We are excited to announce the awardees.
The evaluation committee composed of community and funding representatives met multiple times to review and discuss all 68 applications to the OKC Black Justice Fund. After many hours of deliberation, 17 organizations were selected to receive the total amount the was raised by the fund.
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Advancing economic and leadership development, civic engagement and advocacy efforts in Northeast Oklahoma City and other historically under-resourced communities.
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Supporting community-led partnerships between law enforcement and the Black community.
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Implementing community-led policing reforms in areas including, but not limited to, diversity in recruiting and hiring practices, de-escalation and racial sensitivity training, and citizen engagement and oversight.
A committee composed of local donors and Black community leaders direct the Fund.
Total Funds Raised
and counting...
Ways to Donate
The fund has closed and is no longer taking donations. The committee has selected which organizations will receive an award.
Evaluation Committee
Community Representatives
Andre’ B. Caldwell
Andre’ Caldwell is a Shareholder with Ogletree Deakins, an international leading labor and employment law firm, where he has a national litigation and workplace investigations practice defending and counseling employers of all sizes on all aspects of employment law on matters filed in state and federal trial courts. Andre’ is also involved in Firm administration as a member and Co-Chair elect for the firm’s Black Attorney Resource Group (ODBAR).
Prior to joining Ogletree Deakins, Andre’ was a shareholder at Crowe & Dunlevy where served as the Chair of the Diversity Committee. Andre’ began his legal career as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma. Andre’ is actively involved in the Oklahoma City community presently serving on the Board of Directors for the Greater Urban League of Oklahoma City and the Board of Directors for the Downtown Club of Oklahoma City.
Cecilia Robinson-Woods
Cecilia J. Robinson‐Woods is in her eighth year as superintendent of Millwood Public Schools in Oklahoma City, Ok. Mrs. Robinson‐Woods is a life-long educator who received her B.S. degree in Elementary Education from the Oklahoma State University and her M.Ed. degree from the University of Oklahoma in Education Administration and Curriculum Supervision in 1999. She is currently an Ed.D student at the University of Oklahoma pursuing a degree in Education Administration and Curriculum Supervision with the expected graduation date of May 2021.
Under her leadership Millwood Public Schools has become one of the first “Charter Conversion” schools in the state. Because of this distinction from the state, Millwood Public Schools is allowed to utilize charter law to advance their mission as a public school, which is to ensure that students are prepared to be Champions in the classroom, in the community and in life.
Robinson-Woods works to advance issues that strengthen the Greater OKC community, the Northeast community and Millwood Public Schools. She was named the Women of Color “Educator of the Year” in 2015 and the Women of Color “Woman of the Year” 2020. She currently serves on the State Superintendents Advisory Board, MAPS 3 Citizens Advisory Council, James Mission Board, OSSAA Board, Executive Board Member of USSA and OASA, Girl Scouts of Western Oklahoma Board and the Co-Chair for the Governor’s Oklahoma Workforce Youth Council. She is also a graduate of Leadership Oklahoma City, Class of 33 and serves as a Community Director for the OU Medicine Inc. Board.
Christina Beatty
Christina Beatty joined Oklahoma Contemporary as Manager of Public Programs and Community Engagement in August 2019. In this role, she develops, produces and evaluates creative public programs for visitors of all ages, collaborating with community partners to grow audiences and enrich programming. Christina previously served as Community Arts Director for the Oklahoma Arts Council, managing a portfolio of approximately $1.6 million in awards to over 150 grantees statewide annually, and has served on panels for the National Endowment for the Arts and Mid-America Arts Alliance. Her wealth of experience spans the public and nonprofit sectors in arts administration, community and youth development, and legislative affairs.
Christina holds a Master of Arts in Social Service Administration from the University of Chicago and a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Managerial Studies from Rice University. A fifth generation Oklahoman, she currently serves on the Northeast Oklahoma City Renaissance board of directors.
Ron C. Bacy
Ron C. Bacy is a law enforcement professional with more than twenty-eight years of experience. Additionally, he works as a security representative for the National Basketball Association. Aside from his professional responsibilities, he serves as a board member for Stop the Violence OKC, the Law and Public Safety Academy at Douglass High School and the Police Science Program at OSU-OKC. Ron is a Susan G. Komen Pink Tie Guy and previously served on the State Board of Directors for the Oklahoma CASA Association, Inc.
He has a master’s degree from the University of Central Oklahoma, a bachelor’s degree from the University of Oklahoma and a certificate from the University of Virginia. He is also a graduate of the FBI National Academy Session 265.
Scott Williams
Scott Williams is a pastor, speaker, international success coach, and Chief Solutions Officer of his Strategy Firm NxtLevel Solutions. He’s the best-selling author of “Church Diversity – Sunday The Most Segregated Day of The Week.” Scott and his team consult globally, with some of the largest and most influential leaders, churches, non-profits, and corporations. Scott has served as a member and chaired various local and national ministry, criminal justice, and non-profit board of directors. Scott is a former key leader and Campus Pastor at LifeChurch. He is a sought-after speaker and is consistently lauded as one of the world’s top Ministry Consultants.
