6 20 672 https://history.okeq.org/files/original/a959e78bf14d0548997a4890b7f52d28.pdf 9fff8b7e77709bd5a2b852a1d522e838 PDF Text Text OKEq FAQs - February 2024 1. How is OkEq going to be more transparent? The OkEq Board is committed to transparency. All of our monthly Board meetings are open to the public and take place on the third Thursday of every month from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Equality Center. All agendas, meeting minutes, and monthly financial reports, as well as our financial audit and bylaws can be found on our website. 2. What does it cost to operate OKEq? How many staff does the organization have? During fiscal year 2023 (October 2022 through September 2023), OKEq’s operating expenses were approximately $1.2 million. Oklahomans for Equality currently employs eight full-time staff. Six staff positions are salaried and two staff positions are hourly. A number of services (custodial, security, IT, and accounting) are provided through contracted services. 3. Why isn’t OkEq leveraging the foundations in Tulsa? OkEq has received immense support from the local foundations in Tulsa to maintain operations as we’ve rebuilt following the embezzlement. However, it was necessary to turn to the broader community for support to help bridge the funding gap between what we’ve been given by the foundations until we can reach our annual fundraising event, the Equality Gala, which is May 4, 2024. OkEq will expand efforts to better engage many historical donors who have been very generous in previous times. 4. Why are you putting the strain of fundraising on an already marginalized community? We understand times are tough financially for many in the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. We would never ask someone to give financially if that meant they wouldn’t be able to provide for their own needs. Oklahomans for Equality has poured into the lives of thousands though, and if people are in a fortunate enough position to give back, that means we as an organization can use that and pass it forward to the next person in need. This campaign has also received broad community support from those outside of the community who are allies. Furthermore, there are other ways people can support the mission of OkEq aside from financial giving. If you have time or talents and would like to get more involved, please consider volunteering at the Center, in our library, or on our Board. 5. Is OkEq closing if it doesn’t raise $100K by Valentine’s Day? Due to the generous support of the community, we have raised enough revenue to stay open for approximately the next two months at the current expense level. The Board and �staff now have additional time to secure new funding streams, take a hard look at the existing expenses, and make additional decisions about ways to reduce spending. While we understand the language used in the campaign sounded alarmist, we were at imminent risk of not being able to make payroll the week of Valentine’s Day. The Board selected the goal of $100K knowing that that would sustain the Center until our major fundraising event, The Equality Gala could get under way. The Board will expand efforts to better engage many historical donors who have been very generous in previous times. 6. Why didn’t you alert the community about the embezzlement sooner? We have tried to be as transparent as possible throughout this process. In November of 2022, the President of the Board of Directors first shared information about the situation to the public. We hosted the first community town hall in October of 2023. We will continue to hold quarterly town halls to encourage community dialogue. Please make sure you are subscribed to OkEq’s e-newsletter and are following us on social media to be notified of programs, services, and upcoming events. 7. Why didn’t the past OkEq Board and Executive Director realize at the time something was wrong when the embezzlement was actively happening? Past OkEq Board members just like the current Board are volunteers. This does not excuse past Boards from fault, but many do not come from a financial background. Even if the Board members had had financial acumen, we know that financial documents given to the Board were falsified to cover up wrongdoings. The former Executive Director who was at the helm during the period of embezzlement stepped down in June of 2022 and is no longer with the organization. We have three remaining Directors on our Board who overlapped with the previous Treasurer. One of the three is who first identified the malfeasance and informed the Board. The other two are trusted Board members who had no knowledge of the embezzlement occurring and have been supportive of all of the measures we’ve taken to insert financial controls. The Board Governance Committee has established OkEq’s first formal onboarding process to better educate and prepare new Board of Director members and Advisors. We also hosted a Board retreat with a session specifically focused on nonprofit finances. Additionally, we’ve instituted an audit committee and a finance committee to ensure accountability for the organization’s finances. The Board is committed to continued growth as well as learning and implementing best nonprofit Board practices. 8. What about all of the harm that OkEq has caused in the past? The current Board and leaders of OkEq recognize that even though we are responsible for a lot of good, that doesn’t negate the fact that we are responsible for a lot of very real harm. If we are going to be Oklahomans for Equality who run the Dennis R. Neill Equality Center, we need to live up to the ideals of equality for all. This means looking at the �intersectional identities of all 2SLGBTQIA+ people and realizing there is no singular queer experience. We understand that some are frustrated that we have asked for funds without fully rectifying practices that cause harm. OkEq has tried to do this simultaneously, but rebuilding relationships and repairing relationships takes time. We were running out of time to be able to continue these conversations because of our financial position. We are working on a new membership model that puts more power and agency back in the hands of our members. Our staff does phenomenal work. The reality is that we are operating with only around 50% of the staff we should have for a Center our size. The changes to membership that we are currently working through will also allow an avenue for people to engage with OkEq leadership and ensure their voices are heard. � Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Text Any textual data included in the document <div style="text-align:center;">OKEq FAQs - February 2024 </div> 1. How is OkEq going to be more transparent? The OkEq Board is committed to transparency. All of our monthly Board meetings are open to the public and take place on the third Thursday of every month from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Equality Center. All agendas, meeting minutes, and monthly financial reports, as well as our financial audit and bylaws can be found on our website. 2. What does it cost to operate OKEq? How many staff does the organization have? During fiscal year 2023 (October 2022 through September 2023), OKEq’s operatingexpenses were approximately $1.2 million. Oklahomans for Equality currently employs eight full-time staff. Six staff positions are salaried and two staff positions are hourly. A number of services (custodial, security, IT, and accounting) are provided through contracted services. 3. Why isn’t OkEq leveraging the foundations in Tulsa? OkEq has received immense support from the local foundations in Tulsa to maintain operations as we’ve rebuilt following the embezzlement. However, it was necessary to turn to the broader community for support to help bridge the funding gap between what we’ve been given by the foundations until we can reach our annual fundraising event, the Equality Gala, which is May 4, 2024. OkEq will expand efforts to better engage many historical donors who have been very generous in previous times. 4. Why are you putting the strain of fundraising on an already marginalized community? We understand times are tough financially for many in the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. We would never ask someone to give financially if that meant they wouldn’t be able to provide for their own needs. Oklahomans for Equality has poured into the lives of thousands though, and if people are in a fortunate enough position to give back, that means we as an organization can use that and pass it forward to the next person in need. This campaign has also received broad community support from those outside of the community who are allies. Furthermore, there are other ways people can support the mission of OkEq aside from financial giving. If you have time or talents and would like to get more involved, please consider volunteering at the Center, in our library, or on our Board. 5. Is OkEq closing if it doesn’t raise $100K by Valentine’s Day? Due to the generous support of the community, we have raised enough revenue to stay open for approximately the next two months at the current expense level. The Board and staff now have additional time to secure new funding streams, take a hard look at the existing expenses, and make additional decisions about ways to reduce spending. While we understand the language used in the campaign sounded alarmist, we were at imminent risk of not being able to make payroll the week of Valentine’s Day. The Board selected the goal of $100K knowing that that would sustain the Center until our major fundraising event, The Equality Gala could get under way. The Board will expand efforts to better engage many historical donors who have been very generous in previous times. 6. Why didn’t you alert the community about the embezzlement sooner? We have tried to be as transparent as possible throughout this process. In November of 2022, the President of the Board of Directors first shared information about the situation to the public. We hosted the first community town hall in October of 2023. We will continue to hold quarterly town halls to encourage community dialogue. Please make sure you are subscribed to OkEq’s e-newsletter and are following us on social media to be notified of programs, services, and upcoming events. 7. Why didn’t the past OkEq Board and Executive Director realize at the time something was wrong when the embezzlement was actively happening? Past OkEq Board members just like the current Board are volunteers. This does not excuse past Boards from fault, but many do not come from a financial background. Even if the Board members had had financial acumen, we know that financial documents given to the Board were falsified to cover up wrongdoings. The former Executive Director who was at the helm during the period of embezzlement stepped down in June of 2022 and is no longer with the organization. We have three remaining Directors on our Board who overlapped with the previous Treasurer. One of the three is who first identified the malfeasance and informed the Board. The other two are trusted Board members who had no knowledge of the embezzlement occurring and have been supportive of all of the measures we’ve taken to insert financial controls. The Board Governance Committee has established OkEq’s first formal onboarding process to better educate and prepare new Board of Director members and Advisors. We also hosted a Board retreat with a session specifically focused on nonprofit finances. Additionally, we’ve instituted an audit committee and a finance committee to ensure accountability for the organization’s finances. The Board is committed to continued growth as well as learning and implementing best nonprofit Board practices. 8. What about all of the harm that OkEq has caused in the past? The current Board and leaders of OkEq recognize that even though we are responsible for a lot of good, that doesn’t negate the fact that we are responsible for a lot of very real harm. If we are going to be Oklahomans for Equality who run the Dennis R. Neill Equality Center, we need to live up to the ideals of equality for all. This means looking at the intersectional identities of all 2SLGBTQIA+ people and realizing there is no singular queer experience. We understand that some are frustrated that we have asked for funds without fully rectifying practices that cause harm. OkEq has tried to do this simultaneously, but rebuilding relationships and repairing relationships takes time. We were running out of time to be able to continue these conversations because of our financial position. We are working on a new membership model that puts more power and agency back in the hands of our members. Our staff does phenomenal work. The reality is that we are operating with only around 50% of the staff we should have for a Center our size. The changes to membership that we are currently working through will also allow an avenue for people to engage with OkEq leadership and ensure their voices are heard. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource [2024] OKEQ FAQs - February 2024 Subject The topic of the resource 2024 Frequently Asked Questions and Answers from OKEq, February 2024 Description An account of the resource 3 pages of a publicly available document posted to the main page of the Oklahomans for Equality website containing 8 frequently asked questions and answers from OKEq regarding the February fundraising event and organizational changes. