>> LAWMAKERS DISCUSS AN OUTRIGHT BAN ON STUDENTS USING CELLPHONES IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

>> I WANT SCHOOLS TO KNOW THAT THIS BODY IS PAYING ATTENTION TO CELL PHONE USE.

I'VE HEARD FROM TEACHERS AND PARENTS, AND EVERYBODY IS TRYING TO TACKLE THIS ISSUE.

>> STUDENTS GATHER FOR THE 2ND ANNUAL BLACK HISTORY DAY AT THE STATE CAPITOL.

>> WE WANT TO SHOW THEM THAT THIS IS THEIR HOUSE, THE CAPITOL IS THEIR BUILDING, AND IF THEY WANT TO BE THE NEXT GOVERNOR, LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, STATE REPRESENTATIVE, THEY CAN.

>> HOW ONE TIMELY PHOTOGRAPH MAY HAVE SAVED THIS MAN'S BUSINESS.

>> AND IT WAS JUST REALLY SLOW, AND I WAS JUST KIND OF LOOKING OUT THE WINDOW, AND I'M THINKING OF ALL OF THE BUSINESSES THAT ARE GOING ON RIGHT NOW.

>> OKLAHOMA COWBOYS, WALKING THE WALK ON THE FASHION RUNWAYS OF PARIS.

>> WE DON'T WANT YOU COMING HERE TO BECOME A MODEL.

WE DON'T WANT YOU COMING HERE TO BE ANYTHING OTHER THAN WHAT YOU -- YOU KNOW, YOU'RE SKILLED AT, YEAH, WHICH IS BEING A COWBOY.

>> OKLAHOMA CITY'S MAYOR IS NOW OFFICIALLY THE DEAN OF A LAW SCHOOL TOO.

>> THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF THE OKLAHOMA UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF LAW, AND THANK YOU FOR THE HONOR AS OF SERVING AS DEAN.

THOSE STORIES AND MUCH MORE NEXT ON THE OKLAHOMA NEWS REPORT.

>> HELLO, EVERYONE, AND WELCOME TO THE OKLAHOMA NEWS REPORT.

I'M RICH LENZ.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT AN OUTRIGHT BAN ON STUDENT CELLPHONES IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS?

AT LEAST ONE LAWMAKER THINKS IT MAKES MORE SENSE TO DO THAT THAN SPEND $181 MILLION TO INCENTIVIZE SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO PREVENT STUDENTS FROM USING THEIR PHONES IN THE CLASSROOM.

WITH MORE DETAILS ON THAT, WE'RE JOINED BY OUR CAPITOL CORRESPONDENT, JASON DOYLE, AT OUR OETA STUDIO INSIDE THE CAPITOL.

JASON?

>> RICH, THE SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE TOOK UP LEGISLATION THIS WEEK TO SET UP A PROGRAM INCENTIVIZING SCHOOLS TO BAN CELL PHONES IN THE CLASSROOM.

AND THAT'S WHEN THE IDEA WAS FLOATED FOR AN OUTRIGHT BAN.

WHILE LAWMAKERS ARE WRESTLING WITH THE ISSUE, SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE FINDING WAYS TO DEAL WITH IT NOW.

>> IT'S LUNCHTIME FOR STUDENTS AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL OF PIEDMONT, AND THE KIDS ARE ENJOYING A LITTLE SOCIAL TIME WITH THEIR PHONES IN HAND.

BUT ARE THEY A DISTRACTION IN THE CLASSROOM?

WE HAD SEEN A PRETTY BIG INCREASE IN DISTRACTION, STUDENTS LOSING FOCUS ON WHAT'S GOING ON THE IN CLASSROOM.

SO WE DECIDED LAST YEAR TO GO WITH THE STATEMENT OF SILENT AND AWAY.

>> STUDENTS ARE STILL ALLOWED TO USE THE PHONES WHEN NOT IN THE CLASSROOM.

>> WE DO ALLOW THEM TO GET TO USE THEM IN THEIR COMMON TIME, DURING PASSING PERIOD AND AT LUNCH AND BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL, BUT WE JUST ASK THAT DURING THAT INSTRUCTIONAL TIME THAT IT'S PUT AWAY.

>> SO FAR, THE POLICY SEEMS TO HAVE WORKED FOR THE MIDDLE SCHOOL.

>> IT JUST WAS UNUSUAL FOR THEM AND SOMETHING NEW.

SO WE HAD SOME ADJUSTMENT TIME AT THE BEGINNING OF LAST YEAR, BUT THIS YEAR, THEY JUST ACCEPTED IT, AND THEY FOLLOW SUIT.

IT'S PRETTY EASY FOR THEM JUST TO -- THEY'VE HAD THAT OPPORTUNITY FOR 5 MINUTES WHILE THEY'VE WALKED AROUND.

>> SO TELL ME, HOW MANY STUDENTS DO YOU HAVE HERE AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL?

>> WE HAVE JUST UNDER 800, ABOUT 780 STUDENTS AT THIS POINT.

>> RIGHT NOW THE FINAL TOUCHES ARE HAPPENING TO THE NEW SCHOOL BEING BUILT RIGHT NEXT TO THE CURRENT BUILDINGS.

>> WE ARE HAVING A GREAT YEAR, AND WE HAVE OVERCOME A LOT OF THINGS WITH TRACTORS AND DIRT AND CONSTRUCTION, ALL OF THE THINGS THAT HAPPEN.

IT'S BEEN GREAT THAT WE'VE STILL BEEN ABLE TO DO SCHOOL REGARDLESS OF WHAT'S HAPPENING OUTSIDE.

WHAT HAPPENS INSIDE OF OUR CLASSROOM HASN'T CHANGED >> OVER AT PIEDMONT HIGH SCHOOL, STUDENTS USE THEIR PHONES AS A PART OF CERTAIN ASSIGNMENTS.

THESE STUDENTS WERE IDENTIFYING ITEMS IN SPANISH WITH THEIR PHONES AND LAPTOPS.

>> NOW IF THE TEACHERS ARE USING THEM FOR A LESSON, THEY CAN GET THEM OUT.

AND A LOT OF TEACHERS DO INCORPORATE CELL PHONES FOR DIFFERENT TYPE OF ACTIVITIES AND STUFF, BECAUSE THEY CAN BE HELPFUL.

I MEAN, THEY ARE A TOOL IN CERTAIN WAYS.

>> PIEDMONT HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL STEVE SPEARS SAYS THIS CAMPUS PUT A "SILENT AND AWAY" CELL PHONE POLICY INTO PLACE A FEW YEARS AGO.

WHILE THE POLICY HAS WORKED OVERALL HERE, SPEARS ACKNOWLEDGES THAT CELL PHONES ARE AN ISSUE.

>> THEY HAVE BEEN A DISTRACTION, AND IT DEPENDS ON HOW THE SCHOOL HANDLES IT AND HOW THE TEACHERS HANDLE IT, AND DO THEY GET SUPPORT FROM THE ADMINISTRATION?

TEACHERS COMPETE AGAINST CELL PHONES FOR STUDENT ENGAGEMENT, STUDENT ATTENTION.

OUR TEACHERS DO A GREAT JOB HERE, AND OUR KIDS ARE REALLY COMPLIANT, AND THEY UNDERSTAND, AND WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF CELL PHONE DISCIPLINE ISSUES HERE IN THE CLASSROOM.

>> ON TUESDAY, THE SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE CONSIDERED THAT VERY ISSUE; HOW TO HELP SCHOOLS HANDLE CELL PHONES IN THE CLASSROOM.

COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN ADAM PUGH IS PROPOSING A 181-MILLION-DOLLAR INCENTIVE PROGRAM TO HELP SCHOOLS ELIMINATE THAT ELECTRONIC DISTRACTION.

>> I WANT SCHOOLS TO KNOW THAT THIS BODY IS PAYING ATTENTION TO CELL PHONE USE.

I'VE HEARD FROM TEACHERS AND PARENTS, AND EVERYBODY IS TRYING TO TACKLE THIS ISSUE.

>> PUGH SAYS A SUPERINTENDENT CONVINCED HIM THAT SOMETHING NEEDED TO BE DONE, BECAUSE IT HAS IMPACTED STUDENTS' PERFORMANCE IN SOME SCHOOLS.

>> I GOT A PHONE CALL FROM A SUPERINTENDENT IN EASTERN OKLAHOMA, A SMALL SCHOOL, WHO TOOK OVER A SCHOOL THAT HE DESCRIBED AS A C SCHOOL WHEN HE FIRST GOT THERE.

HIS FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS -- THIS WAS OVER A DECADE AGO -- WAS TO BAN CELL PHONES.

HE SAID THERE WAS QUITE A BIT OF PUSHBACK INITIALLY, AND HE THOUGHT THE SCHOOL BOARD WAS GOING TO FIRE HIM.

HE TURNED HIS SCHOOL FROM A C TO AN A.

>> THE INCENTIVE PROGRAM DOES CARVE OUT EXCEPTIONS FOR STUDENTS WHO NEED THEIR PHONES FOR MEDICAL REASONS.

PUGH ALSO NOTED THAT THE PRICE TAG FOR THE INCENTIVE PROGRAM ISN'T A SET FIGURE.

>> I JUST WANT TO KEEP THIS IN THE FRONT OF OUR BRAINS.

IF YOU ALL VOTE THIS DOWN BECAUSE OF THE FISCAL IMPACT.

I UNDERSTAND.

I DO.

I'VE THOUGHT A MILLION WAYS ABOUT HOW DO I INCENTIVIZE.

WE COULD JUST BAN CELL PHONES, WHICH MAY BE WHERE WE GET TO.

>> THAT IDEA OF JUST BANNING PHONES FROM THE CLASSROOM BEGAN TO CATCH HOLD AMONG COMMITTEE MEMBERS.

>> IF PARENTS CHOOSE TO SEND THEIR CHILDREN TO A GOVERNMENT SCHOOL, THEN THEY SHOULD ASSUME THAT THAT GOVERNMENT SCHOOL TO BEST DEGREE IS GOING TO GIVE BEST PRACTICE.

