By Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy CEO Joe Dorman
OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) will celebrate our 10th Annual Heroes Ball on Saturday, July 25. This fundraising gala recognizes and celebrates Oklahoma’s champions for children, and we would be honored for you to join us for this very special evening which honors some of Oklahoma’s best champions for children.
This year, we are thrilled to present our Kate Barnard Lifetime Achievement Award posthumously to Clara Luper, and to the members of her Oklahoma City NAACP Youth Council for their peaceful protests that changed the nation.
The Katz Drug Store sit in occurred in August 1958 with the mission to end segregation in Oklahoma City. That effort began a series of non-violent sit-ins across six years until Oklahoma City was no longer segregated. The movement spurred change nationwide.
Marilyn Luper, Joyce Henderson, and Joyce Jackson, who as youngsters participated in the sit-in, will participate in a discussion that will serve as the Heroes Ball’s keynote address. All the living members of the NAACP Youth Council have been invited so we can recognize their accomplishments.
Kate Barnard, for whom the award is named, was Oklahoma’s first female statewide elected official, serving as the Commissioner of Charities and Corrections. She is regarded as the foremost child advocate of her time.
The Jay Scott Brown Individual Advocate Award will go to Carmelita Skeeter, the CEO of Indian Health Care Resource Center of Tulsa (IHCRC). The award’s namesake, Jay Scott Brown, was an OICA Board Chairman who passed in 2022 following a career of service to the organization and other youth programs, including the Oklahoma Commission on Children and Youth.
Carmelita Skeeter began her career at IHCRC in 1976 when she helped survey residents to assess health needs of the local urban Indian population. She was hired as one of IHCRC’s original four employees, becoming CEO in 1989. Carmelita’s dedication to improve the lives for the First Americans population is the focus of her professional life over 50 years of service.
The Organizational Advocate Award will go to Pivot, A Turning Point for Youth, honoring their work on behalf of children who are homeless, disconnected, or otherwise at risk. Pivot has provided programs and services for the Oklahoma City community for more than 50 years, with a focus on youth services, counseling, educational and vocational services, prevention, intervention, and diversion services.
The Henry Bellmon Public Servant Award, named after the former Oklahoma Governor and U.S. Senator, will go to Oklahoma Labor Commissioner Leslie Osborn. Commissioner Osborn previously served in the Oklahoma House of Representatives for 10 years, becoming chair of the powerful Appropriations and Budget Committee. As Labor Commissioner, she protected child labor laws in Oklahoma and elevated social issues important to youth. Commissioner Osborn will term out of office in January 2027.
The Laura Boyd Public Servant Award will be presented to former U.S. Senator, the late Fred Harris. Former state Rep. Laura Boyd, Ph.D., served the Norman area from 1992 to 1998, when she became the first female nominated for governor by one of the primary political parties in Oklahoma. She owns and is the CEO of Policy and Performance Consultants, Inc. and is regarded as a national expert in improving the quality of life for children at risk.
Senator Harris served in the Oklahoma Senate before a distinguished career in the U.S. Senate. He ran for President of the United States in 1972 and 1976. A strong leader in the civil rights movement, Harris publicly supported desegregation and the rights of Indigenous Americans. Harris served as a board member for New Mexico Voices for Children, a counterpart organization to OICA, until his passing in 2024.
The Heroes Ball Masters of Ceremonies will be Haley Hetrick from News 9 and Joleen Chaney, current OICA Board Member and former anchor for KFOR Oklahoma’s News 4. For more information about the ball and ticket information, go to: https://www.oica.org/events
