This Month’s Cover As Oklahoma’s First Lady, Sarah Stitt’s platform includes improving access to mental health care resources and trauma- informed care, particularly for the youth in our state. Wife of Gov. Kevin Stitt and mom of six, Stitt’s own tumultuous childhood serves as the inspiration for shaping a brighter future for Oklahoma’s children. Story on page 10. focusing on challenges in our education system. Read more about how we can each encourage our kids’ teachers and support our schools on page 42. Perhaps most heartening for me was meeting Courtney Gaines, our Super Kid of the Metro, whose refusal to acknowledge barriers others might name for her means she’s living a beautiful life of no boundaries. This teen’s tenacity in advocating for others with special needs is causing me to reevaluate how I can more aptly live to serve. Find Courtney’s story on page 48. D o you write resolutions or choose a word to live by in the new year? It’s not a practice I’ve often subscribed to myself, but as we celebrate our arrival into a a new decade, one word keeps ringing true to me for what is to come for our city, and me personally, in this new year: Hope. I was honored to talk with First Lady Sarah Stitt about her vision for the future of Oklahoma’s children, hers, mine and yours included. Championing improved trauma- informed care and mental health resources is personal for her, and I believe her strength and determination will help Oklahomans band together to ignite positive change. Learn more about how the First Lady’s difficult childhood inspired her to make a difference on page 10. A similar message of hope resonated from Oklahoma’s 2020 Teacher of the Year Jena Nelson, whose platform also includes improved trauma-informed care for students as well as a boost of morale for our teachers. I was impassioned by her appeal for parents of school kids to call, email or message our legislators to tell them what’s going RIGHT with our schools and teachers, rather than
Publisher Sarah Taylor Managing Editor Erin Page Assistant Editor Lindsay Cuomo Contributing Writer Madi Pontikes Contributing Photographers Bridget Pipkin, Lauren Smith
READ ABOUT COURTNEY GAINES ON PAGE 48.
How will you inspire hope in your corner of our city this year? I’d love to hear your vision for Oklahoma City’s future — and how you’re working to bring about that change. Email me at editor@metrofamilymagazine.com. With great hope for our future,
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MetroFamily Magazine is published monthly. Copyright 2019 by Inprint Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Articles and advertisements in MetroFamily do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the magazine or Inprint Publishing, Inc. We do not assume responsibility for statements made by advertisers or editorial contributors. The acceptance of advertising by MetroFamily does not constitute an endorsement of the products, services, or information. We do not knowingly present any product or service which is fraudulent or misleading in nature.
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