The Mayor Came to 39th

We were excited to get confirmation that the mayor would make an appearance and welcome statement at our July Mixer but we had no idea he would stay the whole time and listen to our concerns about the street. According to gay historians, that is the first time the mayor has publicly visited the gayborhood.

Equally as geek-worthy was the attendance of Oklahoma City Director of Public Works, Eric Wenger, Director of Planning, Aubrey McDermid and Planner Extraordinaire, Kim Cooper-Hart as well as other members of the planning department.

Mr. Wenger gave a great talk about the past efforts to work on the street and how the funding wasn't there but now with the passing of the sales tax through Better Streets, Safer City, the funding is there. We've already seenplanners and engineers surveying the street, so in the words of Mr. Wenger, "the process has begun."

Special thanks to Elizabeth Horn, Program Director for Freedom Oklahoma for helping us put this event together. It went so well, we've decided to co-host our mixers in the future.

Also thanks to Diversity Center for providing the space for our mixer.

Mayor David Holt, Director of 39th St. District Lauren Zuniga, Director of Programming Freedom Oklahoma, Elizabeth Horn

39th Street is getting next level.

39th District Association has a hired a new Executive Director and has a plan for revitalization. The plan includes adding things like new parking, landscaping, park benches, and outdoor amphitheater space.

In the coming months, 39th will be meeting with city officials and advisory board members to secure funding for this project.

For decades, 39th street has been a refuge for the gay community and allies and is home to the largest privately funded festival in the state with OKC Pride. In the last twenty years, it's grown to encompass a diverse mix of businesses and attract customers from all walks of life.

We are working hard to preserve and celebrate our history but also develop 39th Street into a thriving community hub for Oklahoma City.

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