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Oklahomans for Equality (OkEq) Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Oklahomans for Equality https://okeq.org/ Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource February 2024 100k to Valentine's Day 2024 FAQ frequently asked questions fundraisers fundraising OkEq OKEQ Board OKEQ fundraising Oklahomans for Equality Oklahomans for Equality (OKEQ) Oklahomans for Equality Board Oklahomans for Equality fundraising https://history.okeq.org/files/original/bd984b4bd1ceb3a8aeadb45903b8a96b.pdf 4578c3bc796e0704e128ba48b46abd41 PDF Text Text Press Release Oklahomans for Equality fundraiser reaches $70,000 OKEq board members provide additional information on the state of the organization and announce leadership transition For Immediate Release Tulsa, OK (February 13, 2024) - Following a recent fundraising effort focused on sustaining operations, the Oklahomans for Equality (OkEq) Board of Directors is providing an update on the organization's financial status. "As of Monday, February 12, OkEq has received just over $70,000 in donations," Board President Eric Wilson said. "We are encouraged by and optimistic about the outpouring of support we've seen over the last few days. We are looking forward to working together as a board and with our donors and volunteers to build a plan that will secure OkEq's future for generations to come." Representatives from OkEq say that the organization's financial challenges are rooted in a few related issues occurring prior to 2022: fiscal mismanagement by a former volunteer, a lack of adequate financial controls to ensure appropriate oversight and accurate accounting, and operating beyond available revenue. Vice President Bob Hanson said, “In February 2022, the former volunteer Treasurer presented a falsified audit report to the Board, and the Board discovered this within 24 hours of receiving it. The individual was immediately dismissed, and the Board began reviewing the financial structure of the organization and identified numerous gaps that needed to be addressed.This process was cumbersome and took a great deal of time and volunteer hours.” A police report was filed with the Tulsa Police Department in September 2022. Once the forensic audit was completed in August 2023, it was provided to the Tulsa Police Department. At this time, the OkEq Board awaits further information and updates from the Tulsa Police Department about the status of the ongoing investigation. The Board immediately set out to create appropriate financial oversight and develop a full financial picture. Through this process, the Board of Directors also uncovered that in years prior to 2022, restricted funds were reallocated to cover monthly expenses. Steps were immediately taken to prevent this kind of reallocation from occurring. “So while expenses were covered at any given time, OkEq was spending more non-restricted cash than it had,” explained President Eric Wilson. “It has taken over a year to create a clear financial picture. We have much work to do to better engage with local �philanthropy, historical donors, and our business community. We now have strong fiscal foundations in place to confidently do so.” In the last several months, representatives from the OkEq’s Executive Committee also shared that the organization experienced a decrease in end-of-year giving. Charitable donations in the fall and early winter have historically supported the organization until major spring fundraisers occur. In the last 18 months, OKEq’s executive director and board members have worked urgently to implement rigorous financial controls, including: ● ● ● ● In October 2022, engaged with an accounting firm, with expertise in non-profit accounting to handle all of the finances for the organization. In November 2022, Workman Forensics was contracted to conduct a forensic audit which was completed in August 2023. The new Treasurer, who has an extensive background in finance, implemented necessary controls and processes to ensure accuracy and transparency. Some of the new controls and processes include multiple layers of approval for all invoices, specific approval from the executive committee for the use of restricted funds to ensure that funds are used for intended purposes, elimination of all credit cards, monthly meetings between the external accounting firm and the Finance Committee. An external Certified Public Accounting Firm was hired to complete a financial audit. This was completed and reviewed by the Board in January 2024. The results of the audit demonstrated that the organization now has all of the needed and recommended financial controls in place. This audit can be reviewed here. The Board of Directors and Executive Director Dorothy (Des) Ballard have also worked with staff and community members to identify and prioritize OkEq's most essential services. Maintaining the health clinic, mental health services, and youth and elder programming are at the top of the list. Even with improved controls and prioritized services, OKEq’s Board and staff will urgently pursue continued fundraising efforts with intentional outreach to Tulsa’s philanthropic and business communities, long-standing donors of the Center, and local and national grant opportunities. Executive Director Dorothy (Des) Ballard has made incredible strides in steering OkEq’s restructuring and stabilization through the strategic plan developed under her leadership. She recently stepped back to ensure that work could continue as she focuses on meeting serious health challenges. “My time at OkEq has been an honor and a privilege that now must sadly end. The Board had been working with me to ensure a smooth transition as I face these critical health challenges but the remaining deficit in our funding required I take that step sooner to ensure staff and programming could be preserved” said Ballard. “I’m proud of all we have accomplished and will remain an active advocate of OkEq, its mission, and our community.” �Vice President Hanson shared, “We thank Des for her work, passion, and love for the Tulsa 2SLGBTQIA+ community.” Over the next few months, the OkEq Board will take urgent steps to chart a sustainable path forward for the Center. Some key next steps are to Identify an interim executive director, to work with staff to determine how to best support essential programming at the Center as existing revenue is maximized, and to continue to engage local foundations and long-term donors and supporters in fundraising efforts. Community members interested in supporting OkEq can visit https://OkEq.org/donate/ to make a tax-deductible donation. ### �The information below provides a high-level overview of the actions taken by OkEq’s Board of Directors as it navigated through a set of organizational and financial challenges from February 2022 through present. One timeline shares the steps taken to create effective financial oversight. The second timeline provides information about fundraising efforts. Creating Financial Oversight February 2022: The former volunteer Treasurer presented a falsified audit report to the Board, and the Board discovered this within 24 hours of receiving it. The individual was immediately dismissed, and the Board began reviewing the financial structure of the organization and identified numerous gaps that needed to be addressed. In addition, the Board added members with strong financial backgrounds to provide stronger oversight. September 2022: Initial report filed about potential embezzlement with Tulsa Police Department October 2022: The Board contracted with Oklahoma Nonprofit Partners, an outside accounting firm who specializes in non-profit accounting, to handle all of the finances for the organization. November 2022: Workman Forensics was contracted to conduct a forensic audit. Letter shared with OkEq members and community to explain the potential embezzlement and steps taken. April 2023: The Board voted unanimously to amend the bylaws to require the Treasurer be a member of the Board of Directors and subject the position to term limits in line with all of the other executive committee officers. August 2023: The forensic audit was completed. A copy of the audit report was provided to the Tulsa Police Department. October 2023: Certified Public Accounting firm hired to complete a standard annual financial audit. January 2024: Annual financial audit completed for the first time since 2015. This audit also allows OkEq to seek more funding opportunities. �Fundraising April 2022: The 2022 Equality Gala generated enough revenue to sustain the organization for several months. Summer and Fall of 2022: Several Tulsa area foundations supported the organization with enough funding to maintain operations through 2022. January/February 2023: Additional funding was given by individuals and area foundations that ensured the continued operation of the organization. May 2023: The 2023 Equality Gala raised enough donations to sustain the organization for several months. June–September 2023: OkEq hired a grant coordinator to focus on identifying and writing for new grants. A number of grant applications for grants which were attainable without a financial audit were submitted. OkEq also received funding from several area foundations that were able to assist to get us through 2023. January 2024: It becomes clear to the Board that OkEq received much less in end-of-year giving than typical. This lack of revenue significantly impacted revenue and cash flow. February 2024: OkEq launches the “100K to Valentine’s Day” fundraiser. ED Dorothy ‘Des’ Ballard elects to step away as a cost saving measure. � Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Text Any textual data included in the document <div style="text-align:center;">Press Release</div> <div style="text-align:center;">Oklahomans for Equality fundraiser reaches $70,000</div> <div style="text-align:center;">OKEq board members provide additional information on the state of the organization and announce leadership transition For Immediate Release </div> Tulsa, OK (February 13, 2024) - Following a recent fundraising effort focused on sustaining operations, the Oklahomans for Equality (OkEq) Board of Directors is providing an update on the organization's financial status. "As of Monday, February 12, OkEq has received just over $70,000 in donations," Board President Eric Wilson said. "We are encouraged by and optimistic about the outpouring of support we've seen over the last few days. We are looking forward to working together as a board and with our donors and volunteers to build a plan that will secure OkEq's future for generations to come." Representatives from OkEq say that the organization's financial challenges are rooted in a few related issues occurring prior to 2022: fiscal mismanagement by a former volunteer, a lack of adequate financial controls to ensure appropriate oversight and accurate accounting, and operating beyond available revenue. Vice President Bob Hanson said, “In February 2022, the former volunteer Treasurer presented a falsified audit report to the Board, and the Board discovered this within 24 hours of receiving it. The individual was immediately dismissed, and the Board began reviewing the financial structure of the organization and identified numerous gaps that needed to be addressed.This process was cumbersome and took a great deal of time and volunteer hours.” A police report was filed with the Tulsa Police Department in September 2022. Once the forensic audit was completed in August 2023, it was provided to the Tulsa Police Department. At this time, the OkEq Board awaits further information and updates from the Tulsa Police Department about the status of the ongoing investigation. The Board immediately set out to create appropriate financial oversight and develop a full financial picture. Through this process, the Board of Directors also uncovered that in years prior to 2022, restricted funds were reallocated to cover monthly expenses. Steps were immediately taken to prevent this kind of reallocation from occurring. “So while expenses were covered at any given time, OkEq was spending more non-restricted cash than it had,” explained President Eric Wilson. “It has taken over a year to create a clear financial picture. We have much work to do to better engage with local philanthropy, historical donors, and our business community. We now have strong fiscal foundations in place to confidently do so.” In the last several months, representatives from the OkEq’s Executive Committee also shared that the organization experienced a decrease in end-of-year giving. Charitable donations in the fall and early winter have historically supported the organization until major spring fundraisers occur. In the last 18 months, OKEq’s executive director and board members have worked urgently to implement rigorous financial controls, including: ● In October 2022, engaged with an accounting firm, with expertise in non-profit accounting to handle all of the finances for the organization. ● In November 2022, Workman Forensics was contracted to conduct a forensic audit which was completed in August 2023. ● The new Treasurer, who has an extensive background in finance, implemented necessary controls and processes to ensure accuracy and transparency. Some of the new controls and processes include multiple layers of approval for all invoices, specific approval from the executive committee for the use of restricted funds to ensure that funds are used for intended purposes, elimination of all credit cards, monthly meetings between the external accounting firm and the Finance Committee. ● An external Certified Public Accounting Firm was hired to complete a financial audit. This was completed and reviewed by the Board in January 2024. The results of the audit demonstrated that the organization now has all of the needed and recommended financial controls in place. This audit can be reviewed here. The Board of Directors and Executive Director Dorothy (Des) Ballard have also worked with staff and community members to identify and prioritize OkEq's most essential services. Maintaining the health clinic, mental health services, and youth and elder programming are at the top of the list. Even with improved controls and prioritized services, OKEq’s Board and staff will urgently pursue continued fundraising efforts with intentional outreach to Tulsa’s philanthropic and business communities, long-standing donors of the Center, and local and national grant opportunities. Executive Director Dorothy (Des) Ballard has made incredible strides in steering OkEq’s restructuring and stabilization through the strategic plan developed under her leadership. She recently stepped back to ensure that work could continue as she focuses on meeting serious health challenges. “My time at OkEq has been an honor and a privilege that now must sadly end. The Board had been working with me to ensure a smooth transition as I face these critical health challenges but the remaining deficit in our funding required I take that step sooner to ensure staff and programming could be preserved” said Ballard. “I’m proud of all we have accomplished and will remain an active advocate of OkEq, its mission, and our community.” Vice President Hanson shared, “We thank Des for her work, passion, and love for the Tulsa 2SLGBTQIA+ community.” Over the next few months, the OkEq Board will take urgent steps to chart a sustainable path forward for the Center. Some key next steps are to Identify an interim executive director, to work with staff to determine how to best support essential programming at the Center as existing revenue is maximized, and to continue to engage local foundations and long-term donors and supporters in fundraising efforts. Community members interested in supporting OkEq can visit https://OkEq.org/donate/ to make a tax-deductible donation. <div style="text-align:center;"> ###</div> The information below provides a high-level overview of the actions taken by OkEq’s Board of Directors as it navigated through a set of organizational and financial challenges from February 2022 through present. One timeline shares the steps taken to create effective financial oversight. The second timeline provides information about fundraising efforts. <div style="text-align:center;">Creating Financial Oversight</div> February 2022: The former volunteer Treasurer presented a falsified audit report to the Board, and the Board discovered this within 24 hours of receiving it. The individual was immediately dismissed, and the Board began reviewing the financial structure of the organization and identified numerous gaps that needed to be addressed. In addition, the Board added members with strong financial backgrounds to provide stronger oversight. September 2022: Initial report filed about potential embezzlement with Tulsa Police Department October 2022: The Board contracted with Oklahoma Nonprofit Partners, an outside accounting firm who specializes in non-profit accounting, to handle all of the finances for the organization. November 2022: Workman Forensics was contracted to conduct a forensic audit. Letter shared with OkEq members and community to explain the potential embezzlement and steps taken. April 2023: The Board voted unanimously to amend the bylaws to require the Treasurer be a member of the Board of Directors and subject the position to term limits in line with all of the other executive committee officers. August 2023: The forensic audit was completed. A copy of the audit report was provided to the Tulsa Police Department. October 2023: Certified Public Accounting firm hired to complete a standard annual financial audit. January 2024: Annual financial audit completed for the first time since 2015. This audit also allows OkEq to seek more funding opportunities. <div style="text-align:center;">Fundraising</div> April 2022: The 2022 Equality Gala generated enough revenue to sustain the organization for several months. Summer and Fall of 2022: Several Tulsa area foundations supported the organization with enough funding to maintain operations through 2022. January/February 2023: Additional funding was given by individuals and area foundations that ensured the continued operation of the organization. May 2023: The 2023 Equality Gala raised enough donations to sustain the organization for several months. June–September 2023: OkEq hired a grant coordinator to focus on identifying and writing for new grants. A number of grant applications for grants which were attainable without a financial audit were submitted. OkEq also received funding from several area foundations that were able to assist to get us through 2023. January 2024: It becomes clear to the Board that OkEq received much less in end-of-year giving than typical. This lack of revenue significantly impacted revenue and cash flow. February 2024: OkEq launches the “100K to Valentine’s Day” fundraiser. ED Dorothy ‘Des’ Ballard elects to step away as a cost saving measure. