Oklahoma City

Philanthropy Southwest hosted its seventy-third annual conference in Oklahoma City, gathering grantmakers from across the United States at the Omni Hotel. From October 19 through October 22, 2021, Philanthropy Southwest members and speakers from across North America were guided by the conference theme “Rebuild Together, Emerge Stronger.” More than 300 guests came together to discuss innovative philanthropy, ethics in grantmaking, and region-specific sessions to address Oklahoma’s unique history. The conference was chaired by Kirkpatrick Foundation’s Louisa McCune and co-chaired by Kristin Todd of Northern Colorado Community Foundation, and included events at Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center, the First Americans Museum, and the nonprofit centers on General Pershing Boulevard. Creative writers played an important role in the conference, with U.S. Poet Laureate Joy Harjo and filmmaker Thomas Allen Harris providing keynotes. Attendees were treated to a special conversation between authors David Grann (Killers of the Flower Moon) and Hannibal B. Johnson (Black Wall Street 100).