Greater Tulsa Area Indian Affairs Commission

The Greater Tulsa Area Indian Affairs Commission (GTAIAC) is a group of mayoral and county appointed leaders established by City Ordinance. GTAIAC primarily serves in an advisory capacity to the Mayor and City Council by conducting research, recommending policies, programs, and initiatives, and directly advocating for Indian people. The 23-members' primary mission is the advancement of American Indian culture and heritage and/or the provision of services to American Indians.

The Commission is comprised of 23 Mayoral and County appointed commissioners, including 15 organizations serving the Native American community and 8 individual appointees.

The Greater Tulsa Area Indian Affairs Commission is staffed by The Mayor's Office of Resilience and Equity (MORE) and contributes to The City of Tulsa's Resilience Strategy pillar to build an inclusive future that honors all Tulsans and celebrates our diversity. The Resilience Plan serves as a roadmap to address Tulsa's most pressing challenges and seeks to build capacity among residents, city systems, and community partners to build a more resilient and equitable city.

The commission has five standing committees which include:

• Native American Day Committee
• Dream Keepers Committee
• Education Committee
• Public Relations Committee
• Cultural Committee
• Parks Committee
• Bylaws Committee

Dream Keepers Award Ceremony

Tuesday, November 19 from 6 – 7pm

City Hall, City Council Chambers

The Greater Tulsa Area Indian Affairs Commission recognizes Native Americans who have made a difference in their community and demonstrate exceptional character and commitment to public service through the annual Dream Keepers Awards. In observance of November as National Native American Heritage Month, the award ceremony will honor these awardees and celebrate our diversity.

Commission Members

• Susan Arkeketa
• Linda Leaf Bolin
• Cheryl Cohenour - Chair
• Daniel Carter – Vice Chair
• Joe Deere
• Sammy Haynes
• Carly Griffith Hotvedt
• Stacy Laskey
• Waynetta Lawrie
• Patsy Powell
• Warren Queton
• Joyce Roberts
• Matt Roberts
• Teresa Runnels
• Olivia StandingBear
• Kim Teehee
• Erica Waeltz
• Dorcas Williams
• Shari (Channa) Williams

Past Initiatives

• Presenting Dream Keepers Lifetime achievement awards
• Establishing Dream Keepers Park at Old Veterans Park

Yearly Initiatives

• Dream Keepers Awards honoring leaders in the Native American Community
• Annual Native American Day Parade and Festival
• Students of Excellence Awards honoring graduating TPS high school students

Contact

The Greater Tulsa Area Indian Affairs Commission meetings are held at 6 p.m. on the third Tuesday of every month (except July and December) at Tulsa City Hall, location at 175 East 2nd Street, 10th Floor, North Conference Room.

For more information about GTAIAC, please email the Mayor's Office of Resilience and Equity at: Resilient@cityoftulsa.org. The staff liaison will direct your question to the Commission. Meetings are open to the public or you can follow on TGOV Online. For a list of meetings for the year and agendas, please visit: Agendas To access past meeting minutes please visit: Meeting Minutes