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource [2024] Press Release: "Oklahomans for Equality fundraiser reaches $70,000" Subject The topic of the resource 2024 Press Release: "Oklahomans for Equality fundraiser reaches $70,000: OKEq board members provide additional information on the state of the organization and announce leadership transition" Description An account of the resource A 5 page document from Oklahomans for Equality (OkEq) outlining the money donated to the organization during a fundraising event and the transfer of leadership from Executive Director Dorothy (Des) Ballard. Includes two charts tracking the timelines of OkEq's financial oversights and fundraising. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Oklahomans for Equality (OkEq) Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Oklahomans for Equality (OkEq) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource February 13, 2024 100k to Valentine's Day 2024 Board President Eric Wilson Bob Hanson Des Ballard donations donors Dorothy (Des) Ballard Dorothy Ballard Eric Wilson executive director Executive Director Des Ballard Executive Director Dorothy (Des) Ballard fundraisers fundraising OkEq OKEQ Board OKEQ Board of Directors OKEQ Board President OKEQ Board President Eric Wilson OKEQ Board Vice President OKEQ donations OKEQ donors OKEQ Executive Committee OKEQ Executive Director OKEQ Executive Director Des Ballard OKEQ Executive Director Dorothy (Des) Ballard OKEQ fundraising OKEQ Vice President Bob Hanson Oklahomans for Equality Oklahomans for Equality (OKEQ) Oklahomans for Equality Board Oklahomans for Equality Executive Director Oklahomans for Equality fundraising press release Vice President Bob Hanson https://history.okeq.org/files/original/713207e3ff16cb54aa200219ddf334b5.pdf 9623c1d636ca509ab605e6a0a09b4b70 PDF Text Text �� Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource [Series] OKEQ > Events Subject The topic of the resource Events by OKEQ or that involved OKEQ. Description An account of the resource Physical Media: Box 2, Folder 1 - Events Digital Media: Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource [2004] Welcome Home Poster Subject The topic of the resource 2004 Advertisement and mail order form for the Welcome Home open house at the Dennis R. Neill Equality Center. Description An account of the resource A poster advertising the Welcome Home open house at the Dennis R. Neill Equality Center. The poster advertises an art exhibit, an opening night reception, a demonstration, gay bingo, Test Fest, Brunch and Blessings, and Wild Hearts Ball 7. The attached mail order form allows for ordering tickets to three events: Gay Bingo, Wild Hearts Ball 7, and Brunch and Blessings. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource February 2004 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Oklahomans for Equality (OkEq) 2004 AIDS testing AIDS/HIV testing Dennis R. Neill Equality Center Equality Center Equality Center Opening Equality Center Opening Night Reception Free HIV Testing HIV testing HIV/AIDs testing OkEq OKEQ Capital Campaign OKEQ donors OkEq Equality Center Oklahomans for Equality Oklahomans for Equality (OKEQ) Opening Night Reception TOHR TOHR capital campaign Tulsa Oklahomans for Human Rights Tulsa Oklahomans for Human Rights (TOHR) Tulsa Oklahomans for Human Rights HIV Testing Wild Hearts Ball Wild Hearts Ball 7 https://history.okeq.org/files/original/023cb903251e535d7bce843c1a2e3386.pdf ff7943ad6d305be3e320b8f17ac47d7e PDF Text Text �� Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource [Series] OKEQ > Events Subject The topic of the resource Events by OKEQ or that involved OKEQ. Description An account of the resource Physical Media: Box 2, Folder 1 - Events Digital Media: Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Text Any textual data included in the document Transgender Day of Remembrance 7p.m. Thursday November 20th @ the OkEq Equality Center 4th & Kenosha Downtown Tulsa Remembering the 17 victims of lethal anti-transgender violence since Nov. 2007 Listening, learning, and experiencing what it is like to be transgender Supporting and celebrating our local transgender community Presented by The Gender Advocacy Team of Oklahomans for Equality www.okeq.org Transgender Day of Remembrance November 20, 2008 Greetings from Oklahomans for Equality Toby Jenkins, Board President Greetings from the Gender Advocacy Team Zoey Sloane Music from Jared Tyler A Message from All Souls Unitarian Church Reverend Tamara LeBak Dr. Laura Arrowsmith MtF vs. FtM Music from Sisters in Song Violet Council Oak Zoey A tribute to our fallen Prayer from Nate Black Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource [2008] Transgender Day of Remembrance Program Subject The topic of the resource 2008 Program for Transgender Day of Remembrance Event Description An account of the resource A 2008 program for a Transgender Day of Remembrance gathering that took place on November 20 at the OkEq Equality Center. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource November 20, 2008 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Gender Advocacy Team of Oklahomans for Equality 2008 ALL SOULS UNITARIAN CHURCH Board President Toby Jenkins Dennis R. Neill Equality Center Dr. Laura Arrowsmith Equality Center Gender Advocacy Team Gender Advocacy Team of OKEQ Jared Tyler Laura Arrowsmith Nate Black OkEq OKEQ Board President OKEQ Board President Toby Jenkins OkEq Equality Center Oklahomans for Equality Oklahomans for Equality (OKEQ) Reverend Tamara LeBak Sisters in Song Tamara LeBak Toby Jenkins Trans Murder Transgender Transgender Day of Remembrance Zoey Sloane https://history.okeq.org/files/original/c1a5802ac6dca9bd08b7fca09a56aae5.pdf 17d3e065fa4820d7052488f601dc33a8 PDF Text Text � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource [Series] OKEQ > Events Subject The topic of the resource Events by OKEQ or that involved OKEQ. Description An account of the resource Physical Media: Box 2, Folder 1 - Events Digital Media: Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Text Any textual data included in the document Out Thanksgiving meal today has been provided by: Unity Church of Christianity Parish Church of Saint Jerome [this item is crossed out in pen] Bethany Christian Church College Hill Presbyterian Church Fellowship Lutheran Church All Souls Unitarian Church St. Paul's United Methodist Diversity Christian Fellowship International Whole Foods Tulsa We give thanks for their participation and for your attendance! Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource [ND] Thanksgiving Meal Poster Description An account of the resource An OkEq poster listing the sponsors/providers for a Thanksgiving meal, contains some handwritten notes. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource ND Subject The topic of the resource Thanksgiving Meal Providing Organizations Poster Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Oklahomans for Equality (OkEq) ALL SOULS UNITARIAN CHURCH Bethany Christian Church Diversity Christian Fellowship International Fellowship Lutheran Church OkEq OKEQ donations OKEQ donors Oklahomans for Equality Oklahomans for Equality (OKEQ) Parish Church of Saint Jerome St. Paul's United Methodist Thanksgiving Thanksgiving meal Unity Church of Christianity https://history.okeq.org/files/original/ecb021425d398acc2d2ff677d70edd0f.pdf 6e51371cd8ff6c7b30ee36d90a12a794 PDF Text Text � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource [Series] OKEQ > Events Subject The topic of the resource Events by OKEQ or that involved OKEQ. Description An account of the resource Physical Media: Box 2, Folder 1 - Events Digital Media: Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Text Any textual data included in the document Neff Brewing Needs You! Support The Mural Repainting Neff brewing, A New Era of Fine Fermentations Located at 321 S. Frankfort (4th & Frankfort) NEFF Brewing is donating 5% of all taproom sales this weekend to the Equality Center! Plus, 5% of all Raspberry Pride beer sales for the rest of the year! Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource [ND] Support The Mural Repainting Subject The topic of the resource Fundraising for the repainting of the Lynn Riggs Theater mural. Description An account of the resource A poster from Neff Brewing advertising a fundraiser for the repainting of the Lynn Riggs Theater mural. The poster states that 5% of all taproom sales during the event will to be donated to the Equality Center. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Neff Brewing Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Oklahomans for Equality (OkEq) Dennis R. Neill Equality Center Equality Center Fundraiser fundraisers fundraising Lynn Riggs Lynn Riggs mural Lynn Riggs Theatre Neff Brewing OkEq OKEQ donations OkEq Equality Center OKEQ fundraising Oklahomans for Equality Oklahomans for Equality (OKEQ) Oklahomans for Equality fundraising https://history.okeq.org/files/original/79efd754d3a9f66380c208913c0c379a.pdf 8cf867972839b90b01af77fcab35973a PDF Text Text � https://history.okeq.org/files/original/26299108ca0d0f6981f031aa3384550a.pdf 2d5236a51fa497b62d28b387a3692215 PDF Text Text �� Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource [2012] Falalala Ball Advertisements Subject The topic of the resource 2012 5th Annual Falalala Ball Advertisements Description An account of the resource 2 advertisements for OkEq's 5th Annual Falalala Ball taking place at the Dennis R. Neill Equality Center on December 22, 2012. A donation of either pet food, personal toiletries, or non-perishable foods is required for entry. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Oklahomans for Equality (OkEq) 2012 2012 Falalala Ball 5th Annual Falalala Ball advertisement advertisements advertising Christmas Dennis R. Neill Equality Center donations Equality Center Falalala Ball Falalala Ball 2012 food bank food pantry fundraisers holidays OkEq OKEQ donations OkEq Equality Center OKEQ fundraising Oklahomans for Equality Oklahomans for Equality (OKEQ) St. Jerome Church St. Jerome Church food bank St. Jerome Church food pantry https://history.okeq.org/files/original/7a8057f30b8401543e1813bdf2d3f696.doc b0c73a1eb17b81dac6ba19c5767ab34b Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource [Series] Oral Histories Project > Project Materials Description An account of the resource Physical Media: Box 7, Folder 3 - Oral Histories Project Materials Box 7, Folder 4 - OSU Materials Box 7, Folder 5 - Strategic Planning & Leadership Box 7, Folder 6 - Project Notes Items Not in Folders Digital Media: Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Text Any textual data included in the document TOHR GLBT History Project Interviewer’s Release Form TO BE COMPLETED BY INTERVIEWERS, RECORDING OPERATORS, AND PHOTOGRAPHERS Version Dated May 3, 2003 I, ________________________________________ , am a participant in the Tulsa Oklahomans for Human Rights (“TOHR”) GLBT History Project (the “Project”). I understand that one of the purposes of the Project is to collect audio- and video-recorded oral histories of individuals concerning the GLBT history in the Tulsa area as well as selected related documentary materials such as photographs and manuscripts that may be deposited in the permanent collections of the Project. The deposited documentary materials will serve as a record of the interviewee’s experiences; and may be used for scholarly and educational purposes. I understand that the Project plans to retain the product of my participation as part of its permanent collection and that the materials may be used for exhibition, publication, presentation on the World Wide Web and successor technologies, and for promotion of TOHR and its activities in any medium. I hereby grant to TOHR ownership of the physical property delivered to the Project and the right to use the property that is the product of my participation (for example, my interview, performance, photographs, and written materials) as stated above I also grant to TOHR my absolute and irrevocable consent for any photograph(s) provided by me or taken of me in the course of my participation in the Project to be used, published, and copied by TOHR and its assignees in any medium. I agree that TOHR may use my name, video or photographic image or likeness, statements, performance, and voice reproduction, or other sound effects without further approval on my part. I release TOHR, and its assignees and designees, from any and all claims and demands arising out of or in connection with the use of such recordings, documents, and artifacts, including but not limited to, any claims for defamation, invasion of privacy, or right of publicity. ACCEPTED AND AGREED Signature ________________________________________________________ Date______________ Printed Name _________________________________________ Address ____________________________________________________________________________ City __________________________________ State ______ ZIP ______________ - ____________ month/day/year Telephone ( ________ ) -____________________ Relationship to Interviewee, if any: __________________________________________________________ Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource [2003] TOHR GLBT History Project Interviewer's Release Form Description An account of the resource A release form meant to be completed by interviewers for the Oral Histories Project. The form grants to TOHR ownership of all products of interview participation. