoked Freedom’s passport.
Turkey and a bounty has been placed on him, as he remains a target of the Turkish government because of his voice.
“Once they put my dad in jail, I knew there was no coming back,” he said.
For many people, that would have been enough to retreat into silence. Freedom went the opposite direction.
He expanded his advocacy beyond Turkey, speaking out against human rights abuses around the world and using his
platform to amplify the stories of political prisoners, dissidents and persecuted minorities.
“Basketball was a tool for me,” he says. “I always asked myself, ‘How can I use this platform to be the voice of innocent people who don’t have a voice?’”
The work earned international attention.
In 2022, Freedom became the first NBA player nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, and received the Courage Award from the Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy.
The same year he became an American citizen, he legally adopted “Freedom” as part of his name.
The decision reflected his appreciation for rights he says many Americans may take for granted. At his California high school, he remembers being shocked when classmates openly criticized President Barack Obama.
Growing up in Turkey, public criticism of political leaders often carried severe consequences.
“I thought they were crazy,” Freedom says with a laugh. “I thought they might be in jail tomorrow.”
Instead, his teammates explained
something he was only beginning to understand: Criticism of the government was not only allowed in America, it was protected. Today, Freedom worries that some Americans fail to appreciate how rare those freedoms are.
“People have no idea how blessed and lucky they are,” he said.
“Freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of expression— if one generation takes it for granted, you can lose it in a heartbeat.”
While Freedom’s advocacy has taken him around the world, some of his most meaningful lessons about America came not in Washington, D.C., or on the international stage, but in Oklahoma City.
After being traded to Oklahoma City in 2015, he expected the routine that follows most NBA transactions: a physical, a press conference and a trip to the practice facility. Instead, Thunder General Manager Sam Presti took him somewhere else.
Continued on page 18.
NON-PROFIT FOCUS
Tomorrow’s Keepers
The Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy gives our children a voice at the Capitol
By Julie Porter Scott
When a series of investigative reports exposed horrific conditions facing children in Oklahoma’s state system during the 1980s, the outrage sparked more than headlines—it created a movement. Four decades later, the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) remains one of the few organizations devoted exclusively to advancing policies that improve the lives of children across the state.
For nearly a decade, former state representative Joe Dorman has led the organization as chief executive officer. Though much has changed since OICA was founded amid the wave of reform sparked by the landmark Terry D. lawsuit, Dorman believes the need for an independent voice for children remains as urgent as ever. “Our mission is raising awareness, taking action, and supporting policy for the health, safety, and well-being of Oklahoma’s children,” Dorman said. “We’re the only organization out there that solely focuses on child well-being through policy.”
That mission touches nearly every aspect of childhood, from education and foster care to health, safety, and emerging issues involving technology. With approximately one million children in Oklahoma, Dorman argues the organization’s work ultimately affects every child in the state.
OICA’s nonprofit structure is deliberate. The organization does not rely on state appropriations, a choice Dorman says protects its ability to speak freely. “We don’t want to be put into a position where we would lose dollars if we spoke up,” he said. Instead, OICA relies on private donations and foundation support.
Policy priorities are developed through the organization’s annual Fall Forum, a confer-
ence open to advocates from across the state. Participants discuss issues, vote on priorities, and help shape the legislative agenda guiding OICA’s work throughout the year. Not every solution requires new laws, Dorman noted. Sometimes meaningful change comes through agency policy adjustments or directing funding to the right programs. Additionally, OICA works alongside youth-serving orga-
teaching them how government works and how to communicate effectively with elected officials. The goal, Dorman said, is to build a new generation of leaders willing to engage in public life. “We’re building the woodpile and growing it just a little bit more each year,” he said.
Some victories are easy to quantify. OICA recently supported legislation banning child marriage in Oklahoma after being approached by a survivor who had been forced into marriage as a minor. The organization also championed legislation extending foster care support from age 18 to 21
are keeping up with.”
Despite dealing with difficult issues, Dorman says the most fun part of the job is Oklahoma’s Kid Governor program. Fifth graders learn about civics, run campaigns, create videos, and participate in statewide elections. Winners spend the year advocating for issues important to children while learning firsthand how government works.
Ten years after taking a position he never expected to hold, Dorman says the work remains deeply rewarding. Leading a lean organization through fundraising challenges hasn’t always been easy, but he still
nizations to ensure that legislation doesn’t inadvertently harm the populations it serves.
For Dorman, advocacy is not simply about lobbying lawmakers. It’s also about empowering ordinary citizens. “So many people are afraid of that building or afraid to talk to a politician,” he said. “If we can help individuals become more comfortable communicating with lawmakers, it’s a win for everyone.” That philosophy has evolved into a series of leadership initiatives designed to cultivate future advocates. OICA’s Advocacy Boot Camp takes cohorts of participants around the state to learn about successful programs while
for young adults participating in approved programs.
As technology evolves, so do the issues confronting children. One area of growing concern involves artificial intelligence and the creation of sexually explicit images involving minors. Working with lawmakers, OICA is exploring policies that would criminalize the use of AI to sexualize images of children. Dorman believes policymakers are struggling to keep pace with rapidly developing technology. “AI certainly can be used for wonderful opportunities for humanity,” he said. “But the technology is growing at a more rapid pace than the laws
wakes up believing change is possible. “I’m a realist,” he said. “I know the challenges we face. But I’m also an optimist.”
For Dorman, improving outcomes for Oklahoma children isn’t about politics. It’s about identifying problems, educating people, and bringing people together to be part of the solution. “Bettering the lives of children should not be a party platform,” he said. “It should be something we all work on together.”
EAT & DRINK
Perfect Escape
A meal at Juliette feels less like dinner in Norman and more like a weekend escape.
By Julie Porter Scott
You know when you pick up a copy of Southern Living or Food & Wine and see an article about a charming restaurant with a lovely exterior anchored by a picture-perfect patio? You know, the kind where a heavy door opens to reveal a warm welcome, large leather booths, and the bar of your dreams, all tucked neatly into a historic shotgun building on a quaint, quintessential Main Street? But it is always in Savannah or Fredericksburg or somewhere, so you just sigh and put the magazine down?
Maybe that’s just me. But that’s why I felt so lucky to practically stumble upon Juliette. And unlike the situation I’ve just described, this oyster bar and steakhouse is in Norman. You could go tonight, no road trip required, and I can’t recommend it highly enough.
Opened last fall by husbandand-wife team Theron and LeRhonda Jessop and named for their daughter, the restaurant represents the realization of a long-held dream. After years operating food trucks throughout southern Oklahoma, Theron— whose résumé includes serving as chef de cuisine at the Skirvin Hilton and executive chef at the Artesian Hotel—wanted a permanent home for his wellhoned skills. Combining French and Italian influences with a serious oyster program, the menu balances steakhouse classics, seafood, and raw bar specialties.
Behind the scenes, Chef Jessop and his team make nearly everything from scratch. Whole fish are broken down inhouse, anchovies are mashed for Caesar dressing, and the lobster cream found throughout the menu begins with whole Maine lobsters. The impact of all that scratch cooking was evident in every bite, and I once again had to remind myself I was on sleepy Main Street in summertime Norman.
