Tatyana Fazlalizadeh
Artist / Author / Cultural Worker
Oklahoma Is Black was an exhibition at Oklahoma Contemporary centered on a simple but often overlooked truth: Black people have always been an essential part of Oklahoma's history, culture, and identity. Through portraiture and storytelling, the exhibition made visible the lives, experiences, and contributions of Black Oklahomans while challenging narratives that position Black communities at the margins of the state's story.
The exhibition drew one of the largest opening crowds in Oklahoma Contemporary's history, demonstrating a strong public desire for conversations about Black life, history, and belonging in the state. The project reflects my ongoing interest in how race, geography, and identity shape the ways people experience place.
Photos by Josh Vaughn
