When we started building Tulsa CARES’ Red Ribbon committee, we knew we wanted a committee that looked like the clients the agency serves and our generous partners who support the mission.
Representation matters. Now, more than ever, the community needed to see themselves in those who would execute the final plan. The disco ball was selected for its reflection of light. That plan included raising enough money that honored those who came before us: the stakeholders who spent decades building something that garners the credibility, trust and love that Tulsa CARES began with some 30 years ago.
That number needed to pull into light the thousands of Oklahomans who lost their lives to HIV/AIDS. That number needed to consider the dreams of the families who lost loved ones who never lived out their full potential. You see, they were future presidents and designers, teachers and chief executives, Olympians and torchbearers.
We smashed through records: more tables than ever before (68), more attendees than ever before (653), and yes, more money than ever before, ($1.2 million).
The message was clear: from Banana Republic employee to billionaire; from Miss USA to drag queen; from trans to those who are questioning, this night was about appreciating our differences.
We're all created equal, but we’re definitely not the same … hello Red Ribbon! In the end, hate accomplishes nothing; love always prevails. As Desmond Tutu said, “We’re created different to know our need for one another.”