The oyster program shines with selections from familyowned farms from along the Northeast and Canadian coast. The oysters, which are served
by the dozen or half dozen, arrive labeled with their provenance. Blue Points from Connecticut deliver a clean, balanced flavor with a medium brine, crisp texture and lingering minerality, while Quonset oysters from Rhode Island offer a clean, bright ocean saltiness and a sweeter finish. House-made horseradish cocktail sauce and a two-week fermented habanero hot sauce provide optional accompaniments, though the oysters stand perfectly well on their own.
Those seeking something warm should not overlook the escargot de Bourgogne. Swimming in fragrant garlicparsley butter and accompanied by sourdough from Tulsa’s Farrell Bread & Bakery, the classic preparation is rich without becoming heavy.
The Bay of Fundy salmon is one of the menu’s standout entrées. Beautifully seared and moist at the center, the fish rests atop creamy elote-style corn studded with charred kernels and queso fresco, while Sweety Drop peppers provide a burst of color and acidity.
Equally impressive, the braised short rib is fork-tender beneath a rich demi-glace, accompanied by baby carrots and Yukon mashed potatoes. The dish embraces classic steakhouse flavors while showcasing the kitchen’s attention to detail and technique.
Dessert is no afterthought. Meant to be shared, the rich bread pudding, caramelized on top with a soft, custardy center, delivers the same elevated comfort that seems to be the throughline of Juliette.
Continued on page 16
Step into Symmetry, where food, drinks, and hospitality mesh brilliantly for an unforgettable dining experience.
We’re honored to be a Top 5 Finalist for Best Fine Dining Restaurant. Thank you for your consideration during the voting round!
Brunch Bites EAT & DRINK
By Gazette Staff
Everyone’s favorite weekend meal is even more popular during the summer months, and while most people have their go-to brunch spots, we thought we would offer these seven options that might not be on your radar yet—if they aren’t already among your favorites.
Chicken and Waffles is a brunch staple now, and while you’ll find variations pretty much everywhere brunch is served, only Aurora has the deft touch of Chef Jerrod Driskill. His waffles are fluffy and crispy, rich with warm notes, and the chicken is a hearty portion of crunchy, juicy Southern goodness.
This Edmond institution benefits from the presence of two of the metro’s better chefs in Jeff Holloway and Joel Wingate. While it may seem counterintuitive to head to Edmond for chilaquiles, we assure you, this is the right move.
We know you have a favor- ite at this Guatemalan hot spot, but have you had the machaca? The northern Mexican dish is one of many options that tend to get lost on this remarkable menu, but once you try the lime-braised shredded beef scrambled with eggs, you’ll want it again and again.
Cafe Kacao
Cafe 501
Aurora
Levity Breakfast House
Just off Main Street in Norman, the Hunnell brothers and Chef Luke Fry are serving up some of the best breakfast and brunch you’ll find in the metro. We’re always on the lookout for a great breakfast sandwich, and the 411 delivers, from pastry chef Tylyn Fry’s house-made English muffin to the miraculous hash browns, and house-made jam, it’s layers and layers of remarkable flavors.
Jimmy B’s
You’re going to want this Dirty South Fried Rice as a side at every meal, and the lovely folks at Jimmy B’s managed to turn it into a brunch entree by tossing a couple of fried eggs on top of the fantastic pastrami fried rice. The peppery heat is just the right level to keep all that meaty, eggy richness from overwhelming your palate.
Le Parisien
We are sworn to secrecy as to how exactly Chef Bryant Gallegos turns brioche, creme anglaise, butter and Grand Marnier sauce into Midtown magic, and honestly, all you’ll really care about is how anything that begins with bread can be this addictively wonder- ful. The acid in the Grand Marnier sauce tricks you into thinking you’re eating light; just go with it.
Paseo Grill
We joined the throngs of locals who were thrilled that Paseo Grill finally started offering weekly brunch after years of only doing it once a year on Mother’s Day. Chef Carlos Martinez helped keep the costs down by turning a lobster roll into a langous- tine (lobster cousin of sorts) into a beautiful croque madame. If you have room for the potatoes, we’ll be shocked.
September 18 & 19 2026
The A nimal C onference com
ANIMAL Awards
$5,000 AWARD ( Per Category)
NOMINATION DEADLINE: July 31, 2026
ANIMAL CONFERENCE 2026
Join animal welfare leaders and changemakers for two days of inspiring speakers, practical solutions, and meaningful conversations about animal wellbeing.
Do you know someone making an impact for animals in our state?
• Veterinary Care
• Journalism
• Architecture & Design
• Farming & Ranching
• Restaurants & Grocers
Register, nominate, and learn more!
EAT & DRINK
Celestial Spirits
Nova Lounge at Vast elevates Oklahoma City’s cocktail scene.
By Julie Porter Scott
Since opening in 2012, Vast has managed to keep up with lofty expectations, refusing to rest on ceremony as the restaurant at the top of the city. Located on the 49th floor of Devon Tower, it could easily have become a tourist trap, attracting customers for the view and the 726.2 feet that separate the restaurant from the rest of Oklahoma City. It would probably still do plenty of business, especially when you factor in the special events booked at the top of the tower. No one would blame them; it is not uncommon for these types of venues to serve mediocre fare to one-off visitors and charge a hefty price for the privilege.
Instead, Vast has always done the opposite—consistently pushing boundaries, changing menus and upping the ante. From its stellar Lunch Daily Table to wine dinners and pop-ups in the lounge, Vast has continually found ways to evolve.
In May, the restaurant moved into another stratosphere altogether when it quietly opened Nova Lounge, featuring celestialinspired cocktails designed, naturally, around the life cycle of a supernova. The pocket-sized lounge is cozy; it might even feel snug were it not for the panoramic skyline and prairie beyond. Add elevated seasonal small plates designed to complement the cocktail menu, and it becomes clear that Vast has leveled up once again.
Longtime local cocktail veteran and Vast head bartender
Colby Poulin developed the menu around the evolving phases of a supernova. Drinks progress through four stages, beginning with bright, approachable cocktails before moving into richer, more complex creations. The concept brings a sense of theater and discovery to one of the city’s highest dining destinations.
Among the standouts is the Crimson Sky, from Phase I: Pressure. It’s made with gin, amaro Pasubio, black tea berries, lemon, honey and rosé bubbles.
Signal Fade from Phase II: Threshold, offers a smokier profile, combining mezcal, Ancho Reyes Verde, Flora Green, citrus oleo and lime.
Just as thoughtfully considered are Nova’s zero-proof offerings. Rather than treating nonalcoholic drinks as an afterthought, each phase includes a spirit-free counterpart, allowing guests to experience the menu regardless of what is in their glass. Glasshouse, the stunning zero-proof offering from Phase II, features non-alcoholic gin, arugula, peppercorn, pineapple and lemon, and rivaled any cocktail I have ever had.
The culinary program, overseen by Executive Chef Jonas Favela, embraces the same spirit of creativity. Designed for sharing, the menu features elevated bites intended to complement the lounge’s cocktail-forward identity.
Guests can begin with Whipped Boursin Crostini before moving on to seafood-focused dishes and one of the menu’s most indulgent offerings: Basque cheesecake topped with caviar. The combination may sound unexpected, but the creamy cheesecake and briny caviar create a luxurious balance that reflects Nova’s playful approach to fine dining.
Other dishes showcase both technical precision and visual appeal. A tuna mosaic pairs fresh tuna with compressed watermelon and watermelon aguachile, while seafood towers add distinctive touches that go beyond the expected oysters and shrimp cocktail.
