Andy talks with Rachael Crawford, executive director of the Plaza District Association and Plaza Business Alliance, about how arts-driven small business districts build belonging, counter apathy, and strengthen civic life in OKC. They also preview the 26th Annual Plaza District Festival

Hello and welcome to Let's Pod this.

2

My name is Andy Moore.

3

Friends, it's good to be

with you again this week.

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Uh, gosh, I hope this episode is

happier than my last episode, but

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I'm recording this on a Monday, and

who knows what the week will have.

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I guess if the week goes south,

I'll, I'll do a, a pre-roll bumper

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about like, oh my God, democracy is

fracturing yet again, which I think

8

is a, an all too common, uh, thread.

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Thank you listeners, for everyone who

has reached out, um, to me or to Scott

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or anyone else who happens to know me

about that short episode I did last week.

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Um, gosh, last week feels

like it was a lifetime ago,

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even though, um, we're still.

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I think unpacking the implications

of it, the, the details, the facts

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about what happened in Utah and,

and what it means for our democracy.

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Um, but I always feel a little

nervous when I do those episodes

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that are more heartfelt and, um.

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I think they feel riskier,

like emotionally riskier.

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And so when there is

feedback, I appreciate it.

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To be clear, I appreciate

feedback for any episode.

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Um, today is gonna be a distinctly

different vibe, so we'll, uh.

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Shake off sort of the gloom from

last week, though it is never,

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never far from our hearts.

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Um, but this week we're gonna talk

about something much more local.

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Uh, we're gonna talk about local

events, uh, one event, a particular,

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the Plaza, um, district festival.

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And, um, why?

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Districts like the Plaza District as one,

I think standout example in Oklahoma City.

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Why this is important for our sense of

community, both like place and people.

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So joining me today is my dear friend,

uh, and executive director of the Plaza

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District Association and the Plaza

Business Alliance, Rachel Crawford.

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Hello Rachel.

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Thanks for being here.

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Thanks for having me, Andy.

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I'm so excited that you were able to

join me early on a Monday morning.

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Me too.

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This is the best way to start

my week, so thank you so much.

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Rachel and I have, uh, uh, had a chance

to work together on numerous occasions.

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Um, yeah.

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Around community work panels,

just like generally trying to

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like, help build up community.

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Is that fair?

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Yeah.

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And, and name what we see,

which is what people don't even

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mean to do, which is apathy.

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Yeah.

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And teaching them how to get involved and,

and showing them that we're approachable

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and we can plug 'em in pretty quick

if, if they just know what's going on.

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Yeah.

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That's so, that's so funny.

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You said the word apathy.

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This is the second time that word has come

up in conversation for me today already.

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And it's not even noon.

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Um, and I think given the events

of last week, we have to start

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thinking about apathy and where

it, where it leads to nihilism.

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Right?

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There's like a.

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Gradient here of where you might feel

bummed or like kind of disconnected

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and then it, that is a slippery

slope down at this like nihilist,

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like nothing matters world anyway.

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Okay, see that gravitational pull is deep.

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Let's pull back up.

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Um, Rachel, first let's talk about.

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And we'll, we'll mention this again

at the end, but I wanna let listeners

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know in case you know, their radio

shorts out here, but I want them to

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know about the Plaza District Festival,

and it's also the Plaza Walls Festival.

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It's all kind of one big thing, right?

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Yeah.

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So tell us about that.

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It's real, it's beginning already.

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And today they're starting

to prime some of the murals.

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So if you've ever been to the

Plaza District between Klassen and

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Penn on 16th Street and Oklahoma

City, there is a thriving arts and

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commercial district known as the Plaza

District, 16th Street Plaza District.

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We have about 70 local

businesses, and within that we do.

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Two large events annually.

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Our biggest of the year,

the 10th anniversary, Plaza

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Walls, mural Expos this year.

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Oh wow.

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And it is really leading this a week

leading up to, and then the day of our

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26th Annual Plaza District Festival.

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So the district festival's has been

around longer than the Mural Expo, but

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it's mostly because the Mural Expo, um,

and the organization that was formed to

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create the nonprofit Plaza walls hasn't

been around much longer than 10 years.

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Yeah.

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And I think.

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If memory serves, that was largely

thanks to like Google coming in with

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some money and they started this

like digital art archive across the

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country where they did a lot of like

public art, like murals and stuff.

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And they helped fund some of those.

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And then were taking photos

and like archiving it.

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So they kind of exist in perpetuity.

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I know there's a lot more than,

than just Google involved, but I

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remember them, them doing that in

Plaza and I think like in the Western

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Avenue District, like back mm-hmm.

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They did a big.

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Plaza or a big, uh, mural thing.

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Yeah.

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Probably 10 ish years ago as well.

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Yeah.

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They also gave some funding to the

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for our small business Saturday.

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Yeah.

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So that partnership was, was

pretty strong for a moment in time

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and that certainly helped boost

awareness about, Hey, Oklahoma

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City's on the map for street art now.

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Yeah.

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That's cool.

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Well, good for Google.

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You know, too much.

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To whom much is given, much is expected.

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Yeah.

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So if you're a huge company,

you should at least at the very

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least, pay for some public art.

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Um, Rachel, let's go back.

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You've referenced kind of the length

of time though, but tell us a little

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bit about the history of the Plaza

District, how it formed, and um, kind

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of how it got to where it is today.

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Okay.

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I'm going to do my best.

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What I can speak to most of

the time, most, uh, succinctly

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is my lived experience.

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Sure.

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Within the Plaza District, which.

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Began during, uh, January, 2017.

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I worked at Lyric Theater.

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In that time, I had the pleasure

of working with the most recently

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retired managing director,

uh, which is Paula Stover.

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Oh, okay.

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And through Paula Stover at the

time, um, she helped bring Lyric

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Theater to the Plaza District.

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And this is an important

piece to the story.

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Lyric is the anchor of the Plaza

District and helps tremendously.

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There are many case studies that

talk about this with the success,

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the socioeconomic success of how

the Plaza District's curated.

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'cause you've got a venue that has

Ticketable events and what do people

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wanna do before and after a show, right?

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However, the history of the Plaza

District starts way before this, in fact,

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where the, the Lyric Theater is now.

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What's called the Plaza Cinema.

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It was one of the first air conditioned

movie cinemas in Oklahoma back.

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It was built in 1934, and the, the

district was thriving in the thirties,

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forties, fifties, perhaps sixties,

seventies, eighties, nineties.

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Uh, all the stories I've heard

from residents of Gatewood who

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have been around a long time and

different community leaders is.

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It was really in a place where you

didn't wanna come down to the district.

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Mm-hmm.

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Right.

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Perhaps as early as, or recently

as the early two thousands.

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Um, I moved to Oklahoma in

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businesses that had opened, it

was a grand opening of the Mule.

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Yeah.

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In the location where Barston is now.

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But if I understand correctly from the

first director of the district, Susan

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Hogan, when the nonprofit, the Plaza

District Association, 5 0 1 C3 was formed.

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One of the first big

initiatives was a street scape.

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Mm-hmm.

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And I've seen old pictures of the Plaza

District where there aren't these really

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wide pedestrian friendly sidewalks.

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In fact, I believe 16th Street

may have been at one time a

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four lane road too on each side.

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Oh.

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Just for that little stretch right there.

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Holy mo.

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Yeah.

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I've seen some pictures.

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Yeah.

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Where, um, like OEA is now,

where the old Aurora was.

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And it says like, PST casino.

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And the like.

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Model T Fords go right up to

the, up to the door window.

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Yeah, to the door.

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That's how it was for a long time.

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So with the streetscape in perhaps the

late nineties, early two thousands.

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That helped make the district

really pedestrian friendly.

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Then Lyric comes in.

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In the meantime though, before Lyric,

one of our longest, um, running

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businesses and property owners, female

property owners is Estella Evans.

