OkEq Weekly eNews December 9th, 2019
MISSION: OkEq seeks equal rights for LGBTQ+ individuals and families through intersectional advocacy, education, programs, alliances, and the operation of the Dennis R. Neill Equality Center.
Get your house in order and help us get our house in order, too! Go to  smile.amazon.com  for your shopping needs, and Amazon will donate a portion to Oklahomans for Equality!
Third Thursdays in the Rainbow Room : HO HO HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS
Thursday, December 19, 8:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Dennis R. Neill Equality Center
621 E. 4th St., Pride Street
Tulsa, OK 74120
It's a delightful evening showcasing Tulsa’s, extraordinary musical talent. With cocoa, Christmas tunes and a few Santa Clauses to boot.
Cozy up in the Rainbow Room with holiday cheer and well wishes for a wonderful new year. FEATURING:
Kara Staiger, Mike Pryor, Kia Hightower, Kristen Simpson, Robert Young, Powell Barca, Sam Briggs, Paulette Record, Cristen Burdell, Laura Reeder, Austin Reid, Thomas Farnan-Williams, Audit Pritchett, Fletcher Gross, Karlena Riggs, Kaley Jobe, Tabitha Littlefield, Nash McQuarters, Lindsay Katherine Powell, Roderick Hudson, Pat Hobbs, Rachel Bachman, Paige Dickey
And SANTA!
Annual Falala Ball
Saturday, December 21, 7:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Dennis R. Neill Equality Center
621 E. 4th St., Pride Street
Tulsa, OK 74120

Join us for this year's Annual Fa La La Ball. Don your "gay" apparel (or comfortable clothing for you) and bring your friends to celebrate the holidays with great dance music from DJ Dec with Urban Country Entertainment, live entertainment featuring LGBTQ+ youth from our own Alphabet Soup, savory hors-d'oeuvres, and an adult beverage cash bar. 

Admission is any of the following:

  • Canned goods and toiletries for St. Jerome Parish Pantry
  • Canned goods for Diversity Christian Food Pantry 
  • Pet Food for A Friend for a Friend
  • Children's Toys for Women in Recovery. 
Arts and Crafts Night
Friday, December 20, 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Dennis R. Neill Equality Center
621 E. 4th St., Pride Street
Tulsa, OK 74120

On the First and Third Friday of the month, the Equality Center will have an arts and craft night. Bring your knitting needles, crochet hooks, your paint, and pencils! Whatever you like to do, you can
do it with friends in a fun and supportive atmosphere.

There will be some items provided, but if there is something you specifically want to work on, please bring it with you.
Times Almost Up!!!
Marketplace Enrollment

Review and Enroll Before Time Runs Out!

LGBTQ+ people are more likely to be uninsured than non-LGBTQ+ people. Open enrollment for 2020 coverage begins November 1st and goes through December 15th. We will be hosting an enrollment event where people can meet with a marketplace navigator to help them find the best insurance option available to them. This event is free and no appointment is required.
2019 Pride Bingo
Saturday, January 4, 6:00 p.m.
Dennis R. Neill Equality Center
621 E. 4th St., Pride Street
Tulsa, OK 74120

Tulsa PRIDE BINGO is back for the 2020 Pride season. Join us for the first Tulsa Pride Bingo of the year.

The fun and hilarious Rainbow Granny will be there with special guests to join her for our Bingo Bash. DJ Alex says "get your lip sync selections ready." 

$20 for general admission
$35 Adult Beverage admission includes 3 drink tickets
$300 Table for 8 people which includes open bar for your table
Gay Men's Dinner Group
Tuesday, January 7, 6:30 p.m.
Tandoori Guys Buffet
2039 W. Houston St.
Broken Arrow, OK 74012

Join us at Tandoori Guys Buffet. Tandoori is an Indian Food Buffet. The reservations are under OkEq Men's Group. Hope to see everyone there!
A head count is needed for the reservations. If you are coming please let us know by clicking below
King & Queen of Tulsa Pride Pageant
Saturday, January 11, 12:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Dennis R. Neill Equality Center
621 E. 4th St., Pride Street
Tulsa, OK 74120