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource May 3, 2003 https://history.okeq.org/files/original/623d823e7456675b7b6d9579a0e8ac54.doc 278cc0183787d923852479080100c03e Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource [Series] Oral Histories Project > Project Materials Description An account of the resource Physical Media: Box 7, Folder 3 - Oral Histories Project Materials Box 7, Folder 4 - OSU Materials Box 7, Folder 5 - Strategic Planning & Leadership Box 7, Folder 6 - Project Notes Items Not in Folders Digital Media: Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Text Any textual data included in the document <h1>INTERVIEW QUESTIONS – TULSA GLBT HISTORY PROJECT</h1> Revised September 11, 2005 Basic Biography Where/when were you born? What is your ethnic background? Family background? Education? How long have you lived in Tulsa? What brought you here? Occupations? Out at work? Marriage? Children? Long-term GLBT relationships? Sexual Identity Would you classify yourself as homosexual, bisexual, or heterosexual for most of your adult life? If homosexual/bisexual, how long have you been “out”? When did you have your first homosexual experience? What was your first visit to a gay-related place or event like? What did you expect? Did your sexual preference create problems for you or between you and your family? Employment issues? Neighborhood issues? Did/do you have a strong network of gay friends and/or acquaintances? How did these relationships develop? When/how did you realize that there were others that shared your sexual preference? How visible were you and your friends in the community? Did you ever encounter prejudice on the part of the police, government officials, etc.? What kind of relationships did you and your fiends have with the police, religious authorities, district attorneys, etc.? What were the limits of “acceptable” public behavior and how were the norms enforced? Community How did one know if somebody was homosexual in the 1920s/1930s/1940s/1950s in Tulsa? Were there any distinctive attitudes, fashions, language, or occupations that seemed to resonate with your homosexual friends than other groups? Social taboos? No-nos? Ways of finding each other? How did you keep in touch with current events relating to your homosexuality? Any underground newspapers or newsletters? Where did you and your friends hang out? Any particular establishments, neighborhoods, parks, homes, or other places that were popular? “Rules” for how to act around GLBT people, around straight people? In public? Private? Role models and/or inspirations within the community? Famous people? Cultural icons? Stories from elders – did you recall stories you heard from older GLBT people about their experiences? Did elders give you any advice? What about bars and honkey-tonks? Any of them exclusively cater to gay/bisexual men/women? If so, where were they located and what were they called? Were there ever any galas, socials, or “drag balls” in the Tulsa area that you heard about or attended? Explain… Any pictures or memorabilia you might like to share? What impact did events like WWI, WWII, the Great Depression, or the tumultuous 1950s have on your lifestyle, friendships, socializing patterns, etc. Any discernible turning points in the acceptance/mortification of homosexuality that you can remember? <ol> <li>What was your military experience like? Stats?</li> <li>Were you “out”? Others?</li> </ol> Were you or anyone you knew ever involuntarily committed because of your sexuality? Substance abuse? Describe any distinctive examples of prejudice or violence you encountered in Tulsa that stemmed from your sexual preference? Terms – what did you call yourselves? Gay? Queer? Butch/Femme? Humor – what things made you laugh? GLBT-specific humor? Pranks? In-jokes? Were butch-femme roles pervasive? Personal experiences? When/what? “Passing” by butch women? Violence? How strict were roles adhered to, enforced? Interactions between gay men and women? Positive? Was Tulsa any less tolerant of homosexuality than other places you lived/visited? Was it easier being gay then than it is now? Explain… Race/Ethnicity Personal background? Impact? Recollections of white/black interaction within GLBT community? Segregation? How do you account for white/black split in GLBT community now? Black GLBT life? Memories to share? Contacts? Ethnic/Race-specific bars, organizations? Interracial relationships? Yours? Others’? Attitudes toward? Your or other GLBT people’s involvement in the civil rights movement? Racial prejudice within GLBT community? Religion/Spirituality What is your religious background? Did it affect your attitude toward your sexual identity? If so, how? Changes in your religious beliefs after coming out? If so, why? What? Membership in any GLBT religious organizations, churches? Experiences? Sex Let’s talk about sex---where did gay/bisexual men in Tulsa go if they wanted to have a sexual experience? Was it easy to have a sexual encounter in Tulsa? Were the police or community groups ever problematic in allowing these to occur? What are some of the most notorious or memorable sexual encounters you have personally had in Tulsa? Slang? Monogamy? Casual sex? AIDS? When did you first learn? Alter your behavior? Community’s response? Personal stories? Was there ever any homosexual-heterosexual contact of which you remember? How were the “straight” men viewed by the community? Any prejudice or negative ramifications? Impersonation What do you know about the history of female impersonation in Tulsa? When did you first dress in drag? What led you to do this? Anybody “lead” you to it, or did it just occur naturally? Where would one go in the 1940s/1950s/1960s to do shows? Any notorious drag bars/clubs? Private parties? Were they high profile affairs? High profile people? Did drag assume a large role in the gay community---was it a central aspect of socialization, a humorous escapade, a means to make a living? Explain. Leather/S/M Experiences? Events? Bars? Bars How many bars have you owned? Names, dates, etc. Were they always “gay,” or did you cultivate mixed crowds? Lucrative business? Did you face a lot of community pressure, police pressure, familial pressure in regard to starting/running a bar? Which bars did you attend? Police harassment? Atmosphere? Activism What were the political values you grew up with? Have they changed since then? How and why? Active in social movements? Civil Rights? Anti-war? Women’s? Were you ever politically active with GLBT issues? If so, what groups? Activities? Members? Summing up Other topics you want to cover? Significant changes? Advice to others? Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource [2005] History Project Interview Questions Description An account of the resource A list of questions for Oral Histories Project interviews. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource September 11, 2005 https://history.okeq.org/files/original/bcf0edcc3b208beee7109593ffc93585.doc bbcce0220ba472ffbefd7f50b18a3ec9 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource [Series] Oral Histories Project > Project Materials Description An account of the resource Physical Media: Box 7, Folder 3 - Oral Histories Project Materials Box 7, Folder 4 - OSU Materials Box 7, Folder 5 - Strategic Planning & Leadership Box 7, Folder 6 - Project Notes Items Not in Folders Digital Media: Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Text Any textual data included in the document #__-____ City ______________________________________ State, County _______________________________ Date ______________________________________ <h3>Tulsa Oklahomans for Human Rights</h3> <h3>GLBT History Project Informed Consent</h3> <ol> <li>I hereby agree to participate in an interview in connection with the oral history project known as _____________________________________. I understand that I will be asked about _____________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________.</li> <li>The interview will be videotaped and/or audio-taped. In the interview I may be identified by name, subject to my consent. I may also be identified by name in any transcript (whether verbatim or edited) of such interview, subject to my consent. If I choose to remain anonymous, I know that the tape(s) of my interview will be closed to use, and my name will not appear in the transcript or reference to any material contained in the interview. I know that in the case of choosing to remain anonymous, my interview will only be identified by an internal GLBT History Project tracking number.</li> <li>I understand that the interview will take approximately _____ hours and that I can withdraw from the project without prejudice prior to the execution and delivery of a deed of gift, a form of which is attached hereto. In the event that I withdraw from the interview, any tape made of the interview will be either given to me or destroyed, and no transcript will be made of the interview. I understand that a photograph of me will be taken or borrowed for duplication, and that if I withdraw from the project, the photograph will be given to me.</li> <li>Subject to the provisions of paragraph five below, I understand that, upon completion of the interview, the tape and content of the interview belong to Tulsa Oklahomans for Human Rights, and that the information in the interview can be used by Tulsa Oklahomans for Human Rights in any manner it will determine, subject only to the limitations listed below.</li> <li>Tulsa Oklahomans for Human Rights agrees that: (i) it will not use or exercise any of its rights to the information in the interview prior to the signing of the deed of gift; (ii) the deed of gift will be submitted to me for my signature at completion of the interview; and (iii) restrictions on the use of the interview can be placed in the deed of gift and will be accepted as amending Tulsa Oklahomans for Human Right's rights to the content of the interview. I understand that I have the right to review the tape or transcript of the interview before I sign the deed of gift.</li> <li>Any restrictions as to use of portions of the interview indicated by me will be edited out of the final copy of the transcript.</li> <li>I understand that at the conclusion of this project and upon signing the deed of gift, the tape, photograph, and one copy of the transcript will be kept in the possession of Tulsa Oklahomans for Human Rights and its Archive.</li> <li>If I have questions about the research project or procedures, I know I can contact _________________________________ at the GLBT History Project, TOHR, P.O. Box 2687, Tulsa, OK 74101, (918) 743-4297 or via e-mail at history@tohr.org.</li> </ol> If I feel I have not been treated according to the descriptions in this form, or that my rights as a participant in research have been violated during the course of this project, I know I can contact the President of the Board of Directors of Tulsa Oklahomans for Human Rights, P.O. Box 2687, Tulsa, OK 74101, (918) 743-4297 or by e-mail at bortolani@tohr.org. ____ I agree to be identified by name in any transcript or reference to any information contained in this interview. ____ I wish to remain anonymous in any transcript or reference to any information contained in this interview. I wish to have the tape(s) containing my interview closed to use. I wish to have my transcript only identified by an internal GLBT History Project tracking number. ____ I wish to have the following limitations placed on the use of my interview: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Interviewer signature_____________________________________ Interviewee signature_____________________________________ Address _____________________________________ _____________________________________ _____________________________________ Phone number _____________________________________ Consent Date __/__/__ Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource [ND] Oral Histories Project Interview Informed Consent Form Description An account of the resource GLBT History Project informed consent form for Oral History Project interviews. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource ND https://history.okeq.org/files/original/f1d543e153a9e1f1cbc60d3dbee83d4e.doc 3a33490c2ae1e7100877893497b0214c Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource [Series] Oral Histories Project > Project Materials Description An account of the resource Physical Media: Box 7, Folder 3 - Oral Histories Project Materials Box 7, Folder 4 - OSU Materials Box 7, Folder 5 - Strategic Planning & Leadership Box 7, Folder 6 - Project Notes Items Not in Folders Digital Media: Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Text Any textual data included in the document <h3 style="text-align:center;">Tulsa Oklahomans for Human Rights</h3> <h3 style="text-align:center;">GLBT History Project</h3> <h3 style="text-align:center;">Deed of Gift Form</h3> (a) I, ____________________________, hereby give to Tulsa Oklahomans for Human Rights for scholarly, educational and general use the recordings of interview(s) conducted with me on _______________, and I grant to Tulsa Oklahomans for Human Rights all of the rights I possess in those recordings, including all intellectual property rights. I understand that Tulsa Oklahomans for Human Rights grants me a nonexclusive license to make and to authorize others to make any use of the content of those recordings, and that Tulsa Oklahomans for Human Rights will, at my request, make available a copy of those recordings for such use. (b) If I wish to remain anonymous in any interview transcript or reference to any information contained in this interview, I will specify this restriction in paragraph (c) below. (c) The foregoing gift and grant of rights is subject to the following restrictions: This agreement may be revised or amended by mutual consent of the parties undersigned. Accepted by: ________________________________________ Date __________________ Interviewer, Tulsa Oklahomans for Human Rights ________________________________________ Date __________________ Interviewee signature _________________________________________________________________ Interviewee address and telephone number Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource [2019] Deed of Gift Form Description An account of the resource Tulsa Oklahomans for Human Rights GLBT History Project Deed of Gift Form Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource April 9, 2019 https://history.okeq.org/files/original/0d426be7c4cbee728bc6662809a1c1e6.pdf 