May 2021

Anneliese M. Bruner was in her mid-30s when her father presented her with a small red book. It was bound in cloth and worn at the corners. “This is a book your grandmother wrote,” he told her, “and I want you to see what you can do with it. You are the matriarch of the family now, and I’m giving this to you.” Opening it, she saw a panoramic photograph that revealed the utter destruction of the Greenwood District in Tulsa, Okla. , in the immediate aftermath of a white mob descending on the...

I attended a virtual meeting led by Leadership Tulsa, Oklahoma recently that highlighted an amazing program. I look at most programs through a trauma informed lens, and this non-profit, City Lights Foundation of Oklahoma, struck me as the epitome of trauma informed care. The safety and relationships they create allows for emotional sharing and healing that then leads to skill building, empowerment and resilience. I urge you to listen with a trauma informed ear, and you will hear Safety,...

We are excited that the Ok25by25 Early Childhood Coalition 5 Year Update is just around the corner. The presentation will "go live" on Monday, May 10th at 10:00 a.m. Our keynote speaker is Rob Grunewald, economist with the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, who will be introduced by Secretary of Human Services Justin Brown. Four interactive discussions take place between two service providers in each of four topic areas (and OK25by25 metrics) including Child Poverty, Teen Pregnancy, Food...