“We think when we put something in front of you, you’re going to look at it first,” Favela said. “Your eyes are going to determine how tasty it’s going to be.” That attention to detail extends throughout the experience. Unlike traditional cocktail bars, Nova features no bar seating. Instead, guests settle into lounge seating while enjoying tableside service and sweeping views of downtown Oklahoma City and beyond.
“We still have all of our fine
points of service from the dining room, but we’re in a lounge setting,” Poulin said. “There’s a very fun energy to the menu and the drinks.” The room itself is intentionally intimate. Plush seating, dramatic lighting and uninterrupted views encourage guests to linger over cocktails and shared plates rather than rush through the evening.
There’s an easy confidence to the overall vibe of Vast. “I don’t need to be the best. I don’t need to win awards,” Favela said. “The most important thing for me is being respected by people in this building.” That philosophy extends to the employees themselves. “If they’re happy and feeling good, then what they produce is going to reflect that,” he said. “It’s important for me.”
As Oklahoma City’s dining scene continues to ascend, Nova Lounge has staked a unique claim in the landscape. There are plenty of places to grab a cocktail, but few offer the chance to sip and savor while watching evening descend nearly 50 stories above the city.
For guests seeking a memorable night out, Nova Lounge promises an experience written in the stars.
YOUR BACKSTAGE PASS TO OKLAHOMA MUSIC
EAT & DRINK
Perfect Escape
A meal at Juliette feels less like dinner in Norman and more like a weekend escape.
By Julie Porter Scott
Continued from page 11.
....The cocktails I tried were outstanding. Tequila Yuzu Sour shines with bright citrus notes and a silky texture courtesy of egg white, while the Lychee Martini combines Grey Goose vodka, St-Germain and lemon into a refreshing, subtly tropical drink. The martini program, in particular, has become a point of pride for the team.
The wine list demonstrates the same thoughtfulness as the rest of the experience. Rather than relying on familiar labels, Juliette’s by-the-glass selections encourage exploration. Crisp Txakolina, bone-dry Muscadet, and zesty Albariño are joined by Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay, all chosen with oysters and seafood in mind. Champagne and sparkling wines receive equal attention, underscoring the restaurant’s celebratory spirit and pairing perfectly with oysters.
I enjoyed watching the dining room fill up during a summer Saturday evening, and as good as dinner was, I think my next trip will be for “Golden Hour,” Juliette’s version of happy hour, Tuesdays through Thursdays from 4–6 p.m., featuring fun combos like Pearls and Pours—a half dozen oysters and a classic martini for $22—and oysters on the half shell for $2.
As I enjoyed my meal and took in the beautiful space, I kept thinking about these two ideas: southern hospitality and refined comfort. Maybe it’s the
influence of southern Oklahoma, where Theron and LeRhonda grew up and are raising their family now.Maybe it was the food, which felt like a more refined version of the dishes I grew up eating. It felt nostalgic in a way, even though I’d never been there before. I think there’s a German word for that.
Restaurants, when at their very best, offer the perfect escape. Sometimes, even a small break can provide an inordinate amount of comfort. Juliette feels like a vacation, or
perhaps like an act of self-care. It feels like a place where you want to become a regular, like a character from a
Grisham novel strolling over from the courthouse.
You may not be bound for Savannah or Fredericksburg this summer, but do yourself a favor and book a date with Juliette.
EAT & DRINK
Med Deli Turns 45
By Rob Crissinger
Mediterranean Imports, Deli + Gastro Goods has been Oklahoma City’s top purveyor of specialty meats and cheeses for 45 years, and unless you’re a chef or yoga mom from the upper northwest side you’ve probably never heard of it. Mediterranean Imports is
quirky and confident, with a cozy cafe and covered patio on one side, and a gourmet deli and groceries on the other.
They serve one of the best Reubens around -- with the perfect balance of tender pastrami and melty Swiss and spicy mustard on grilled rye with sauerkraut or their house made spicy cabbage –and the falafel sandwich is a wild sensory adventure, equal parts mystique and nostalgia. The hummus is so perfectly creamy it’s addictive.
But hear me now: the macaroons are special. Larger than most, plum sized, with a chewy-crispy exterior and soft cloudburst center of sweet, pillowy coconut dreams, and only $1.25 each! Try one fresh from the oven.
The depth of selections at the deli counter and fresh market is truly mindboggling. Savvy local chefs often source seasonal and hard-to-find ingredients from them. One could – and should – spend an entire afternoon sampling meats and cheeses from around the world (specifically Italy, Greece, Turkey, France, Spain, and England, as well as countries throughout the Middle East, North Africa, Eastern and Western Europe, and Central and South America), discovering exotic ingredients and unique wares, and learning from the city’s undisputed queens of charcuterie.
Continued on the next page
EAT & DRINK
Med Deli Turns 45
By Rob Crissinger
Continued from previous page
Hidden in plain sight since 1981, staff and customers often refer to it as a “hidden gem.” This could be due in part to its island-like location and patchwork parking options. But this works in your favor, chances are good you won’t have to wait for a table.
They’re open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. six days a week, and closed Sundays. You can order online for delivery or curbside pickup. Catering is their bread and butter, with a
wide selection of buffets, box lunches, and custom charcuterie and party trays. One of their most popular carryout items is The Falafel Family Pack, six half-pita sandwiches with eggplant sauce and house made tahini on the side for $27.99. This is a place where knowledgeable and personable staff are excited to help you create your own adventure. Uncork a bottle of wine from the shelf and enjoy a lazy late lunch on the covered patio, as the rest of the world zips by.
A Conversation with Enes Kanter Freedom
Part I: The Cost of Freedom
By James Biscone
Continued from page 9
From the airport they went straight to the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum.
Presti personally guided him through the memorial, explaining the history of the Oklahoma City bombing, the lives lost and the effect it left on the community.
“He told me, ‘This is what this city went through. Every time you go out there, remember who you are playing for.’”
The experience transformed how Freedom viewed both the city and his role within it.
“It was nothing I’d ever experienced before,” he says.
After playing in multiple NBA cities, Freedom still speaks about Oklahoma differently.
“The people are just different,” he says. “They’re respectful. They’re kind. They’re genuine.”
That connection became especially meaningful as the consequences of his activism intensified.
As relationships with family members became strained and the distance between Freedom and his homeland grew, support arrived from an unexpected place.
“When I lost my family, I was playing for the Oklahoma City Thunder,” Freedom says. “Literally, the whole state came together and became my family.”
For a man who has spent much of his life speaking about freedom, democracy and belonging, his relationship with Oklahoma
remains one of the most meaningful relationships of his career.
Today, Freedom continues to travel the world advocating for human rights and democratic values. The risks have not disappeared. In fact, he says they continue to evolve.
Asked what he hopes young people take from his story, however, his answer returns to the lesson his mother taught him decades ago.
“Stand up for what you believe in, even if it means sacrificing everything you have,” he says. “Educate yourself. Read. And whatever you’re doing in life, try to bring good into this world.”
It is a lesson that began long before the NBA, long before the Nobel Peace Prize nomination, long before he became Enes Kanter Freedom.
It began with a mother who told her son not to hate people he had never met. It began with a father who valued education over basketball.
Those lessons carried him from Turkey to America, from basketball arenas to the world stage, and through sacrifices few people will ever understand.