AND SO THEN I THINK MANY OF US HAVE TALKED ABOUT LOCAL CONTROL AND LOCAL DECISION-MAKING AND PARENTAL DECISION-MAKING, BUT SOME OF THOSE WE ALSO AFFIRM RISE ABOVE THE LEVEL OF LOCAL AND ARE UNIVERSALS.

>> THREE OTHER SENATORS ALSO CALLED FOR AN OUTRIGHT BAN ON PHONES IN THE CLASSROOM INSTEAD OF AN INCENTIVE PROGRAM.

HOWEVER, THE MOMENTUM FOR THE INCENTIVE PROGRAM CONTINUED.

>> I THINK THIS IS A GREAT STEP FORWARD, NOT JUST FOR THE CONVERSATION, BUT WE NEED -- WE HAVE TO START TALKING ABOUT THE CORRELATION, NOT ONLY WITH OUR -- THE DETERIORATION OF SOCIAL SKILLS, SOFT SKILLS IN OUR WORKFORCE AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THE DETRIMENT TO OUR YOUNG KIDS.

BUT THERE IS A VERY CLEAR CONNECTION BETWEEN SMARTPHONE USAGE AND EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT.

>> DESPITE BEING A DISTRACTION IN THE CLASSROOM, SOME PARENTS WANT THEIR CHILDREN TO HAVE THE PHONES IN CASE AN EMERGENCY HAPPENS.

PIEDMONT HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL STEVE SPEARS SAYS HIS SCHOOL'S CURRENT POLICY COVERS THAT, TOO.

>> AS FAR AS ANY TYPE OF EMERGENCY, I MEAN, AGAIN, THE KIDS HAVE THEIR CELL PHONES, SO TRUST ME, THEY'RE CONTACTING THEIR PARENTS.

>> MIDDLE SCHOOL OF PIEDMONT PRINCIPAL, ERIN PRUITT, SAYS A LOT OF THE DISTRACTION ATTRIBUTED TO CELL PHONES IS ACTUALLY CAUSED BY SOCIAL MEDIA.

>> I WOULD SAY THAT THAT IS THE BIGGEST IMPACT THAT CELL PHONES HAVE WITHIN OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL SETTING ARE THE THINGS THAT ARE OCCURRING ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

TYPICALLY, OUTSIDE OF THE SCHOOL DAY BEFORE SCHOOL, AFTER SCHOOL, WEEKENDS THAT BLEED INTO THE DISRUPTION OF OUR SCHOOL DAY.

>> THE SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE DID PASS PUGH'S BILL AND IT'S NOW ELIGIBLE TO BE HEARD ON THE SENATE FLOOR.

RICH.

>> JASON, THANK YOU.

>> THE OKLAHOMA STATE BOARD OF EQUALIZATION ANNOUNCED ON THURSDAY AFTERNOON THAT THE LEGISLATURE WILL HAVE $13.9 BILLION IN FUNDING FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2025, A BILLION AND A HALF DOLLARS MORE THAN LAST YEAR.

AND AT NEWS CONFERENCE FRIDAY MORNING, GOVERNOR KEVIN STITT SAID LAWMAKERS SHOULDN'T SPEND ALL OF IT BUT, INSTEAD, RETURN A PORTION TO TAXPAYERS IN THE FORM OF TAX CUTS.

THIS WEEK, THE GOVERNOR ANNOUNCED HE WAS BACKING A SENATE-PROPOSED CUT OF THE SALES TAX ON GROCERIES.

>> WE HAD ANOTHER GROWTH YEAR IN REVENUE COLLECTIONS FOR THE STATE, AND THAT'S WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT FOR ME TO THINK ABOUT LET'S GIVE SOME OF THAT BACK TO TAXPAYERS.

LET'S DO SOMETHING FOR THE TAXPAYER.

LET'S NOT JUST KEEP FIGURING OUT WAYS TO GROW GOVERNMENT IN THIS BUILDING.

THERE'S ALWAYS THINGS TO DO, AND I GET THAT.

BUT THERE ARE FAMILIES, WORKING FAMILIES IN OKLAHOMA THAT ARE BEING HARMED WITH INFLATION, AND SO LET'S GIVE THEM SOME RELIEF RIGHT NOW.

WE'VE DONE A LOT OF INVESTING OVER THE LAST COUPLE YEARS.

WE NEED TO GIVE OKLAHOMANS A TAX CUT.

AND I WAS REALLY EXCITED TO SEE PRO-TEM TREAT'S STATEMENT.

SO I THINK THE SENATE IS MOVING IN THAT DIRECTION.

PRO-TEM TREAT RELEASED A STATEMENT REGARDING GROCERY TAX, AND IT'S SOMETHING WE CALLED IN FOR SPECIAL SESSION, ASKING FOR GROCERY TAX MAYBE LAST YEAR OR THE YEAR BEFORE, SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BEEN PROMOTING.

WE THINK THAT'S A VERY REGRESSIVE TAX.

WE THINK THAT WOULD HELP A LOT OF PEOPLE IN A LOW INCOME BRACKET.

AND THERE'S ALREADY A BILL THAT'S READY TO GO.

IT'S GOT AN EMERGENCY CLAUSE ON IT, LITERALLY COULD BE TAKEN UP AND VOTED ON.

IT'S ALREADY IN THE SENATE.

COULD BE ON MY DESK NEXT WEEK.

THAT WOULD BE AWESOME.

>> IN HIS STATE-OF-THE-STATE ADDRESS LAST WEEK, THE GOVERNOR TOLD LAWMAKERS HE WILL SIGN ANY TAX CUT BILL THAT MAKES IT TO HIS DESK.

>> THE 2ND ANNUAL BLACK HISTORY DAY AT THE STATE CAPITOL WAS HELD ON MONDAY, AND THE TURNOUT OF YOUNG OKLAHOMANS WAS IMPRESSIVE.

THE EVENT IS SPONSORED BY THE OKLAHOMA BLACK LEGISLATIVE CAUCUS.

>> STATE REPRESENTATIVE JASON LOWE SAYS THE GATHERING FOCUSES BOTH ON HIGHLIGHTING THE SUCCESSES OF OKLAHOMA'S BLACK COMMUNITY BUT ALSO THE WORK STILL TO BE DONE.

>> YES, WE'RE DOING A LOT OF EVENTS.

WE WANT TO EDUCATE VOTERS THAT THERE'S AN ELECTION COMING UP IN NOVEMBER AND ALSO IN JUNE, SO VOTER ENGAGEMENT IS SOMETHING THAT'S VERY MUCH A PRIORITY AS FAR AS THE BLACK CAUCUS IS CONCERNED.

WE WANT TO FOCUS ON LANGSTON UNIVERSITY, OUR ONLY HBCU IN THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA, MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE PROPERLY FUNDED.

WE WANT TO FOCUS ON THE EFFORTS TO PROMOTE DEI.

SO WE HAVE A LONG LIST OF PRODUCTS, OR OUR AGENDA IS LONG AS FAR AS WHAT WE NEED TO DO AND WHAT WE NEED TO GET DONE.

>> IT'S INDESCRIBABLE, FOR ONE, FOR OUR YOUNG PEOPLE, ONE, TO GET THE CHANCE AND OPPORTUNITY TO JUST WALK INTO THE CAPITOL FOR OUR BLACK COMMUNITY.

AS FAR AS OKLAHOMA CITY IS CONCERNED, OUR CAPITOL SITS IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY.

SO A LOT OF OUR KIDS DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO IT.

BUT WITH PROGRAMS LIKE THIS, THEY CAN COME IN.

THEY CAN SEE IT.

THEY CAN SEE THE PICTURES ON THE WALLS OF PEOPLE THAT REPRESENT AND LOOK LIKE THEM.

AND THEY GET TO SEE ACTUAL PEOPLE THAT ARE WORKING ON THEIR BEHALF IN THE COMMUNITY.

MARILYN LUPER-HILDRETH, THE DAUGHTER OF CIVIL RIGHTS ICON, CLARA LUPER, WAS THE KEYNOTE SPEAKER AT THIS YEAR'S EVENT.

>> WE'LL RE-VISIT BLACK HISTORY MONTH COMING UP LATER IN THIS NEWSCAST WHEN MODERATOR CASSIDY MUDD CONVENES A PANEL OF COMMUNITY LEADERS TO DISCUSS THE PROGRESS AND CHALLENGES FACING MINORITY COMMUNITIES IN OKLAHOMA.

HERE'S A QUICK PREVIEW.

>> AT 40 YEARS OLD, I'M LIKE THE FIRST, IN THE FIRST GENERATION OF MY FAMILY TO BE BORN WITH EVERY KIND OF BASIC RIGHT THAT WE ARE SUPPOSED TO HAVE AS AMERICANS.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK ABOUT BLACK HISTORY AS NOT LIKE THIS -- THIS ANCIENT SET OF FACTS, BUT THINGS THAT ARE REALLY RELEVANT TO TODAY AND REALLY A SIGNAL FOR THOSE OF US WHO ARE HERE ABOUT THE OBLIGATION WE HAVE TO MOVE THINGS FORWARD.

>> IT'S REALLY NOT ABOUT HUNDREDS OF YEARS AGO OR 60 YEARS AGO.

BLACK HISTORY IS BEING MADE EVERY DAY AND FOR US TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO CELEBRATE.

FOR MANY OF US IN THIS WORK, WE ARE CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY EVERY DAY, NOT JUST DURING THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY.

BUT WE REALLY TAKE THIS TIME IN FEBRUARY, OR DURING FEBRUARY, TO REALLY THINK ABOUT THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF BLACK AMERICANS TO THIS COUNTRY.

>> THE REST OF THAT CONVERSATION COMING UP LATER IN THIS NEWSCAST.

>> YOU DON'T TYPICALLY SEE COWBOYS WALKING THE RUNWAY OF PARIS FASHION SHOW, BUT THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED RECENTLY.

A COUPLE OF BLACK OKLAHOMA COWBOYS 5,000 FROM HOME IN THE CAPITOL CITY OF FRANCE.

TAELYR JACKSON JOINS US NOW TO EXPLAIN.

TAELYR?

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

RICH.