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Mm-hmm.

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And she was one of the first

to go in and invest as well as.

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Keith and Bruce who own photo art.

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Mm-hmm.

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And then you've got Jeff and Amy

Struble and these different, uh,

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people who were renovating to

try to draw on small business.

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And I mean, it's just kept thriving.

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And when I came in,

this is just a fun fact.

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There were 52 businesses in the

same, uh, district boundaries.

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We now have 70.

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Wow.

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I had no idea that there

was even 52 70 is Yeah.

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Extraordinary.

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Yeah.

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And there's a lot more to Plaza

District than just like the

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things you see as you drive past.

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Like there's stuff that are like

in the alleyway now, like back in

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Plaza Walls, there's stuff south

of 16th that's kind of adjacent.

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Yes.

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And you start to see it kind of

build out over time, particularly

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on black welder, the south side of

black, black welder, southeast side

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of black welder, and west side.

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Yeah, that area.

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That's amazing.

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I remember some of the, I moved

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Um, and so I remember like, I mean,

no one was gonna the Plaza District

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back then, but I remember seeing news

stories about some of those, like

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early efforts at Street Scaping and um,

really like some of the, you know, when

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placemaking was a real buzz word and

like when that was starting to happen.

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Um, and uh, back when Twitter was cool

and getting to see some of those efforts.

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Um.

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So it's been really exciting.

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What do you think Rachel

makes the Plaza unique?

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Among all the other districts in

Oklahoma City and there's, I know

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there's like, in many cases some sort

of like tax incentive funding element

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that kind of helps ground a district

that there's some sort of economic

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development that's been like a top down

thing and plaza's always felt more of a

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bottom up thing to me as a lay person.

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Absolutely.

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Our motto is Experience local together.

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And from the moment that I first

stepped into the district, um, I

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felt like I moved here from Austin.

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I said, this kind of

feels like Austin to me.

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And at that time, in 2012, I,

I could've never known I was

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gonna work in the district.

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Mm-hmm.

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Let alone hang out there often.

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Um, what I noticed was like people

being unapologetically themselves.

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I remember Saints and Urban Wine

Works, and even the Mule, their

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motto is, uh, don't be a Jack.

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Mm-hmm.

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I don't know what I can say on here.

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So whatever you wanna say.

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Don't be a jackass.

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Yeah.

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Don't be a jackass.

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I was like, I love that branding.

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I love that attitude.

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And now where we're at.

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I, it's you, you come as you

are to the Plaza District.

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And I, I try to lead that way too.

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I remember thinking, what does an

executive director of a district wear?

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Mm-hmm.

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And I used to dress up in blazers

and heels when I worked at Lyric.

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That's what the role called for.

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And in development and in box office

now, I mean, I rolled up in here in camo

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pants and camo crocs with sunglasses on.

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This is how I actually dress every day.

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'cause you look like the district now.

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Well, I want to blend in.

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Because I want, I walk the

district morning, noon, and night.

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I live close in Gatewood and I want

to see how people experience the

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district without realizing who I am.

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And yeah, I do wanna blend in.

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Um, the Plaza District is

unique in that all of our

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businesses are small businesses.

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Mm-hmm.

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And most of them are the

only location you can go to.

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I mean, take Pie Junkie for example.

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There's no other Pie junkie.

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Right.

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And they're intentionally set up that way.

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Yeah.

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I've talked to Darcy and Leslie about it.

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I was like, you know, you

could branch out like we know.

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Yeah.

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Like the Plaza is our home.

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Yeah.

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My sister drives in from

Hara just to buy pie.

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Really?

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And like she does baking, like she

could just make it at home, but she's

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like, Ooh, I'm gonna treat myself.

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I'm gonna drive 30 minutes in

just to get a slice of pie.

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Yeah.

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We we're really fortunate in that

we've got a lot of people who

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care about nurturing our artists.

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Um, again, you've got Lyric Theater,

you've got OKC, improv, um, canopy, the

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Thelma Gaylord Academy, DNA Galleries,

uh, paint and Cheers, OFA studios.

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Look how many, um, amazing arts

and culture nonprofits and small

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businesses that are galleries or

experiences exist in the Plaza District.

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That's another piece of it.

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That's really fascinating.

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Uh, how do you see the role of

the community in like shaping

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plazas and and identity?

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We aren't, we aren't anything

without our community.

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We're very collaborate, collaborative by

nature and um, I think one of the things

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that became really evident is when canopy.

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Went into the old Everything Goes

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Street, and it's for people who might

not be familiar, it's, it looks like

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an old gas station, essentially.

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It is, yeah.

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And um, dusty Gilpen is like one

of the people involved with it.

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I know.

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Um, but it's become kind

of an art hub now, right?

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Yeah.

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So.

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What is special about the Plaza District

is you've got leaders like Dusty Gilpen,

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and I'm gonna even tie this into Kristen

Bales, who was an executive director

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and Dusty and Kristen are married for

eight years of the Plaza District.

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She's over at downtown OKC now.

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Mm-hmm.

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People like them really

nurtured this spirit of, um.

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Be kind to everyone around you.

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And even if you, I think

this is important too.

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We don't talk about this enough.

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Even if you don't have the budget,

figure it out and do something

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cool with your friends and weird

and don't apologize for it.

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I have carried that into what we do now.

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And one of the things, canopy

Art Center, um, it's Dusty Gil

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and Carlos Barbosa, Mave Wise,

Dylan Broadway and Tony Thunder.

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Five of them.

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It needed a space where they weren't

so siloed in their work creatively.

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Mm-hmm.

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And there's, they're gonna have their

one year anniversary, soon there'll be

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a documentary, but the Plaza District,

they could have just kept that space as

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an art studio and done graphic design

and just kept their doors closed.

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That's not what the plaza's about at all.

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What they've done is they've created

a third space in a place that

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is in the heart of the district.

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That's what so many business owners do.

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They create a third space.

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There's no expectation of spending, but we

do want you to come and be with us mm-hmm.

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In our space, because we promise you're

gonna leave happier than when you came.

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And it's some.

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The playoffs.

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Whenever we had the playoffs, the Plaza

District was lit because everybody

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was just like, come on, come hang.

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Mm-hmm.

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And one place you could go and it was

just kinda like you had to be walking by.

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Mm-hmm.

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But if you walked by and you

spent enough time in the district,

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you knew you were welcome.

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There, um, was Canopy and

they put the projector up.

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Mm-hmm.

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And, um, it's the, the, we're we're a

place where it truly is like, come hang.

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I don't know how many other districts

like you can just come hang without

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having to like go into a business

and spend money all the time.

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Like, yes, of course we want you to

support small businesses and think of

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us for your lunch, dinner, breakfast,

or your services or your retail.

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But you can just hang in Plaza Walls.

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You can just hang at Canopy.

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You can, you can hang and people

watch and uh, there's something

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really beautiful about that,

knowing you should just go and be.

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Yeah, that's, well, what strikes me

as you're talking about the role of

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art in particular, that I think that

from my perspective, the two districts

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that do that best, or Plaza and

peo, which is like the historic arts

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district, um, and it's probably the

only other place, the other district

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that I feel like I could just go hang.

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Mm-hmm.

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And it's because they

also curate experiences.

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Where that's like what you do, right?

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But you can come and like meander

the sidewalk or hang out with First

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Friday yard walk or live on the

plaza like you do in Plaza District.

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And I also live in Gatewood, so

I drive down 16th all the time.

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I mean, almost every day.

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And.

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Especially if you go in the evenings.

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Um, I love seeing the menagerie of people

who are on the sidewalk in Plaza District

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and it, it makes, it makes me think of

also, I didn't know you lived in Austin.

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Me too.

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Growing up in Austin, um, of like

the places you could go as a weird

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teenager to hang out away from your

parents, but still be safe, right?