Along the way, he found an unexpected connection in Oklahoma.
And that connection, as it turns out, is a story all its own.
A Conversation with Enes Kanter Freedom Part II will be published in the Oklahoma Gazette in the fall of 2026.
James Biscone is a native Oklahoman, attorney and author. He is a contributing writer to the Oklahoma Gazette.
EXPERIENCE
In the Paseo Arts & Creativity Center at 3024 Paseo
Gallery I: Nathaly Ramos
Gallery II: Print on Paseo Gallery III: Kathy Wrigley
The Paseo Arts District has local and national art, great food, art classes & plenty of shopping!
ARTS & CULTURE
250 Years. Countless Ways to Celebrate
Celebrate America’s 250th birthday with fireworks, festivals, parades and patriotic traditions across Oklahoma.
By Leslie A. Spears
America turns 250 this year, and communities across Oklahoma are marking the milestone with fireworks, live music, parades and patriotic celebrations. Whether you’re staying close to home or taking a short road trip, these events offer something for every age. Pack your lawn chairs and blankets, and enjoy an Independence Day to remember.
Red, White & Boom!
July 3, 8pm, Scissortail Park OKC Philharmonic performs patriotic favorites before a spectacular fireworks finale. okcphil.org
LibertyFest Edmond
July 4, Downtown Edmond Morning parade daytime activities across Edmond. Nighttime fireworks finale at 9:30pm libertyfest.org
Tribute to Liberty
July 4, 7-10pm, Joe B. Barnes Regional Park, Midwest City
Live music, food trucks, games, family activities and a fireworks spectacular. midwestcityok.org
Star Spangled Beach Bash
July 4, 12pm, OKANA Waterpark & Resort. Live music, games, patriotic activities, a foam party, and a fireworks finale. Full schedule: okanaresort.com.
Star-Spangled Nights!
July 3 & 4, Frontier City
Enjoy a full day of thrills capped off with a spectacular fireworks display. sixflags.com/frontiercity
All American Bash
Saturday, July 4, 7-10pm
Bricktown Outdoor Stage at Oklahoma & Wanda Jackson Way
Free entry, all ages welcome okopry.org
Bethany Boom & Block Party
July 4, parade begins at 10am
Features a Route 66 parade, vendors, live entertainment and fireworks. cityofbethany.org
Choctaw Independence Day
Celebration
July 4, 6-10pm, Choctaw Creek Park
Enjoy live music, food trucks, family activities and fireworks. choctawnation.com
Nichols Hills Fourth of July Celebration
July 4, starts at 9am, Kite Park
Morning parade followed by an evening celebration with live music, family activities and a drone show. nicholshills-ok.gov
Norman Fourth Fest
America’s 250th Birthday Run
July 4, 8am, Legacy Park
Starting with the Firecracker 5K or fun run as part of Norman’s Fourth Fest
celebration. normanok.gov/events
Piedmont Freedom Fest
July 4, 5pm
A hometown celebration with a parade, carnival rides, food trucks and family fun. facebook.com/piedmontfreedomfest
Around Oklahoma
Ada 4th of July Fireball Classic
July 4, starts at 6am, Wintersmith Park
. Featuring a 10K run, 5K run, family fun run and walk, and the Fastest Kid in Town race. facebook.com/FireballClassicMemorial
Kingfisher Red, White & Boom
July 4, starts at 10am
Downtown Kingfisher. Celebrate with a hometown parade, family games, food vendors, and an evening fireworks show. facebook.com/AllAboutKingfisher
Blanchard Independence Celebration
July 3, 6-10pm
Blanchard Festival Grounds
Enjoy a performance by the Oklahoma City Symphonic Band, food vendors, and a fireworks display. visitblanchardok.com.
Meeker Independence Day
Celebration
July 3, starts at 7pm with parade
Meeker Lake
Live music, games, vendors and fireworks. meekerokchamberofcommerce. org
Shawnee Fireworks Weekend
July 3-4
Fireworks and live entertainment at Kickapoo Casino, FireLake Casino and Grand Casino. visitshawnee.com
Woodward Home of the Brave Festival
July 4, Starts at 9:45am with a fishing derby. A full day of live entertainment, family activities and fireworks. visitwoodward.com/4thofjuly
Chandler
McClanahan Park Grand Opening and Fireworks
July 4, 7pm, Fireworks: 10pm
Celebrate the grand opening of McClanahan Park with live entertainment, guest speakers, and a fireworks finale at 10 pm. chandlerok.gov.
Fireworks at Edmond’s LibertyFest. Photo provided.
ARTS & CULTURE
Screen Time
Summer
releases offering thrilling, thoughtful entertainment
By Laron Chapman
Disclosure Day
Spielberg is arguably one of the greatest and most influential filmmakers of all time. Be it shark-infested waters, a T-Rex terrorizing an amusement park or a Reese’s Pieces-eating alien, he knows how to capture paralyzing terror and the magic and awe of discovery in a cinematic fashion. His intellectual curiosity and childlike sense of wonder have manifested some of the most indelible images ever captured on film. As of 2026, Spielberg has 35 feature films under his directorial belt,
It took seven years for Disney/ Pixar to find a sufficient reason to revisit the beloved ragtag gang of children’s toys that populate the Toy Story franchise. After multiple adventures, near incineration and new ownership, there was still one topic the series had yet to tackle: The advent of technology. That’s right, Woody (Tom Hanks), Buzz (Tim Allen), Jessie (Joan Cusack) and company have entered their “existential crisis” era, competing for attention against the addictive high of digital games,
and no subject has occupied his narratives more than that of extraterrestrial life. Cue his latest film, Disclosure Day.
The story centers around a TV meteorologist, Margaret Fairchild (Emily Blunt), and a cybersecurity whistleblower, Daniel Kellner (Josh O’Connor), who join forces to “disclose” evidence of alien life on Earth to the general public. They share a unique, inexplicable ability to interpret cryptic languages and access people’s innermost thoughts. Their determination to expose the truth threatens to upend the way society views the world.
And by extension, their purpose in it.
Some have declared this Spielberg’s best work in years, while others have decried it as his single worst film. I fall somewhere in between. It is by turns exhilarating, frustrating, emotional and bloated. Despite pacing and logic issues throughout, I found myself engaged by the central mystery. I enjoyed the discourse about the intersectionality of faith and science and the terrific performances from O’Connor and (especially) Emily Blunt. It manages to feel profound and didactic in equal measure.
The incredible John Williams Leviticus
Thanks to the critical and box office success of recent hits Obsession and Backrooms—directed by YouTubers-turned-indie darlings Curry Baker and Kane Parsons— the horror genre is enjoying a moment in the spotlight. Made on shoestring budgets and selling out cinemas nationwide, both films provide further evidence that talent, passion and a strong concept are the only essential ingredients necessary to produce a great product. While I enjoyed them both, neither was as haunting or emotionally gripping
tablets and screen time. Their worst fears materialize in the form of a frog-shaped smart tablet named Lilypad (voiced by Greta Lee) who serves as the film’s primary antagonist. Can the toys win back the heart of their bashful, ever-evolving kid owner Bonnie, or is the shiny new tech too powerful a drug to resist?
Toy Story 5 lassoes this prescient quandary with surprising depth, maturity and heart. It acknowledges the uncomfortable truth about the inescapable effect and influence technology has on society, and provides some well-
as Adrian Chiarella’s Sundance hit Leviticus.
