SEA and TUBS spoke with Monroe Nichols, candidate for Tulsa mayor, for an enlightening Q and A session this week.
This past Wednesday, the Student Economic Association and TU Business Society invited Tulsa mayoral candidate Monroe Nichols to campus for a Q and A session. Nichols is a TU graduate who studied economics and political science, and who is up for election against Tulsa County commissioner Karen Keith in November. Nichols has served as the representative for Oklahoma’s 72nd district (which includes TU’s zip code) in the State House of Representatives since 2016. Nichols is passionate about ending homelessness and enacting reforms in Tulsa on the path towards equity.
SEA President Cyrus Carter and Secretary Daniel Geary led the first round of questions which highlighted the central tenets of Nichols’ political philosophy. Right from the start, Nichols identified a clear path to economic mobility as the key to addressing pertinent issues in the Tulsa community, from homelessness to student outcomes. When asked more directly about Tulsa’s housing crisis, Nichols described the myriad of causes for the city’s homelessness, from substance abuse to mental health issues. He has outlined a plan to end homelessness in Tulsa by 2030, following models from cities like Bakersfield, California and investing in nonprofits and outreach workers to foster an effective community-based approach.
He reflected, “We’re really making a value judgment here of who we want to be as a community,” illustrating his commitment to housing all Tulsans and engaging the city community in doing so.
Specifically, he aims to establish a low-barrier shelter, which Tulsa currently lacks, and create 600 units of affordable housing within the next 4 years. Hearing a specific set of goals from the mayoral candidate was heartening, as many local politicians tend to promise what they have no feasible way of delivering.
Carter and Geary next asked Nichols about the data systems he would use to support his efforts. Nichols identified the need to quantify the effects of intervention programs to inform future efforts. He is an advocate for updated systems of data collection and analysis, stating, “A program designed in 1970 will not work the same in 2024.” Municipalities and states, he argued, spend a lot of money without directly knowing where it is going. If elected as mayor, he aims to implement data-driven community interventions for Tulsa’s most pertinent issues.
As a TU economics graduate, Nichols reflected well on the strengths and weaknesses of Tulsa and TU from a business perspective. He expressed gratitude for his time spent at TU, with his only criticism being that the University needs to grow. Other comparable regions like Oklahoma City and northwest Arkansas tend to have large universities to bolster their economies and increasing TU’s sphere of influence would do great things for the university community and the city.
Nichols discussed business in Tulsa more generally. Tulsa is becoming a tech hub, but has lost out on some opportunities for big businesses. Nichols argued that Tulsa needs to start developing with companies that align with the city’s strengths. Tulsa’s “spirit of the next big thing,” as well as its relatively low cost of living, could draw in interesting companies if the city plays its cards right.
Nichols next discussed education in Tulsa. He works at Strive Together, a nonprofit working to improve outcomes for marginalized students. Nichols outlined his plan to invest in education by investing in exceptional TPS educators. He hopes to offer incentives for high-performing teachers to do their work in underfunded schools, similar to a model that has been successful in Nichols’ home state of Texas. He also seeks to reform truancy laws in education, and that recognizing the nuance of student attendance is vital. Students who are facing eviction, experiencing homelessness, working students and other students whose home lives can interfere with their school attendance should not, in Nichols’ opinion, be kicked down by court proceedings and fees. Instead, he suggested a more compassionate and understanding system for improving student attendance and outcomes.
Finally, Nichols answered Carter and Geary’s questions about student engagement in elections. Nichols addressed the students present, telling us that showing up is the most important thing. Only one-quarter of Oklahomans vote, and so 25% of the population effectively makes decisions for everyone. Nichols related an anecdote about a panel he gave at Hale High School, where students were not even aware they had a student council, and where he helped students realize the power of their own advocacy. He urged the audience to take where they were now and make the most change they possibly could. When asked what set him apart as a candidate, he reflected on his early campaign. He knew from the beginning that he did not have as much fame or resources as his opponents, and so he had to make it about issues instead of appearances. His passion for and dedication to improving the Tulsa community was abundantly clear, and is truly the center of his campaign.
Nichols went on to answer student questions, reflecting on issues like food insecurity, tourism, Tulsa nonprofits, public transportation and relationships with tribal nations. Within all his answers, he reinforced his passion for data-informed, community-driven change.
Nichols seemed more calm and “in his element” at this panel than at discussions earlier in his campaign, a testament to his progress as a politician and speaker. He is a candidate who is deeply passionate about the Tulsa community and who is very skilled at fostering connections to accomplish his goals. With his balance of grand visions for the city and specific, outcome-oriented initiatives, Nichols is an excellent mayoral candidate.