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Yeah.

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And you need somewhere

to like express your.

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Individuality, but in

like a safe space, right?

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And their options are like the

mall, which has diminishing returns

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these days, or someplace like Plaza

where you're outside and you do

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interact with a range of people.

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That, for me, like there's like

a psychological development

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there of like, who am I?

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How do I fit into the world?

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How does, how does my

presentation today, right?

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As a.

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A gothic cowboy or a, you know,

whatever you've got going on, how

372

does that relate to other people?

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How do I, what are responses

do I get, you know?

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Um, and that I think goes a lot into

shaping who we are as individuals.

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But it sounds like there's a reciprocity

there that people engaging in that.

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I'm getting real deep now, but

like people engage in this, like

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get deep psychological identity

building is also part of how a place

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gets their identity built, right?

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Mm-hmm.

380

Like how, it's what makes Plaza, it

gives it its ness where people are like,

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you know, what else could we do here?

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Well, here, here are the kinds

of people that we see here.

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How do we, how do we design festivals

or events that like embody that?

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A good example, and I'll turn it back to

you, but this last, last Friday mm-hmm.

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Um, was live on the plaza and the theme

was cruise the plaza, which I was, I had

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something else and I forgot about it.

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And I was driving home from work

on Friday and, and as I came down

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16th, some of the dopest low riders

I've seen in a couple of decades.

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And I was like, oh my gosh.

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Like this is where my heart.

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Is from my youth, my misspent youth.

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But seeing some of these like dope rides,

like parked along the street, it gave the

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district like a whole new personality.

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And yet not like it, it was

just like a teenager putting on

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a different style of clothes.

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Okay, today I am gonna be all

grunge, or I'm gonna be like street

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culture and like going in and it,

and how that felt, um, new and fresh

398

and still comfortably the same.

399

Um, I, I don't want to put

words in your mouth, but is

400

that what you were going for?

401

Is that like Yeah, I'm getting, okay.

402

This is what a, this is

how much I love what we do.

403

I'm getting teary-eyed listening to

you talk about it because you get it.

404

Cruise the plaza, to be completely honest.

405

Um.

406

I wanted to keep a fresh

theme that was low maintenance

407

because the state fair mm-hmm.

408

Happens at the same time.

409

So I'm not gonna pour a bunch

of budget into an event.

410

We've tried that before.

411

Mm-hmm.

412

And we drew the same size

crowd as any other year.

413

So I was talking to my colleague and um,

my colleague's name is Casey Longacre and

414

he's our marketing assistant in Plaza.

415

I said, we've got to, when we

were building our calendar last

416

year, do something that brings

in a lot of subcultures and.

417

Try to figure out how to just keep

building community in third space and

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what if we try this theme like cruise

the plaza And we were, we take our

419

work seriously, but not ourselves.

420

We were giggling with all

the ways we could do this.

421

Like, 'cause we're both queer so

we're like cruise the plaza, like

422

what is everyone gonna think this is?

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And we were talking about having drag

queen, like car racing down plaza

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walls and all these random ideas.

425

And I was like, hold on, hold on.

426

We're still creating too much programming

in the same month as Plaza Fest.

427

Right.

428

And I'm getting into

the weeds, nos scenes.

429

That's good.

430

Yeah.

431

But how does this all come to life?

432

I'm like, hold, I keep hearing something

about this Omo Lalo event, but the

433

Plaza district's not producing it

and I don't know who is, and it's

434

some kind of low rider car show.

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Adam Magoos attic.

436

What is this?

437

So I, I hit up Jordan, the owner.

438

He goes, yeah, that's Ashley.

439

She's with Avenues and Alleyways and

she knows all the low riders and.

440

Like the south side in Oklahoma City.

441

I said, are you serious?

442

I just went to the car hop at the,

the fairgrounds and it was so cool.

443

Mm-hmm.

444

I'd never been to an auto expo or

car hop, but I wanted to see like

445

leading up to it what that, like,

what the culture was all about.

446

I will totally go back.

447

Yeah.

448

Because it was like Friday night.

449

Yeah.

450

So we hit up Ashley, she's a sweetheart

and her husband, and they plugged

451

us into the Lowrider community.

452

And then Dusty Gilpen with Canopy is

super connected to like Van Animals.

453

Yeah.

454

Um, with, which is like a van club.

455

Yes.

456

Yes, yes.

457

So.

458

Dusty's also connected to,

uh, cars and coffee mm-hmm.

459

And ghosts that often.

460

So all we did was we took the people

that already know others that want

461

to be involved in the Plaza District

and we start making phone calls

462

and hitting up people on Instagram.

463

Mm-hmm.

464

That's all that it is.

465

And, um.

466

It's literally us hanging out with our

friends, but giving different friends

467

throughout the year, depending on

the theme, an opportunity to really

468

have a spotlight shined on them.

469

And it's always so fun when we do it

that way and skip the formalities.

470

Mm-hmm.

471

And just go right to like, Hey, you

wanna work together on something?

472

Right?

473

I mean, something as simple as

like, do you wanna come park your

474

car on 16th for a few hours while.

475

People walk around and anyone who

has a car they wanna show off is

476

like, yeah, I'll park it anywhere.

477

That sounds rad.

478

Will there be other cars there?

479

Dope.

480

I wanna see those too.

481

That's literally what happened

and that's how it starts, right?

482

Yeah, it is.

483

It's funny, there's an element of

event planning that will always be, you

484

know, if you build it, they will come.

485

Sometimes you're wrong.

486

Sometimes that doesn't happen.

487

But there's like a trust, the process

that you have to kind of know, I

488

think what resonates with people.

489

Mm-hmm.

490

Um, which I think gets back to that sense

of community and this, um, symbiotic

491

like relationship, especially for a

district like Plaza that is, you know.

492

I think Plaza is sandwiched between

two sizable neighborhoods, right?

493

Gatewood to the north that we

mentioned, and then class in

494

10 pen kind of to the south.

495

And then Plaza ends up

being this like, um, I.

496

You know, uh, liminal space in between

those, that is, it is of both, but it

497

is also of neither, like, it's a place

that exists on its own and plenty of

498

people come to plaza not knowing anything

about the neighborhoods around that.

499

Um, but I, I had a meeting just this

morning with someone about Gatewood,

500

about it is one of the largest

neighborhoods in Oklahoma City.

501

Um, it's over a thousand houses.

502

It goes from, from Penn to

Classen, from 16th to 23rd.

503

And it's a really wide range of

economic levels of education, levels

504

of, um, immigration, status of ages.

505

You've got like OCU college

kids who rent property in there.

506

You've got, um, there's a, a Catholic

church and so there's a lot of

507

community around the church there.

508

Um, you've got like a, a decent

sized like la Latino population.

509

You've got, um, especially on the eastern

side, a lot more like rental properties,

510

which brings in just like a more diverse.

511

Kind of populous.

512

Um, and so to do anything that like

connects with the community in that

513

area because it's so, it's not like

you're doing a, a gated community

514

where it's a bunch of like waspy

families, not nothing against that.

515

I'm just, it's a very different dynamic.

516

Um, it means that you have to, you

have to try to build lots of things

517

and hope that some of them resonate.

518

And it, from what you said, you.

519

Listen to the feedback.

520

You see how people respond.

521

They let you know if this one worked

or if you need to tweak things

522

or just ideas for future events.

523

Yeah.

524

Um, speaking of future events, you kind

of referenced Plaza District Festival.

525

Let's talk about that a little

bit as we're going along.

526

It's coming up on

Saturday, September 27th.

527

Mm-hmm.

528

Um.

529

I know the date and time, but I'm gonna,

that's, and it's from like 12 to 10,

530

12 noon to like 10:00 PM or something.

531

Roughly.

532

Right.

