Between running to and from committees presenting and voting on bills, and then meeting for floor sessions, I also had the opportunity to visit with several groups this past couple of weeks.
Last week on Monday, I met with our district superintendents, the Oklahoma Association of Conservation Districts, and attended the Oklahoma Tribal Legislative Reception. On Tuesday last week, I joined my legislative colleagues for a visit with Governor Stitt about important topics this session, such as education and economic development. Then on Wednesday last week, I got to meet with Joe Coxey, who is the account coordinator for Youth Action for Health Leadership (YAHL). He brought students to the Capitol to talk about the dangers and health risks for minors who smoke. Finally, last week on Thursday, I headed to Ponca City for Leadership Oklahoma, where we learned about energy and tourism in our state.
The highlight of the week by far, though, was receiving and responding to a stack of letters from a group of third grade girls from Duncan Public Schools. Each letter contained several unique questions, expressing their curiosity about my job, but one particular question was in every letter: “What’s it feel like to be a girl senator?”
With March being Women’s History Month, I felt a sense of pride reading that these young students wanted to know more about women in leadership, and more importantly, reading about their desire to run for office. I’ve always wanted to be someone who encouraged other young women to do big things and serve in big ways, so I’m thankful to know these girls have been inspired to run someday.
We also recently celebrated the lives of four outstanding Oklahoma women leaders by dedicating a new Capitol mural, entitled “Making Her Mark.” The piece, by Oklahoma-based artist Sara Scribner, was a collaboration between our Oklahoma Legislative Women’s Caucus and the Oklahoma Commission on the Status of Women. It honors the contributions of Dr. Shannon Lucid, Opaline Deveraux Wadkins, Chief Wilma Mankiller, and Senator Maxine Horner.
Each of these women were trailblazers. Lucid was part of the first astronaut class to admit women and the first woman to hold an international record for the most flight hours in orbit by a non-Russian. Wadkins was the first African American nurse to earn a master’s degree from Oklahoma University and also organized the first school in Oklahoma City to train Black nurses. Mankiller was the first female principal chief of the Cherokee Nation. Finally, Senator Horner of Tulsa was one of the first two African American women elected to serve in the Oklahoma Senate. She authored legislation creating the Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program (OHLAP), which today is known as Oklahoma’s Promise. She also created the groundbreaking commission in 1997 to study the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921.
These women’s courage and leadership forever changed our state and the path of women who followed after them.
The week started off early with a 6:30 a.m. sunrise vigil to remember the lives of those Oklahomans lost during the COVID pandemic. My colleague, Senator Paul Rosino, lost his son to COVID in 2021 and organized this vigil on the front steps of the State Capitol. Monday would have been his son Gregory’s 36th birthday. March 6 is also significant as the first COVID case was confirmed in our state in 2020. From that day forward, our state has experienced great tragedy, loss, confusion, heartache, and grief, as approximately 18,000 precious lives have been lost, including many in our district. Those families will forever be in my heart.
If you have any questions or concerns on legislative matters, please email me at [email protected] or call 405-521-5522.