Set in a small Australian mill town, two teenage boys, Naim (Talk to Me’s Joe Bird) and Ryan (Stacy Clausen), share an intimate and forbidden bond. When their affections become known to the town’s religious community, they are subjected to a traumatic ritual aimed at ridding them of their sexual desires. Only instead of relieving them of their natural instincts, they become haunted by a malevolent spirit which takes the form of the person they desire.
earned discourse, character arcs and pathos. Like nearly all longstanding franchises, each subsequent entry has some diminishing returns. This entry never quite reaches the profundity or emotional heights of its predecessors—still, it remains a heartwarming, thoughtful and timely exploration of the challenges of adolescence; finding a sense of belonging; and the pain and wisdom that come from getting older. The animation is top-tier and the characters (old and new) remind us why this is still one of the best animated series Disney/
This is an effective, low-fi indie horror film that repurposes the It Follows conceit with queer desire as the entity you cannot escape. I admired the minimalist approach; the oppressive, eerie sense of place; and the naturalistic performances from Bird and Clausen. The film’s only ambition is to tell a straightforward, grounded story about how sustained hate and prejudice can erode one’s self-worth.
Toy Story 5
ARTS & CULTURE
50 Summers of “Fame”
Oklahoma Arts Institute celebrates a golden legacy of success and inspiration.
by Brian Hearn
For 50 summers, the most promising emerging artists in our state have descended on Quartz Mountain State Park & Lodge in remote southwestern Oklahoma. There they spend part of their summer studying with outstanding professional artist-mentors active in their respective fields, exploring new creative skills, bonding with peers and enjoying a wellearned camp at Oklahoma’s official School of the Arts: Oklahoma Arts Institute.
Fresh off a recent commendation from the Governor acknowledging its enduring impact on generations of Oklahoma artists, educators and communities, Oklahoma Arts Institute has big plans to celebrate its success story and amazing alumni through
a yearlong “50 Summers of the Oklahoma Summer Arts Institute at Quartz Mountain” series of community events.
The 50th anniversary celebration kicked off in midJune when 233 high school students from 40 different Oklahoma communities opened the highly competitive Oklahoma Summer Arts Institute, led by a faculty of 35 guest artists from across the United States. For two intensive weeks, young participants are saturated in one of eight artistic disciplines: acting, chorus, creative writing, dance, drawing and painting, film and video, orchestra or photography. The program very much remains a summer edition of the classic 1980 movie musical Fame with equal parts fun, drama and
intensity.
This year’s participants will channel their creativity to help commemorate the 50th celebration with several free public performances at the Robert M. Kerr Performing Arts Center at Quartz Mountain. Over the last two weekends in June, the chorus and orchestra students perform multiple concerts, and acting and dance students each have performances, as well as a visual art gallery opening, poetry reading and film screening where talent and hard work are readily on display.
You know they’re ready to party when returning OAI guest artist Pamela Ross brought an exciting kick-off concert performance of the Motown-inspired HITCity:
Temptations Edition, featuring the golden pipes of five current Broadway leading men. Another evening highlights the artistic collaborations that naturally grow out of the Arts Institute when the 145th Army Band, “The Governor’s Own,” will perform alongside a “Mosaic” of student performances that demonstrate how the artistic disciplines fit together as part of the nationwide “America250” celebration. More free “OnStage” events are in the works over the coming anniversary year.
ARTS & CULTURE
While the Oklahoma Summer Arts Institute has served over 5,500 aspiring high school art students over its lifespan, its programs have expanded year-round with a thriving Fall Institute catering to adults and educators interested in literary, visual and performing arts. That could mean learning hands-on printmaking from accomplished Norman-based artist and OU professor Marwin Begaye. Or it could be exploring place and landscape through photography among the granite boulders piled up around Quartz Mountain with Idaho-based instructor Laura McPhee. There are no fewer than a dozen workshop options for adults to experiment with.
The summer, however, is when the Quartz Mountain lodge is humming with activity. Equipped with five dedicated pavilions along Lake AltusLugert, students can enjoy lake views from their dance, writing and visual art studios. A rare photography darkroom, a library
and an outdoor amphitheater also support the artistic smorgasbord. As a residential camp, everyone is flung together in a mostly welloiled machine at Quartz Mountain State Park & Lodge. where Oklahoma Arts Institute has been an anchor tenant since 1978.
If we turn back the clock to that very first summer, the Oklahoma Summer Arts Institute began as a three-day pilot program near Tahlequah with Oklahoma luminaries like ballerina Maria Tallchief on the faculty. Would you believe a teenaged Megan Mullally participated in the first Institute as a mime artist?! Funny to imagine, but it shows how there are any number of paths to develop as an artist. Fun fact: The first year also produced today’s most recorded classical harpist, Yolanda Kondonassis. That’s just scratching the surface of the impressive alumni list.
While a career in the arts isn’t necessarily the final destination for emerging student artists, the experiences of OAI programs help
participants develop valuable AI-proof skills. Leadership, collaboration, communication and problem-solving are central to any serious arts practice.
Shannon Gilbert, President and CEO of the Oklahoma Arts Institute, sees these benefits blossom annually. “Oklahoma Arts Institute represents the best of what arts education can accomplish,” Gilbert observed.
“The arts help students grow not only as artists, but as people. They teach resilience, empathy, discipline and creativity. Those
skills matter everywhere.” Programs like Oklahoma Arts Institute not only showcase our state’s talent; they strengthen our communities with citizens enriched by their participation in the arts. That is something to celebrate now and fund for 50 more summers.
Shannon Gilbert, President and CEO of the OAI.
MUSIC
ARTS & CULTURE
Joy in Darkness
Multi-instrumentalist and composer Kangwa Mundende’s music embraces serious themes
By Phoebe Grandi
How would you describe yourself as a musician?
I would say that I am sort of an ADHD musician, if I’m being honest. I’m primarily a bass player –– both classical and jazz –– and also an electric player playing jazz and pop music, and sort of anything that would have a bass guitar. I am also really drawn to the sounds of cello and the piano; I love it a lot. I love guitar. I played a little bit of shoulder string instruments in high school. Now that I’m teaching band, I’m learning all the brass instruments and woodwind instruments.
For me, there’s lots of beauty in variety. I think that’s partly because I’m a composer as well. Because I can’t physically play all of the instruments at a virtuosic level, I like to write the range for larger groups.
Could you tell me more about your work composing?
Composing is, I think, my primary talent, if you can say that. I love weaving emotional content out of the different sounds you can get with different instruments and vocal combinations. The biggest thing I have been working on is my opera, “The Burning,” which is about the Tulsa Race Massacre. Being able to write both the words and the musical content, it’s a journey into what type of relevant stories I can weave out of the words, sounds, and emotions. It’s a giant open world puzzle that I get to construct, and the more I delve into that the more I start to learn about myself.
What pulls you to music as a medium for investigating difficult topics or emotions? Learning what type of people would commit that level of violence, is one of the main things that I wanted to kind of glean in my research for “The Burning.” What type of person does it take to burn another community down? What type of person does it take to believe that they have to be better than other people? I just couldn’t wrap my head around it. But, through the music I was able to contend with a lot of those themes within myself. What type of darkness do I have? Who am I? It’s a huge question. Music was a way for me to access those emotions because, as a man, you’re told to sand off your emotions in order to be seen as a man within society. Music was a safe way for me to access those emotional spaces and allowed me
to be completely human.
