Fighting for equality – Tiffany Crutcher, founder and executive director of Terence Crutcher Foundation

Welcome to Tulsa Talks presented by Tulsa Regional Chamber. I'm your host Tim Landes.

My guest on this episode had a very busy and productive 2020, and for that we recognized her as one of our Tulsans of the Year in our January issue. 

Dr. Tiffany Crutcher helped launch three weeks of protests in response to police brutality, she helped put together a Juneteenth celebration that brought lots of joy to the community the day before Donald Trump visited Tulsa and she helped out her friend Greg Robinson in his mayoral campaign that saw him finish second. She continued her work with the Terence Crutcher Foundation, which she founded and serves as executive director. She helped restore the home of a 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre survivor and in December, Hollywood star Kerry Washington donated $20,000 to the nonprofit, which Crutcher then distributed to 10 local charities. 

We covered a lot of topics in a Zoom conversation recorded the second week of January. She recaps her year and what's driving her in 2021 as we approach the 100th commemoration of the Tulsa Race Massacre. She's one of many who feel reparations are owed to the survivors and descendants. While many wonder what that would cost, Crutcher says it's about more than dollar signs.  

It's been over four years since her brother Terence was killed by a Tulsa Police officer. She discusses how she continues to fight for criminal justice reform and shares her thoughts on what she wants to see from the City of Tulsa in terms of changes in policing. 

Crutcher also reflects on the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol insurrection and how it reminded her of the unspeakable horror of what occurred in Tulsa on May 31 and June 1, 1921.

She also talks about what it means to be featured as one of the many rising Black community leaders in a new mural created by Black Moon Tulsa.  It can be seen at the Metro by T-Mobile at 4704 N. Peoria across the street from McClain High School. 

It's a powerful conversation that captures Crutcher's passion for social justice and the need for changes to be made in Tulsa to further unify our community. 

Following that conversation I'll share a new song from Tulsa rocker's Golden Ones. More on them later. 

Let's get this going. 

This is Tulsa Talks with Dr. Tiffany Crutcher.

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To close out this episode, Golden Ones is sharing their song, "No Plan" off their debut album "Nowhere Fast."

Writer Julie Watson had this to say about the album in our January issue:

"This debut album, released Nov. 27, takes its cues from the best of ’70s rock and roll — plenty of energy, lots of glam and no shortage of infectious melodies. Sarah Frick is perfectly at ease fronting the quartet with her powerful vocals, backed by Sean Fisher on guitar, husband Jesse Frick on bass and Jay Sullivan on drums."

 Here is Golden Ones with "No Plan."