Commission highlights community events: fountain ribbon-cutting, Spanish Citizens Police Academy and local festivals

During its October meeting the Greater Tulsa Area Hispanic Latinx Affairs Commission shared multiple community announcements, including a ribbon-cutting at the Tulsa Botanic Garden and the start of a Spanish-language Citizens Police Academy.

Commission leadership said the city council recently approved a replica of a fountain from San Luis Potosí that was gifted to the city; the fountain has been installed at the Tulsa Botanic Garden and the commission noted a ribbon-cutting event scheduled for Oct. 19 from 4 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Commissioners asked for volunteers to attend and for staff to circulate event details once finalized.

The commission also reported that the first Spanish-language Citizens Police Academy started that week; organizers received 75 applications and accepted 30 people for a condensed four-week program held in the evenings at Saint Thomas More. Commission members credited Anna Parga with helping form the curriculum.

Other community notices included a Fair Housing Summit focused on veterans on Nov. 6 at Centennial Center in Veterans Park; Dia de los Muertos festivities Nov. 1 organized by Tulsa Global District at El Centro; and a fall festival on Saturday at Eighteenth and Gurnee. The Department of Resilience and Equity also refreshed outreach flyers and made Spanish-language versions available for tabling events.

No votes were taken on these announcements; commissioners used the items to publicize community programs and solicit volunteers to represent the commission at events.