533

Or whenever you want to go home.

534

It used to be to 10:00 PM And

we said, I said, I said, why are

535

we paying for this main stage?

536

And it's so cool when we pay for

the banners and the backdrop,

537

why are we ending at 10?

538

We, the district's gonna

keep going after that.

539

I don't know who's watching this

that might say you can't do that.

540

I guess cut the power when it

happens, but we're extending it to

541

11:00 PM and the after party this

year is gonna be on the main stage.

542

But the music continues after JB

Williams, who's our headliner, yeah.

543

Performs, uh.

544

Cora Waves is gonna do a DJ set.

545

And if you've never seen Cora Waves

or her core waves, she is amazing.

546

Um, one of the cool things that's

happened over the last year is

547

we have had the opportunity to

see a series called Tiny Bar.

548

Okay.

549

And I'm getting off Plaza Fest

for a second, just for a moment.

550

That's this tiny bar.

551

Like Tiny Bar is good for a fuse

version of like tiny, tiny desk.

552

Okay.

553

And a lot of the artists

that have been on Tiny Bar.

554

The last year are also being

showcased at Plaza Fest.

555

Oh, that's cool.

556

So if you've never heard a tiny

bar go to their YouTube channel.

557

Uh, good for a Fuse.

558

They're amazing.

559

They were voted by USA today as one of

the best new cocktail bars in the country.

560

Yeah.

561

Um, they do really cool

entertainment curation and we are.

562

Also giving some of those artists a chance

to be highlighted, so Oh, that's cool.

563

Fest.

564

This year though, uh,

we've got several stages.

565

We got the ACM at UCO is actually

gonna be on the press patio this year.

566

Okay.

567

So it's a little more of a

south by Southwest field.

568

It's great for, um, that

area of the district.

569

Yeah.

570

Because we're gonna have some

activation of entertainment.

571

People can grab some food

and drink off the patio.

572

It'll be awesome.

573

Main stage is in the lyric lot again.

574

Okay.

575

And entertainment.

576

Starting with every, everything

goes Dance is the first, uh, act

577

on the main stage all the way

up to coral waves finishing out.

578

And the end of the evening, but where

there's usually the ACM at UCO stage.

579

We have an awesome family zone this year.

580

Ooh, so like in the middle of 16th?

581

Yep.

582

Nice.

583

We have three like inflatable, like

bounce houses with obstacle course.

584

Also, we are gonna have arts like

bracelet and necklace making activities.

585

We'll have Ghostbusters out there.

586

We will have DJ Light Brighton Friends.

587

So the official Oklahoma City

Thunder DJs, dj, light Bright, DJ

588

Tangerine, and UCI Boy will maybe

be on the rooftop of Velvet Monkey.

589

Mm-hmm.

590

And we'll, we'll see.

591

We're figuring out logistically,

um, Groment community will

592

be out doing street dance.

593

We'll have other.

594

Uh, community partners out there,

but 40 artists, vendors, the

595

mural expos going on with DJs and

B-boys all throughout plaza walls.

596

So many things happening in

the businesses, it's, it's

597

gonna be an amazing day.

598

That's super rad.

599

So, just by moving the stage, 'cause

normally the, the a CM at UCO stage

600

is down on like the east end of the

district, in the middle of 16th.

601

Um, but by moving it to the south, a

little bit down off of the press, you

602

really kind of expand the footprint.

603

Yeah.

604

Of what?

605

Of like, of the formal

festival itself, right?

606

Yeah.

607

I'm gonna be completely honest with you.

608

Like, uh, I don't know when and where

we, we plug this in, but to make this go

609

round, it takes sponsors and because of

the changes in our current administration

610

and tariffs, um, it, I, I've learned from.

611

Two sponsors that, uh,

help us significantly.

612

Those are some things that are

affecting them, which then affects

613

our ability to produce these events.

614

So my production budget,

we sliced significantly.

615

I'm like, I literally can't afford

another huge stage at this end.

616

So we have to get creative.

617

Right.

618

And if there's one thing that I

can do really well, most people

619

don't even realize are live on

the Plaza monthly block parties.

620

I produce on about a $500

budget, most of them, probably

621

10 of them throughout the year.

622

Mm-hmm.

623

Two, we go really large, skate

the plaza and pride on the

624

plaza, but to do what we do Yeah.

625

Is on a budget.

626

I know you know what that's like.

627

But yeah, that's how that came to be.

628

That's, um, I've always wondered if

that's, it's like both surprising and like

629

affirming to me of like, okay, I'm not

the only one shoestring stuff together.

630

And hopefully it, it feels like

a $5,000 event on a $500 budget.

631

But, um, but having solid

sponsors does make it a lot

632

easier to do some of that work.

633

Um.

634

So the Plaza Festival is obviously

something that brings together live

635

music, lots of art, lots of vendors.

636

Um, we almost always have a

booth there to do voter edu

637

education and like registration.

638

Like this year, you know, we'll be just a

couple of weeks out from Oklahoma City's,

639

um, municipal bond election mm-hmm.

640

On October 14th.

641

So we're gonna have a lot of conversations

about that 'cause most people don't know

642

it's coming up and it's like a big deal.

643

Um, hopefully in the next couple

of weeks we'll have a member of

644

city council on to talk about.

645

The bond election itself.

646

So listeners, if you're

interested in that, stay tuned.

647

Um, or come volunteer with us

in the Plaza District so you can

648

help hand out information and

be on the knowledge end of that.

649

Uh, that would be a big deal.

650

Um, how many people attend Plaza Fest?

651

So, interestingly enough,

there were 32,000 last year.

652

Um, fun fact, we used

to use a grid system.

653

And now there is technology that, uh,

has AI and can track cell phone pings.

654

Oh.

655

So there are different entities in

Oklahoma City that you can set a certain

656

radius and timeframe, um, where we

can see how many people have come.

657

Right.

658

So.

659

That's fascinating.

660

Back in my day, we, the, the, uh,

porta-potty companies would like weigh

661

the waste and they would estimate based

on how much waste there was, isn't it?

662

That's not even, that could never be

accurate for the plaza we had, we have

663

all the brick and mortar locations like.

664

We'd be like, oh, 10 people showed up.

665

Yeah.

666

When, uh, back, you know, 10,

15 years ago when, when like h

667

and eighth was happening Yeah.

668

Downtown.

669

Some of those, like more outdoorsy events.

670

That's how people would estimate.

671

And I was like, that's like, uh, gross.

672

And also like, makes sense, right?

673

Like we're all just.

674

Little animals walking around this

earth and like, that's probably how

675

we would measure the size of an aunt.

676

How?

677

I've never heard of that.

678

Yeah, that's what I,

I've never heard of that.

679

I don't, and maybe it's wrong.

680

People will let me know if

I'm wrong, but No, that, that

681

literally makes so much sense.

682

I guess if it's like a big festival,

like if you're like doing Woodstock or

683

something, uh, you sell tickets, but

there's some other way to, I don't know.

684

I don't know.

685

I don't, I'm not the one

that weighs the waste.

686

Um, well, we've, so we'll come back around

to the festival at the end, I'm sure,

687

but it sounds like running the district.

688

Like, can't be easy, right?

689

You've got 70 something businesses.

690

You've got events every month that

you're trying to like, think around.

691

You're dealing with just

day-to-day district stuff.

692

Um, sometimes weird things happen.

693

People, you know, sleep in an alley

overnight or behind a building or,

694

you know, water mains burst or the

city decides to rip up a sidewalk and

695

didn't really tell everybody, or you

know, who I'm just making up stuff.

696

Um, but.

697

In a, to like give some reality to it.

698

What are some of the biggest challenges

you face as district manager over there?

699

I think people see the success of the

district and think we have a large staff.

700

We have one full-time person.

701

It's me and, hi, it's me.