6b7bcb0c286cb5c7ddf8bc5b88622c10 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Vernon Jones Obituary Description An account of the resource Transcript: Vernon Leon Jones, 88, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, left this earthly plane to be with his late partner Phil Wiley, on February 5th, 2024. He was born in Oklahoma, on May 3rd, 1935. As a gay man, born and raised here, Vernon’s chosen family is vast. He is survived by Hayward Jones, Nekesha Jones, JaKobe Jones, Sue Davis, Fred Hilliard, Arlowe Clementine, Mason Thomas, Rey Thomas, and so many other individuals that claimed Vernon as their friend, family, and elder. Vernon was an active learner, even in his later years. He was always working to understand the world around him and was eternally hopeful for a better world. He was a strong advocate for marginalized peoples and was particularly committed to Queer and Black Liberation. Vernon was a clear Taurus. He was intelligent, dependable, logical, honest, and generous. Vernon spent most of his life focused on making his community better. He was a holder of receipts. A maker of spreadsheets. A true community historian and archivist. Vernon was dedicated to making people safer, both in his career in emergency management and his activist work in the fight against AIDS. He was not a stranger to controversy and was unrelenting in speaking his truth and the truth of the people he loved. In the years before his death, Vernon worked hard to ensure that the legacy of LGBTQ activism in Tulsa was properly recorded and preserved for current and future generations. His substantial archive is now housed in Oklahoma State University’s Archives. This collection will be witnessed by researchers and community members for years to come. Vernon was a connector. He worked hard to bring people together and was always willing to give someone support that needed it. Even in his death, he is connecting individuals over their shared love and respect for him and his life. Vernon fought hard for his community and the legacy of his late partner Phil Wiley. Anyone who knew Vernon was graced with stories of Phil’s life and legacy as well as their love for one another. In lieu of flowers, we ask that you remember Vernon by learning something new, taking a stand on social issues that are important to you, and keeping his life and legacy alive through storytelling. Vernon’s memorial service will take place March 1st at 11 AM at Butler-Stumpff & Dyer Funeral Home (<a href="https://www.bing.com/ck/a?!&&p=bfe3dfa29743f8d2JmltdHM9MTcwODY0NjQwMCZpZ3VpZD0xYTQ3OGQzZC1hYmNmLTYxMWUtMDhjNC05ZjI0YWFiYTYwNDUmaW5zaWQ9NTc0Nw&ptn=3&ver=2&hsh=3&fclid=1a478d3d-abcf-611e-08c4-9f24aaba6045&u=a1L21hcHM_Jm1lcGk9MTIzfn5Vbmtub3dufkFkZHJlc3NfTGluayZ0eT0xOCZxPUJ1dGxlci1TdHVtcGZmJTIwJTI2JTIwRHllciUyMEZ1bmVyYWwlMjBIb21lJTIwJTI2JTIwQ3JlbWF0b3J5JnNzPXlwaWQuWU43MDl4MTIzMDIxMzUmcHBvaXM9MzYuMTU2OTEzNzU3MzI0MjJfLTk1Ljk2MTc5OTYyMTU4MjAzX0J1dGxlci1TdHVtcGZmJTIwJTI2JTIwRHllciUyMEZ1bmVyYWwlMjBIb21lJTIwJTI2JTIwQ3JlbWF0b3J5X1lONzA5eDEyMzAyMTM1fiZjcD0zNi4xNTY5MTR-LTk1Ljk2MTgmdj0yJnNWPTEmRk9STT1NUFNSUEw&ntb=1">2103 E 3rd St, Tulsa, OK 74104</a>). PDF Text Text 1/8/26, 1:44 PM Vernon Leon Jones - Butler-Stumpff & Dyer Funeral Home & Crematory  Vernon Leon Jones May 03, 1935 - February 05, 2024 Share:    Obituary Event & Services Charities & Donations Gallery Videos https://www.butler-stumpff.com/obituaries/vernon-leon-jones/ 1/4 �1/8/26, 1:44 PM Vernon Leon Jones - Butler-Stumpff & Dyer Funeral Home & Crematory Guestbook Send Flowers Obituary Vernon Leon Jones, 88, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, left this earthly plane to be with his late partner Phil Wiley, on February 5th, 2024. He was born in Oklahoma, on May 3rd, 1935. As a gay man, born and raised here, Vernon’s chosen family is vast. He is survived by Hayward Jones, Nekesha Jones, JaKobe Jones, Sue Davis, Fred Hilliard, Arlowe Clementine, Mason Thomas, Rey Thomas, and so many other individuals that claimed Vernon as their friend, family, and elder. Vernon was an active learner, even in his later years. He was always working to understand the world around him and was eternally hopeful for a better world. He was a strong advocate for marginalized peoples and was particularly committed to Queer and Black Liberation. Vernon was a clear Taurus. He was intelligent, dependable, logical, honest, and generous. Vernon spent most of his life focused on making his community better. He was a holder of receipts. A maker of spreadsheets. A true community historian and archivist. Vernon was dedicated to making people safer, both in his career in emergency management and his activist work in the fight against AIDS. He was not a stranger to controversy and was unrelenting in speaking his truth and the truth of the people he loved. In the years before his death, Vernon worked hard to ensure that the legacy of LGBTQ activism in Tulsa was properly recorded and preserved for current and future generations. His substantial archive is now housed in Oklahoma State University’s Archives. This collection will be witnessed by researchers and community members for years to come. Vernon was a connector. He worked hard to bring people together and was always willing to give someone support that needed it. Even in his death, he is connecting individuals over their shared love and respect for him and his life. Vernon fought hard for his community and the legacy of his late partner Phil Wiley. Anyone who knew Vernon was graced with stories of Phil’s life and legacy as well as their love for one another. In lieu of flowers, we ask that you remember Vernon by learning something new, taking a stand on social issues that are important to you, and keeping his life and legacy alive through storytelling. https://www.butler-stumpff.com/obituaries/vernon-leon-jones/ 2/4 �1/8/26, 1:44 PM Vernon Leon Jones - Butler-Stumpff & Dyer Funeral Home & Crematory Vernon’s memorial service will take place March 1st at 11 AM at Butler-Stumpff & Dyer Funeral Home (2103 E 3rd St, Tulsa, OK 74104). ABOUT US “We will always be kind and we will never take advantage of you or your family at your saddest time” is our promise to you. General Price List BUTLER-STUMPFF & DYER FUNERAL HOME & CREMATORY  2103 E 3rd St Tulsa, OK 74104  (918) 587-7000  info@butler-stumpff.com  Available 24/7 https://www.butler-stumpff.com/obituaries/vernon-leon-jones/ 3/4 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource [Series] Oral Histories Project > Interviews Description An account of the resource Physical Media: Box 7, Folder 7 - Dr. Leisa Meyer Program Box 7, Folder 8 - Interviewees Materials, Original Series 2003-2007 Digital Media: Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource [2007] Vernon Jones Interview Description An account of the resource Video recording and transcription of Laura Belmonte’s interview of Vernon Jones conducted on February 28, 2007. Video and Transcript available at the Dennis R. Neill Equality Center for on-site research. Vernon was born on May 3, 1935, near Tulsa and passed on February 5, 2024 in Tulsa. He enlisted in the Air Force and served for four years in the military in cryptographic operations, including two years stationed in Japan. After thirteen years of marriage and two daughters, Vernon came out to his wife and family. He and his partner, Phil Wiley, were co-founders of the Tulsa Gay Alliance in 1971, and they volunteered with the Tulsa Suicide Prevention Hotline. He worked in emergency management. In the mid-1970’s. He served on a task force within the Tulsa Human Rights Commission to research consideration of ordinance changes to address LGBT discrimination. Vernon left his archives to Oklahoma State University. A copy of his October 10, 2021, interview as a part of OSU’s Diverse Gender and Sexuality of Oklahoma Oral History Project is included in Vernon’s oral history folder at OkEq. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource February 28, 2007 Subject The topic of the resource Vernon Jones Oral History Project Interview from February 28, 2007 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Laura Belmonte, Vernon Jones, Lindsey Killebrew, Matthew D. Williams, Dennis Neill 2007 available at Center Butler-Stumpff & Dyer Funeral Home Butler-Stumpff and Dyer Butler-Stumpff and Dyer Funeral Home Dennis Neill interview Laura A. Belmonte Laura Belmonte Lindsey Killebrew Matthew D. Williams Matthew Williams Obituaries Obituary OKEQ Oral History Project oral history oral history interview Oral History Project oral history transcript transcript Vernon Jones Vernon Leon Jones video Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource [Series] Oral Histories Project > Interviews Description An account of the resource Physical Media: Box 7, Folder 7 - Dr. Leisa Meyer Program Box 7, Folder 8 - Interviewees Materials, Original Series 2003-2007 Digital Media: Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource [2006] Kelly Kirby Interview Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource May 6, 2006 Description An account of the resource Video recording and transcript of oral history interview with Laura Belmonte on May 6, 2006. Video and Transcript available at the Dennis R. Neill Equality Center for on-site research. Born on November 25, 1953, he graduated from high school in 1971. Faced with a draft number of 25, Kelly joined the Air Force in 1972. While very closeted during his service, while based in California, he would make trips to Santa Barbara and a few other locations to some bars and on occasion attended the Metropolitan Community Church in Santa Barbara as he was dealing with his sexual orientation. After leaving the military in 1975, he returned to Kansas and got involved with a cult Christian Group, The Way. In 1977, he married and they had 4 children. In 1980, they moved to Oklahoma City, he soon started a CPA practice and by 1986 relocated to Tulsa. He joined Homosexuals Anonymous as part of dealing with his conflicts with sexuality, family and religion. In 1990, his wife and Kelly agreed to separate and eventually divorce. He became an HIV tester with Tulsa Oklahomans for Human Rights in 1991 and discusses his further involvement with the gay community and TOHR, serving on the board in the early 1990s and treasurer, president and later serving as TOHR’s accountant. He became active with the local PFLAG Chapter and with the support of Nancy McDonald, joined the national board of PFLAG in 1993. He reviews the difficult environment in the 1993-1994 time period when the Tulsa Human Rights Commission proposed some ordinance changes to address LGBTQ discrimination. Subject The topic of the resource Kelly Kirby Oral History Project Interview from May 6, 2006 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Kelly Kirby, Laura Belmonte, Dennis Neill 2006 AIDS/HIV Air Force available at Center discrimination HIV HIV testing HIV/AIDs Homosexuals Anonymous interview Kelly Kirby Laura A. Belmonte Laura Belmonte Metropolitan Community Church Nancy McDonald OKEQ Oral History Project oral history oral history interview Oral History Project oral history transcript Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) Parents Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays Parents Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) PFLAG PFLAG Tulsa Chapter The Way TOHR TOHR Board of Directors transcript Tulsa Oklahomans for Human Rights Tulsa Oklahomans for Human Rights (TOHR) Tulsa Oklahomans for Human Rights Board of Directors Tulsa Oklahomans for Human Rights HIV Testing video Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource [Series] Oral Histories Project > Interviews Description An account of the resource Physical Media: Box 7, Folder 7 - Dr. Leisa Meyer Program Box 7, Folder 8 - Interviewees Materials, Original Series 2003-2007 Digital Media: Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource [2006] Lamont Lindstrom Interview Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource April 15, 2006 Description An account of the resource Video recording and transcript of oral history interview with Laura Belmonte on April 15, 2006. Video and Transcript available at the Dennis R. Neill Equality Center for on-site research. Lamont was born in Oakland, California on May 11th, 1953. At Berkeley, he completed a BA, MA and PhD in anthropology. Prior to spending a year in Australia on a National Science Foundation fellowship, Lamont married. They later relocated to Memphis for a teaching position and then joined the faculty at the University of Tulsa in 1982. In 1984 and 1985, he worked in Hawaii, returned to Tulsa and his wife and Lamont had 3 daughters. By 1994, he became more focused on his interest in same-sex relations. He has been in a long-term interracial relationship and discusses some of the challenges of segregation within the gay community. In 1996 he became involved with Tulsa Oklahomans for Human Rights, including serving on the board in the 2000s. Subject The topic of the resource Lamont Lindstrom Oral History Project interview from April 15, 2006 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Lamont Lindstorm, Laura Belmonte, Dennis Neill 2006 available at Center interview Lamont Lindstrom Laura A. Belmonte Laura Belmonte OKEQ Oral History Project oral history oral history interview Oral History Project oral history transcript segregation TOHR TOHR Board of Directors transcript Tulsa Oklahomans for Human Rights Tulsa Oklahomans for Human Rights (TOHR) Tulsa Oklahomans for Human Rights Board of Directors video https://history.okeq.org/files/original/50c75d314ecd3bfe576df8fa1e4a818c.mp4 1cd0a806c5b45b06b12b8f2d5493d4a0 https://history.okeq.org/files/original/f1f040d517ee58dfd79531909e7a503c.pdf c50d91cd143acf3b75830c770059e040 PDF Text Text oklahomans for equality Oklahomans for Equality Oral History Interview with Leslie Penrose Interview Conducted by Laura Belmonte Date: March 31, 2006 Transcribed By: Matthew Warren Transcript Edited by Dennis Neill - December 27, 2025 Restrictions: Interviewee requested - NIA. Oklahomans for Equality History Project 621 E. 4th Street Tulsa, OK. 74120 918.743.4297 historyproiect@okeg.org �LGBT History Project 03/31/2006 Interview of Leslie Penrose by Laura Belmonte Laura: It is Friday, March 31 2006 and we are at the Community of Hope Church with Leslie Penrose for today's interview. Leslie, let's just start with some basic biographical information. When were you born, what was your family and education like and those sorts of things? Leslie: I was born in Amarillo, Texas in 1951 into an oil field family. And I grew up all over the Midwest and lived in almost every state west of the Mississippi. I went to 18 different schools between kindergarten and col lege. Roots are something I long for and moving is something I do well. Although, in my adult life I have lived in Tulsa since 1979 and really do feel like I'm establishing roots here and 2 �that this is home. Although my husband and I have moved to like 5 different houses so we still practice the moving thing. Laura: Did you have any brothers and sisters? Leslie: I did. I had two younger