Who will be the Next King or Queen of Tulsa Pride? Will it be you? Come out and see who will be crowned the next King and Queen of Tulsa Pride and say respects to King Scrappy and Queen Anita. If you would like to compete please register below.
New fitness class at OKEQ
Thursday, January 2, 7:30 - 8:30 p.m.
Dennis R. Neill Equality Center
621 E. 4th St., Pride Street
Tulsa, OK 74120
Every Thursday After

Holidays have those pants feeling tighter, or maybe feeling like you would like to tone your muscles a little more, well great news Oklahomans for Equality has a new fitness class! Christopher Gomez will be leading this new fitness class that starts after yoga and Meta Recovery. This will give you an opportunity to get a well rounded workout and help to tone and tighten. 
Christopher Gomez, “I have lead workout groups with friends at more extreme paces, but am now learning the science behind it and how to bring others to their fitness goals at a more inclusive pace at community care college through their fitness program. I am confident in my abilities to provide satisfaction to my clients through my fitness instruction. I am excited to be teaching fitness at the Dennis R Neill Equality Center, where everyone is welcome and safe! 
Join me this coming year at the OKEQ fitness course!” 
Share the Warmth!

We are now accepting donations of blankets, coats, socks, scarves, hats, and gloves. As a warming station, we see a high number of people who are experiencing homelessness, and these items are a necessity as the temperature drops. 
Advertise With Us!

Have you considered advertising in our digital weekly newsletter? Did you know we connect with thousands in the community? We are currently offering spots to advertise your business or organization in our newsletter.

$25.00 a week at the Top of the Newsletter
$15.00 a week at the Middle of the Newsletter
$10.00 a week at the Bottom of the Newsletter

All advertisements must come with a High Resolution Graphic, a fully written out copy of what you would like to offer readers, and how many weeks you would like for the ad to run.

Contact us below for more details and to get started!
The OKEQ History Project Needs your Help

Our History Project team has been working on archiving footage, artifacts, and newspaper clippings from 1980 to the present day. We have pieces of Oklahoma LGBTQ+ history that span forty years, but we need your help! Do you have old newspapers at your house that mention OKEQ? Do you have Pride shirts from 1999? Videos from past galas? 
Consider donating or loaning them to our history project so we can digitize and make our archive searchable to the public! 

Bring any and all artifacts to the center! We are open 7 days a week from 9am-9pm!
AIDS Quilt Narratives Wanted

The Dennis R. Neill Equality Center and Jeremy Stevens, program director of the Orbit Initiative for the Tulsa PAC, are asking anyone who knew and/or loved someone who died of AIDS to record their narratives for archival and future use. This project is for anyone affected by the AIDS crisis whose stories are connected to Tulsa. All of these stories deserve to be told.
 
Those who are interested in having a story recorded are asked to contact Stevens at the Tulsa PAC at (918) 596-7119 or  jeremystevens@cityoftulsa.org  or Oklahomans for Equality Program Director Jose Vega at (918) 743-4297 or   jose.vega@okeq.org .
The Gender Diversity Health and
Social Experiences Survey (GHSE)

Do you identify as transgender or any gender that is different from the sex you were assigned at birth? If so, we encourage you to participate in The Gender Diversity Health and Social Experiences Survey! This research will help support our understanding of the social,
institutional, and healthcare needs of trans and gender nonbinary people.

Participants will have the opportunity to vote for a trans-related non-profit organization. $300.00 will be donated to each of the two organizations with the most votes. We will not collect any identifying information from you.
Joe and Nancy McDonald Library
Find this selection and more by visiting the Nancy and Joe McDonald Rainbow Library.
" Families We Choose"
" Annotation Writers of letters to the "Age" and the "Sydney Morning Herald" are poets, dreamers, and provocateurs. The overwhelming majority are in search of a better world, even if some disguise their aspiration in a sheath that is crackling dry. They are possessed of good sense and a wicked sense of humor. No topic is off limits. Yet hundreds of offerings bite the dust every day. Some are too late. Too vulgar. Too confessional. Some writers are victims of their own success and are at risk of overexposure. Others don't meet the "Herald"'s stringent verification rules. Others are delightfully (but unprintably) kooky. All are kept. From Tony Abbott's dress-ups to Julia Gillard's karate chop, Judith Lucy's sex life, and the perils of proposing to your pet, the vault is opened and our writers' wit, insight, and imagination are unleashed. "
Equality Pride Store
The Holiday Festivities have begun. If you are decorating this year then you should have these LGBTQ+ ornaments included in all of your decor. New ornaments for only $5. Come by and pick yours up today! Only at the OKEQ Pride Store!  