Do you bring this thought process and philosophy to your students?
That’s one of the reasons why I wanted to get back into education in this capacity. It took about 33 years for me to really feel like I belonged on this earth. I mean, my parents did the best that they could, and I have a really great professional support system in the music community. But, no one taught me how to contend with the inherent insecurity that comes with being alive, and the bravado of having to be the best. At the end of the day, there are other musicians that are always going to be better than me. But, what matters most is: Can I accept the level of musician and composer that I am now?
How has the Oklahoma City community and music scene shaped your experience?
I feel like there’s a renaissance going on
with the amount of music that’s being made. I’m actually trying to put something on the ground with friends, people who are community-minded and want to be playing music for ourselves. We’re really trying to, within that same spirit of community, to build it. Right now we are called the Electron Cloud Orchestra.
It’s definitely some of the greatest Oklahoma City metro area music minds coming together, a lot of people that I’ve grown up with, look up to, and just respect musically. We’re seeing how we can connect with different communities in Oklahoma City through our music, and I think that we’re going to be launching something that Oklahoma City is going to really respond to.
CALENDAR - JULY
FESTIVALS & FAIRS
Paseo First Friday Gallery Walk
July 3, 6-9pm, Paseo Arts District
Every first Friday year round. thepaseo.org
Upcycle Mini Fest
July 11, 10am-4pm OKC Farmers Public Market okcfarmersmarket.com
Second Friday Norman Art Walk
July 10, 6-9pm, Norman Arts Council
Every second Friday normanarts.org/2ndfridayartwalk
LIVE! on The Plaza
Jul 10, 6pm Plaza District Every Second Friday plazadistrict.org
Bastille Day Celebration at Le Parisien
July 14, beginning at 2pm
Fourth Fridays in West Village
July 24, 6-10pm through October westvillageokc.com
FARMERS MARKETS
Scissortail Farmers Market 9am–1pm, Saturdays through October.
scissortailpark.com
Night Market at Scissortail Park
July 17, 5:30-10pm, Every third Friday through September scissortailpark.org
OAK Farmers Market
July 25, 9am-1pm. Last Saturday through October. oakokc.com
OKC Public Farmers Market
Saturdays, 9am-2pm okcfarmersmarket.com
Wheeler District Night Market
July 24, 6-9pm, Every fourth Friday through October wheelerdistrict.com
FILM
OETA’s Back In Time: “Belle Starr, Bandit Queen” premiere screening and panel discussion July 9, 1-3pm - Oklahoma History Center okhistory.org
OKCMOA Films JULY okcmoa.com. Times vary. French Film Festival
• Two Pianos, July 10
• The Girl in the Snow, July 10
• That Summer in Paris, July 11
• A Private Life, July 12
• Affection Affection, July 12
Also
• Exhibition on Screen: Frida Kahlo, July 3-5
• Film Society Presents: Éric Rohmer’s The Lady and the Duke on 35mm, July 9
• Backrooms July 16–26
• Romería, July 17–19
• I Shot Andy Warhol, July 24–26
• Rose of Nevada, July 31–August 2
COMEDY
Brictown Comedy Club - JULY bricktowncomedy.com
• Charleston White-July 3
• Eric Eaton-July 9
• Tiffany Haddish-July 10–12
• Anthony Jeselnik-July 16–18
• Peyton Ruddy - July 19
• Jerry Wayne Longmire - July 22
• Olivia Carter - July 23
• Tales of Vicious Mockery: An
• RPG Comedy Show -July 25
• Sam Tallent -July 26
• Mary Ryan Brown -July 28
• Phil Hanley-July 30–31
Tower Theater JULY towertheatreokc.com
July 18 - Last Podcast on The Left
VISUAL ARTS
THROUGH April 2027
Oklahoma Contemporary okcontemp.org
What Does Community Mean to You?
Art opening - July 9, 6-9pm THROUGH August 8 DNA Galleries dnagalleries.com
RECORD+PLAY
July 11, 18, 26 - Factory Obscura factoryobscura.com
Access for All at OKCMOA July 12, 12-5pm Free Admission OKC Museum of Art okcmoa.com
THEATER
Sister Act
The Sense of Beauty: Six Centuries of Painting from Museo de Arte de Ponce THROUGH September 20, 2026 okcmoa.com
Anthony McCall: Solid Light CLOSES July 27
Oklahoma Contemporary okcontemp.org
Nature Morte THROUGH August 28,2026 1515 Lincoln Gallery 1515lg.com
Chad Mount: Frequency and Perspective THROUGH November 2, 2026
Oklahoma Contemporary okcontemporary.org
Formless Matter and Its Devastating Gestures
July 7-12, 7:30pm - Lyric Theater at Civic Center Music Hall lyrictheatreokc.com
Sordid Lives by Del Shores July 10-26, 8-10pm - Carpenter Square Theatre carpentersquare.com
Sweeney Todd July 28-August 1, Lyric Theater at Civic Center Music Hall lyrictheatreokc.com
SPORTS
OKC Comets Home Games JULY mlb.com/milb/oklahoma-city
• July 1-5 Sugar Land Space Cowboys
• July 11 & 12 El Paso Chihuahuas
• July 28 & 29 - Las Vegas Aviators
WWE Smackdown
July 10, 6:30pm - Paycom Center paycomcenter.com
PBR Wildcatter Days
July 31-August 2 Paycom Center paycomcenter.com
MUSIC
Blue Note okcbluenote.com
• July 3 - L.A.Z.I.E. with Paige Renee Berry and Allie INgle
• July 25 - WRLDFMS with Tony Williams
The Criterion criterionokc.com
July 16 - Killers of Kill Tony
Diamond Ballroom JULY diamondballroom.com
• July 11 - Cinderella’s Tom Keifer Band
• July 18 - Battle for Kattfest Night #1
• July 25 - Battle for Kattfest Night #2
Scissortail Park Summer Concert Series
July 11 - July is for Jazz scissortailpark.org
Beer City Music Hall JULY beercitymusichall.com
• July 9 - Devin the Dude
• July 11 - Chris Travis
• July 17 - Elijah Scott
• July 18 - Hit The Lights
• July 22 - Dying Wish
• July 24 - Johnny Manchild and the PoorBastards
• July 25 - DWLLRS
• July 26 - 54 Ultra
• July 30 - Uncle Lucius
• July 31 - Annabelle Dinda
Live at Beats & Bites
Flatland Cavalry with Jason Boland & The Stragglers
July 11 - Riverwind Casino riverwindcasino.com
Scott Guthrie as Sweeney Todd. Lindsie VanWinkleGuthrie as Mrs. Lovett. Lyric Theatre’s “Sweeney Todd” runs July 28 - August 1 at Civic Center Music Hall. Photo by Miki Galloway.
