Join us on Thursday, February 21st, from 6-7:30 PM for a free night of inspiring conversations with Jeff Krisman! The Inspiring Conversations OKC Podcast presents unique and seldom heard opportunities for listeners to connect on a human level with local artists, creative professionals, and influential, local business leaders in a longform interview format that is free of advertising of any kind.
These interviews are unscripted, in the moment, with no agenda whatsoever and provide an intimate opportunity for the audience to hear about their influences, how their work has evolved, and about formative lessons learned on their life journeys.
Guests:
Guests:
Music by Local Man Ruins Everything
Highly technical and effortlessly tasteful, Local Man Ruins Everything is a power trio that blends rock, jazz, and experimental music to create deep cuts and enthralling live performances.
But ‘rock fusion’ really doesn’t communicate LMRE’s style or genre… Arts Council OKC has described them as Progressive Jazz… the music is gripping but not loud enough to be hard rock or metal. It’s highly technical, but the fast notes are consistently tasteful and are supported by a thoughtful use of space. Complex rhythm and harmony serve to create supportive textures rather than simply to be flashy, and all of this complements cogent melodic ideas. Their live presence and musical delivery is tight and confident, yet leaves lots of room for improvisation and spontaneous musical decisions. Their setlist is rich and creates a deep live music journey for fans.
Historian, Author, And Community Leader Anita Arnold will talk about two of her several books that she has written, “Oklahoma City Music: Deep Deuce And Beyond” and “Oklahoma City’s African American Education” and about her life journey growing up in Oklahoma City and beyond.
Since 1991, Anita Arnold, has served as Executive Director of BLAC, Inc. Ms. Arnold is a former executive of the U.S. Postal Service where she had responsibility for national information systems for Real Estate and Buildings of the Postal Service. She was the second highest level female Postal Service executive in the country.
Ms. Arnold is a retired district manager of AT&T Consumer Products where she managed a $1.6 billion product line of purchased data products and is owner of Investment Brokerage Company and Argos Properties. She is the recipient of the coveted Governor’s Arts Award and the Pathmakers of Oklahoma City/County Award. She was a member of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Advisory Committee for three years. She received the 2010 Oklahoma Human Rights A ward. She is author of six cultural history books, Charlie and the Deuce, Legendary Times and Tales of Second Street, The Charlie Christian Photo Album, Oklahoma City Music: Deep Deuce and Beyond, Charlie Christian- 100 Year Legacy, and Oklahoma City’s African American Education.
Other distinguished achievements include: Member of the Democratic Site Selection Committee for the 1988 Democratic Convention held in Atlanta, GA. Member of task force that created the AT&T Foundation in 1984. Appointed by Mayor Ron Norick to serve on task force to create the Oklahoma National Memorial and served as Co-chair of the Archives Committee. She is founder of the AT&T employee organization, The Alliance, established in 1983 that has a membership of over 10,000 members nationwide. Ms. Arnold is one of the Uncrowned Queens of Oklahoma and was instrumental in the publication of this book of statewide “sheroes.” In 2012, she was selected as Multi-Cultural Citizen of the Year by the Multi-Cultural Institute of Oklahoma and is a recipient of the Delta Kappa Gamma State 2012 Creative Women of Oklahoma Award.
Her humanitarian efforts are both noted and unknown. They include raising funds to buy four pianos and sixty band instruments for the music department of Frederick A. Douglass High School. Ms. Arnold used her influence to get many pieces of valuable art donated to Douglass High School from another Douglass graduate of renown, Melvin R. Smith of St. Paul, MN. As a visionary, Anita sees the opportunity to build relationships, improve the state image, improve the African American image in Oklahoma, provide historical and present heroes for children and families, improve African American students’ achievements, and much more. She often visits sick and elderly people to comfort them while extending a helping hand to do whatever she can to show that they are loved. She explains it this way, ” I would want someone to do those things for me.” She is blessed and she knows it.
Selflessness is a lifestyle for her. She believes one should be kind to everyone. She is the mother of three very successful children who attended college and graduated with several degrees. She is the grandmother of seven, of which one graduated from college, another is in college and two granddaughters that are Presidential Scholars who have been honored and recognized by President Barack Obama and headed to college.
Artist Alexis Austin
https://www.alexisjoann.com/who
Regarding her work in a Gazette article late last year, she describes her work in this way:
“Most of my stuff is kind of a social commentary,” she wrote. “On my own society on my own bubble. About my own anxieties and insecurities. It is darkness and lightness and negative and positive too. That’s my life. Trying to operate or navigate through the world with my own thoughts and feelings. And a lot of the time, my thoughts are negative and my feelings are hesitant or scared or nervous. … it all comes out of anxiety. … I think”
Refreshments and complimentary snacks will be served. Please park in the rear of the building by the north entrance on 4th street. We look forward to seeing you there!