Joy Harjo
Anna C. Roth Legacy Award Honoree
Joy Harjo, the 23rd Poet Laureate of the United States, is a member of the Mvskoke Nation and belongs to Oce Vpofv (Hickory Ground). She is just the second poet to be appointed a third term as U.S. Poet Laureate. Harjo is the author of nine books of poetry, two award-winning children’s books, several screenplay and three plays. Harjo has produced seven award-winning music albums, including Winding Through the Milky Way, for which she was awarded a NAMMY for Best Female Artist of the Year. Harjo is a chancellor of the Academy of American Poets, holds a Tulsa Artist Fellowship, is a founding board member and Chair of the Native Arts and Cultures Foundation, and directs For Girls Becoming, an arts mentorship program for young Mvskoke women. She has recently been inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Letters, the National Native American Hall of Fame, and the National Woman’s Hall of Fame.
As this year’s Anna C. Roth Legacy honoree, a great deal will be made to recognize the longevity of your work. How do you hope history will judge your time, service, and work? What more do you want to accomplish?
JOY: In the end, I want it to be said that I loved the people and through my creativity inspired others to their creative gifts. My hope is that those who follow will find my art, writing, and music to be as handholds to the wisest and deepest parts of themselves. And they will see that we are all connected in this story.
Your work has helped shape music, poetry and the art of storytelling for decades years. What keeps you going after accomplishing so much?
JOY: I continue to be a witness of the unfolding story of these times, of my generation, of the story of my Mvskoke people. The story is constantly changing and the challenges appear to pile up into unsurmountable mountains. We have to keep going toward knowledge, understanding, and kindness.
Brenda Alford
Community Service Honoree
Brenda Alford is a descendant of Tulsa Race Massacre survivors and Black Wall Street entrepreneurs, and is a proud third generation graduate of Booker T. Washington High School. Brenda served as Chair of the Mass Graves Public Oversight Committee at the bequest of Mayor G.T. Bynum, and also serves as a board member at Greenwood Rising, and as a member of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre Centennial Commission.
Tulsa has a steep mountain to climb when it comes to reconciliation for our city's past around social justice. What are ways that we as a community can continue to build on last year’s work around the centennial of the Tulsa Race Massacre?
BRENDA: We can continue to build on the work around last year's centennial of the Tulsa Race Massacre by continuing those conversations and initiatives that bring about inclusivity, diversity, and equal opportunities to our community. I know that my grandparents, who were survivors of the Race Massacre and Black Wall Street entrepreneurs, could never imagine that we would be speaking about the Tulsa Race Massacre, no less attempting to find victims of this atrocity in this day and time. Having those conversations allows us to realize that we have more in common than not, and that we are better together than apart. All of this in hopes that nothing of this nature ever occurs again.
Can you speak to the importance of service and why you feel it's an essential aspect to building a community?
BRENDA: This reminds me of a quote I came across in the memoirs of my late aunt, Dr. Cecilia Nails-Palmer, who was only 2-years-old at the time of the Tulsa Race Massacre. It said, "I feel there is no such thing as standing still when change comes and all traditions are destroyed. For when we have no past, we have no future." We all have our individual gifts that we are given in this life, and we must utilize them to bring about the changes that we so desire. I am so humbled and honored to have the opportunities to do my part to preserve our family and community legacies.
Connie Cronley
Arts & Humanities Honoree
Connie Cronley is a Cherokee author who grew up in Nowata, lives in Tulsa and has been writing for most of her life. “A Life on Fire,” a biography of Kate Barnard, is Cronley’s fifth book. Connie’s career includes working as a writer for Tulsa Tribune, Tulsa People, and Oklahoma Monthly, serving as Executive Director of Iron Gate, and Managing Director of Tulsa Ballet Theatre. She is also a commentator on Public Radio 89.5.
What are the most challenging aspects of being an artist? What are some ways you continue to grow as an artist?