THE COWBOY CULTURE IN OKLAHOMA IS IN THE SPOTLIGHT AFTER TWO COWBOYS FROM SPENCER WERE FEATURED IN A LOUIS VITTON FASHION SHOW, AND NOW THEY'RE HELPING SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT THE PAST AND PRESENT SIGNIFICANCE OF BLACK COWBOYS IN OKLAHOMA.

>> COWBOY RONNIE DAVIS NEVER IMAGINED HIS PASSION FOR HORSES WOULD LAND HIM A ROLE IN A LOUIS VUITTON FASHION SHOW.

>> IT WAS UNBELIEVABLE.

THE EXPERIENCE ITSELF WAS AMAZING.

>> MUSIC PRODUCER FERRELL WILLIAMS WHO WROTE AND RECORDED THE HIT SONG, HAPPY, IS ALSO A FASHION DESIGNER.

IN JANUARY, HE INTRODUCED HIS LOUIS VUITTON MEN'S FASHION COLLECTION IN PARIS.

THE COLLECTION WAS CENTERED AROUND COWBOYS, AND THAT'S HOW RONNIE DAVIS AND HIS FRIEND TAILOR WILLIAMS WERE CHOSEN TO WALK THE RUNWAY.

>> I WANTED TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR EXPOSURE OF WHAT WE DO HERE IN OKLAHOMA AS WELL AS THE COWBOY CULTURE ITSELF.

THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY WANTED A REAL COWBOY, YOU KNOW, TO BRING OUT AS MUCH AUTHENTICITY AS THEY COULD.

WE DON'T WANT YOU COMING HERE TO BECOME A MODEL.

WE DON'T WANT YOU COMING HERE TO BE ANYTHING OTHER THAN WHAT YOU'RE SKILLED AT, WHICH IS BEING A COWBOY.

>> DURING RODEO SEASON, YOU CAN FIND DAVIS RIDING IN THE PONY EXPRESS RELAYS.

>> THAT'S THE MOST EXCITING EVENT RIGHT NOW NEXT TO MAYBE BULL RIDING.

>> WHEN I STARTED PUTTING ON MY BLACK OKLAHOMA IN SPENCER, AND THEN YOU STARTED SEEING IT EVOLVE, 9,000 PEOPLE COMING TO WATCH COWBOYS ON BUCKING HORSES, NOW THE PONY EXPRESS RACES, WHICH IS AN EXCITING EVENT FOR PEOPLE.

>> HE'S AFTER A GOLD BUCKLE.

THIS KID CAN RIDE.

COME ON, AT A BOY.

OH, YEAH.

>> WORLD CHAMPION BULL RIDER DANELL TIPTON GREW UP IN THE RODEO SYSTEM.

>> MY MOTHER HAD A ROUNDUP CLUB.

MY MOTHER AND GRANDFATHER HAD A ROUNDUP CLUB STARTED BY MY UNCLE, GREAT UNCLE.

WE RODE IN A LOT OF PARADES AS A KID, HAD A SHETLAND.

>> THE SPENCER NATIVE GOT HIS START IN THE JUNIOR RODEO CIRCUIT ALONG WITH ARTHUR STONER.

>> HE WOULD COME PICK ME UP.

I WOULD ENTER THE JUNIOR BULL RIDE AND HE WOULD ENTER THE BUCKING HORSE.

HE SHOWED ME THE FORMAT OF HOW TO GET MY FEET TOGETHER AND HOW TO RIDE.

HE NEVER RODE A BULL, BUT HE COULD SEE IT.

>> TIPTON WAS JUST A TEEN ANGER TEENAGERWHEN HE PROVED HE WAS RR THE BIG LEAGUES BY SUCCESSFULLY RIDING A BULL.

>> HE HADN'T BEEN RODE.

A LOT OF THE WHITE GUYS, IT WAS LIKE, THIS IS GOING TO BE A GOOD MATCH.

I RODE HIM.

I DIDN'T GET CHOKED OR HIT.

SO THEN WHEN STONEY SEEN ME, I ASKED HIM THEN, DO YOU THING I'M READY TO GO ON THE ROAD WITH Y'ALL?

AND HE SAID YEP.

>> TIPTON WENT ON TO BECOME A WORLD CHAMPION BULL RIDER N .IN SOUTHERN OKLAHOMA, TAKING TE REIGNS OF BRINGING RODEOS BACK TO TOWN.

>> THIS AREA RIGHT HERE IS WHERE THE ARENA IS GOING TO BE.

>> HARVEY BOUGHT THE 40-ACRE LOT TWO YEARS AGO.

>> AS YOU CAN SEE, WE'VE BEEN CLEARING OUT SOME OF THE PONDS, A POND ON THE SOUTH SIDE, A POND ON THE NORTH SIDE.

>> THE TATUMN'S RODEO IS SCHEDULED FOR THE FIRST WEEKEND IN JULY.

WITH THE COWBOY CULTURE RECENTLY BECOMING POPULARIZED AFTER BEYONCE RECENTLY ANNOUNCED HER NEW COUNTRY ALBUM, THE COWBOYS I SPOKE WITH TODAY SAY IT'S NOT A FAD; IT IS A LIFESTYLE.

>> TAKE THAT OFF.

>> FEED YOUR HORSES, MAN, MAKE SURE THEY'RE ALL GOOD AND TAKEN CARE OF, BRO, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING.

FOR MY RELATIVES THAT COMPETE, THEY'VE GOT TO DO A LOT OF EXERCISES AND REPS IN.

IT'S JUST TAKING CARE OF THE ANIMAL, MAN, AND TREATING IT LIKE YOU WOULD.

YOU TREAT YOUR BODY LIKE A TEMPLE.

YOU WANT TO DO THE SAME THING WITH YOUR HORSES.

YOU BETTER WHOA.

>> THE HISTORY OF THE BLACK COWBOY BEGAN LONG BEFORE OKLAHOMA BECAME A STATE.

BLACK COWBOYS HELPED TO BREAK HORSES AND HERD CATTLE AND SOME BECAME WELL KNOWN, INCLUDING WILLIAM BILL PICKET AND MATT LOVE.

>> I COWBOY EVERY NOW AND THEN WHEN I GET A CHANCE TO, BUT SOME OF THESE GUYS HERE, THEY DO IT FOR A LIVING.

YOU KNOW, CHUBBY BACK HERE, HE'S BEEN LIVING IN TATUMN ALL HIS LIFE.

HE'S BEEN -- HE BREAKS HORSES, TRAINS HORSES, ALSO RAISES DOGS, HUNTING DOGS, AND THAT'S HOW HE MAKES A LIVING.

>> THERE YOU GO.

HOLD UP,.

>> RICHARDSON SAYS RODEOING IS NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART.

>> AT THE END OF THE DAY, MAN, RODEOING AND THINGS LIKE THAT, IT'S A DANGEROUS SPORT.

THAT'S WHY YOU HAVE SOME FOLKS VERY ACTIVE AND SOME THAT COME JUST TO ENJOY THE GOOD OLE TIME OF IT, MAN.

>> OH, MAN, HE IS HUNG IN THAT ROPE.

NORTON TRYING TO GET IN THERE.

>> MY FIRST YEAR, I MAY QUALIFY BY GOING TO THE FIRST ROUND.

I HANG THE ONE AND SEPARATED SOME RIBS.

>> TIPTON SAYS IT'S IMPORTANT TO HONOR THE COWBOYS WHAT CAME BEFORE HIM AND OPEN THE DOORS FOR AFRICAN AMERICANS IN THE RODEO CIRCUIT.

THIS MONTH, HE WAS ABLE TO HONOR SOME OF THOSE HE LEGENDS AT THE NATIONAL BLACK COWBOY GALA.

>> WHEN I PUT THIS EVENT ON, WE DID OUR VIDEOS AND CATEGORY AND CROWNED 25 OF OUR LEGENDS, AND THEY WALKED ACROSS THE STAGE, AND YOU WERE JUST LIKE, GOD.

>> IT WAS BEAUTIFUL.

YOU HAD RODEO LEGENDS THAT WERE RODEOING IN THE 60s AND 70s, WHO PAVED THE WAY FOR A LOT OF THOSE COWBOYS THAT ARE ACTIVELY PARTICIPANTING IN RODEO EVENTS NOW.

>> TIPTON, ONE OF THE ORGANIZERS OF THE NATIONAL BLACK COWBOY RODEO AWARDS AND GALA, SAYS THEY HAD A GREAT TURNOUT AT LAST WEEKEND'S EVENT.

HE ENCOURAGES EVERYONE TO CHECK OUT A RODEO THIS YEAR.

RICH.

>> TAELYR, THANK YOU.

FANTASTIC STORY.

>> THEY SAY A PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS, AND IN THE CASE OF A NORMAN RESTAURANT OWNER, THAT IS ABSOLUTELY TRUE.

ONE PHOTOGRAPH HELPED TURN AROUND HIS STRUGGLING BUSINESS.

IT'S A REMARKABLE STORY AND WHO BETTER TO TELL IT THAN STEVE SHAW.

STEVE?

>> RICH, THE POWER OF SOCIAL MEDIA TOOK FRONT AND CENTER BACK IN DECEMBER WHEN TWO MEN WHO'D NEVER MET CROSSED PATHS AT SPIRALS HOT DOGS AND MORE ON MAIN STREET IN NORMAN.

>> SCOTT HO-SEK HAS SPENT HIS 40-YEAR CAREER IN THE OKLAHOMA RESTAURANT BUSINESS, YEARS THAT INCLUDED STINTS IN STILLWATER, OKLAHOMA CITY AND NORMAN.

>> HOLY MOLLE.

PEANUT BUTTER ON A HOT DOG?

>> IT WILL CHANGE YOUR LIVE.

>> HE OPENED IN AUGUST OF 2020, DURING THE GLOBAL PANDEMIC.

>> I HAD THE NAME.

I HAD THE RECIPES.

I HAD IT ALL.

>> HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH SPIRALS?

>> LEAVE IT OR NOT, AGAIN, I FELT GOD JUST TOLD ME, THIS IS WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO CALL IT, THIS IS WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO.

>> HO-SEK SAYS BUSINESS WAS HIT OR MISS.

HAS THE KING BEEN IN HERE?

>> THE KING?

>> BARRY SWITZER.

>> NOT YET.

BARRY SWITZER, NONE OF THE BIG DOGS HAVE BEEN HERE.