702

I'm the staffer, a significantly, uh,

talented and driven marketing assistant

703

Casey, who's part-time, 30 hours a week.

704

Mm-hmm.

705

Um, what we're able to accomplish is in

large part, due to two volunteer boards.

706

A lot of really caring small business

owners and community members,

707

volunteers, sponsors, foundations who

allow us grants, but, um, I struggle

708

often with the guilt of my inbox.

709

My superpower is my A DHD can handle

all kinds of emergencies, you know?

710

Um, but the, for me personally,

the hardest part is the

711

day-to-day boring stuff.

712

Mm-hmm.

713

Really mundane.

714

What I wouldn't give for an assistant.

715

Mm-hmm.

716

Um, it's hard to have to do so much and,

um, just kind of keep up and not carry

717

that guilt of never being caught up.

718

Yeah.

719

So the part for me, um, that is perhaps

the biggest challenge is reminding myself

720

to, uh, take time to soak it all in.

721

And I did not.

722

Really do that until my four

year work anniversary is like

723

July 28th or 29th of this year.

724

And I had been archiving some videos

and photos by some, I mean, tens

725

of thousands of videos and photos.

726

Like I'm gonna have to submit

all this to some historical

727

society maybe, uh, someday.

728

But I've been taking for a long time.

729

And in looking at those videos, I

looked at what a live on the Plaza block

730

party was like in November of 2021.

731

When I first was starting, we were

coming back from COVID versus now.

732

Mm-hmm.

733

And I pan across 16th Street

at about six or 7:00 PM Dead.

734

Mm-hmm.

735

It's just dead.

736

Could you even imagine that

now after seeing Friday night?

737

Mm-hmm.

738

We probably had about 8,000 people out.

739

Mm-hmm.

740

Over the course of six or seven hours.

741

Mm-hmm.

742

I mean, wow.

743

Yeah, so taking those

moments to take it in.

744

Don't let your head get too big.

745

Always stay focused on the work.

746

Like forget about the, the words

are nice, the recognition is

747

nice, but just keep staying fresh.

748

I take a lot of time to keep a close pulse

on what else is going on in the city.

749

Otherwise I won't even know who

to reach out to, to be inspired.

750

So being like supporting what

other people are doing, what

751

other districts are doing, mm-hmm.

752

Is really key.

753

And I mean, this year is the first

year I've been single in 20 years.

754

I would say that part of my success

too is having the freedom to go and

755

do and be present in the district

in other parts of the city and just

756

kind of feeling like a sponge of.

757

Um, being, I, I need to be inspired

constantly so I can then feel like

758

my cup isn't, you know, so empty.

759

Mm-hmm.

760

And so going and supporting other people,

I don't know, is a really big part of

761

how I lead in the Plaza District too.

762

Yeah, that's really interesting.

763

And I would, I was gonna ask

when you joined Plaza, and I

764

knew it was right after COVID.

765

Mm-hmm.

766

Um, knowing that that was a.

767

Economically in com, like devastating

time for a lot of the businesses

768

there and destabilizing in terms

of just like personal community

769

and connection between people.

770

Um, and yeah, I, I mean it

was really dead over there.

771

And I think there were periods that a lot

of us, just regular citizens and certainly

772

business owners were nervous about.

773

Would a district built around small

businesses be able to survive something

774

like that where they rely on in-person

foot traffic and, um, people that

775

are feeling committed to coming.

776

Right.

777

Like, uh, I'm glad they did

and have grown since then.

778

I mean, I think the development

since then is, is, uh, a testament to

779

the grit of a lot of those business

owners and of the community around it.

780

What have you learned?

781

Over the last four years about

resilience in terms of you personally?

782

In, in terms of the, the district

and the community at large.

783

I have learned that we need community.

784

We really, really need community.

785

And it's not a luxury, it is

something that is transformative.

786

And what I mean by that is I got laid off.

787

From Lyric in the pandemic.

788

Mm.

789

There was a point in time where I couldn't

even ride through or walk through the

790

Plaza District because I felt like all

of these beautiful moments that I'd

791

shared and, uh, all the, the things

that were once fun, they were gone.

792

Mm-hmm.

793

And so where was I gonna find that

and build that again and then.

794

When the position came open for

executive director, some people have

795

heard this story, others haven't.

796

I was serving on the board and

Lindsay Harkness, who is the owner

797

of DNA Galleries, she encouraged

me to apply and we're good friends.

798

I said, oh yeah, sure.

799

And she occurred me,

encouraged me a week later.

800

I said, yeah, sure.

801

And finally she was like.

802

This is a true story.

803

She goes, bitch, if you don't

apply, she goes, I'm gonna,

804

I don't know what she said.

805

Okay.

806

Okay.

807

I'll apply.

808

She bullied you into it though.

809

It was, I love Lindsay.

810

We're both Aries.

811

Um, I didn't think I was qualified

and I, um, found out through baptism

812

by fire that I was, I was going

to figure it out and what I always

813

said from the start, and I had.

814

People that were in leadership

that want that completely disagreed

815

with this school of thought and

it feels so good to be right.

816

Um, we, if we build it, they will come.

817

And what I was talking about

was, were the block parties.

818

Hmm.

819

We, we did have an omicron surge

820

only time that I have canceled a

block party for like COVID stuff.

821

Mm-hmm.

822

Um, when I came in to the district.

823

We were the first district

824

fall of 2021 for Plaza Fest.

825

'cause we didn't do it in 2020.

826

Mm-hmm.

827

And we'd seen evidence that it

was safe to go ahead and do that

828

through Pride on the Plaza 2021.

829

I was like, oh, we gotta do it right.

830

I'm an events person.

831

I was producing Pride Fest at

Scissor Till Park Pride on 39th.

832

I was helping with Festival of the

Arts co-chairing opening night.

833

That's my events are

what I probably do best.

834

Mm-hmm.

835

Bringing people together and.

836

Once we started doing the events,

we, we went back and forth on should

837

we do it second Fridays or should

we move it to Sundays, or should

838

we just do a couple large events?

839

That's kind of how Calder on

Dance Festival came to life.

840

Hmm.

841

And that's a whole other

festival we did because we were

842

thinking quality over quantity.

843

Mm-hmm.

844

But then I went back to the

drawing board and I was like, Nope.

845

Consistency.

846

Every month we know that you can,

like, you know, you can count on this

847

one thing you could look forward to.

848

Mm-hmm.

849

And then we started involving.

850

As many people as we could.

851

Oh, that's really cool

that you do that thing.

852

Do you wanna come out and don't

take the, take all of the rules

853

and throw them out the door?

854

The rules being, if someone

participates, it's a $50 vendor fee.

855

If a nonprofit does, it doesn't matter

if they don't have the money or not.

856

No.

857

If.

858

You want a scholarship mm-hmm.

859

For the vendor fee, Hey, I'll help you.

860

Mm-hmm.

861

If, if anyone wants to be a part of what

we're doing, if they can actually get

862

to me, which is probably them literally

walking into my office because emailing

863

me or DMing me is not gonna work,

um, we'll have them be a part of it.

864

Yeah.

865

And that's what it's, that's

really what it's about.

866

Do the events to bring people

together, get people inspired,

867

then guess which district they're

thinking about every time they're

868

thinking about making other decisions.

869

They're thinking about the

place where they had the good

870

time with no expectations.

871

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

872

That's, I mean, I think that strikes

me as exactly right, just from my

873

own experience as a nonprofit leader

and trying to weasel my way into

874

public events or find opportunities.

875

And so I have always appreciated the Plaza

District proactively reaching out, being

876

like, Hey, we value civic engagement.

877

Can you join us?

878

I was like, yes.

879

This is, this is a good

news on two fronts.

880

I'm happy to be there and also

glad that you care about it.