brothers and a younger sister so I was the oldest of four: and they're all still living. My dad is dead but my mother is still living. Laura: And where did you go to college? Leslie: T.U. for my undergrad degree in Religion. I got my Masters of Divinity at Phillips Theological Seminary in Tulsa. Laura: And you mentioned you are married, how long have you been? Leslie: 35 years. I got married 6 months out of high school. He was in the Marine Corps and I moved to California to take up residence on the Camp Pendleton Marine Core base the day after we got married. Laura: Wow. And do you have children? Leslie: I do. I have two. My daughter, Keli, was born there in California after we had been married about two years. And the other one was born on the East coast. We moved back here after Steve's discharge, for him to go to school at OU. From there we moved Richmond, Virginia for Steve's first job, and my son, Kyle, was born there. Laura: Well let's move on to the issues of the gay community and gay people and such. When was the first time you recall hearing anything about the gay community in Tulsa? Leslie: I'm not sure about hearing about the gay community in Tulsa, but I do know when my own sense of awareness of gay issues happened. In the late 70s I was a banker, and not particularly happy with that. I took a trip to Central America to try and figure things out and find out what I wanted to be when I "grew up." The leader of the group I went with was a gay man. 3 �It was a very transforming trip for me and my relationship with him was very transforming. I experienced him in a very pastoral, religious way. I asked him one day why he wasn't a pastor because he just had such a gift for it. He said, "Well I would be except that the church won't let me. I'm gay." It was not anything that I ever consciously 'knew.' I mean, I must have been aware of it on some level but it had never been part of my consciousness that that was where the church was. And it just blew my socks off. I have continued to maintain a relationship with him across the years. But it was actually that experience and my experience in Central America that drove me to seminaryseeking something beyond the shallow experience of 'church' that I had had growing up. Once I was in seminary, that issue and other issues of justice just kept pushing me to the edge, and I'd quit seminary and start it again, thinking, 'I can't do this church thing because it's way too oppressive.' But there was also something within me that came out of that trip to Central America that said, "My experience there says there's a different way of being church, a way that has integrity and is life giving." I wanted to be a part of THAT way of being church. Laura: Talk to me a little bit about your experiences at Phillips. Why did you decide to go there? Leslie: Well I decided to go there because it was the only seminary available to me. I was a young mother with young kids. I needed a local place. They were just opening their campus in Tulsa when I inquired in 1985, and asked if I wanted to be a part of that very first class that met here in Tulsa. I did. Laura: And you found this a kind of conflicted experience? were they saying about issues of social justice and homosexuality that you had to wrestle with? Leslie: You know I don't know if it was what they were saying as much as it was what the gospel was saying. I think actually the school was pretty mainline and kind of scared to enter into the really tough issues. I had, for most of my What 4 �life, been involved in social issues like nucleai disarmament, immigration, and civil rights for African Americans; but as I began to read the gospel and put things together it became clear to me that something was wrong with saying there are some folks that don't fit into the "salvation plan" or however you want to talk about it. The more I challenged that in my own thinking, the more I needed to involve other people in the dialogue. I was the President of the Student Council at Phillips at that time, and actually challenged them to, for the first time, put gay and lesbian issues on the agenda. I asked the Council to attend a board meeting and requested that Phillips might name itself a safe place for gay and lesbian students. It was not at that time - it was more 'don't ask, don't tell.' Folks were pretty threatened by that first dialogue, but it opened the door and they are now a very affirming place for gay and lesbian students. At about the same time, while I was in seminary, I was a part-time youth pastor at Memorial Drive United Methodist Church. I got a call one day from a friend of mine at St. Johns Hospital. She was a nurse, and she said that there was a young man there and he was dying of AIDS. "He hasn't had any visitors here for over a month. Would you mind co.ming?" I knew nothing about AIDS, but I knew someone shouldn't die with no visitors for a month. So I went, and it was a baptism by fire. When I finally got in to see him (after having to put on full protective clothing and gloves, I asked if I could talk with him and he said "Sure. Who are you?" I told him I was a minister, and he responded, "Oh, you don't even need to bother. I already know everything you have to say. My church has already told me I'm going to hell." It just broke my heart, and I said "I don't believe that." He let me stay a few minutes so we could talk, and when I left I asked if I could come back the next day. He said "yes." I was there everyday for about a week until that young man died. During that time I got to meet a couple of his friends who came by because they had heard he was going to die. They said they had been afraid to visit. And from there I was just 'connected.' It was like all of a sudden, a 5 �gate opened and there were a number of people who needed to deal with their spiritual issues relating to HIV and AIDS. Within a few weeks, I had connected with Dr. Jeff Beal and Ted Campbell... and all of a sudden I was like "the chaplain" for Dr. Seal's office. One day Ted Campbell called me and asked me to do some work with his HIV therapy group. "They have some spiritual issues to deal with", he said. So I went. I was there for about an hour, and it was actually a pretty hostile group at first. Not too willing to talk. They had a few nice questions to ask me, but there wasn't a conversation. And then, right before it was time to go, one of the young men, Jim B, looked at me and said, "I have a question for you. So tell me why it is that God would create somebody and then condemn them to hell. Tell me what kind of God does that." The only response I had was "a God who needs to die." Because that was true for me, the God that they were carrying around with them needed to die. So they invited me back and I went back to that group for several months and worked on theological and spiritual issues with them and about their own belovedness in God's eyes. Laura: How did you become aware of the difficulties that LGBT people faced at Phillips? Leslie: I just became aware that there were a couple of lesbian students there that were not out and were not willing to be out and only shared their story with me because I began to break the silence about the issue and ask those kinds of questions. By just becoming known as a 'safe person', several students shared their stories with me. Laura: Did you, yourself, have people assume you were a lesbian? Leslie: Absolutely, all the time. In fact, when I first started The Community of Hope I intentionally took off my wedding ring. I didn't want the straight community relying on the fact that I was straight to make me safe in their religious settings. Because the people I was working with were not safe in religious settings unless they pretended to be straight, I was unwilling for it to be that obvious that I was straight. Wrestling is a good thing for people ... 6 �Laura: You weren't willing to flaunt your heterosexuality? Leslie: Yeah ... I just wasn't willing for someone else to use it. It just made me furious that that's what made me safe. Laura: So what year did you finish seminary and how did your career trajectory go after that? Leslie: I was ordained in 1989 and I was still on staff at Memorial Drive UMC. In 1990 a young gay couple, both of whom were living with AIDS, started coming to that church. And then another couple came, and another, and so on. The church was fairly receptive to the first two: the tokenism thing was okay with them. But when it became 4 and 6 and 8 and a whole pew of young gay men, most of them with AIDS, the church got more threatened. Then in 1992 while I was in Central America leading a mission trip, the church leaders had these secret meetings and when I got back they told me I needed to leave. They were no longer comfortable with my ministry. Well, in the United Methodist Church that's not how it works. The church doesn't decide when you leave, only the bishop can decide that. So the bishop told them, "You don't decide when she leaves. I do. And she will stay until June when it is the normal time for pastors to leave." So between August of '92 and June of '93, I was in this horribly painful situation of serving this church where a significant number of the people did not want me there, but another significant number did. The church began to split and the pastor, Dr George Warren, got threatened. He wrote letters to two of the LGBT members who had already joined - Mark Vickers and Brad Mulholland informing them that they couldn't do things like go into the kitchen because they had AIDS; and they couldn't teach Sunday school; or read Scripture from the chancel area. I was appalled and they were deeply hurt - again. And so I went to the bishop and said, "I understand that I'm going to be moved in June and that's fine, that's the system. But PLEASE put someone in Tulsa who can be a safe place for these people. We've opened the door now and the care 7 �and acceptance that was promised needs to be provided." After some conversation, the Bishop said, "You need to start that congregation." Well, politically at that time, the United Methodist Church would not support my starting a new congregation that was open and affirming. So the Bishop and I put our heads together. He had just been in Central America studying Liberation Theology; and he knew I often went to Central America. We had both experienced the alternative 'churches' being formed there called Base Communities. It was a model, primarily in the Catholic tradition, where people who feel abandoned by the hierarchy in society and the church, formed small, local communities of justice and spirituality where the people are the church. Occasionally a priest may come and offer the sacraments, but the church is the people. The people are doing the work of nurturing spirituality; the people are doing social justice in their communities. The result is that the people began reading the bible in different ways, and questioning traditional theology. A Base Community made sense for Tulsa. And at the United Methodist Annual Conference in June of 1993 the Bishop of Oklahoma commissioned me to begin a Base Community here in Tulsa ... whatever that might mean. Laura: What was this bishop's name? Leslie: Dan Solomon - a very courageous man. He found $12,000 dollars for me to have a part-time salary for a year, and that's how it started: no place to meet, no office, no funds for advertising or supplies. Nothing except a group of people who were willing. I started by going to several different churches to ask for meeting space. Finally, Centenary United Methodist Church on North Denver, agreed to allow us to meet in the evenings in their basement. So on June 21, 1993 we had the very first gathering of Community of Hope. There were about 50 people at that first gathering - half gay and half straight. No children yet, but we had hopes. There had been a group of 12 or 13 people who had been meeting in my living room for two or three months trying 8 �to figure out what we wanted this church to look like. One important piece was that we were diverse in our membership_gay and straight, racially and age diverse. We chose to use a Rainbow candle as our Christ candle in worship - Christ candles are always white. Not ours - not our candle and not our Christ. Another important piece was that we wanted every aspect of our congregational life to bear witness to our valuesespecially to our belief that every single person is a child of God who deserves love and respect. So we decided that for every dollar we spent on ourselves we would also spend a dollar beyond our walls in some way that supported the marginalized. We've done that now for 13 years, supporting a number of social justice activities and organizations locally, nationally, and internationally. We met there at Centenary for about two months until one evening one of their morning members saw one of our member couples kissing in the parking lot. Within a few weeks, they asked us to leave. Next we rented a little life insurance building on the corner of Yale and Pine, and were there for about two and a half years. We outgrew it, and then we rented a warehouse on 2nd and Utica which we completely gutted and remodeled. It was a wonderful space for us, and we had a deeply rich and vibrant time. In early 1998, the City declared we couldn't stay because our zoning wasn't right for being a church. We suspected there was another agenda, but rather than spend time and energy fighting their ruling, we began to look for another building. We were 5 years old and looking for our 4t h home. Laura: It's a good thing you had the experience ... Leslie: That's right, all of my life - move, move, move. We decided to try and buy a building where we didn't have to worry about being kicked out again. We tried to buy three different church buildings but once they discovered who we were, they refused to sell to us. So finally-you 9 �know if there is anything I regret in my ministry I think this is what it is-we bought the building in the closet. We had one of our members buy it and transfer it to us. It was a deeply painful thing and it was fear that drove us to it: fear that we weren't going to have any place to call home. But I almost wish we hadn't done it, because I think it ended up hurting us in subtle but significant ways. I didn't realize that until a year or so later when I looked back at some of the conflict we'd been experiencing. We had never had conflict in our congregational life, but now some people were acting in strangely dysfunctional ways. I believe, looking back, that it was at least in part, because we had gone back into the closet in order to buy that building. Laura: Let's back up for a moment: I would assume some of this got public attention of some sort. When was the first time you remember gaining attention in the media for your outreach in the GLBT community? Leslie: Actually the Tulsa World did a story in probably 1995 and it was very positive about who we were and the outreach we were doing. That was probably the first time we got attention. I got hate mail regularly right from the beginning, and ugly messages on our answering machine. Some people in