CONNIE: One of my favorite professors at the University of Tulsa, Dr. Winston Weathers, told a writing class once that we ought to do our work sincerely but not take ourselves seriously. That reminds us to put the emphasis on our work and not on ourselves. Marianne Moore also wrote "Writing is exciting and baseball is like writing. You can never tell with either how it will go." Each day and each job calls for our best work. The soul doesn't know the difference if we're writing something for free or for a million dollars. Each job must be our best work.
You quote the poet, Marianne Moore, as someone that provides you with inspiration. She says, “Your thorns are the best part of you.” Can you expand on why this quote inspires you and share a bit about how people can reflect on this message?
CONNIE: Marianne Moore was an admirable poet and woman who supported the suffrage movement. I could write an entire essay about Marianne Moore's poem "Roses Only," but let me be succinct. I am drawn to this startling line -- "your thorns are the best part of you" -- because it reminds me that the rose, known as "the queen of flowers," is often associated with beauty and femininity. But the rose has complexity. The rose is not one, solitary flower; there are more than 30,000 varieties of roses. The rose has multiple symbolic meanings for love, innocence, eroticism, spirituality, fidelity, loyalty, purity and even war. This powerful poem tells us that beauty alone is not enough. "You must have brains," the poem says. So, look beyond the rose as beauty. Look beyond the surface of yourself. Love your own power, intelligence and strength. Love being assertive and confident. Know that you have weapons. Expect mistakes and failures along with blossoms. Love your thorns.
Dr. Deborah Gist
Education Honoree
Dr. Deborah Gist is the first female superintendent for the largest school district in our state - Tulsa Public Schools. She leads our city’s public school teachers in the education of approximately 35,000 students in grades pre-kindergarten to 12th grade in 78 district and public charter schools. She has steadily increased the percentage of students meeting their math and reading growth projections, collaborated on the development and delivery of Tulsa Race Massacre curriculum, and increased the graduation rate by more than 11 percentage points.
As the superintendent of the largest school district in Oklahoma, how do you balance your professional work with other passion projects in your life?
DEBORAH: My calling in life, my purpose, and my professional work are all the same. This alignment means the world to me and keeps me centered. I am a passionate educator. I live to serve. I love Tulsa and Tulsans—especially the little ones! Certainly, there are other projects I care about, but none more than what I wake up each day ready to work tirelessly to accomplish. My faith is deep, and I truly believe that my service is the reason I was put on the earth.
You have navigated the challenges of COVID in your school district. As we start turning toward the education landscape, what are some areas of focus you would like to see schools work on going forward?
DEBORAH: In Tulsa, we are relentlessly focused on making sure our schools are preparing our students for success in their lives. We want our students to explore their hopes and dreams and then graduate ready to accomplish them. Tulsans will be seeing even more steps to increase the number and quality of our partnerships with our friends in the city to expand student experience and opportunity. I truly see Tulsa as a city of learning and want to make sure our children thrive with that support.
Zaida Kepford-Castro
Health & Wellness Honoree
Zaida Kepford-Castro moved to Tulsa 17 years ago from Tijuana, Mexico. She is a servant leader who has promoted understanding and collaboration among minority groups: training Morton Clinic Departments on how to work with the Hispanic Community and providing pro-bono translation and interpretation services to Oklahomans Against Human Trafficking, Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office, Tulsa Police Department, Xavier Clinic, Little Lighthouse and Sooner Start. She currently leads a health collective promoting access to sex education and promoting healthy relationships with Amplify Tulsa.
One of the areas you are most passionate about is around combatting racism and stereotypes. Can you speak to how we as a community can improve?
ZAIDA: Stereotypes are a form of discrimination by generalization. They contribute to the lack of access to employment, housing and other opportunities. They serve as fuel for racism and hatred. Yet, as with many other problems, the solution starts with the person in the mirror. When I stop and think of the stereotypes society holds about me and how this stereotyping makes me feel, I can put myself in the shoes of others about whom I may hold stereotypes. The next step is to change my statements when I find myself using stereotypes and speaking up when others use them.
Amplify Tulsa works to improve access to quality safe sex education and helps promote healthy relationships. What are some ways Tulsa continues to improve in these areas, and how can we as a city, and from community to community, build healthy relationships?
