Making Every Mile Shine: Mayor Holt's Vision for a More Beautiful Oklahoma City

In this episode of “Do Beautiful Things,” host Jenny Lawson, President and CEO of Keep America Beautiful, sits down with Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt and Natalie Evans, Executive Director of OKC Beautiful, to spotlight the crucial role local leaders play in creating cleaner, greener, and more vibrant communities.

Mayor Holt shares his personal journey and Oklahoma City’s renaissance—a transformation fueled by forward-thinking city policies, community partnerships, and ambitious public investments like the city’s signature MAPS initiatives. He discusses how dedicated funding for beautification and permanent staff positions is shaping the aesthetic and ecological future of OKC. Natalie Evans adds a hands-on perspective, detailing OKC Beautiful’s empowering initiatives—from massive tree plantings responding to recent natural disasters, to the innovative Tackle the Trails campaign where residents come together to clean every mile of the city’s public trail system in just one day.

Together, they explore how nonprofit and public sector collaboration is building momentum for the Greatest American Cleanup, a nationwide movement ahead of America’s 250th birthday. Tune in to hear how Oklahoma City’s story can inspire your own community to take action, and discover practical ideas for engaging citizens in beautification and sustainability projects.

Find out how you can get involved, access resources, and join the movement at kab.org/greatest. Listen to the full episode to be inspired by real-world solutions and join us on the journey to do beautiful things together!

Show Notes:

00:00 Mayors Join Cleanup Initiative

06:06 "Transforming Public Art Leadership"

08:39 Oklahoma City's Revival with MAPS

10:07 Oklahoma City's Maps Initiative

14:43 Oklahoma City Tree Planting Initiative

19:17 Trail Cleanup and Awareness Day

22:11 "Competitive Beautiful Cities Initiative"

24:28 Plant Red, White, Blue for 2026

26:19 Leveraging Milestones for City Beautification