the neighborhood where we bought the building, filed complaints about us with the police, that we were "disturbing the peace." But we didn't really get much other publicity until in 1999 when I was brought up on ecclesiastical charges by the United Methodist Church. Then there was lots of it, nationally. Laura: When you were interacting with these leasing agents and realtors, had you been cognizant of laws on housing discrimination not including sexual orientation? Leslie: I think I probably had, but it was that na"ive 'it's not impacting me' kind of awareness. Besides, this was a church and it never entered my mind that you would turn down a whole church! It still just blows me away. Laura: The reason I ask is because we probably looked at 20 different spaces when we rented and that was just 2 years ago. �Leslie: And how painful it is! I mean I'm a straight woman, I had never dealt with any of this before and I had no idea of how painful it could be. Laura: Did you have any sort of dialogue within the church about the dissention that the decision to buy, sort of 'undercover,' was causing? Leslie: No, we never had a dialogue about it. I preached about it and I think that in and of itself - giving it voice - did some of the healing we needed. We named what was going on and that helped to heal the wounds: we admitted that we really messed up and we pledged together that we would not do that again. Laura: In relation to your having this sort of ministry, churches don't exist as little islands, when was the first time you recall encountering something from a different religious bent here in Tulsa? Leslie: In 1990, when I was presented for ordination in the United Methodist Church, I was charged by a colleague with heresy. The specific charge was that I didn't believe in the bodily resurrection of Christ as a literal event. But what was behind that charge was the work I was doing with the LGBT community and how threatened people were by that. Terry Ewing who at that time was an associate minister at Will Rogers United Methodist Church was the person who actually filed the charges, saying that I shouldn't be ordained because I didn't honor the ministerial covenant. It was a deeply painful thing to stand alone on the floor of the Annual Conference at Boston Avenue Church, before the 600-plus ministers in Oklahoma, and have them debate whether or not I was appropriate for ministry. But it ended up being a pretty wonderful thing because it did two things: 1) It made me decide how important this particular ministry was to me, and what I really believed about the Gospel. I decided right then and there that if I couldn't do the ministry that I felt called to do, then being ordained was meaningless. I think that decision on the floor of the conference is what got me through later challenges in my ministry that were much more difficult. 11 �So I ended up being grateful for that initial little baptism by fire. The second thing that incident did was to openly challenge the Oklahoma Conference of ministers to deal with what it was going to mean to have diversity in its midst. The vote that day ended up something like 590 to 17. But the really affirming thing happened later that night, at the public ordination ceremony held at Boston Avenue Church with a full sanctuary. When Bishop Solomon ordains someone, he always invites family and others who are there in support of the person being ordained, to stand as he places his hand on their head and ordains them. That night, when he put his hand on my head, almost the entire room stood. The vast majority didn't know or care about me personally, but they cared about diversity. Standing for me was their way of saying 'we are not going to be a church who says no to diversity.' It was a very powerful moment. Laura: Was this coexistent or did it precede debates on LGBT clergy in the church? Leslie: Oh it was right in the middle of it. The Methodist Church has been debating that for years and years and years. Laura: This obviously was going in a different direction. Leslie: Yes, this wasn't about gay clergy but about what restrictions we place on who we minister to. Laura: How about from non-Methodist clergy in Tulsa? Leslie: Totally mixed. It's kind of always been true for me in Tulsa clergy circles that when I walk into a room, the room kind of divides by where they are on this issue and other kinds of liberal issues. There are a lot of times I become sort of a metaphor for liberal religion or social justice issues in many settings. I've just gotten used to that. Laura: Now who would you construe as having been allies in this? Were there others making similar sorts of overtures to the LGBT community as you were? Or were you the trend setter? 12 �Leslie: I think in 1993 there were not many allies in Oklahoma. Community Hope was the first open and affirming, mainline congregation (other than MCC) in Tulsa. There were certainly clergy friends that I had who were sympathetic but they were not out there pushing the envelope. Laura: After 1993, what happened? Leslie: In 1996 the United Methodist Church passed a law saying that Methodist clergy cannot do same-sex blessings and those unions cannot happen in United Methodist churches. Community of Hope had been doing them all along. We would publish them in our newsletter, and put invitations and pictures out publicly. There was no secrecy. When the law passed, we had a congregational meeting and decided that come what may, we were not going to quit. We started an intentional process of asking ourselves, what is our theology of marriage, and how do we justify what we do? That resulted in writing a document that we adopted as our official position, including the commitment that that we would not stop. At about that same time, Bishop Solomon, who had blessed the start up of Community of Hope, moved to another call, and Oklahoma was assigned a new bishop: Bruce Blake. Bishop Blake said immediately and clearly that I must stop performing gay unions. I responded that I can't do that. A kind of 'dance' started then with the Oklahoma Conference. COH continued hosting holy unions and I continued officiating at those services. The conference leadership began asking for print copies or videos of services, and we'd send them. They'd respond, "you can keep doing this part but you can't wear your stole ( official clergy wear) .... Then ... 'you can stand with the couple but you can't bless the rings'.... Then, 'you can't say I announce you as wife and wife' or whatever.... We tried dancing with them for awhile because we really wanted it to work-if they were going to move a little and let us do unions, then we could move a little as well and do them differently. So I quit wearing my stole .... Then I 13 �moved to bless the rings before the ceremony and not during it... etc etc. After months of this dance, with more and more restrictions, it just finally became clear that the process had no integrity. It felt like people were being asked to cut off one of their arms or legs. 'Don't kill yourself,' they were saying, 'just cut off a piece of yourself." I went back to the conference leadership and said 'I just can't do this, and we went back to doing full unions.' For awhile there was nothing but silence from conference leadership. Shortly after that, the strangest thing happened. In 1998 there was a holy union in California that a whole group of clergy did collectively instead of as individual clergy. And they asked clergy across the nation to join them by signing on as 'officiates in abstentia'. So I signed on. Some lay person in Eufaula decided that was unacceptable to him, and he filed official church charges against me for having done a holy union in abstentia in January. Channel 11 here in Tulsa did a report on those charges and as part of their story, they got in touch with a couple for whom I had performed a holy union. The couple proudly and innocently, shared a video of their ceremony with the reporter and that night it was on the news. Within days Bishop Blake filed more charges - not just for signing on in abstenia, but for conducting union ceremonies. The national media picked it up .... and it just got to be this ridiculous mess. Bishop Blake dug in his heels and told me that I had three choices: 1) I could stop doing any unions immediately, or 2) I could go to church trial, or 3) I could give up my ordination and leave the United Methodist denomination. It didn't make any sense to me go to trial: I'm was openly guilty and I didn't plan to quit doing the ceremonies. So why would I want to spend time and energy going through that. More importantly, why would I want to drag Community of Hope through a national spectacle. They were already wounded and weary from months and months of threats and intimidation and harrassment. 14 �Knowing w hat might come, I had done my homework about my options, I immediately began to work with the United Church of Christ to t ra nsfer my ordination. The UMC charges had come on February 4, 1999; I transferred my ordi nation orders on March 4 th 1999. That process required that I return my certificate of ord ination to Bishop Blake, which I did. He actua lly sent it back to me with my dismissal scrawled across it in black marker. Laura: And how did all of t his effect the congregation? Leslie: We lost a hu ge number of people. In mid 1998 we were averaging 90-100 in worship. By March of 1999 attendance had dwindled to about 35. One more time the church had said "you're welcome here" but then stabbed them in the back. It broke my heart. I had been in the Methodist chu rch for 15 years as ordained clergy. I had a lot of relationships th ere ... t here was a lot to let go of... . a lot to grieve. La ura: How did you make the overture to the Un ited Church of Christ and how did the change affect the church? Leslie: It was really interesting. The story I told you about going to Central America and the trip leader who was gay - well, as things were heating up in 1998, he wrote to me and said he had joined the United Church of Christ. "That is where you belong," he said. So I went to talk to Russ Bennett, who was pastor of the on ly UCC church in Tulsa. Russ's imm ediate res ponse was 'Of course you belong here!" That week he drove me to Kingfisher to talk with the UCC Committee on Ministry; and he nurtured me through the process of transferring. Laura: You've experienced a lot more first hand homophobia than a lot of gay people I know! So what sort of outreach and progra mmin g was the church doing? 15 �Leslie: Well, COH held its first worship service in June of 1993. In July, we started feeding the homeless once a month. We'd prepare the food together and then take - ---,,,,= it to the Day Center and serve it. We also started volunteering with the GED program in the jails in July. In August, we took 10 of our "companions" (we don't really use 'member' language) on a mission trip to Nicaragua to build a house in a critically poor community. Those are all things we continue to do, plus we sponsor an apartment for DVIS, had a RAIN team for years, we host 3 different AA/NA meetings in our building; and we volunteer with several other social service and non-profit agencies in Tulsa. But it was our ministry with and to those living and dying with HIV/AIDS that both shaped and defined us. From the beginning we've always been at least 25% HIV infected . The core symbol of Community of Hope was a "brokenmade-whole chalice". It was gifted to us during our formation by Ted Campbell who was an HIV therapist. He had found it in a small pottery shop when he visited what used to be East Germany not too long after the wall came down. It's a chalice that incorporates cracked and broken pieces, and yet, still holds the sacramental wine we use in Holy Communion. It is a vessel that has been wounded, but it's woundedness isn't hidden or a thing of shame; but rather a beautiful and blessed part of the whole. Just like each of us - including, and perhaps ESPECIALLY, those who are living with their dying . That chalice ... and the broken-made-wholeness it represents is integral to who we are. That's why it's so important that we - the community - engage in as many ways of serving others as we can. When we become the vessel of healing and hope to others, we find it brings healing and hope to us. And, we also found that people living with HIV often felt like 'victims' or objects of care. Serving others in mission projects switched those roles - the wounded became the healer and that was incredibly empowering. 16 �Laura: You've mentioned Jeff Beal, When was the first time you really encountered the AIDS epidemic? Was it before your ministry? Leslie: I'm sure I'd heard about it but it wasn't a part of my daily life: and I don't think I knew anything about it or the bigotry around it. Not until that nurse called and I met the young man who was dying alone. Laura: What were some of the things you remember about how the community was reacting? Leslie: There was incredible fear - both IN the gay community and OF the gay community. No one knew how you got it and people were afraid to touch anything that someone with HIV had touched. Families didn't know how to react. It was such a big part of my ministry to go into a hospital room or some other setting, and hold hands, hug, give foot rubs - just TOUCH the person who was being treated as an 'untouchable.' When Community of Hope started, we actually developed a whole series of Rituals of Touch that were about affirming the lives and bodies of people who were living with AIDS. And I often found myself modeling for families who loved their son/brother etc. but were afraid and had no idea how to respond. I would hug the person or give them a back rub and talk with the famjly about the myths surrounding the transmission of HIV. It was also incredibly hard to find nursing homes that would take people with AIDS. Home health care was almost impossible for PWA;s (person's with AIDS). Even funeral homes refused to serve people who had died of AIDS. For a long time, Butler Stumpff was the only home in town that would receive their bodies and serve their families... Lots of the funerals were done at Community of Hope because there was no where else to go. In those early years, I often did 2-3 funerals a week. Laura: So you change denominations and go through this searing experience. Did you get national attention and how would you describe that experience? Leslie: Oh a flash in the pan. Jimmy Creach was another Methodist brought up on charges about the same tim~, 17 �and it was in a couple national papers and theological journals. It felt so insignificant compared to what was happening here in my backyard, that I didn't really pay attention to it. Laura: Talk a little more about the local fires. Leslie: The press was willing to reprint whatever people said and that got pretty nasty. I remember one of the news channels came to do a report here at the church, and we were clearing "Methodist" stuff out of the church. Just kind of joking, I said "What in the world are we going to do with 80 United Methodist hymnals." And, of course, that's the quote they chose to put on