881

Um, and you know what other district

would, I feel comfortable dressing

882

up as a, uh, I'm just a bill on

Capitol Hill and walking a runway.

883

I realize I've never told you, and

I realize in this moment you really

884

look like, have I told you this?

885

You remind me of Jeff Goldblum.

886

You haven't, but I've

heard that from others.

887

Okay, so then whenever you said

Goth cowboy, I was like, if Jeff

888

Goldblum was like a goth cowboy.

889

There we go.

890

That's so Plaza May, maybe that's

what I'll do for, uh, ghouls on

891

the plaza this year or whatever.

892

Ghouls night.

893

Don't you usually have

something along those Yeah.

894

GULs night.

895

Alright, good.

896

Um, you have mentioned, uh, a couple

of times the boards, right, that you

897

served on the board and you've talked

about their role in helping you do it.

898

And I think, um, when I reached out

to you about having you on the show

899

this week, this was my main reason

for asking is that I don't think.

900

Most people, they might be aware that

there's a board, but I think for a lot of

901

just general public being on boards feels,

you assume it's either like a politically

902

appointed thing somehow, right?

903

There's a bunch of boards and commissions

that like the mayor, city council

904

or governor might appoint you to,

and that doesn't fit for everybody.

905

Or we associate community boards as

something you have to be on only if

906

you're like wealthy or well connected.

907

Um, and that.

908

Necessarily then like limits who

raises their hand to even participate.

909

Like, or we expect someone will invite

me if they need me or if they want me.

910

And so we just don't try and I

don't think the Plaza District

911

Board is like that, right?

912

Not at all.

913

Tell me about it and like how people

could get involved if they wanted to.

914

So one board.

915

We have a wait list for the other board.

916

I feel like I have to beg people to be

on, which is, which I wanna tell you why.

917

And it's nothing, it's nothing bad.

918

It's just a, it's just

the nature of what it is.

919

So the board that I feel like I have to

beg people to be on is our 5 0 1 C six,

920

which is the Plaza Business Alliance.

921

Sure.

922

It's amazing.

923

It's comprised of mostly small business

owners and some property owners.

924

Do you know why I feel like I

have to beg people to be on it?

925

No.

926

Because a small business

owner's capacity Oh sure.

927

Is like non-existent,

especially if they have kids.

928

Mm-hmm.

929

So it's like you have this

amazing, talented entrepreneur, you

930

really want to be on it, but they

don't, they don't have the time.

931

Mm-hmm.

932

Because at the end of the day, if it's a,

a choice of board service or them making

933

sure their business is successful in any

way that they need to, that's the number

934

one thing that I want them to focus on.

935

Well, it probably just feels like another.

936

Work task they have to do.

937

Yes.

938

And at the end of the day, they're like,

listen, I just worked like eight to five.

939

I'd like to go home now, not

hang out for a board meeting.

940

Yeah.

941

For something that is like also my work.

942

Yep.

943

Yeah.

944

Okay.

945

I get that.

946

Yeah.

947

Um, so go ahead.

948

What were you gonna say?

949

I was gonna say for the other side.

950

Okay.

951

The other side is the Plaza District

Association, which has been around longer.

952

Right.

953

Those are community leaders that want

to lend their skills and talents to

954

a district that they love and that.

955

The Plaza District Association,

the 5 0 1 C3 has been around

956

significantly longer than the Plaza

Business Alliance 5 0 1 C six.

957

And the difference between the

two while we have two is because

958

initially when we participated in a

program called Main Street mm-hmm.

959

Which have four pillars, please

don't make me name them, we can

960

search them somewhere and learn.

961

Um, it, the framework was set

up yourself up as a 5 0 1 C3.

962

Mm-hmm.

963

We found out that, um, IRS rules and

regulations basically state you can't

964

promote when social media became a thing,

especially Instagram, you cannot take

965

voluntary dues from business owners as a 5

0 1 C3 and promote individual businesses,

966

even if they're part of the Plaza

District and its destination advocacy.

967

So in order to like remain

ethical and follow those rules,

968

the 5 0 1 c six was formed.

969

That makes sense now.

970

It is very, um, interesting.

971

Being an executive director of

two separate nonprofits that

972

serve the same district, but

they have different purposes.

973

Mm-hmm.

974

Not overextending yourself, but also not

asking too much of board members because

975

one is a working board and the other

isn't, the chamber is not a working board.

976

Mm-hmm.

977

They're essentially

like consultants, right.

978

And invested stakeholders.

979

Um, the, the Plaza District Association,

how do you get on that board?

980

Okay.

981

If you're not a business owner

or property owner, how do you,

982

how do you get on that board?

983

You literally.

984

Offer to help in the Plaza District.

985

Um, hey, I'd love to be involved sometime.

986

You're hanging around.

987

Uh, I have three new board members,

Jesse Whitley and Lee Lee is

988

our, uh, Plaza Fest co-chair.

989

Whitley is our live on the Plaza committee

chair, and Jesse is our entertainment

990

committee chair for Plaza Fest.

991

They got onto the board because

they just started as volunteers.

992

Mm-hmm.

993

Doesn't require any prior experience.

994

Most people that serve on the Plaza

District Association board, it is

995

their first board they served on.

996

But the people who have led that

board include Susan Mooring of Cortado

997

Ventures, uh, Chris Turner, Jr.

998

Who is an attorney.

999

Um, for this, I'm gonna say

this wrong, it doesn't matter.

00:44:58,605 --> 00:44:59,265

I mean, it does matter.

00:44:59,265 --> 00:45:01,005

Chris, sorry if you're

listening, it absolutely matters.

00:45:01,245 --> 00:45:03,015

Maybe he doesn't want me to say

his employer, but he's amazing.

00:45:03,525 --> 00:45:05,025

Um, right now we have John Millner.

00:45:05,775 --> 00:45:07,185

Who is wonderful.

00:45:07,185 --> 00:45:10,634

He was our volunteer of the year, and just

prior to John, we have had Natalie Evans,

00:45:10,634 --> 00:45:11,865

who's the executive director of OKC.

00:45:11,865 --> 00:45:12,315

Beautiful.

00:45:12,345 --> 00:45:12,495

Yeah.

00:45:12,765 --> 00:45:16,845

So really amazing movers and shakers

and, and many people before them.

00:45:16,845 --> 00:45:20,174

And the, the whole board themselves,

they're people who just love the Plaza

00:45:20,174 --> 00:45:22,484

District and want to be involved.

00:45:23,025 --> 00:45:26,535

Um, so there's no really formal process.

00:45:26,535 --> 00:45:29,025

It's if someone wants to serve

on the board, reach out to me.

00:45:29,025 --> 00:45:29,115

Mm-hmm.

00:45:29,355 --> 00:45:32,025

Or someone who's already on the

board, let's have coffee and talk

00:45:32,025 --> 00:45:33,045

and see what that looks like.

00:45:33,105 --> 00:45:33,315

Yeah.

00:45:34,035 --> 00:45:39,045

Well, and I think kind of to your point,

like there are other opportunities

00:45:39,135 --> 00:45:43,425

plaza related that aren't even on

one of these boards, like Plaza Fest.

00:45:43,575 --> 00:45:43,665

Mm-hmm.

00:45:43,965 --> 00:45:47,385

Has a whole planning committee

that's not the board like it.

00:45:47,505 --> 00:45:49,845

It takes more than the

board to plan big events.

00:45:49,845 --> 00:45:50,055

Right?

00:45:50,055 --> 00:45:50,115

Yeah.

00:45:50,115 --> 00:45:53,595

And so having a event specific

committee, there's also like

00:45:53,685 --> 00:45:54,975

Friends of the Plaza, right?

00:45:54,975 --> 00:45:55,065

Mm-hmm.

00:45:55,305 --> 00:45:56,365

Which is I think kind of a.

00:45:57,615 --> 00:45:59,205

Will you describe it

because I'll mess it up.