TOBY KEITH WAS IN HERE ONCE.

THAT WAS PRETTY AMAZING.

I KEPT LOOKING BACK AT HIM, BECAUSE I WAS ON THE GRILL, AND FINALLY I SAID, YOU KNOW, DON'T TAKE THIS WRONG, BUT IF I WAS A GAMBLING MAN, YOU KIND OF LOOK LIKE TOBY KEITH, AND I HEAR, THAT WOULD BE A GOOD GUESS.

I WAS LIKE OH, MY GOD.

>> THE BASE DOG IS PROBABLY THE NO.

1 BEST SELLER, CREAMED CHEESE, CHILI, WHITE CHEDDAR SAUCE.

>> UNFORTUNATELY, EVEN AFTER THE PANDEMIC ENDED, BUSINESS CONTINUED TO LAG AS IT DID FOR MANY BUSINESSES FOLLOWING THE PANDEMIC.

HO-SEK LAST FALL EVEN CONTEMPLATED GOING OUT OF BUSINESS.

WHAT ADDS ANOTHER LAYER TO THIS, AND QUITE FRANKLY, MAKES IT MORE INCREDIBLE, IS SCOTT LAST OCTOBER SUFFERED A SERIOUS HEALTH SCARE.

HE HAD A STROKE.

>> I NEVER REALLY THOUGHT OF BEING IN STRESS, BUT MY WIFE WILL TELL ME THAT I WAS.

>> THEN ON DECEMBER 20th, JUST AFTER SPIRALS OPENED FOR THE DAY, A FIRST-TIME CUSTOMER, NICK CHAPEL, REALLY LIKED HIS FOOD AND SNAPPED THIS PHOTO.

IT'S JUST INSIDE THE FRONT DOOR OF THE RESTAURANT WITH SCOTT HO-SEK STARING OUTSIDE.

>> AND IT WAS JUST REALLY SLOW, AND I WAS KIND OF LOOKING OUT THE WINDOW, AND I'M THINKING OF ALL THE BUSINESSES THAT ARE GOING ON RIGHT NOW, WE'RE REALLY SLOW TODAY WHILE EVERYBODY ELSE IS PROBABLY NOT.

>> CHAPEL IS ALSO A 14-YEAR MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL GUARD'S 45th INFANTRY BRIGADE COMBAT TEAM, SENT THAT PHOTO TO FRIENDS.

ONE OF THEM URGED NICK TO POST IT ON FACEBOOK.

>> SO IT WAS A LITTLE BACK AND FORTH WITH MY OWN EMOTIONS IF I SHOULD MAKE THE POST OR NOT, BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT TO SEEM LIKE A MOMENT OF WEAKNESS OR ANYTHING, BUT IT ALSO WAS A GREAT TIME TO TRY TO GET CUSTOMERS IN THE DOOR FOR HIM.

>> A LEAP OF FAITH.

>> YEAH.

>> THE PHOTO WENT VIRAL.

LESS THAN 24 HOURS LATER, HO-SEK'S RESTAURANT WAS PACKED.

CHAPEL'S SOCIAL MEDIA POST WAS SHARED THROUGHOUT THE MILITARY.

WORD OF WHAT TRANSPIRED MADE NATIONAL NEWS, EVEN HIT U.S.A. TODAY AND THE DAILY MAIL IN BRITAIN.

FOR A SHORT TIME, IT REALLY WAS A WORLDWIDE PHENOMENON.

>> AND I WAS LIKE, JESUS CHRIST, WHAT HAPPENED?

>> HO-SEK SAYS SPIRALS' BUSINESS HAS BEEN STEADY EVER SINCE, WHICH MEANS EVERYTHING IN THE RESTAURANT BUSINESS.

>> BY AND LARGE, ON A NORMAL DAY, A SLOW DAY MIGHT BE 4 OR $500 IN A DAY.

ON A BUSY DAY, WE MIGHT DO 1,000, 1300.

NOW WE'RE DOING 11 TO $1,200 ON A SLOW DAY, AND WE'RE DOING 2 TO $3,000 ON A BUSY DAY.

>> WILL THAT KEEP YOU GOING?

>> IT VERY WILL COULD KEEPING ME GOING, AND WE WERE TALKING ABOUT SHUTTING IT COMPLETELY DOWN.

>> IN NICK CHAPEL'S HONOR, THEY NAMED A HOT DOG AFTER HIM CALLED THE THUNDERBIRD, JALAPENO, CREAMED CHEESE AND BACON.

>> YOU MADE A NEW FRIEND.

>> DEFINITELY HAVE.

COMING IN HERE, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GOT TO SEE THE SMILE ON MY FACE WALKING IN THE DOOR, BUT IT FEELS NATURAL.

>> THANK YOU SO, SO VERY MUCH.

>> AND DON'T LOOK NOW, BUT TUESDAY, 52-YEAR-OLD NORMAN RESIDENT BETTY GATEWOOD STOPPED BY TO GIVE SCOTT HER FAMILY'S CENTURY OLD CORN DOG RECIPE.

>> IT'S FROM MY FAMILY BACK IN TEXAS.

I'VE HAD IT ALL THESE YEARS, AND ONLY MY CHILDREN AND A FEW PEOPLE I'VE EVER SHARED IT WITH.

I TOLD HIM, I SAID, YOU'RE THE ONE PERSON, BEING AN INDIVIDUAL AND THE KIND OF PERSON YOU ARE, THAT IF YOU WANT TO TRY CORN DOGS IN HERE, I'LL BRING YOU THE RECIPE.

>> WE'VE ADDED FOUR MORE EMPLOYEES TOO, WHICH IS A BIG VENTURE.

>> NICK CHAPEL SPENT SOME OF HIS TEENAGE YEARS IN FOSTER CARE.

IT WAS TOUGH.

HE'S NOW MARRIED AND HAS A 7-YEAR-OLD SON WHO LAST WEEK STARTED PRACTICE ON HIS BASEBALL TEAM.

SCOTT HO-SEK IS SPONSORING THAT TEAM.

>> WE HAVE A LOT OF NEW REGULARS.

EVERY DAY, AT LEAST ONCE A DAY, WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT, YOU KNOW, WILL WANT TO TELL ME WHERE THEY'RE FROM, THAT THEY'VE NEVER BEEN HERE BEFORE AND THAT THEY'VE HEARD ABOUT IT AND KIND OF BEEN WAITING FOR IT TO DIE DOWN SO THEY COULD COME IN, WHICH IS REALLY SWEET.

>> ED HATCH IS A REGULAR.

>> HIS RED SAUCE, VERY NEW YORK-ISH STYLE, REALLY GOOD.

IT'S GREAT TO HAVE SOMETHING DIFFERENT FOR A CHANGE.

IT'S ALSO A VERY FRIENDLY PLACE TO COME IN TO.

>> ED SAYS HE WAS A SPIRAL'S CUSTOMER EVEN BEFORE ALL OF THIS BECAUSE IT'S JUST GOOD FOOD.

>> GOOD THINGS HAPPEN TO GOOD PEOPLE.

>> THAT'S RIGHT, IT DOES.

IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS WHERE HE HAS A GOOD FOLLOWING.

WE LOVE COMING IN HERE.

IT'S JUST GOOD FOOD.

>> RIGHT NOW, WE LOOK AT EVERYTHING THAT'S HAPPENED WITH THIS, AND WE LOOK AT IT AND SAY BUT GOD, GOD DID THIS AND GOD DID THAT.

THIS WAS OUR CHURCH FOR A LITTLE WHILE.

AND SO HERE WE WERE TALKING ABOUT CLOSING DOWN, AND THEN GOD.

>> HO-SEK SPENT SOME OF HIS CAREER MANAGING A CHI-CHI'S RESTAURANT IN OKLAHOMA CITY, AND YOU BETTER BELIEVE HE'S GOING TO BE USING THE CORN DOG RECIPE AND MAYBE ADD IT TO SPIRAL'S MENU.

RICH.

>> I WILL TAKE TWO.

>> OKLAHOMA CITY MAYOR DAVID HOLT WAS OFFICIALLY INSTALLED AS THE NEW DEAN OF THE OKLAHOMA CITY UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF LAW ON THURSDAY AFTERNOON.

HOLT WILL CONTINUE TO SERVE AS MAYOR IN ADDITION TO HIS NEW ROLE AT OCU.

SPEAKERS AT HIS INSTILLATION CEREMONY INCLUDED CHICKASAW GOVERNOR BILL ANOATUBBY AND OKLAHOMA ATTORNEY GENERAL GENTNER DRUMMOND.

>> IT IS AN INCREDIBLE HONOR TO SERVE IN THIS ROLE AS DEAN FOR SEVERAL REASONS.

FIRST OF ALL, AS HAS BEEN MENTIONED, IT IS MY ALMA MATER, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, THIS IS OKLAHOMA CITY'S LAW SCHOOL, AND I LOVE OKLAHOMA CITY.

ALL LAW SCHOOLS SERVE A CRITICAL ROLE FOR OUR NATION.

THEY PRODUCE THE PEOPLE WHO TRULY UNDERSTAND AND DEFEND THE RULE OF LAW.

IT IS OUR UNIQUELY AMERICAN SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT AND RULE OF LAW THAT HAS UNLEASHED INNOVATION AND ADVANCEMENT OVER THE LAST 200 YEARS THAT HAD NEVER PREVIOUSLY OCCURRED IN HUMAN HISTORY.

MAYBE LAWYERS DON'T BUILD SMARTPHONES AND JETS OR BUILD VACCINES OR MAKE MOVIES, BUT WE GUARD THE ECOSYSTEM WHERE THESE THINGS OCCUR.

WITHOUT THE RULE OF LAW, LIFE IS NASTY, BRUTISH AND SHORT.

>> ON BEHALF OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA, I CALL UPON YOU AS DEAN TO INSURE THAT OCU LAW CONTINUES TO SEND US OUR BEST AND BRIGHTEST AND TO SERVE OUR LEGAL SYSTEM AND OUR STATE.

I CALL UPON YOU TO INSURE THESE CIVIL LEADERS ARE ETHICAL AND FOCUS ON LEAVING THE STATE WE LOVE BETTER THAN THEY FOUND IT.