ZAIDA: Tulsa has a strong commitment from area schools to support the implementation of high-quality, medically-accurate sexual health education and a wonderful philanthropic community whose investment makes this work possible. As a result, the Tulsa County teen birth rate has declined by over 50% in the last decade, alongside the expansion of evidence-based programs and services. Other ways communities could build healthy relationships is for families and other trusted adults to have open, honest conversations with the young people in their lives about love, sex, and healthy relationships. Create more safe spaces and places for young people to gather and connect in the community, and provide opportunities for ALL young people to have equitable access to information, resources, and health services that meet their unique needs.
Amairani Perez Chamu
Rising Star Honoree
Amairani Perez Chamu is the Hispanic Resource Center Coordinator at Tulsa Public Library, creating programs for all 24 branches and locations across Tulsa County. She also oversees purchasing and ordering Spanish materials for the entire system. She is Board President for the Tulsa Global District and is the Tulsa Director for Dream Action Oklahoma. Amairani has led countless DACA Clinics, Know Your Rights Campaigns, and spoken with state senators to ensure the rights of the immigrant community in Tulsa.
As this year’s rising star, you hold the distinction of having the longest runway in life to consider what kind of legacy you want to leave in Tulsa. If we were able to flash forward 30 years and see you as the 2052 Anna C. Roth Legacy winner, what would you hope to have accomplished?
AMAIRANI: In everything that I do and commit to, I always hope to leave a place or group better off than it was when I first started. I hope to have done all things with love, passion, and patience, and to be able to look back on moments and people that made it all worth it. I want to be the person that a younger me needed. I hope to have provided access and resources to my community, and to be a true beacon of hope in that regardless of where you come from, what your financial situation is, or what your dream is, you can and you will have people in the community that believe in you. The concept of legacy to me is so special, because as someone who is undocumented, LGBT+, and Latinx, it is no secret that society and structures of power are not made for people like me to succeed, but it's because of leaders in our community that we survive and thrive despite it all. Our survival and our success are resistance and if I can be as accomplished to be in the same category as incredible writers and artists like Joy Harjo, then I want to know that my community is standing right beside me. I hope to have enacted change, played a role in abolishing many of the systems of oppression that plague our BIPOC communities, and made beautiful art with my beautiful friends. All of this in the hope that the world is better off, not for myself, but for those that are coming after me.
What accomplishment are you most proud of in your career? How do you want to see Tulsa grow and develop as a community?
AMAIRANI: I am proud to be considered a good representative for my community, and I continue learning, listening, and changing every day so that I can adequately carry the voices and needs of my Latinx community in all of the spaces that I have the privilege of occupying. Never in a million years could I believe that I'd be a commissioner for the Hispanic/Latinx Affairs Commission, and yet, here I am. As Tulsa grows and develops as a community, I think we need to do a lot more to take accountability for the history of racial trauma in Tulsa, especially with what happened during the Tulsa Race Massacre, and until we come to terms with the harm that we subjected our community to, we cannot begin to heal. I think healing is of utmost importance right now.
Kuma Roberts
Corporate Business Honoree
Kuma Roberts is a leader in the Tulsa community, mobilizing companies and individuals to courageously create space for dialogue about diversity, equity, inclusion and justice. Kuma is the Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer at Arrowhead Consulting and worked for Tulsa Regional Chamber for 10 years as Executive Director of Talent Attraction, Retention & Mosaic. She most recently served as Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
You are deeply respected as a person that puts community, equity, inclusion, and justice at the center of your work. Can you speak about some common challenges our corporate community continues to face and how an organization might seek a way to grow in this work?
KUMA: Diversity, equity and inclusion is not a trend. It is a guiding practice for any organization that wants to remain sustainable, relevant and profitable. A common challenge from the corporate community is that many are still sidelining DEI- as a separate committee, or group usually where BIPOC individuals are left to create events focused on diversity alone. Those organizations that get it- both corporate and non-profit are embedding DEI into their strategies and making it everyone’s responsibility to create more diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace cultures.
What are some of your passion projects outside of the equity and justice work you do?