00:45:59,505 --> 00:45:59,654

Yeah.

00:45:59,654 --> 00:46:04,065

Friends of the Plaza is essentially like

our super fans of the Plaza District.

00:46:04,185 --> 00:46:04,245

Yeah.

00:46:04,395 --> 00:46:06,765

It is also a pipeline to board

and committee service Uhhuh.

00:46:07,005 --> 00:46:11,415

So if you really like the Plaza once a

month we have a VIP area at our block

00:46:11,415 --> 00:46:15,735

parties and also at Plaza Fest and Small

Business Saturday and invites to special

00:46:15,735 --> 00:46:17,415

events like preview nights at Lyric.

00:46:17,475 --> 00:46:17,535

Yeah.

00:46:17,955 --> 00:46:20,355

So you can see shows

actually for free sometimes.

00:46:20,475 --> 00:46:20,595

Yeah.

00:46:20,895 --> 00:46:21,315

Um.

00:46:22,020 --> 00:46:26,040

Thanks to Mia Sherlock, who works

with Lyric, but 49 99 for one person.

00:46:26,400 --> 00:46:26,819

A year.

00:46:26,879 --> 00:46:27,960

Yeah, a year.

00:46:27,960 --> 00:46:30,600

And it's pro, it's, it's

essentially starts on the date

00:46:30,600 --> 00:46:31,920

and goes to that date next year.

00:46:32,250 --> 00:46:32,490

Oh, nice.

00:46:32,490 --> 00:46:35,339

So it's like based on the, just

on the year that you pay for.

00:46:35,339 --> 00:46:37,920

So if you started today, it

would go through next September.

00:46:37,950 --> 00:46:39,390

Yeah, September 15th next year.

00:46:39,390 --> 00:46:43,319

And um, the cool part about

it is it's free Anthem beer,

00:46:43,350 --> 00:46:44,670

free non-alcoholic beverages.

00:46:44,700 --> 00:46:47,850

It's a place to meet other people

who love the Plaza District.

00:46:47,850 --> 00:46:49,859

Like I have some of the guys who.

00:46:50,085 --> 00:46:53,355

Uh, built the Skydance Bridge

that are friends of the Plaza.

00:46:53,360 --> 00:46:53,570

Mm-hmm.

00:46:53,710 --> 00:46:56,325

And it's just a time where

you can be yourself in a fun

00:46:56,325 --> 00:46:57,705

environment, meet other people.

00:46:57,705 --> 00:47:00,735

We've got about 120 members

of friends of the Plaza.

00:47:01,065 --> 00:47:04,635

It's also a revenue

stream for our 5 0 1 C3.

00:47:04,755 --> 00:47:04,965

Yeah.

00:47:05,025 --> 00:47:07,875

So all proceeds go back to the

Plaza District Association.

00:47:08,475 --> 00:47:11,565

It's like a, it reminds me of like

all the young professional groups,

00:47:11,595 --> 00:47:15,795

like, um, with the Phil Harmonic,

it was called Overture, and there's

00:47:16,335 --> 00:47:18,255

the moderns at the Museum of Art.

00:47:18,255 --> 00:47:19,365

There's all these groups that like.

00:47:19,920 --> 00:47:24,870

Or a way to get involved without

having maybe like the weight of like

00:47:24,960 --> 00:47:29,070

on the board involvement, but often

it's like a good kind of entry ramp.

00:47:29,130 --> 00:47:29,220

Yeah.

00:47:29,220 --> 00:47:31,170

Into additional activities.

00:47:31,440 --> 00:47:31,500

Yeah.

00:47:31,500 --> 00:47:32,130

Plus it is fun.

00:47:32,280 --> 00:47:32,940

You get to hang out.

00:47:33,360 --> 00:47:37,740

Um, one of the things that I appreciate

is that, uh, every month for Live on the

00:47:37,800 --> 00:47:41,730

Plaza, friends of the Plaza have their

own little tent and they often, like

00:47:41,760 --> 00:47:45,090

you, you select like a featured friend.

00:47:45,090 --> 00:47:45,840

Featured friend, right?

00:47:45,840 --> 00:47:45,900

Yeah.

00:47:45,900 --> 00:47:48,660

And then like you put your tent

next to their tent and it feels.

00:47:49,049 --> 00:47:53,339

Having been, uh, an organization who

got to be that featured friend one

00:47:53,339 --> 00:47:58,290

month last year, it felt, this is real

silly, but it felt like when you're

00:47:58,290 --> 00:48:01,379

at a new school and you don't know

where to sit in the lunch room and

00:48:01,379 --> 00:48:03,240

someone's like, you can sit with us.

00:48:03,299 --> 00:48:07,140

And it, I was like, listen, I don't know

everybody here, but we're gonna be next

00:48:07,140 --> 00:48:09,870

to the friends on the of the Plaza thing.

00:48:09,870 --> 00:48:12,209

And so they're gonna be hanging out

with us whether they want to or not.

00:48:12,585 --> 00:48:15,435

And it was a, and I'm someone who will

talk to anybody, but it was a good chance

00:48:15,435 --> 00:48:19,154

to have conversations with people who

already knew about, let's fix this.

00:48:19,214 --> 00:48:19,365

Mm-hmm.

00:48:19,815 --> 00:48:21,884

As well as a bunch of folks who

didn't, who could say to their

00:48:21,884 --> 00:48:23,265

friend, oh, hey, I know this guy.

00:48:23,444 --> 00:48:24,345

Here's what they do.

00:48:24,944 --> 00:48:30,015

And just like a lot of conversations that,

you know, it, I think it was a relational

00:48:30,105 --> 00:48:33,645

example of if you build it, they will

come of like, mm-hmm, well I don't know

00:48:33,645 --> 00:48:38,085

these people, but let's hang out and like,

we can grab a beverage and chat about.

00:48:38,475 --> 00:48:40,095

Civic engagement or whatever.

00:48:40,455 --> 00:48:44,535

Um, if nothing else, it like

warms up the relationships Yes.

00:48:44,535 --> 00:48:49,214

So that, you know, a year or two or

five down the road, you know, I might

00:48:49,214 --> 00:48:51,734

reconnect with those same people

or maybe in a few months or a few

00:48:51,734 --> 00:48:54,314

weeks and find some opportunities.

00:48:54,675 --> 00:48:56,715

For us to work together in

some way that we would not have

00:48:56,715 --> 00:48:58,185

otherwise thought possible.

00:48:58,215 --> 00:48:58,635

Yes.

00:48:58,635 --> 00:48:59,835

Timing is divine.

00:48:59,955 --> 00:49:03,765

Timing is so divine and some, I used

to be somebody who was like, why

00:49:03,765 --> 00:49:05,265

can't I find any information on this?

00:49:05,265 --> 00:49:06,555

Or Why don't I know about this?

00:49:06,945 --> 00:49:14,085

Now, being on the other side of

it, I intentionally do not make the

00:49:14,145 --> 00:49:15,975

board process easy to understand.

00:49:16,515 --> 00:49:18,795

And that sounds like, why

would you do that, Rachel?

00:49:18,915 --> 00:49:21,915

I could take the time to

put all this on the website.

00:49:21,915 --> 00:49:22,005

Mm-hmm.

00:49:22,245 --> 00:49:22,965

And make it super easy.

00:49:22,965 --> 00:49:23,835

You know what's gonna happen?

00:49:24,600 --> 00:49:28,050

I am gonna get a bunch of questions in

my inbox, and I'm gonna go back and forth

00:49:28,050 --> 00:49:32,040

an email that's taking time away from

me, just being out and present in the

00:49:32,040 --> 00:49:33,750

district and what I want people to do.

00:49:34,575 --> 00:49:37,575

Don't email me, come to the

district and experience it.