The Jones Assembly JULY thejonesassembly.com
• July 16 - Handmouth
• July 27 - My So Called BandBenefitting The Recovery
Summer Concert Series July 17, 7-10pm - Wheeler District. Every third Friday through September. .wheelerdistrict.com
OKC Zoo Amphitheater okczooamp.com
• July 21 The Black Keys Peaches ‘N Kream World Tour
• July 22 - Lord Huron
Jason Aldean: Songs About Us Tour July 24 - Paycom Center paycomcenter.com
Tower Theater JULY towertheatreokc.com
• July 10 - I Love R&B Party
• July 17 - Steel Pulse
• July 19 - Sun Kil Moon
• July 29 - Matt Fraser
• July 31 - Bingo Loco
Red Rock Canyon Grill Thursday Live Music facebook.com/ RedrockCanyonGrillOKC
• July 9 - Jukebox Heroes
• July 16 - The Hefner Harbour Social Club
• July 23 - Hypnotik
• July 30 - Time Machine
Louies Lakeside Summer Concert Series JULY facebook.com/LouiesLakeside
• July 10 - Wise Guys
• July 17 - “Rockin Chair” Crossley & Wilson Band
• July 31 - Superfreak
89th Street Collective JULY 89thstreetokc.com
• July 14 - Ded
• July 18 - Letters To Part (w/ Lilac Kings)
• July 25 - NASCAR Aloe + Jasiah: Capital Punishment Tour
The Blue Door JULY bluedoorokc.com
• July 3 - Jared Deck
• July 17 - Dylan LeBlanc
• July 30 - Sean McConnell
UCO Jazz Lab ucojazzlab.com
• July 26 – A Night of Smooth R&B, Soul, Blues and Jazz (Nichols, Bradford, Moore, Funches)
For a great list of July 4th activities visit page 20!
The Wise Guys perform at Louie’s Lakeside in June. Lake Hefner East Warf.
Photo by the Wise Guys.
A Cause Close to the Heart
The Isaiah Joe Children’s Classic isn’t just another charitable endeavor.
By David Brandon
OKC Thunder player Isaiah Joe’s foundation supports a variety of causes, including children’s hospitals. There’s a personal reason for that.
According to the CDC, roughly 40,000 U.S. babies each year have a heart condition, and 10,000 of them are serious enough to require immediate surgical intervention.
Isaiah’s younger brother Jon was one of them.
According to the CDC, roughly 40,000 U.S. babies each year have a heart condition, and
10,000 of them are serious enough to require immediate surgical intervention.
Isaiah’s younger brother Jon was one of them.
The Joe Family’s Connection to Pediatric Medicine
“Jon is a little bit of a miracle baby,” says Derrick Joe, Isaiah’s father. “You never expect to have a situation where you’re five months into a pregnancy and the doctor says, ‘Hey, something’s wrong.’”
Early screenings caught a life-threatening heart condition while Jon was in the womb. He required multiple heart surgeries at Arkansas Children’s Hospital before the age of 4. Isaiah was 6 years old when his younger brother was born; family members helped take care of the boys at their home in Fort Smith, Arkansas, while their parents traveled back and forth to Little Rock for Jon’s care.
It was a tough challenge for the family, but they weathered it together. Isaiah’s father believes it had a real influence on his son, even at such a young age. “We’re a ‘no-excuses’ family,” he says, “and Jon really sets that tone. If he can go through what he’s been through, what
do we have to complain about? Isaiah carries that same mindset, because he watched his little brother fight through things none of us have ever faced.”
The Isaiah Joe Family Foundation
Fast forward to 2026, and the family is in a very different place.
Jon Joe is now a healthy young man. Isaiah Joe is now an NBA player and won a championship with the Oklahoma City Thunder. And he’s now able to give back to the organizations, causes and communities he cares about: The Isaiah Joe Family Foundation supports basketball camps, the Fort Kids
Children’s Museum, the Fort Smith Boys and Girls Clubs, HAWKS (Hard at Work Kids) and other important causes.
Those include the Oklahoma and Arkansas Children’s Hospitals. Facilities like these are the reason Jon Joe could grow up happy and healthy, and when it came time for Isaiah to pick charities to support, they were an obvious choice.
“As a child, my youngest brother was given the opportunity to live a healthy life because of the Children’s Hospital in Arkansas,” he says. “Fast forward and his heart condition is not a hindrance to his life, but a sign of the fight that was won because of Children’s.”
The Isaiah Joe Children’s Classic
On July 12 and 13, the Isaiah Joe Family Foundation is hosting a two-day event including a cocktail reception and the Isaiah Joe Children’s Classic Golf Tournament at the Oak Tree National golf course. The proceeds will fund pediatric cardiology initiatives at both hospitals.
“I’m extremely excited to be hosting my first annual charity golf event,” Isaiah says. “Golf is such a close sport to me, and I see it as the perfect outing to get people together to enjoy the day on a beautiful course while also supporting a great cause. This event wouldn’t mean anything without the reason behind it.”
Few families see a member achieve the level of success Isaiah has, and his choice to give back to something so close to all of them is a source of understandable pride for the Joes. “As he’s grown and especially since entering the NBA, he’s gained an even deeper understanding of Jon’s condition and what it means for our family,” says Derrick Joe. “When he decided he wanted to support Oklahoma Children’s Hospital and Arkansas Children’s Hospital through his foundation, that was all him. I always hoped he would choose those hospitals, but it was his decision, and I’m grateful he made it.”
Isaiah agrees. “It’s some -
thing that I’ve been thinking about for a while now,” he says, “and it means a lot that I can make it happen.
“I’m honored to have this opportunity.”
Before Jon’s first heart surgery
PUZZLES
78 Rod with seven A.L. batting titles
80 Athlete’s cup 85 Flattering verse 86 In the manner of
Demonstrate extreme flexibility, as an acrobat 89 Opposite of neo-
90 Tandoor bread + Harlem music venue + ______
93 Word of obligation + ______
+ Punxsutawney name
95 Some origin stories
97 Response to ‘‘Shall we?’’ 98 H.S. science class for some college-bound students
99 Rocky Mountain bugler
100 Move, in real estate lingo
101 Pioneered
103 Immediately
105 Couple of llamas?
107 Rug rat + Magic stick +
110 Soccer score + ______ + Scottish inlets
115 Resistor unit
116 Iconic 1984 movie vehicle that was a combination ambulance/ hearse
119 ‘‘Anything for you!’’
120 Actress de Armas
121 Annoyances when trying to make change
122 Challenging, informally
123 Corleone, for one
124 Toilet-paper spec
125 Most likely to offer solace, say
126 Calm DOWN
1 Fastener used with a padlock
2 The ‘‘E’’ in FEMA: Abbr.
3 ‘‘Diamonds’’ singer, to fans
4 QB protectors, collectively
5 Time to decide who’s in or out
6 Polite Spanish assent
7 ThinkPads, e.g., once
8 ‘‘Doc’’ in the Mets Hall of Fame
9 Removed, as a knot
10 Language suffix
11 Spanish seasoning
12 Hindu goddess in the ‘‘Ramayana’’
13 Serpentine constellation
14 Ambidextrous features?
15 It may have just desserts
16 Converter of natural heat
17 Doohickey
18 Tweens, e.g.
21 Making level
27 Welcomed at the door
29 Broccoli follower
32 Intestinal bacterium
33 Choir platforms
36 Boggy stuff
37 Literary award shaped like a rocket
38 Milky gemstone
40 Common solvents
42 Some R.P.I. grads
43 Chances
45 Hurry
46 Waze suggestions: Abbr.
47 Armpit, anatomically
48 Move to a larger pot, say
51 More than a couple
54 Doesn’t just sit there
55 Boxing stats
57 Influential leader of the Seminole people
59 Burrito-shaped lunch counter item
SUDOKU °214758601 MEDIUM Fill in the grid so that every row, column and 3-by-3 box contains the numbers 1 through 9. www.printmysudoku.com
60 Part of X-X-X
62 [Is this thing on?]