Be sure to "Like" the  OkEq Pride Store Facebook  page to keep up with the new items and new sale items
Counseling Services
Allison Ikley-Freeman
Allison Ikley-Freeman, LPC Candidate is passionate about assisting individuals who are a part of the LGBTQIA+ community who experience a range of concerns and issues. Individual, youth, and adolescent counseling is available on a sliding fee scale based on income. 

You can make an appointment with Allison by calling 918-280-9645. 
OSU - Tulsa Counseling Services
The Oklahoma State Tulsa Counseling Center is an LGBTQ+ affirming center located in Main Hall of OSU Tulsa. You do not have to be affiliated with OSU to benefit from these services! Our center offers clients from OKEQ sessions for only 5 dollars . Each member of our counseling team receives additional training and supervision in LGBTQ+ issues and is excited to work with clients from OKEQ. Please contact us at 918-594-8568 for more information or to schedule an appointment. 
Sara Griffey
S ara Griffey is an LPC candidate under supervision. Sara specializes in LGBT+ and non-traditional relationships (i.e. kink, polyamory, etc.). She has experience working with homeless youth and individuals struggling with anxiety & trauma.
She previously worked with survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking.
She is passionate about advocacy and public policy in order to ensure that proper treatment is available for any individual seeking services.

Regularly Scheduled Programming
Lawyer in the Library
2nd Wednesday of each month
5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.

Lawyer in the Library is an opportunity to meet with a lawyer about topics such as family law (divorce, paternity, custody and child support), landlord/tenant disputes, estate planning, and bankruptcy. No appointment is necessary.
Coming Out Workshop

1st and 3rd Monday of every month
6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Are you planning to come out? Maybe you have just recently come out?
Join us for a coming out discussion group meeting
Meeting the History Project Room
Free to participate, this course is designed for individuals coming to terms with their sexuality with presentations on how to come out to family, friends, and coworkers. Question and answer session in a supportive and informed environment.

It is a safe space to share experiences about coming out and discuss topics as it relates to doing so. By sharing struggles and victories the group allows those newly coming out and who have been out for a while to learn from others. All are welcome to join in the discussion whether Lesbian, Gay, Bi, or Trans.
Please contact ComingOut@OkEq.org or call 918-743-4297 .
Free Yoga Class at OkEq
Mondays  
5:45 - 6:45 p.m.   

Enjoy a free class! These 60-minute, free Community Yoga classes are open to everyone of all levels. Each class is mindfully crafted to prepare the body for a peak pose in the arm balance, inversion, backbend or twist family. This class will connect the mind, body, and spirit through movement and breath.
SAGE Tulsa 
Every Tuesday
10:00 am to 1:00 pm

"drop in for coffee" 
Facilitated by
John Madigan
OkEq Board Meeting
Monthly Meeting 
Thursday, December 12, 6:00 p.m.
Dennis R. Neill Equality Center.
All Oklahomans for Equality board meetings are open to all OkEq members.
It's Complicated
1st & 3rd Monday
of each month
6:30 - 7:30 p.m.

"It's Complicated" is an ongoing group for individuals in nontraditional relationships (kink, polyamory, swinging, etc.) This group meets every 1st and 3rd Monday of the month from 6:30-8pm at the Dennis R. Neill Equality Center. Each session will have a new topic. For topic information, please like Unity Tulsa’s Facebook page at facebook/UnityTulsa or check the OkEq event calendar at okeq/events
SOS Group
Mondays 7:00 p.m 

This open Secular Organizations for Sobriety (SOS) Recovery and Sobriety Group meets every Monday at the Dennis R. Neill Equality Center. For more information, visit  www.SOSTulsa.org
Survivors of Incest Anonymous
Every Saturday
12:00 - 2:30 p.m.

