Bio
Before I ask you to vote for me, I’d like you to know a little bit about me, my family, my values – the many things that have contributed to the person I am and the causes for which I work so hard.
Having grown up in our community, I recognize injustice in our system of justice; I appreciate the importance and see the failings of our public education system; and I believe that all men and women should be given the opportunity to grow, learn and be heard.
Education beyond high school was not an option for me immediately upon graduation from Will Rogers High School in 1986. Throughout my twenties, I balanced home ownership in our district, a full-time job and classes at TJC. With much conviction and determination and a barrel of student loans, I entered the University of Tulsa as a full-time student at the age of 35. An exciting experience in my education was my two semesters in Spain and Chile – studying, living with families, and learning their language and culture. Another wonderful experience was the opportunity to carry out my federal work-study program with the children at the North Harvard Salvation Army Boys and Girls Club - where I spent much of my time as a pre-teen, and also working with Mrs. Chapin’s fourth grade classes at Kendall/Whittier Elementary School as a teacher’s assistant. My appreciation of higher education and the opportunities it has afforded me are deep and wide, as it was not given to me.
My dad, an American Veteran, served two tours in Vietnam. Upon his return to the United States, he was involved in an accident that left him disabled for life. My grandparents had to teach Dad to walk and to talk again just as my mother was teaching their two young daughters to do the same. Growing up, the summers I spent in Ft. Smith with my dad and my grandparents, and later my step mom, were very special as Dad’s life was to be short. He passed in 2004 at the age of 56 during the same week the Veteran’s Administration admitted that his health issues were service connected. Way too little, far too late. Dad was one of many veterans who deserve much better for the sacrifices they made answering the call to duty.
My mom completed work for her high school diploma while pregnant with me. She completed Business College to become a legal secretary before going to work for AFSCME Local 1180. She eventually went to work for DHS-Child Welfare where she will soon celebrate 30 years of service. As a child, my mother took me and my sister Paula with her to union meetings, bowling leagues and other functions among our extended union family. I learned at a young age the importance of unions and what they provided my family. My single mom would have struggled much more than she already did without the quality job and opportunities made a reality through the power of collective bargaining.
My involvement in community organizations varies from serving on committees to fundraising to holding offices. My focus in each endeavor is to promote or establish policies – to attempt to work smarter, not harder; to raise awareness of the issues affecting the diverse people in our community. I continually search for ways to speak for those unable to speak for themselves, to identify problems and take pro-active measures, rather than reacting with short-lived and self-serving fixes.
At the American Legion Auxiliary Post 1, we raise awareness of Veterans’ issues. We recently raised money to bring troops home for the holidays and we assist military families through difficult times as needed.
After losing my job at Williams Company in 2001, I sought out job counseling offered by Resonance, a local Women’s Resource Center. Now, a supporter of Resonance and a member of its Legislative Committee, I am able to contribute to an organization that once lent me a helping hand.
I am true and loyal to the Democratic Party. I have worked through the ranks and am proud to serve the Oklahoma State Federation of Democratic Women as our state’s Third Vice-President. I am an active precinct chair and work on party activities at the local, county and state level. You may have seen me registering voters at the Democratic Party booth at the Tulsa State fair or maybe you’ve seen me walking with Democrats in the Martin Luther King parade.
Each year our local chapter of the Federation of Democratic women works to send girls from McClain, Central, Rogers and Edison High Schools to attend Girl’s State, an intense week-long session to educate high school girls about government and good citizenship. This is how pro-active involvement within our community prepares our young people and offers them a better path to follow.
As a member of the Tulsa Chapter of the NAACP, I think it’s important to understand that our organization is only as strong as our membership. I am happy to support the mission and goals of the NAACP.
My involvement in Oklahoma CURE (Citizens United for the Rehabilitation of Errants) is very personal to me. I am outraged at the significant incarceration rate in our state and the amount of money Oklahoma spends on corrections. I feel strongly that we need to focus on a reduction in the recidivism rate-the rate in which people relapse into criminal behavior. CURE promotes legislation affecting victims of our criminal justice system and promotes practical public policy for corrections and crime.
I want the best for my community. It was a good place to grow up and I refuse to watch it be lost in the “forgotten quadrant of Tulsa.” I choose to remain in my district to represent you and the needs of our community at our state’s capitol. Thank you for letting me share a bit about me with you. I look forward to visiting with you in the upcoming months.
Sincerely,
Christie Breedlove