64 Scenic stroll, from the Spanish
66 Baja Peninsula resort, for short
67 In the thick of
68 Hardly Mr. Nice Guy
69 Hippocratic oath takers: Abbr.
71 Path covered with diamonds
74 Vamooses
75 Pretentiously affected
77 ‘‘Frozen’’ villain
79 Existential emotion
81 Goofus
82 Dance squat
83 Where 95-Down’s Wild Ride ends, at Disneyland
84 Key ingredient in Key lime pie
87 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame city: Abbr.
88 Floated down a river, say
91 ‘‘Hmm, gotcha’’
92 Unteachable sort, in a saying
94 Tessellations
95 ‘‘The Wind in the Willows’’ squire
96 ‘‘Nice try, but I don’t think so’’
98 Islands that form atop underwater volcanoes
101 Making all the stops
102 Portion of a log
104 Quick to think or act
106 [Grrr!]
108 ‘‘Eh, what can you do?!’’
109 Black cat, classically
111 For fear that
112 Michael of ‘‘Superbad’’
113 Wraparound garment
114 Eye affliction
117 Belt worn with a yukata
118 Company that owns Wite-Out
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CONTRIBUTORS
WRITERS
James Biscone
David Brandon Laron Chapman Brian Hearn Julie Porter Scott Erika Buzzard Wright
FREE WILL ASTROLOGY: JULY
ARIES (March 21-April 19): Archaeologists studying ancient wells have discovered that some weren’t finished in a single effort. Communities might dig to the current water table, use the well for years, then probe further down when water levels dropped or needs increased. This is a useful metaphor for you, Aries. As of yet, you don’t have the ability or tools to reach the deepest layers you aspire to reach. My counsel is to go as far as you can now and gather what you find there. Later, when you’re readier, you will build on what has come before.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): The doom-and-gloom wing of astrology is exhausting. The superstition that Mercury retrograde causes scrambled messages and dire mix-ups is dull and misguided. The planet’s apparent backward motion, which is happening right now, shows up about three times every year like clockwork. It’s perfectly normal! In my view, Mercury retrograde isn’t threatening unless you obsess on the idea that it is, in which case, yes, your payment might go astray, and a friend may misunderstand you. But if cultivating relaxed clarity is more fun and productive for you than coping with fearful tension, treat the time between now and July 23 as a rich opportunity to refine, deepen, and upgrade how you communicate.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): You Gemini readers have decreed that I must halt all musings about maddening, riddle-drenched ambiguity. You’ve delivered the message to me that you’re tired of wrestling with enigmas wrapped in paradoxes. Straightforward, plainspoken factualness is what you want. Well, OK. (Please remember that I don’t make this stuff up; I simply channel cosmic omens.) Maybe I’ll start obeying your orders next time. But first, I will advise you: 1. Unexpected gifts are coming from people and situations in transition. 2. Tough but friendly interventions will nudge you toward healthy course corrections. 3. Mysterious assistance is on its way.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): There are phases when the cosmic energies and I urge you to put others first—even tend to their pain before you tend to your own. But this isn’t one of those times. Right now, sacrificing yourself for the sake of others would obstruct the flow of righteous grace into your life. So then what is the most soul-honoring path available? Here’s what I think: Summon your inventive brilliance and use it to imagine generous ways to care for yourself. Shower yourself with gifts, treats, and blessings that delight you. Take the loving care you so deftly pour into other people and lavish it wholeheartedly on yourself.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Most fields of human endeavor work like this: A few people are truly brilliant, a handful are actively harmful, and the majority fall somewhere between “not great” and “pretty good.” That’s true whether you’re talking about engineers, doctors, poets, or astrologers. So it’s inadvisable to assume a physician is wise about your well-being just because they’ve logged 15 years on the job, or to trust your life direction to the first astrologer whose promotion catches your eye. In the coming weeks, dear Leo, discernment like this matters even more than usual. Let your natural hopefulness be balanced by sharp, thoughtful judgment. Don’t just challenge obvious authority. Put every so-called fact, spin, assumption, and official line under your own clear-eyed review.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Architects designing spaces for collective use try to balance two human needs: to see expansively and also have safe places to retreat. Too much exposure creates anxiety; too much enclosure brings claustrophobia. The ideal is to provide both shelter and spaciousness. Let’s use this theme as a metaphor for your life during the coming months. You’ll be wise to create an equilibrium between engagement and privacy, between vastness and protection. Make it easy for yourself to observe the larger scene and also withdraw when needed.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Self-proclaimed “skeptics” love to sneer at astrologers, as if pondering what lies ahead were a violation of scientific purity. And yet economists, sports analysts, trend watchers, and political commentators churn out shaky predictions every day. Honestly, those professionals of probability often create more confusion than those of us who read the heavens. Take weather forecasters, for instance: From Europe to Japan, their models routinely miss sudden floods and twisters and trigger more than a few false alarms. But do the debunkers brand them as charlatans? Of course not. Forgive the outburst, but I’m building to a key foresight: Every forecast, projection, or vision that crosses your path over the next month will miss the mark—except for this one. So free yourself of their meddling.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Ethnobotanists describe how certain Indigenous traditions work with “teacher plants.” These are flora that offer not only physical benefits but spiritual instruction. They include psychoactive substances, but also ordinary plants approached with extraordinary attention. In the spirit of reinventing your education, Scorpio, I invite you to expand your understanding of who and what your teachers are. What ordinary elements of your daily life might offer wisdom if you engage them with deep respect? What situations at the edges of your awareness could bring lessons that enrich your perspectives? Now is an excellent time to seek new apprenticeships.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Western science and Western religions may disagree about how the universe began, but both place its birth in the distant past. Tantra and other spiritual paths, by contrast, propose that the universe is born afresh in every instant through
the sacred, erotic interplay of God and Goddess. When humans approach love-making as an experimental sacrament, these traditions suggest, we can tune in to the union of those primordial forces and, in a sense, take part in the continual creation of existence. So, are you ready for a bit of world-making erotic play? The current astrological indicators say yes, you are.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): A common obstacle to healthy intimacy is the belief that a beloved ally should automatically know what you need, without you saying a word. I used to suffer from this delusion myself and worked hard to dissolve it. I no longer unconsciously assume that my companions are so attuned to me that they can always intuit my desires. But I know this bad idea feels romantic to many people, even though it can sabotage even the most promising bond. In the weeks ahead, Capricorn, I invite you to starve this fantasy. Your intimate world is ripe for a fresh infusion of lucid, straightforward honesty.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Your next few weeks will be sponsored by CoffeeBeer, the paradoxical elixir that both pumps up your energy and decompresses your defenses. You will be an exemplary role model for this innovative product because you will epitomize what occurs when a sensitive soul gets excited and mellows out at the same time. I also expect you will soon be exploring intriguing opportunities that become available to you because of your supercharged calm. Fortunately, you don’t need to drink actual coffee and beer together to make this happen. The cosmic forces will be conspiring to help you.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Finish this sentence, Pisces: “The one thing that really keeps me from being myself is _______.” Is it someone’s
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