THANK YOU.

(APPLAUSE) >> HOLT WAS ELECTED OKLAHOMA CITY'S 38TH MAYOR IN 2018.

A MEMBER OF THE OSAGE NATION, HOLT IS THE FIRST NATIVE AMERICAN TO SERVE IN THAT ROLE.

>> PAYCOM'S FOUNDER IS TURNING OVER SOME OF THE DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONAL DUTIES OF THE COMPANY TO A NEWLY-APPOINTED COCEO.

THAT STORY TOPS THIS WEEK'S STATE-WIDE OKLAHOMA BUSINESS REVIEW.

>> CHRIS THOMAS TO SERVE AS THE CO-CEO COMPANY.

THOMAS HAS BEEN WITH PAY COM SINCE 2018 SERVING IN A VARIETY OF LEADERSHIP ROLES.

IT'S BECOME AN INTERNATIONAL LEADER IN CLOUD-BASED HR AND PAYROLL SOFTWARE.

CAR VANNA, A FORTUNE 500 COMPANY AND INDUSTRY PIONEER IN BUYING AND SELLING USED CARS ONLINE IS EXPANDING ITS SAME DAY VEHICLE DELIVERY TO THE OKLAHOMA CITY AREA.

THE SERVICE ALSO INCLUDES ONE-DAY DROPOFF OF VEHICLES AT SELECTED LOCATIONS FOR SELLERS.

OFFICIALLY LAUNCHED IN ARIZONA, CAR VANNA'S SAME DAY DELIVERY IS NOW AVAILABLE IN 10 STATES, INCLUDING OKLAHOMA.

>>> THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA, A LEADER IN TRUST WORTHY AI FOR WEATHER RESEARCH IS JOINING A NEWLY INFORMED ARTIFICIAL INSTITUTE SAFETY CONSORTIUM LED BY THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE.

ITS GOAL TO PROMOTE SAFETY AND TRUSTWORTHY AI PROGRAMS AND CREATE A MODERN WORKFORCE TRAINED TO IMPLEMENT THEM.

INTEGRIS HEALTH IS NOTIFYING POTENTIALLY AFFECTED INDIVIDUALS WITHIN ITS SYSTEM OF A SECURITY BREACH THAT COULD PUT THEIR PERSONAL INFORMATION AT RISK.

THE HACKED INFORMATION INCLUDES NAMES, DATES OF BIRTH, CONTACT INFORMATION AND SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBERS.

INTEGRIS SAYS SOME OF ITS PATIENTS HAVE RECEIVED COMMUNICATIONS FROM A GROUP CLAIMING RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE BREACH.

YOU SHOULD NOT RESPOND TO THE SENDER.

SPRINGTIME IS SURELY ON THE WAY WITH THE ANNOUNCEMENT THAT TICKETS ARE NOW ON SALE TO WATCH THE DEFENDING PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE CHAMPIONS AT OKLAHOMA CITY'S BRICKTOWN BALLPARK.

A TRIPLE-A FRANCHISE SINCE 1962, THE TEAM WILL HOST THEIR HOME OPENER ON APRIL 2nd.

FORMERLY THE OKLAHOMA DODGERS, THE TEAM WILL BE KNOWN TEMPORARILY AS THE OKLAHOMA CITY BASEBALL CLUB THROUGH THE 2024 SEASON.

>>> AND FINALLY, THE YEAR OVER YEAR INFLATION RATE WAS 3.1% IN JANUARY, ABOVE THE TARGET RATE OF 2%.

DESPITE THAT, THE FEDERAL RESERVE IS EXPECTED TO CUT INTEREST RATES THIS YEAR RATHER THAN RAISING THEM FURTHER.

BASED ON THE CONSUMER PRICE INDEX, WALLET HUB SURVEY FOUND THE DALLAS FORT WORTH AREA TO HAVE THE BIGGEST INFLATION PROBLEM FOLLOWED BY MIAMI AND NEW YORK.

OKLAHOMA CITIES WERE NOT INCLUDED IN THE REPORT.

THIS IS THE OKLAHOMA BUSINESS REVIEW.

>> FEBRUARY IS BLACK HISTORY MONTH, AND EACH YEAR AT THIS TIME, WE DEVOTE OUR WEEKLY IN-DEPTH DISCUSSION TO ISSUES FACING THE BLACK COMMUNITY IN OKLAHOMA.

BLACK BUSINESSES CONTINUE TO GROW IN OUR STATE, BUT THERE ARE ALSO CHALLENGES TO OVERCOME AS WELL.

HERE'S MODERATOR CASSIDY MUDD WITH A SPECIAL PANEL OF GUESTS.

CASSIDY?

>> THANK YOU, RICH.

JOINING US TODAY IS REPRESENTATIVE MONROE NICHOLS AND TAKE MAYA COX, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION OF OKLAHOMA.

THANK YOU BOTH FOR JOINING US.

I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO BRIEFLY SHARE WHAT BLACK HISTORY MONTH MEANS TO YOU.

REPRESENTATIVE NICHOLS, LET'S START WITH YOU.

>> FIRST OFF, THANK YOU FOR HAVING THE TWO OF US ON.

FOR ME, I THINK ABOUT BLACK HISTORY AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT HITS ME IN EVERY ASPECT OF MY LIFE, AS A LEGISLATOR, AS A BLACK MAN, AS FATHER.

AS I THINK ABOUT MY FAMILY'S ARC IN THIS COUNTRY, SO MY GRANDPARENTS WERE BORN -- MY TWO GRANDFATHERS WERE BORN IN THE '20s AND '30s IN SOUTH TEXAS.

SO I WAS BORN A LITTLE OVER 70 YEARS AFTER THE EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION.

MY GRANDFATHERS LIVED INTO THEIR 80s, SO THEIR LIFESPAN, IF YOU REVERSE THAT BACK, JUST IN THEIR LIFESPAN, THEY COULD HAVE EASILY BEEN SLAVES, WHICH IS CRAZY TO THINK ABOUT.

MY MOTHER AND FATHER WERE BORN BEFORE THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT AND BEFORE THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT, AND SO, LIKE, AT 40 YEARS OLD, I'M, LIKE, THE FIRST -- IN THE FIRST GENERATION OF MY FAMILY TO BE BORN WITH EVERY KIND OF BASIC RIGHT THAT WE ARE SUPPOSED TO HAVE AS AMERICANS.

SO WHAT I THINK ABOUT BLACK HISTORY, IT'S NOT LIKE THAT ANCIENT SET OF FACTS BARRY FACTS, BUT THINGSTHAT REALLY RE.

THE LAST THING I'LL SAY ABOUT IT I ALSO THINK OKLAHOMA'S VERY SPECIFIC HISTORY AS IT RELATES TO BLACK HISTORY.

YOU KNOW, IF YOU THINK ABOUT THE FIRST BILL IN STATE HISTORY BEING TO SEGREGATE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, YOU THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, FOLKS WHO CAME TO OKLAHOMA THINKING THAT OKLAHOMA WOULD BE A PLACE WHERE, YOU KNOW, FREEDOM WOULD REIN, EP MCKAY CAME AND THAT LED TO THE PROLIFERATION OF BLACK TOWNS, BUILDING OF GREENWOOD, RACE MASSACRE, FIGHT AGAINST SEPARATE BUT EQUAL BEFORE BROWNS VERSUS BOARD OF EDUCATION OF KANSAS, THE SENATE MOVEMENT HERE IN OKLAHOMA CITY, HAPPENED BEFORE THAT STUFF IN THE CAROLINAS, SO OKLAHOMA WAS LEADING THE WAY IN HISTORY IN THE FIGHT FOR EQUAL RIGHTS.

AND SO I THINK IT'S JUST REALLY SPECIAL FOR ALL OF US WHO LIVE IN OKAYO IN PARTICULAR BLACK OKLAHOMANS, BE REALLY FOR EVERY OKLAHOMAIAN TO KNOW THAT THE FOLKS WHO WERE OF THIS STATE WERE THE FOLKS WHO WERE THE FIRST TO REALLY PUSH AGAINST THE SYSTEM TO DEMAND EQUAL RIGHTS FOR EVERYBODY.

>> TAMYA, WHAT ABOUT YOU?

>> I THINK ABOUT IT AS A TIME TO CELEBRATE ALL THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS TO THIS COUNTRY AND THE WORLD, BUT AS REPRESENTATIVE NICHOLS JUST SAID, IT'S REALLY NOT ABOUT HUNDREDS OF YEARS AGO OR 60 YEARS AGO, BLACK HISTORY IS BEING MADE EVERY DAY, AND FOR US TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO CELEBRATE.

FOR MANY OF US IN THIS WORK, WE ARE CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY EVERY DAY, NOT JUST DURING THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY, BUT WE REALLY TAKE THIS TIME DURING FEBRUARY TO REALLY THINK ABOUT THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF BLACK AMERICANS TO THIS COUNTRY.

>> WHAT ARE SOME OF THOSE ACCOMPLISHMENTS?

>> I MEAN, I THINK THEY RANGE FROM A WHOLE HOST OF THINGS, RIGHT, FROM JUST THE IDEA OF BLACK WOMEN LEADING IN THE PROTESTS FOR THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT, RIGHT, FROM THE IDEAS OF INVENTIONS AND PATENTS THAT WE'VE SEEN, AS WELL AS, JUST AS WE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER, BLACK HISTORY BEING KIND OF EVERY DAY, THE IDEA THAT WE'RE STILL CELEBRATING FIRSTS, WITH THE FIRST BLACK VICE PRESIDENT, RIGHT?

AND EVEN IN OKLAHOMA, WE HAD THE FIRST BLACK MUSLIM REPRESENTATIVE WITH REPRESENTATIVE TURNER.

THOSE ARE THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT I THINK WE GET TO PASS ON FROM EACH LEGACY AND GENERATION, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO CELEBRATE AND KNOW WHAT THOSE HISTORIES ARE.

>> ON MONDAY, LEGISLATORS CELEBRATED THE SECOND ANNUAL BLACK HISTORY DAY AT THE CAPITOL.

REPRESENTATIVE NICHOLS, CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED THERE.

>> YEAH.

I THOUGHT IT WAS A GREAT EVENT.

