8-Year-Old Girl Raises Money For Those Experiencing Homelessness To Attend Tulsa State Fair

An 8-year-old girl from Tulsa hopes to spread joy by raising money for homeless people to go to the Tulsa State Fair.

Lyla Thomas loves the fair. It's where she experiences pure joy, and she wants to share that joy with others. 

"Me and my mom are going to try to raise $5,000 and we're going to try to bring 30 people to the fair," says second grader Lyla Thomas.

Lyla's mom Sam Powell says a trip to a parade earlier this year sparked a conversation about people experiencing homelessness and what makes them happy.

"It allowed a really healthy and heavy conversation about just how they experience day-to-day life versus what ours may look like," says Powell.

With a spark that's rare in most 8-year-olds, Lyla wanted to do something for a community of people less fortunate than her, and she's calling it FairShare.

"I want them to kind of experience a little bit of joy like we do,” says Lyla.

To make this idea a reality, Lyla and her mom reached out to the BeHeard Movement.

"I was like, 'Of course, people would love to go to the state fair,'." Says Evan Dougoud.

Dougoud runs the BeHeard Movement, an organization that provides things like showers and haircuts to the homeless community. He says its case managers will help take some of their clients to the fair thanks to Lyla.

"That day they can come get a shower, get a haircut, do some laundry, get a fresh pair of clothes and we're gonna take them to the fair," says Dougoud.

He says in a world where people are just trying to survive, Lyla's idea to spread joy will give them a chance to regain humanity.

"But now we're creating this space for them to feel human again, but also be human again and that's beautiful," Dougoud says.

You can donate at fairshareok.com.