Scott has been featured in various national publications and “Best Of” lists in the areas of leadership, employee engagement, social media, storytelling, and diversity. He received his B.A. in Psychology and M.A. in Criminal Justice Management and Administration. Scott and his wife LaKendria have two sons, Wesley and Jayden.
Tania L. Smith
Tania Smith is a native of Oklahoma City. She holds a Bachelors in Business Management and minor in Finance from Oklahoma State University. She enjoys helping non-profits, business owners and families/individuals create and grow wealth. She has over 15 years in her industry.
She has served in leadership roles with Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce, RSVP, and Boys and Girls Club of Oklahoma County. She is a graduate of Leadership Oklahoma City LOYAL Class 8, and the Inaugural Class of Board Serve – organized by United Way of Central OK.
Currently, Tania serves BritVil Food Pantry’s board and is active with Junior Achievement, OSU Mentoring Program, Oklahoma Hospitality Club, OKC Metro Alliance, and Putnam City Foundation Finance Committee. She serves the Rotary Club of Oklahoma City as Co-Chair and member of multiple committees, Assistant Treasurer of Aenon Bible College Alumni Auxiliary of OSC Pentecostal Assemblies of the World, and other roles within organizations in the community.She lives in Edmond with her husband and three daughters.
Funder Representatives
Caroline Ikard
American Fidelity
Caroline Ikard is the Assistant Vice President of Operational Integration and Owner Relations at American Fidelity Assurance Company (AF). She is a fourth generation Cameron family member working for the Company and has been with AF for five years. Caroline began her career with American Fidelity as an intern and held various roles before taking on her current position. She currently serves on the boards for the following American Fidelity sister companies: Alcott, American Fidelity Foundation, American Public Life (APL), Cameron Family Foundation, First Financial and INSURICA.
Caroline participates in numerous volunteer activities and serves on many community boards. She is the Chairman of the Infant Crisis Services Center Young Professionals board, Development Committee Chair of Start Smart Central Oklahoma, an ambassador for the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, and board member at YMCA of Central Oklahoma, Mercy Foundation and Bishop McGuinness Catholic High School Alumni Board. Caroline earned her bachelor’s degree in Multidisciplinary Studies with an emphasis in Health Administration in 2014 from the University of Oklahoma.
Kelly Gray
McLaughlin Family Foundation
Kelly Gray is the CEO and a founding board member of the McLaughlin Family Foundation, a funding organization committed to creating change in central Oklahoma to help children and families reach their full potential. Kelly is also a partner at Square Deal Capital. He grew up in Minnesota and earned a degree at UCO.
He attended the Standards of Excellence at the Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits and enjoys working with organizations in OKC that help the city, as well as connecting funders to those that need funding. He recently completed the Master Juggler Executive Institute through Exponent Philanthropy. An active volunteer for organizations that help children, Kelly is a Susan G. Komen Pink Tie Guy and serves on the boards for the Greater OKC YMCA, Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits, OKC Police Athletic League, Sunbeam, First Serve OKC, KIPP OKC College Prep and Progress OKC. He is a former board member for St. Anthony’s Foundation. He also volunteers with The Central Oklahoma Funders’ Roundtable and serves on the PAL Fight Night committee.
Kelly and his wife, Amy, have three daughters. When not blending his career with his community service, you can probably find Kelly engaged in one of his hobbies—he is an avid traveler, lover of sports, craft beer enthusiast and skier.
Natalie Carns
Sarkeys Foundation
Natalie Carns currently serves as a program officer at Sarkeys Foundation where she has been a staff member for six years. She has provided guidance and counsel for over hundreds of Oklahoma nonprofit organizations, helping shape projects into successful grants or answering questions about board governance and administrative issues. Before joining Sarkeys Foundation, Natalie was the Senior Director of Major Gifts at United Way of Central Oklahoma and has served in a variety of professional capacities in areas of philanthropy.
Natalie holds a Master of Arts in Nonprofit Management from Oklahoma City University and a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration in Marketing from Oklahoma Baptist University.
Sarah Roberts
Inasmuch Foundation
Sarah Roberts currently serves as Senior Program Officer at Inasmuch Foundation. The Foundation was founded by Edith Kinney Gaylord in 1982 and makes grants in Oklahoma and Colorado Springs in these broad categories: education, human services, community and journalism. Sarah has been employed at Inasmuch Foundation for over 17 years. Inasmuch Foundation has placed emphasis on forging public/private partnerships to fund evidence-based interventions for vulnerable children and families as well as attracting much needed federal investments to Oklahoma City. Examples of a few successful public/private partnerships are: Pivot, Oklahoma City Educare, ReMerge, Metafund, OKC CARES Partners and Smart Start Central Oklahoma.