WE'VE DONE IT NOW FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS, AND I WAS A LITTLE CONCERNED ON MONDAY, BECAUSE THERE WAS SOME SNOW ON THE GROUND, AND I WAS AFRAID THAT FOLKS MIGHT BE DETERRED FROM COMING TO THE CAPITOL, BUT IT WAS ANYTHING BUT.

I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE WE HAD HERE, BUT IT WAS HUNDREDS OF FOLKS WHO CAME TO THE CAPITOL, AND IT REALLY WAS A TIME OF CELEBRATION.

I ALSO THOUGHT, THOUGH, IT WAS ALSO A TIME OF REFLECTION, RIGHT?

WE HAD CLARA LUPER'S DAUGHTER MARILYN CAME AND SHE SPOKE, AND WHEN SHE SPOKE, SHE SPOKE ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE THAT HER MOTHER AND SHE HERSELF KIND OF WENT THROUGH AS A YOUNG KID, YOU KNOW, KIND OF PUSHING THAT BOULDER UP THE HILL.

BUT I THOUGHT IT WAS SUCH A GREAT OPPORTUNITY.

THE REALITY IS THERE'S ONLY 7 BLACK LEGISLATORS OUT OF 149 LEGISLATORS IN THE BUILDING.

NOW THERE'S 8 WITH ERIK HARRIS' ELECTION.

SO I'M HAPPY TO -- LOOK FORWARD TO WELCOMING HIM TO THE LEGISLATURE.

BUT IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, THERE'S NOT ENOUGH BLACK FACES IN THE CAPITOL ON ANY GIVEN DAY.

I WOULD ARGUE THERE'S NOT ENOUGH LATINO FACES IN THE CAPITOL EVERY SINGLE DAY.

AND SO EVERY OPPORTUNITY WE GET TO BRING CULTURE TO THE CAPITOL, LET FOLKS SEE THAT, HEY, THESE PEOPLE EXIST.

IT'S NOT JUST THESE 7 FOLKS THAT WE WORK WITH.

THERE ARE OTHERS WHO CARE, WHO ARE MOTIVATED AND WHO ARE READY TO THINK ABOUT WHAT'S THE NEXT BIG CHALLENGE THAT WE HAVE AS A STATE, LIKE, YOU KNOW, THE REALITY IS ALL THE THINGS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT, THE FIRSTS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT.

THOSE ARE THINGS WE SHOULD CELEBRATE ALL ACROSS OKLAHOMA NO MATTER WHERE YOU ARE, THE CHALLENGES WE'VE BEEN THERE, THOSE ARE OKLAHOMA CHALLENGES AT A TIME WHERE THE STATE WASN'T WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE.

BUT I DO THINK IT WAS ALSO A TIME FOR US TO THINK ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON TODAY, YOU KNOW, A REAL CONVERSATION ABOUT DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION, A REALLY CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW WE TEACH HISTORY.

THE REALITY IS NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW OUR HISTORY, AND OUR HISTORY IS RICH, AND WE SPEND MORE TIME, UNFORTUNATELY, IT SEEMS, TALKING ABOUT WHAT ARE WE NOT GOING TO TEACH THAN BEING ABLE TO HAVE PEOPLE ALL ACROSS THE STATE TAKE PRIDE IN WHO WE REALLY ARE, AND WHO WE REALLY ARE ARE PIONEERS.

THAT'S REALLY WHAT YESTERDAY WAS ABOUT.

IT WAS REALLY ABOUT CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY, BUT SPECIFICALLY IN THE OKLAHOMA CONTEXT, THE OKLAHOMA CONTRIBUTIONS TO, LIKE, THIS NATIONAL EFFORT FOR, YOU KNOW, WHAT THEY CALL A MORE PERFECT UNION.

OKLAHOMA HAS SUCH A SPECIAL PLACE IN THAT CONVERSATION, AND WE CONTINUE TO.

>> WHAT ARE SOME OF THOSE OTHER CONTRIBUTIONS?

>> I THINK THOSE ARE BIG ONES, BUT I THINK IT CANNOT BE UNDERSOLD THE STORY OF BLACK FOLKS IN OKLAHOMA WHO MANY CAME HERE AS SLAVES THEMSELVES WITH THEIR OWNERS WHO WERE PART OF OUR TRIBAL NATION, RIGHT?

YOU KNOW, THE GREAT THING ABOUT A LOT OF THE TRIBES, THEY'RE VERY HONEST ABOUT THAT HISTORY.

THE BLACK EXPERIENCE IN OKLAHOMA WERE FOLKS WHO CAME HERE AS SLAVES AND FOLKS WHO CAME HERE THINKING THERE WAS AN AMAZING OPPORTUNITY AND THEY COULD ESCAPE RACISM IN THE AMERICAN SOUTH, RIGHT?

AND SO THAT COLLECTION OF FOLKS IS HOW WE GET BLACK WALL STREET.

I THINK IT'S THAT COLLECTION OF FOLKS IS WHY WE HAD FOLKS WHO WERE WILLING TO PUSH AGAINST THE SYSTEM.

AND SO I THINK YOU HAVE ALL OF THOSE THINGS.

I THINK THE OTHER THING THAT WE SHOULD CELEBRATE MORE OF IS THE FACT THAT THERE ARE OKLAHOMA OKLAHOMANSMAKING HISTORY ACROSSE COUNTRY.

A TULSA BOY WHO IS A HISTORIAN AND PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST RESPECTED HISTORIANS IN OUR NATION'S HISTORY, AND HE'S A TULSA GUY.

HE'S AN OKLAHOMA KID, RIGHT?

AND SO I THINK THOSE CONTRIBUTIONS TO BLACK HISTORY FROM OKLAHOMANS ARE NOT JUST CONFINED IN OUR OWN STATE BORDERS.

THEY'RE ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

WE SEE IT EVERYWHERE.

IT'S A VERY EXCITING THING TO BE PART OF AS CHAIRMAN OF THE LEGISLATIVE BLACK CAUCUS, BUT IT ALSO IS A BIG RESPONSIBILITY, RIGHT?

WE'RE NOT PEOPLE WHO WERE MADE TO SIT STILL.

I THOUGHT IT WAS REALLY GREAT TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE FIRSTS.

WE NOW HAVE LEGISLATORS THAT HAVE GOTTEN ELECTED, THE FIRST BLACK LEGISLATOR IN DISTRICTS ACROSS THE STATE.

SO THERE'S STILL A GLASS CEILING THERE, BUT WE'RE PUNCHING TOWARD IT.

THERE'S SO MANY CONTRIBUTIONS YET TO MAKE.

>> REPRESENTATIVE NICHOLS, YOU MENTIONED TULSA EARLIER.

IN 2014, YOU HELPED TO LAUNCH IMPACT TULSA.

CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT PROJECT?

>> IMPACT TULSA WAS AN ORGANIZATION THAT WAS BORNE REALLY OUT OF THIS INTERESTING PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE ALL ACROSS IT'S COUNTRY, BUT CERTAINLY IN URBAN COMMUNITIES WHERE WE KNOW WE HAVE A LOT OF PROGRAMS, BUT OUTCOMES, PARTICULARLY FOR KIDS OF COLOR, AREN'T MOVING AS THEY SHOULD.

A LOT OF THAT IS THE CHALLENGES THEY FACE THAT IMPACT THEIR ABILITY TO LEARN.

SO IT WAS CREATED FOR TULSA TO TAKE A STEP BACK TO SAY WHAT DO WE NEED TO BE DOING IN OTHER SECTORS TO IMPROVE THE KIDS' EDUCATION.

TULSA IS NO.

11 IN THE COUNTRY FOR EVICTIONS.

THOSE EVICTIONS HAVE IMPACTED 3,000 TPS STUDENTS OVER THE LAST THREE AND A HALF YEARS, AND MOST OF THOSE KIDS ARE IN THIRD GRADE OR YOUNGER.

SO WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR LITERACY RATES, RIGHT?

AND WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR YOUR ABILITY TO THEN LEARN -- ONCE YOU LEARN TO READ TO READ TO LEARN.

THE REALITY IS, WHAT WE ARE STARTING TO UNDERSTAND, AND THIS IS WHAT IMPACT TULSA IS DOING, IS THAT, HEY, IF WE DON'T GET SOME STUFF RIGHT ON HOUSING OR ON TRANSPORTATION, OR ON THE ABILITY TO GET BASIC SERVICES OR IF THERE'S NOT, YOU KNOW, FAMILIES DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO A FAMILY PHYSICIAN WITHIN A CLOSE RADIANCE, THAT'S GOING TO IMPACT THEIR EDUCATION.

WE CANNOT ASK THE SUPERINTENDENT OR EDUCATORS TO DEAL WITH OUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING CRISIS, TRANSPORTATION CRISIS, HEALTHCARE CRISIS, POVERTY CRISIS, IF WE'RE NOT GOING TO HOLD OURSELVES ACCOUNTABLE IN THIRD GRADE AND HIGH SCHOOL COMPLETION, THOSE THINGS.

IMPACT TULSA, THAT'S WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT, HOW ARE ALL OF THESE CONTRIBUTIONS WE SHOULD BE MAKING TO IMPACT POSITIVELY THE OUTCOMES OF KIDS, HOW ARE WE DOING THAT, HOW DOES THE DATA SHOW WE'RE GETTING BETTER AT IT OR WORSE.

AND THEN WHAT DOES THAT MEAN ABOUT THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING ACROSS SECTORS.

SO IMPACT TULSA, VERY SPECIAL ORGANIZATION.

IN MY HEART, AS PROBABLY YOU CAN TELL, AND THEY CONTINUE GREAT WORK.

I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE WORK THEY'RE DOING.

>> TAMIA, ARE YOU SEEING ANY SIMILAR EFFORTS IN OTHER PARTS OF THE STATE?

>> SURE.

I THINK WHAT WE HAVE SEEN IS THAT THERE ARE DEDICATED FOLKS TO WANTING TO CHANGE OUTCOMES IN THE EVERYDAY LIVES OF OKLAHOMANS.

