Symposium Held To Brainstorm Ideas For North Tulsa Economic Development

An effort to improve a part of Tulsa enters its 10th year. 

The North Tulsa Economic Development Initiative is encouraging Tulsans to brainstorm for solutions.  

Everyone at the "Power of Community Symposium" spent the day breaking into different groups to talk about things like business, housing, and education in North Tulsa. 

This is a group of people looking to bring positive changes to North Tulsa. 

"We just need to do something different. We gotta give North Tulsa the support that they need," said Tulsa Resident Lawanna Summers. 

And they're not just sitting around listening to speakers, they're working to find solutions.  

"North Tulsa is something that's near and dear to my heart because I grew up here," said Summers. 

She said one reason why North Tulsa means so much to her is her great-grandmother Rosa Davis-Skinner, a Race Riot survivor. 

"I just feel like I want to be able to do her proud," Summers said. 

Improving education is on her mind. 

And while they're putting ideas on paper, they won't stop there. 

"I plan to share that with Dr. Gist as we are continuously making decisions for our families, our students, and our schools, so that we can come up with some real, doable solutions," Ebony Johnson with Tulsa Public Schools said. 

Other groups are focusing on improving business and housing in North Tulsa.

But Lawanna is thinking of the big picture.

She imagines a future where people aren't defined by zip codes.

"I want it to be not just a separation of spaces; north, west, south, east, you know. I want North Tulsa to be a part of Tulsa," Summers said. 

If you missed the symposium and would like to contribute some of your own ideas, you can send an email to Ntedi.north@aol.com.

For more information, visit the initiatives website.