Sarah previously served as Chairman of the Board of ReMerge and co-chaired the ReMerge capital campaign. Sarah is currently Chair of Sunbeam Family Services and Vice Chair of Oklahoma Partnership for School Readiness Board of Directors. Additionally, Sarah serves on the Board of Directors for: The Foundation for Oklahoma City Public Schools, Oklahoma City Police Athletic League (PAL) and Community Action Agency of Oklahoma County. Sarah previously served on the following Board of Directors: Integris Center for Mind, Body & Spirit, Oklahoma City Metro Literacy Coalition, ReMerge and Wes Welker Foundation. Sarah is a 2016 graduate of SALLT, Class 8 (Salt and Light Leadership Training) and a 2019 graduate of Leadership Oklahoma, Class 32. In 2008, Sarah was recognized by OKCBusiness as a recipient of the Forty under 40 Award. In 2020, Sarah was recognized by Pivot as their Advocate of the Year for building collaborative efforts to address youth homelessness in Oklahoma City.
Sarah was previously an instructor with the Clarksville Montgomery County School System in Tennessee where she taught 5th grade. Sarah is a graduate of Bishop McGuinness High School (1992) in Oklahoma City and Sweet Briar College (1996) in Virginia where she received a Bachelor of Arts in Government with a teaching certificate. Sarah has been married to Hayden Roberts for more than 21 years. Hayden works for Oklahoma State University. They live in Oklahoma City and have two sons, Jackson who is 17 years old and Owen who is 11 years old.
Scotia Moore
Flourish OKC
Scotia has 25 years of experience designing and leading programming for children and women as well as a background in arts and advocacy. Since childhood, Scotia has made it a practice to understand the life experiences of others and to search out empathetic ways to find common ground and do the “hard work of unity” for the benefit of families and organizations as well as the city as a whole. She is currently helping to set culture and to cultivate shared values, shared language, and shared action amongst various city transformation movements including Flourish OKC.
Scotia is on the leadership team for United Voice Oklahoma, a media collaboration of OKC metro news outlets that seeks to tell stories that promote thoughtful conversations about race. As a social entrepreneur and consultant, Scotia seeks to help people and organizations to connect with purpose, self, and others for the common good. She and her husband, Stephan Moore, are the parents of 10 young world changers.
Sue Ann Arnall
Arnall Family Foundation
Sue Ann Arnall is an energy industry veteran, achieving numerous milestones for Continental Resources, Inc., and other companies in the industry. Among her successes include, a lawsuit to protect the company’s assets, securing a $30 million judgment, the largest punitive damage award in Oklahoma up to that date. She also pioneered the first successful large-scale rail transportation of oil from the wellhead to the refinery.
In 2015, Ms. Arnall founded the Arnall Family Foundation which focuses on child welfare, animal welfare, and criminal justice reform. She is passionately focused on solutions that lower the incarceration rate and racial disparity among African American men in U.S. jails and prisons. Ms. Arnall is also politically active. She supports fearless judges and legislators, on both sides of the aisle, who place the good of the people before their political and personal ambitions.
Ms. Arnall is a member of the Giving Pledge, Oklahoma Bar Association, and is on the board for the Central Oklahoma Humane Society, Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics, Mercy Hospital and the University of Tulsa. She is a proud graduate of Poteau High School and attended the University of Tulsa where she earned a bachelor’s degree in economics and Juris Doctorate.
Thank you to our top donors!
In the News
Black-led organizations fighting for racial justice, equity receive grants worth almost $300K
Close to $300,000 is going toward local Black-led organizations fighting for racial justice and equity in Oklahoma City. The idea behind the Oklahoma City Black Justice Fund was to send resources to organizations trying to advance racial equity in Oklahoma City.
OKC Black Justice Fund awards nearly $300K in grants
The OKC Black Justice Fund announced Wednesday that it has awarded 17 grants totaling $293,000 to Black-led organizations seeking to advance racial equality in Oklahoma City.
Deadline approaches for OKC Black Justice Fund
The OKC Black Justice Fund deadline is quickly approaching, and very few applicants have submitted. The Arnall Family Foundation, and various donors, raised $290,000 to help support local organizations in the fight for racial equity and justice.
Nearly $300,000 available for Black-led organizations in metro to fight for racial justice
Nearly $300,000 is available for Black-led organizations in the Oklahoma City metro to fight for racial justice and equity. More than $290,000 has been raised since the OKC Black Justice Fund was launched in June, but the deadline to apply is Monday.
OKC Black Justice Fund Seeking Grant Applicants
The OKC Black Justice Fund is seeking applications for grants to help fight racial injustice in Oklahoma City. Andre Caldwell joined News 9 on Saturday to talk about their goals and what type of organizations they hope will apply.
Nearly $300K available to Black-led organizations in the metro to advance racial equity
The OKC Black Justice Fund announced Friday it has raised $290,000 and is ready to process grant applications from Black-led organizations and groups working to advance racial equity in Oklahoma City.
OKC Black Justice Fund to award local grants, address racial equity
A new fund will provide grants to Black-led organizations in the metro area and others that are working for racial equity, the Arnall Family Foundation announced Wednesday. The OKC Black Justice Fund was created in response to “systemic racial injustice experienced by the Black community in Oklahoma City,” according to a news release.
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