00:49:37,575 --> 00:49:38,895

It is not hard to find me there.

00:49:38,895 --> 00:49:42,255

And if you are serious about it,

we're gonna talk about board service.

00:49:42,315 --> 00:49:42,405

Mm-hmm.

00:49:42,645 --> 00:49:46,125

There are always ways to find

me, and I hope, I hope people are

00:49:46,125 --> 00:49:48,225

listening to this and going, man, I

have been trying to reach her, so I

00:49:48,225 --> 00:49:49,365

just gotta go down to the district.

00:49:49,425 --> 00:49:49,845

Yes.

00:49:50,055 --> 00:49:51,285

I'm not ignoring you.

00:49:51,615 --> 00:49:54,430

I want to meet you, but I also wanna

see that you wanna meet me where I'm at.

00:49:55,245 --> 00:49:58,245

And you really care about the district

and you're willing to be here in person.

00:49:58,424 --> 00:50:01,275

'cause a lot of people think they want

to do things and it's easy to say,

00:50:01,515 --> 00:50:04,875

I wanna do this, I wanna be involved

and say, well, just let me know.

00:50:05,174 --> 00:50:06,105

You hear that all the time.

00:50:06,225 --> 00:50:06,285

Yeah.

00:50:06,345 --> 00:50:06,944

Just let me know.

00:50:06,975 --> 00:50:08,475

I don't have the capacity to let you know.

00:50:08,475 --> 00:50:08,955

Right.

00:50:09,225 --> 00:50:12,285

I need you to come like, oh my gosh, you

wanna help me clean my office right now?

00:50:12,285 --> 00:50:13,335

Just because you have time.

00:50:13,395 --> 00:50:13,455

Yeah.

00:50:13,455 --> 00:50:18,674

My real, the the real ones that know,

they know I'm what you see is what

00:50:18,674 --> 00:50:20,535

you get and I will hold my door open.

00:50:20,535 --> 00:50:21,015

You're welcome.

00:50:21,015 --> 00:50:22,634

My friend Bobby came over and did that.

00:50:23,175 --> 00:50:23,925

Like that is.

00:50:24,195 --> 00:50:24,255

Yeah.

00:50:24,255 --> 00:50:28,095

Oh my gosh, that's, that's one of the

most amazing gifts is someone just showing

00:50:28,155 --> 00:50:30,405

up to show that they care in person.

00:50:30,525 --> 00:50:30,795

Yeah.

00:50:30,855 --> 00:50:33,975

That's how I operate and that's how

I want the people around me operate

00:50:33,975 --> 00:50:35,805

for, operate for people to show up.

00:50:36,015 --> 00:50:36,285

Yeah.

00:50:36,345 --> 00:50:37,365

And nobody talks about that.

00:50:37,815 --> 00:50:38,235

That's true.

00:50:38,235 --> 00:50:40,455

Well, and I think, you know, when

you and I were talking before we

00:50:40,455 --> 00:50:46,155

started recording, I think there is

an element of like, we have to be

00:50:46,155 --> 00:50:50,235

willing to raise our own hands and we

can't just wait for someone to say.

00:50:51,045 --> 00:50:52,485

Hey, you like, will you do this?

00:50:52,515 --> 00:50:53,625

That's great when someone does.

00:50:53,625 --> 00:50:53,685

Yeah.

00:50:53,715 --> 00:50:58,545

But often, um, we need people

to like raise hands, right?

00:50:58,545 --> 00:51:04,095

Like, I feel the same way with let's fix

this and our volunteers is that, um, like

00:51:04,095 --> 00:51:07,275

I had someone text me just a little while

ago who said, Hey, I'm gonna, I wanna

00:51:07,275 --> 00:51:09,525

volunteer with you guys at Plaza Fest.

00:51:10,365 --> 00:51:12,795

Is there a shift where you

need more help than others?

00:51:12,795 --> 00:51:14,410

I was like, oh yeah, I'll go look and see.

00:51:14,430 --> 00:51:14,850

Mm-hmm.

00:51:15,110 --> 00:51:16,515

And so I can tell 'em, yeah, come.

00:51:16,635 --> 00:51:17,385

I'm sure it's in the evening.

00:51:17,385 --> 00:51:18,435

That's when we always need more help.

00:51:19,110 --> 00:51:21,090

But I like that question

was really helpful.

00:51:21,090 --> 00:51:25,380

Otherwise, I have to kind of like cajole

people to be like, Hey, can you guys

00:51:25,380 --> 00:51:28,620

come later or try to do that afterwards?

00:51:28,620 --> 00:51:32,010

It's much better if someone raises

their hand and says, I want to help.

00:51:32,460 --> 00:51:33,480

I suspect you need help.

00:51:33,660 --> 00:51:36,870

It's sometimes other than others,

let me know what's best and then I

00:51:36,870 --> 00:51:38,520

can plug them in in the right spot.

00:51:38,580 --> 00:51:39,930

That kind of thing is really helpful.

00:51:40,110 --> 00:51:44,130

Or if someone says, um,

more often, like, Hey.

00:51:44,460 --> 00:51:47,040

We want to, we wanna do voter

registration at this event.

00:51:47,250 --> 00:51:49,890

Can you send somebody and like you,

I'm like, well, it's like me and

00:51:49,890 --> 00:51:51,870

my intern, maybe some volunteers.

00:51:51,870 --> 00:51:55,530

But it's hard to organize

that kind of stuff.

00:51:55,560 --> 00:51:59,580

It's much better when someone says, Hey, I

wanna do voter registration at this event.

00:52:00,315 --> 00:52:03,585

Um, like, I'll give you a kit,

I'll give you all the forms,

00:52:03,585 --> 00:52:04,365

I'll give you instructions.

00:52:04,365 --> 00:52:06,675

I can make that happen if

you can find the people.

00:52:06,680 --> 00:52:06,840

Mm-hmm.

00:52:06,920 --> 00:52:09,645

It's just like a different, a different

way to arrive at the same solution.

00:52:09,735 --> 00:52:17,085

Yes, and I was talking, I was talking

with a friend last night and she said

00:52:17,085 --> 00:52:20,055

to me, I was like, I was trying to

understand an interaction I have with

00:52:20,055 --> 00:52:23,235

someone and she goes, you're really

direct whenever you communicate.

00:52:23,235 --> 00:52:23,625

And I think it.

00:52:24,645 --> 00:52:25,634

Intimidates people.

00:52:25,904 --> 00:52:25,935

Mm.

00:52:25,935 --> 00:52:27,645

Because you just say

exactly what's on your mind.

00:52:27,645 --> 00:52:31,154

And she goes, but what I've learned

about you is that people can do the

00:52:31,154 --> 00:52:34,515

exact same thing with you and you,

you don't even think twice about it.

00:52:35,174 --> 00:52:40,575

And the where that has come

from, Andy, is, I wish I had more

00:52:40,575 --> 00:52:43,814

time to do all the formalities.

00:52:44,294 --> 00:52:50,325

I really do what I just

like So cherish is, yeah.

00:52:51,195 --> 00:52:52,065

You wanna be involved?

00:52:52,095 --> 00:52:52,845

Just come see me.

00:52:52,845 --> 00:52:53,595

Can we talk through it?

00:52:53,595 --> 00:52:54,645

This is how we always do it.

00:52:54,645 --> 00:52:54,705

Yeah.

00:52:54,705 --> 00:52:57,255

You, you know, you can hit me up

last minute and if I have that

00:52:57,435 --> 00:52:59,025

time in my calendar, I'm there.

00:52:59,085 --> 00:52:59,325

Yeah.

00:52:59,775 --> 00:53:02,235

And I don't, I don't know if this

makes sense, but I don't want

00:53:02,235 --> 00:53:03,375

people to listen to this and go.

00:53:04,620 --> 00:53:05,520

Well, now I don't wanna approach her.