AND SOMETIMES THAT SHOWS UP IN ADVOCACY GROUPS LIKE IMPACT TUESDAY, BUT AS WELL AS WHAT WE ARE SEEING WITH ORGANIZATIONS HERE IN OKLAHOMA CITY REALLY AROUND WAYS THAT THEY CAN INTERRUPT FOLKS FROM ENTERING THE SYSTEM.

I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT ASPECT IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY, THINKING ABOUT CRIMINAL LEGAL REFORM, SO WE HAVE GROUPS LIKE LIVE FREE THAT TRULY TRY TO FIND OUT WHAT ARE WAYS THAT WE CAN INTERVENE IN SITUATIONS BEFORE THE NEED FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT INTERVENTION.

AND I THINK THOSE ARE THE TYPES WE'RE SEEING.

I THINK THERE'S A PARALLEL WHEN WE ARE ALSO SEEING AN ATTEMPT AT LEAST FOR MORE INTERVENTION DURING MENTAL HEALTH CRISES THAT IMPACT ALL OF OKLAHOMANS IN SOME FORM OR FASHION, BUT REALLY WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES, SIGNIFICANTLY WHEN THEY ARE HAVING KREE CEASE.

THE FIRST THING WE DO IS CALL POLICE, AND THEN THAT CAUSES ADDITIONAL OBSTACLES.

AND THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE AS THE ACLU CONTINUE TO PUSH FOR REFORM IN WAYS THAT WE CAN -- WE BELIEVE THAT WE CAN CHANGE OUR CRIMINAL LEGAL REFORM WHEN WE GET, AS REPRESENTATIVE NICHOLS SAID, TO THESE ROOT CAUSES, SPECIFICALLY FOCUSING ON HOUSING, HEALTHCARE, AND ECONOMIC ISSUES.

WE BELIEVE THOSE ARE THE ROOT CAUSES FOR OUR, UNFORTUNATELY, HIGH INCARCERATION RATE.

AND IF WE CAN ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES, THEN WE REALLY THINK WE SEE CRIMINAL LEGAL REFORM HAVING THE CHANGE THAT IT NEEDS TO BE.

WE KNOW IT'S GOING TO TAKE ALL OF US, THE ADVOCACY GROUPS, THE POLICY MAKERS AND THE FAITH COMMUNITIES TO REALLY MAKE THOSE CHANGES.

BUT WE ARE SEEING THAT ACROSS THE STATE HAPPENING, ORGANIZATIONS COMING TOGETHER TO FIND DIFFERENT AND BETTER WAYS TO IMPROVE THE DAILY LIVES OF OKLAHOMANS.

>> TAMIA, HOW CAN WE CONTINUE THE PROGRESS WE'VE SEEN ON BLACK WALL STREET ESPECIALLY DURING THIS TIME OF PUSHBACK ON DEI AND REGULATIONS IN THE CLASSROOM SURROUNDING CRITICAL RACE THEORY?

>> I THINK THERE IS A MULTI-FACETED WAY TO INSURE THAT.

I THINK, ONE, WE HAVE TO START WITH RECOGNIZING THAT DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION ARE NOT BAD WORDS.

THEY'RE NOT SCARY CONCEPTS, AND WE PROBABLY HAVEN'T FULLY REALIZED HOW GREAT OF PROGRAMS THEY CAN BE FOR HIGHER INSTITUTIONS AND WORKPLACES, AND SO I THINK JUST NAMING THAT.

I ALSO THINK NAMING THE TRUE INTENT OF SOME OF THESE HORRIBLE LAWS THAT WERE PASSED A FEW YEARS AGO AROUND DEI, AND THAT WE'RE SEEING EVEN INTRODUCED.

SO I THINK CALLING THAT OUT AS ACTIVISTS AS WELL AS CIVIC LEADERS, I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT.

BUT I THINK ON THE OTHER END, I THINK HAVING THESE REAL TRUE CONVERSATIONS WITH OKLAHOMANS, TRULY HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT THESE PROGRAMS, BY ALL MEANS, I'VE NOT SURVEYED EVERY OKLAHOMAIAN.

I DON'T BELIEVE THESE ARE PRIORITIES OF TRULY THE THINGS OKLAHOMANS WANT.

I DON'T THINK THEY WANT LAWMAKERS TO BE FOCUSING THEIR EFFORTS HERE, BECAUSE TRULY I THINK WHEN WE HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS AROUND THE DINING ROOM TABLE, PEOPLE SHARE THE SAME VALUES.

PEOPLE HAVE A LOT OF THE SAME COMMONALITIES REGARDLESS.

AND I THINK ONCE WE CAN JUST AMPLIFY THAT TO OUR LEGISLATORS, I THINK THAT'S HOW CHANGE CAN BE MADE.

BUT I THINK WE CONTINUE THIS PROGRESS OF BLACK HISTORY AND BLACK EXCELLENCE AND ACHIEVEMENTS.

I THINK WE CONTINUE THAT BY INSURING THAT THE NEXT GENERATION HAS ALL THE TOOLS AND RESOURCES THAT THEY NEED TO BE AS SUCCESSFUL AS WE ARE, AND THAT'S INSURING THAT OUR POLICY MAKERS ARE LISTENING TO US, THAT WE'RE GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY AND THAT WE'RE CONTINUING TO LIFT UP THOSE VOICES THAT HAVE PAVED THE WAY FOR US TO CONTINUE TO THRIVE.

>> THE REALITY IS MOST KIDS ACROSS THE STATE, MOST KIDS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, BECAUSE WE LIVE IN THESE COMMUNITIES, THE FIRST TIME THEY SEE DIVERSITY IS WHEN THEY GET ON A COLLEGE CAMPUS.

SO YOU NEED TO LEARN THINGS ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE AROUND YOU, THEIR CULTURE, THEIR RELIGION, HOW YOU MIGHT SPEAK TO THEM, AND THERE'S A MEMBER OF THE LEGISLATURE WHO IS A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE, SO I'M NOT CALLING HIM OUT, BUT THERE IS ONE POINT WHERE HE USED THE TERM COLORED TO REFER TO BACK CHILDREN.

HE DIDN'T KNOW YOU COULDN'T SAY.

THAT HE'S NOT AN ILL-HEARTED PERSON.

HE ACTUALLY DID NOT KNOW.

SO YOU THINK ABOUT WHY THESE THINGS ARE IMPORTANT THAT SOMEBODY WHO COULD EVEN RISE TO THIS LEVEL WOULD MAKE A MISTAKE LIKE THAT, AND A WELL MEANING PERSON CAN GET HIS REP TALKING N RUINED ALL BECAUSE HE DIDN'T HAVE THE TOOLS.

SO YOU'RE GETTING THOSE TOOLS.

WE TALK ABOUT SCHOOLS.

IF WE LOOK AT THE RACE, ETHNICITY OF EDUCATORS AND THE KIDS THEY SERVE IN A LOT OF OUR COMMUNITIES, IT IS DIFFERENT.

TEACHERS NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT CONTEXT.

THAT'S WHERE THOSE THINGS ARE IMPORTANT.

YOU'RE GOING TO GO INTO A WORLD THAT'S DIVERSE.

THE FOLKS WHO OWN PANASONIC, FOR EXAMPLE, WE MISSED OUT ON THAT OPPORTUNITY.

THEY DON'T NECESSARILY -- THEY PROBABLY DON'T LOOK LIKE, YOU KNOW, THE AVERAGE OKLAHOMAIAN THAT LIVED IN PRYOR OKLAHOMA.

YOU NEED THESE TOOLS, BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S JUST ABOUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO LIVE TOGETHER, THE CONTEXT IN WHICH YOU MEET THIS PERSON WHOM YOU DON'T KNOW AND YOU CAN LEARN A LOT FROM.

THAT'S PART OF THE WORK.

I WOULD ARGUE THAT THE FOLKS WHO HAVE USED THIS AS A POLITICAL KIND OF FIRE AND LIGHTNING ROD ARE FOLKS WHO DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE WANT TO DO THIS.

IT'S NOT TO SAY THAT SOMETHING -- IT'S SOMEBODY 'SFAULT OR ANYTHING LIKE.

THAT IT'S TO GIVE US ALL THE TOOLS TO UNDERSTAND HOW WE COME INTO THIS PLACE TO MAKE THE STATE BETTER AND WHAT ARE THE RULES OF ENGAGEMENT, RIGHT.

IT'S A LEARNING OPPORTUNITY, AND IT DEFINITELY BELONGS IN EDUCATION, BECAUSE IT IS ABOUT LEARNING.

>> AND THIS IS A TOPIC THAT WE DIDN'T TALK TOO, TOO MUCH ON.

WE DID MENTION BLACK WALL STREET AND HOW IT IS BOOMING ONCE AGAIN AFTER 100 YEARS AFTER THE TULSA RACE MASSACRE.

WHAT CAN WE DO BETTER AND HOW CAN WE WORK TO EMPOWER BLACK AND MINORITY-OWNED BUSINESSES, NOT JUST IN OKLAHOMA CITY OR TULSA,BUT ACROSS THE STATE?

>> ONE THING IS TO MAKE SURE THAT BLACK ENTREPRENEURS HAVE THE SAME ACCESS TO CAPITOL.

PART OF IT IS SUPPORTING THE SYSTEM THAT WE KNOW SUPPORTS BUSINESS.

THAT'S THE NO.

1 CHALLENGE FOR EVERY BLACK ENTREPRENEUR, ACCESS TO CAPITAL.

BLACK ENTREPRENEURS ARE GREAT INNOVATORS, GREAT CREATORS, BUT IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES TO GET THAT IN THE RIGHT PLACES AND SPACES TO BE ABLE TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING, WELL, NOBODY IS GOING TO SHOP THERE, RIGHT?

SO I THINK THAT'S THE BIG THING.

I THINK OUR BIGGEST POLICY CHALLENGE.

AND THIS IS IN NO SORT ORDER ABOUT THIS DEI CONVERSATION, RIGHT?

THE BANKING SYSTEM NEEDS TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE.

IT'S NOT THE JOB OF PHILANTHROPY TO BE BANKROLLING BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY NECESSARILY.

I THINK WE'RE LUCKY TO HAVE SOME WHO DECIDE TO DO, THAT BUT THE FACT IS WE HAVE A PROBLEM IN OUR SYSTEM, AND I THINK THAT'S THE BIGGEST THING WE SHOULD BE ADVOCATING FOR.