the air! I got lots of ugly messages: "how can you call yourself a minister and say that you know the bible?" People put hours of work into trying to convince me that I was wrong. But we also got an equal amount of mail that was supportive. I got one card that said, "I will hold my head a little higher because of you. Thank You." That felt pretty amazing. Laura: Tell me about how the church has changed since all of this happened. Any particularly notable events or members over the years? Leslie: Well one relationship I want to note is Phillips Seminary. COH has several professors and students that are a part of our congregation and Phillips has been such a supportive and wonderful institution for us. Dr. Brandon Scott has written a book called "Re-imagine our World" and the last chapter is about Community of Hope, and in particular his relationship with one young gay man who died of AIDS. I'm really grateful that a straight white male in a powerful position is willing and able to look and say "I was really changed by this young man who people said didn't count and didn't matter." It's been so good and life-giving to spend the last five years pouring my energy into creative, healing ministry and not fighting. Those first 7 or 8 years were spent fighting the institution, or at least defending ourselves from it. And now we are truly dancing with our denominational partner in a mutually supportive way. It is 18 �so nice to be able to use our energy for creative things and not fighting institutions. Laura: How has all of this affected your husband and children? Leslie: It affected my children profoundly. They don't go to church and have never been able to find a faith community they trust. They just have no tolerance for hypocracy and are having a hard time figuring out what religious life means to them. My husband was probably more wounded by the stuff with the United Methodist Church than I was, because he felt so powerless. He couldn't do anything about it. All he could do was stand by my side and watch them hurt me ... and he has enough white male in him (exMarine) that he wants to be the knight in shining armor. I've been able to let go of my anger at them, but he just can't. To this day, every time he hears the whole UMC spiel about Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors, he just boils. I'm not angry anymore, and I'm able to name the gifts I received from my time with the Methodists. I had some wonderful years as a Methodist and COH never would have happened without them. But it's been hard for Steve. Laura: There's been a vocal and organized LGBT community for quite awhile in Tulsa, but that hasn't translated to big political names despite the city's size. Why do you suspect that is the case? Leslie: First of all I've seen lots of incredible changes. In 1993 when Community of Hope opened there was nothing for the gay community besides bars. Even like the pride store was inside a bar! The group at TOHR didn't have a home: there were just bars. I'm really grateful that it has become so much more mainstream in Tulsa. As for why, I think it's the same reason Tulsa hasn't progressed more with issues of racism and poverty. I think middle and upper class privilege affects us in ways that keep us from really dealing with issues of marginalization in the longterm way that we need to. We engage in the struggle for a little while, but if change doesn't happen quickly, we have other things to do-we have busy lives and enough privilege that we can move on. 19 �Laura: How has the gay community and the community at large supported you over the years? Can you give me some examples of that? Leslie: Well Nancy McDonald has always been very supportive, financially and in all other ways. People like Marcus Rice, who works at Williams, and Dennis Neill are there to be supportive and let you know that they are behind you. Laura: Is there anything else you'd like to add? If not, I appreciate your time. Leslie: Well I appreciate yours. And I appreciate the gift of the journey. Transcribed by Matthew Warren E~ited by Leslie Penrose, Dec 2026 20 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource [Series] Oral Histories Project > Interviews Description An account of the resource Physical Media: Box 7, Folder 7 - Dr. Leisa Meyer Program Box 7, Folder 8 - Interviewees Materials, Original Series 2003-2007 Digital Media: Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource [2006] Leslie Penrose Interview Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource March 31, 2006 Description An account of the resource Video recording and transcript of oral history interview with Laura Belmonte on March 31, 2006. Born in Amarillo, Texas in 1951, Leslie graduated from the University of Tulsa with a degree in Religion and then a Masters of Divinity at Phillips Theological Seminary in Tulsa. She discusses her marriage, children and work in the LGBTQ+ community as a faith leader and early outreach to those impacted by HIV/AIDS. With the Methodist Bishop’s support, in 1993 she founded the Community of Hope when church leaders at her mainstream church became uncomfortable with her AIDS outreach. Facing continued pressure from the denomination, in 1999 she transferred her ordination to United Church of Christ to continue her ministry to the LGBTQ+ community and support for those living with HIV/AIDS. Subject The topic of the resource Leslie Penrose Oral History Project Interview from March 31, 2006 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Leslie Penrose, Laura Belmonte, Matthew Warren, Dennis Neill 2006 AIDS AIDS/HIV Community of Hope HIV HIV/AIDs interview Laura A. Belmonte Laura Belmonte Leslie Penrose OKEQ Oral History Project oral history oral history interview Oral History Project oral history transcript Phillips Theological Seminary transcript TU United Church of Christ University of Tulsa video Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource [Series] Oral Histories Project > Interviews Description An account of the resource Physical Media: Box 7, Folder 7 - Dr. Leisa Meyer Program Box 7, Folder 8 - Interviewees Materials, Original Series 2003-2007 Digital Media: Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource [2006] Terry Luce Interview Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource January 27, 2006 Description An account of the resource Video recording and transcript of oral history interview with Laura Belmonte on January 27, 2006. Video and Transcript available at the Dennis R. Neill Equality Center for on-site research. Terry was born in New Jersey in 1933. Served in the 10 military and was in South Korea toward the end of the war. He attended Texas Christian University in Ft. Worth, the University of Maryland and then came to Tulsa in 1968 to join the faculty of the University of Tulsa teaching psychology where he stayed until his retirement in 2005. He became an anti-war activist. In 1976 was asked by then mayor Robert LaFortune to head a task force of the Human Rights Commission exploring if gay people should be protected by city ordinances from discrimination in housing, employment, etc. The one-year study and survey was a ground-breaking effort and received local and national coverage when the report was presented to the Human Rights Commission. With the election of Jim Inhofe in 1978, the work of the Sexual Orientation Taskforce and its recommendations where shelved. In 1993, another committee under the Tulsa Human Rights Commission was formed to add to the work from the 1970s. Attorney Bil Hinkle, co-chair of the committee [Dennis Neill served as the other co-chair] asked Terry to join the new effort, which he did. He discussed the strong negative reaction to the report at the public meetings when it was released. Married to Nancy Moran, Terry was diagnosed with cancer in 2007. He died on November 4, 2020, in Tulsa. Subject The topic of the resource Terry Luce Oral History Project Interview from January 27, 2006 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Terry Luce, Laura Belmonte, Dennis Neill 2006 anti-discrimination laws Attorney Bil Hinkle available at Center Bil Hinkle Dennis Neill Dennis R. Neill discrimination bans Human Rights Commission interview Jim Inhofe Laura A. Belmonte Laura Belmonte Nancy Moran OKEQ Oral History Project oral history oral history interview Oral History Project oral history transcript Robert LaFortune Sexual Orientation Task Force Terry Luce Texas Christian University transcript TU Tulsa Human Rights Commission University of Maryland University of Tulsa video Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource [Series] Oral Histories Project > Interviews Description An account of the resource Physical Media: Box 7, Folder 7 - Dr. Leisa Meyer Program Box 7, Folder 8 - Interviewees Materials, Original Series 2003-2007 Digital Media: Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource [2005] Jack Waggoner Interview Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource December 3, 2005 Description An account of the resource Video recording and transcript of oral history interview with Laura Belmonte on December 3, 2005. Video and Transcript available at the Dennis R. Neill Equality Center for on-site research. Born in Western Kansas in 1936, Jack graduated from Pawnee Rock High School and then joined the Navy in 1954. He attended University of Kansas and began his professional career in Kansas City, Missouri and became involved in the gay community. Upon moving to Tulsa, he became an interstate truck driver. In the interview, he discusses the various gay bars, his eleven year relationship with a bartender and other activities and interactions in the Tulsa gay community. Subject The topic of the resource Jack Waggoner Oral History Project Interview from December 3, 2005 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Jack Waggoner, Laura Belmonte, Dennis Neill 2003 available at Center bar life gay bar Gay Bars interview Jack Waggoner Laura A. Belmonte Laura Belmonte OKEQ Oral History Project oral history oral history interview Oral History Project oral history transcript transcript University of Kansas video Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource [Series] Oral Histories Project > Interviews Description An account of the resource Physical Media: Box 7, Folder 7 - Dr. Leisa Meyer Program Box 7, Folder 8 - Interviewees Materials, Original Series 2003-2007 Digital Media: Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource [2005] Janie Reeves Interview Description An account of the resource Video recording and transcription of Laura Belmonte’s interview with Janie Reeves on November 19, 2005. Video and Transcript available at the Dennis R. Neill Equality Center for on-site research. Janie was born in Denver in 1971. She attended the University of Tulsa and became involved with Tulsa Oklahomans for Human Rights, the predecessor to Oklahomans for Equality. She served as board president in 1991. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource November 19, 2005 Subject The topic of the resource Janie Reeves Oral History Project Interview from November 19, 2005 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Janie Reeves, Laura Belmonte, Dennis Neill 2005 available at Center Board President Janie Reeves Dennis Neill interview Janie Reeves Laura Belmonte OKEQ Oral History Project oral history oral history interview Oral History Project oral history transcript TOHR TOHR Board of Directors transcript TU Tulsa Oklahomans for Human Rights Tulsa Oklahomans for Human Rights (TOHR) Tulsa Oklahomans for Human Rights Board of Directors University of Tulsa video Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource [Series] Oral Histories Project > Interviews Description An account of the resource Physical Media: Box 7, Folder 7 - Dr. Leisa Meyer Program Box 7, Folder 8 - Interviewees Materials, Original Series 2003-2007 Digital Media: Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource [2005] Bill Bissey Interview Description An account of the resource Video recording and transcription of Laura Belmonte’s November 19, 2025, interview. Video and Transcript available at the Dennis R. Neill Equality Center for on-site research. Bill was born on July 6, 1932, in Clay County, Illinois and passed on April 10, 2019, in Tulsa. He served in the Air Force and moved with his Tulsa-born wife from Illinois to Tulsa in 1956. Following a divorce, he moved to Houston for his job and entered an eighteen-year relationship until his partner developed HIV and died in 1996. When he returned to Tulsa, he was active with the Prime Timers, the social organization for gay and bisexual men. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource November 18, 2005 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Bill Bissey, Laura Belmonte, Dennis Neill 2005 AIDS AIDS/HIV available at Center Bill Bissey HIV HIV/AIDs interview Laura A. Belmonte Laura Belmonte OKEQ Oral History Project oral history oral history interview Oral History Project oral history transcript Prime Timers Primetimers transcript video Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource [Series] Oral Histories Project > Interviews Description An account of the resource Physical Media: Box 7, Folder 7 - Dr. Leisa Meyer Program Box 7, Folder 8 - Interviewees Materials, Original Series 2003-2007 Digital Media: Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource [2005] Trish Spurgin Interview Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource November 18, 2005 Description An account of the resource Video recording and transcript of oral history interview with Laura Belmonte on November 18, 2005. Video and Transcript available at the Dennis R. Neill Equality Center for on-site research. Trish was born in Tulsa in 1941. [Editor’s note – full name was Agnes Patricia “Trish” Spurgin. She passed away in Tulsa on June 27, 2021.] She attended Western College for Women in Oxford, Ohio. In 1959, she experienced her first same- sex relationship while in college. She returned to Tulsa and attended the University of Tulsa. Trish worked in accounting and collections. Regarding the Tulsa lesbian scene, she discussed the bar life, social activities and the frequent police harassment. She discussed her interactions with her gay brother and observations about lesbians and gay men and her exposure to Tulsa Oklahomans for Equality. Subject The topic of the resource Trish Spurgin Oral History Interview from November 18, 2005 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Trish Spurgin, Laura Belmonte, Jensen Bridges, Matthew D. Williams, Dennis Neill 2005 Agnes Patricia "Trish" Spurgin Agnes Patricia Spurgin Agnes Patricia Trish Spurgin available at Center Dennis Neill Dennis R. Neill interview Jensen Bridges Laura A. Belmonte Laura Belmonte lesbian Matthew D. Williams Matthew Williams OKEQ Oral History Project oral history oral history interview Oral History Project oral history transcript police harassment TOHR transcript Trish Spurgin TU Tulsa Oklahomans for Human Rights Tulsa Oklahomans for Human Rights (TOHR) University of Tulsa video Western College for Women in Oxford