SIA strives to empower those who have survived childhood sexual abuse (who are not abusing any child), who want to become survivors and thrivers. For more information, visit  siawso.org
Partners of Trans*/Non-Binary Individuals Support Group
The program is providing support, education and social opportunities for partners of transgender and non-binary individuals. Ages 18+. A first time interview is required before attending your first meeting. Please contact Amanda at 918-902-4625.
Gender Support Program
Wednesdays
7:00 - 8:30 p.m. 
 
(First time interview required before attending)
Email  
The program is providing support, education and social opportunities for transgender and intersex individuals.
Brought to You Bi 
the Letter B 
2nd & 4th Monday
of each month 
7:00 - 8:00 p.m.
 
Bisexual support group at the Dennis R. Neill Equality Center. Tell all your friends. The group is open to all bi/pan/queer/fluid+ folks and their allies. Facilitators
Daniel & Haley
Tulsa Area
Prime Timers
2nd Tuesday of every month
7:00 - 9:00 p.m.

A social organization for mature minded Gay and Bisexual men age 21 and over. The purpose is to establish friendship and support through social interaction. Visit
more information.
918.592.0088 
  Intimate Partner Violence & Sexual Assault Survivor Support Group
2nd & 4th Thursday of each month
6:30 - 8:30 p.m.

This support and educational group is for individuals who have survived domestic violence and are ready to explore their personal healing process and find hope and to discuss their experiences, share ideas, and provide emotional support for one another. 

Children/Siblings of Trans*/Non-Binary Individuals Support Group
This program is for youth ages 8-18 that have trans* parents or siblings. This group will provide support, education and social opportunities for those living with trans* family members. Attendees must have approval from the facilitator to participate. Please contact Amanda at 918-902-4625.
Game Night
Saturdays 
7:00 - 9:00 pm
 
 Join old friends and make new friends as you play some great board and card games at the Center!
All are welcome!
Facilitated by
Saturday Volunteers Richard Haley and
Teresa Reno 
Community Partners
The Equality
Business Alliance fosters a sharing of information, ideas, contacts, products and services, and also strengthens and expands our businesses, careers and community.
Workforce OK
Workforce Oklahoma
Access Point
Open every day
Workforce Oklahoma maintains a resource area at the Equality Center that includes computers, a printer and fax machine, as well as step-by-step instructions on how to register with
Oklahoma JobLink.
H.O.P.E. 
HIV Testing Schedule

Tuesday  4:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Wednesday   4:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Saturday 4:00 - 8:00 p.m.
 
Testing provided by H.O.P.E. Testing
 
Check  www.okeq.org  for testing dates.
OkEq Staff
Jose Vega
Deputy Director
Morgan Allen
Center Coordinator
Alex Wade
Medical Services Coordinator
Tracy Allen
Library
Kao Morris 
Facilities Manager
Krissy Dudley
Administrative Manager
Toby Jenkins
CEO/Executive Director
Donovid Sekulits
Special Projects

OkEq Board and Trustees
Executive Committee
Chris Brecht-Smith - President
Stacy Turner - Vice President
Will Vaughn - Secretary
Paul Allen - Treasurer
Darci Hazelwood, D.O. - Member at Large

Board of Directors
Laura Arrowsmith, D.O.
Angelyn L. Dale
Allison Ikley-Freeman
Bob Hanson
Corey Thompson
Al Triggs
Robin VanMeter

Trustees
Shawna Baker, Esq.
Dan Burnstein
Kirk Holt
Kris Wilmes 

Board of Advisors
Catherine Betances
Dani Byrd
Jade Duckworth
Shannon Fair
Joann Frizell
Andrew Gordon
Dale Hogan
Kelly Kushnerick
Aderyn Lonigan
Tyler Morgan
William Murphy
Denise Reid
Kristen Robertson
Justin Ross
Justin Rosser
Stephen Rundell
Jane Wiseman


Oklahomans for Equality
Hours:  Mon - Sun 9 a.m. - 9 p.m. 
621 E. 4th St. 
Tulsa, OK 74120