KUMA: I am deeply passionate about seeing North Tulsa, the area I grew up in- grow and develop at the same rate as the rest of Tulsa. Thus far, progress has been slow. I serve on the Historic Greenwood Main Street board of directors, METCares Foundation and #RacismStinks because of their alignment to my passions. I also have really tried to make more time to care for myself. I realized somewhere along the past two years since COVID19 that my needs, emotional, physical, and mental have to be made a priority. Pedicures and wine have become passions of mine as well!
Wendy Williams
Entrepreneur Honoree
Wendy Williams is the owner of Health and Safety Education Consultants Training Center, an approved State of Oklahoma Health Department Nurse Aide Registry program. Ms. Williams recognized there was a need to increase the number of training centers to help students become Certified Nursing Assistants and enter other health service entry level careers. She is also the founder and president of Eastern Oklahoma Black Nurses Association, a local chapter of the National Black Nurses Association, Inc.
As this year’s entrepreneur honoree, could you offer some advice to other women that are thinking about starting a business, project, or initiative?
WENDY: My sincere advice would be to first pray about it and gain some clarity as to what you really are asking God for because He will deliver and you want to be sure you are ready for the journey at hand. Second, I would advise you to be consistent. Be consistent in your work ethic, your standards of how you operate and how you engage with your team and potential customers. Lastly, I would advise you to dream big! Don't let fear and anxiety stop you. You have all the tools you need to be successful, because you have the desire planted in you!
Who are some of the people who have influenced you most? How have they helped shape the areas of service and entrepreneurship that you focus on?
WENDY: My mother was my first and number one influencer! From an early age she instilled the need for education and the possibilities an education would provide me with throughout my life. My nursing instructors at Dillard University, who put the fear of God in us! We had no choice but to be successful. My family and Tulsa community, who watched me volunteer, answered the many calls for health advice, worked the many shifts and jobs as I muddled my way through trying to figure out what I wanted to do with my career. My nurse friends who for some reason think I can do anything, pushed me and would not let me give up, and for that I am thankful. All of these experiences gave me the confidence I needed to take an idea and a passion and turn it into doing what I love the most about being a nurse and that is helping others to care for themselves. Be your own advocate, pave your own course.
L to R: Rebecca Thompson and Stephanie Regan of AAON
AAON, inc.
Corporate Champion Honoree
AAON is a publicly traded company headquartered in Tulsa, OK, and the representation of female leaders starts at the top. AAON has been recognized by 2020 Women on Boards as an Oklahoma “W” Company for having 20% or more company board seats held by women. AAON’s 8-member board of directors includes 2 women, or 25%. Manufacturing companies often fall short in female representation, yet women make up 24% of the manufacturing workforce nationally. AAON trends higher than the national average, with women making up 29% of its workforce. AAON has been recognized as a Mosaic Top Inclusive Workplace by the Tulsa Regional Chamber and has also signed on to the Tulsa Pay Equity Pledge.
AAON is a trailblazing and leading company in Tulsa – especially in the manufacturing industry. How are women changing the way AAON evolves as we step into the ‘20s?
AAON: We recognize the value of women in the workforce, and our female team members are helping us to think more innovatively and creatively about the future of work and the manufacturing workplace. We hope to encourage more women of all ages to find their way into a successful, rewarding career in modern manufacturing.
AAON is a signatory of the Tulsa Pay Equity Pledge – an initiative created by the Mayor’s Commission on the Status of Women to help close the Tulsa pay gap between men and women. Why should companies consider joining AAON and take the pledge?
AAON: The Tulsa Pay Equity Pledge provides practical steps that any organization can take to close the gender pay gap. We appreciate the Mayor’s Commission on the Status of Women for championing this initiative, and we are proud to be a partner in this work.
The 2022 Pinnacle Awards is hosted by YWCA Tulsa and the Mayor's Commission on the Status of Women. Proceeds from the event benefit YWCA Tulsa in its mission to eliminate racism and empower women.
This year's event is set for March 31, 2022, from 6 - 9 p.m. at the Cox Business Convention Center in Downtown Tulsa.
Table sales end March 21 | Individual ticket sales end March 24
For more information on the event, head to the YWCA Tulsa website at www.ywcatulsa.org.