CERTAINLY SHOP AT THESE PLACES AND SPACES, NOT BECAUSE YOU'RE JUST DOING THE RIGHT THING, BUT BECAUSE THESE ARE AMAZING ENTREPRENEURS AND INNOVATORS, BUT I THINK WE HAVE TO ADVOCATE FOR CHANGE IN THE LENDING INDUSTRY, BECAUSE THAT'S REALLY WHAT'S GOING TO HELP CHANGE THE WEALTH CONVERSATION THAT WE HAVE, BECAUSE IF FOLKS HAVE ACCESS TO CAPITAL AND THAT KIND OF SUPPORT, THEY'RE GOING TO DO GREAT THINGS.

>> WELL, THAT'S JUST ABOUT ALL THE TIME WE HAVE.

I APPRECIATE YOU BOTH SO MUCH FOR CONVERSATION AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR INSIGHT.

>> TAKE CARE.

THANK YOU.

>> CASSIDY, THANK YOU.

>> IN THIS WEEK'S NATIONAL VIEW, WE'RE GOING TO TRAVEL OUT WEST TO WYOMING WHERE THE BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT IS PARTNERING WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS TO HELP RE-GROW THOUSANDS OF ACRES OF SAGEBRUSH, BECAUSE SO MANY SPECIES OF ANIMALS AND PLANTS DEPEND ON IT FOR THEIR SURVIVAL.

THAT STORY, COURTESY OF WYOMING PBS.

>> SAGE BRUSH IS IMPORTANT.

WE HAVE OVER 350 SAGE BRUSH SPECIES IN WYOMING THAT SCIENTIST VERSUS IDENTIFIED.

WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT SPECIES DEPENDS ON SAGE BRUSH FOR THEIR FOOD SOURCE, MATING GROUNDS, HOME, CRUCIAL WINTER RANGE IS PART OF THAT.

THE MORE WE FRAGMENT THIS HABITAT, THE HARDER OF A TIME THESE ANIMALS HAVE SURVIVING.

>> IF I HAVE TO NAME SOME OF THE BIGGER SCIENTIFIC CRISES IN THE WORLD, THE ONE THAT IS LEAST TALKED ABOUT IS BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION.

THERE HAS BEEN A SIGNIFICANT DECLINE IN ANIMAL SPECIES, PLANT SPECIES, INSPECT SPECIES ACROSS THE BOARD, PARTICULARLY IN THE LAST 50 YEARS.

THERE'S JUST BEEN HUGE DECLINES IN JUST ABOUT EVERY CLASS OF ORGANISM.

AND SO BEING ABLE TO RECLAIM HABITAT LIKE THIS IS NOT ONLY BENEFITING SAGE BRUSH ITSELF, IT'S ALSO BENEFITING ALL OF THOSE ORGANISMS THAT DEPEND ON IT, SO IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO RECLAIM ENTIRE HABITATS, AND THE ONLY REAL CHOICE WE HAVE IS TO DO IT AT A LANDSCAPE SCALE.

>> THIS AREA WAS THE ANDREA HUNTER MINE.

IT WAS MINED IN THE 1950S FOR URANIUM.

THIS WAS ONE A BIG OPEN PIT WHERE WE'RE STANDING, AND SO WYOMING DEQ WITH BLM HAVE COME IN AND RECLAIMED THIS.

THEY DID A GREAT JOB REVEG TATING IT REVEGETATING IT, BUT YOU CAN SEE THERE'S NOT MUCH SAGE BRUSH HERE.

>> THE GOAL IS TO RESTORE THE LANDSCAPE TO BEFORE IT WAS MINED.

WE DO A LOT OF WORK WITH THE SOILS AND DRAINAGE AREAS, BUT THE REVEGETATION IS THE LAST COMPONENT THAT IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT COMPONENTS.

>> THIS IS OUR SAGE BRUSH IN PRISONS PROJECT WHERE WE HAVE INMATES GROW SAGE BRUSH FOR US, AND THEN THEY EVEN GET TO PLANT THEM ON SOME OF OUR OLD MINE SITES AROUND THE STATE.

>> RESEARCH ON ECOLOGICAL PROGRAMS IN PRISON SETTINGS HAVE SHOWN THAT RECIDIVISM RATES REDUCE DRASTICALLY WHEN INMATES ARE LEARNING ABOUT ECOLOGY AND PARTICIPATING IN ECOLOGICAL PROGRAMS.

TRYING TO EXPOSE THEM TO THIS IDEA THAT, LIKE, WE'RE PART OF THE ECOSYSTEM, WE ARE PART OF ECOLOGY, THEY'RE DEDICATED TO THE EDUCATION COMPONENT.

THAT'S HOW YOU GET PEOPLE TO INVEST IN THEMSELVES.

>> THE UNSUNG HERO IN THIS REALLY IS THE PRISONS THEMSELVES, THE DEPARTMENTS OF CORRECTIONS AND ALL OF THE DIFFERENT STATES THAT WE WORK WITH.

WITHOUT THEIR BUY-IN TO THE PROGRAM, WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO DO THAT.

>> WE SAW THE HONOR FARM AS A PERFECT PLACE TO HAVE THE SAGE BRUSH IN PRISONS PROJECT, SINCE ITS INCEPTION, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO PUT IN A GREENHOUSE, A SHADE HOUSE, AND A MORE PERMANENT STRUCTURE SO WE CAN KEEP THE PROGRAM GOING YEAR AFTER YEAR.

>> PERSONALLY, I'M REALLY INTO GROWING AND RAISING PLANTS.

I PLAN TO DO IT WHEN I AM RELEASED IN SOME CAPACITY OR OTHER.

I LIKE TO ENJOY THE FACT I PLANT THE SEEDS AND COME BACK AND ENJOY THEM AND GIVE BACK TO OUR COMMUNITY AND TO OUR WORLD.

>> SAGE BRUSH ARE REALLY HARD TO GET STARTED.

ABOUT 5% OF THE SEEDS WILL AUTOMATICALLY GERMINATE ON THEIR OWN IN THE WILD.

WHAT WE DO IN THE PRISON PROJECT IS WE GERMINATE THOUSANDS OF THESE SEEDS IN ONE SPRING SEASON.

WE GROW THEM UP TO SEEDLINGS, AND THE GROWTH THEY GET WOULD BE SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 3 AND 5 YEARS IN THE WILD.

AFTER WE GET THEM READY TO BE OUT IN THE WILD, WE PLANT THEM OUT HERE SO WE CAN GET THE SAGE BRUSH COMPONENT BACK INTO THIS LANDSCAPE, BECAUSE AT ONE POINT IN TIME, THIS LANDSCAPE WAS COVERED WITH SAGE BRUSH.

SO WE'LL COLLECT SEED FROM ANY SEED-BEARING PLANT WITHIN A FIVE-MILE RADIUS OF THIS PROJECT AREA, AND SEED PICKING IS JUST THE MOST WONDERFUL THING.

IT'S SO MEDITATIVE.

YOU'RE OUT THERE, YOU'RE WITH THE PLANTS.

YOU'RE IN THIS DETAILED FLOW STATE.

>> BEING AROUND PLANTS MY WHOLE LIFE, IT'S LIKE FROM SEED TO FIN FINISH, YOU ALMOST LOOK AT THEM AS YOUR OWN KID.

YOU KIND OF HAVE TO.

BEING ABLE TO GO ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE SEASON AND OVERCOMING ANY OBSTACLES, JUST ALL THE WORK THAT HAS TO BE DONE AND THEN ACTUALLY GET TO SEE IT THROUGH INTO THE GROUND, IT'S A REAL NICE FEELING.

>> SINCE 2013 WHEN WE ESTABLISHED THE PROGRAM, WE'VE GROWN OVER 3 MILLION SAGE BRUSH PLANTS.

SO I THINK THOSE ARE PRETTY STRONG MEASURES OF SUCCESS.

THE SOFTER SIDE OF IT IS THAT WE REALLY SEE OUR SUCCESS, TOO, IN BEING ABLE TO CONNECT HUMANS IN NATURE.

THAT IS ABSOLUTELY THE MOST IMPORTANT GOAL THAT WE HAVE.

IT'S THE HARDEST ONE TO MEASURE, BUT I SEE THE SUCCESS EVERY TIME THAT I'M OUT WORKING WITH A GREW, WHETHER INSIDE A PRISON OR OUT LIKE TODAY.

>> FOR ME, MAYBE THE PROJECT WILL NEVER BE DONE.

THE ULTIMATE GOAL IS I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THERE BE SAGE BRUSH ALL OVER THIS.

I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THIS RESTORED BACK TO A VIABLE FUNCTIONING LANDSCAPE.

I DO THINK IT IS POSSIBLE.

WE JUST WORK AT IT, ONE PLANT AT A TIME, ONE PERSON AT A TIME.

>> ON THE NEXT EDITION OF THE OKLAHOMA NEWS REPORT, OKLAHOMA RANKS 2ND IN THE NATION IN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HOMICIDES.

WE'LL SIT DOWN WITH ATTORNEY GENERAL GENTNER DRUMMOND TO FIND OUT WHAT HE'S RECOMMENDING BE DONE TO CHANGE THAT.

>> WE'LL SAY SO LONG THIS WEEK WITH A PEEK INSIDE THE NATIONAL COWBOY AND WESTERN HERITAGE MUSEUM, PUT TOGETHER FOR US BY OETA'S JASON STEWART.

PLEASE REMEMBER, YOU CAN ACCESS ADDITIONAL NEWS CONTENT BY VISITING OUR WEBSITE, OETA.TV.

YOU CAN ALSO FIND US ON INSTAGRAM AND TWITTER BY SEARCHING "OETA ONR."

AND ON FACEBOOK AND YOUTUBE, JUST SEARCH, "THE OKLAHOMA NEWS REPORT."

FOR ALL OF US WHO PLAY A ROLE IN PUTTING THIS NEWSCAST ON THE AIR EACH WEEK, I'M RICH LENZ.

ENJOY YOUR WEEKEND!

♪♪ ♪♪ Captioning provided by Caption Associates, LLC www.captionassociates.com ♪♪ .