Thunder Visit Historic Greenwood District in Tulsa
Ahead of Wednesday night's game in Tulsa against the Dallas Mavericks, the Oklahoma City Thunder took a team visit to the city's Greenwood District, where OKC players and staff toured the Greenwood Rising Black Wall Street History Center and other local community partners, like Silhouette Sneaker and Art store.
The Greenwood Rising Museum educates guests about the horrific Tulsa Race Massacre of the 1920s while helping to honor victims of the tragedy. Located in historic Ball Wall Street, the museum is "the specific story of the dignity of a people who turned trials, tribulations, and tragedy into a triumph of the human spirit."
Many people are introduced to this dark piece of Oklahoma history by the museum, including Kenrich Williams. Williams said that he was completely unaware of the Tulsa Race Massacre and the Greenwood District until he moved to the Modern Frontier.
"I think it's good for not only me, but the team as well, to get to experience this," the veteran wing said. "History is big, man."
Learning the stories and history of the people who represent the Oklahoma City Thunder fan base helps build an important bridge between the team and the community. Thunder players gain a greater understanding of what it means to be an Oklahoman when exploring community spaces such as the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum and the Greenwood Rising Museum.
OKC's trip to the Greenwood District was rounded out at the Thunder Fellows facility, where the program's newest cohort assembled for what they thought would be a final interview. Instead, the team informed the group of high school juniors and seniors that they were the newest Thunder Fellows.
"It's come a long way," said star guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. "It's a great thing that we've started... it's great to put a smile on kids' faces. That's what it's all about, using our platforms to give back."
Thunder Fellows is an educational program sponsored by the Thunder, with a goal to "unlock new opportunities in sports, entertainment, and technology for Black high school and college students in the Tulsa area."
Having a close connection to the local community not only improves fan relations, but also gives players even more reason to put it all on the line when performing in front of their hometown crowd.
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