When Allen Parlier moved to Central Park in the 1980s, the neighborhood was dangerous and disconnected. “Like other neighborhoods then, everybody going to work, coming home, going in the house, and nobody knew each other on the block... So it was, it was a hard neighborhood to organize, and people just didn't get to know each other.” Parlier said. He also remembers when neighbors were not connected and dealt with with empty homes, vacant lots, and a rising crime rate. But one small act sparked neighborhood wide change when Parlier and his partner began gardening in their front yard.

Every Thursday from April through November, hundreds of cyclists gather in Oklahoma City for Hide & Go Bike—a free, inclusive community bike ride founded during the pandemic and now led by local organizer Danny Vo. What started as a socially distanced hide-and-seek game with bikes has evolved into a beloved weekly 10-mile ride that promotes bike commuting, local business support, and lasting friendships.

Tucked away on the old Springlake Amusement Park property, Valerie McMurry runs a trailblazing wellness program for Oklahoma City residents, the MetroTech Wellness Center. McMurry, who serves as the Director for Community Outreach and Wellness, has also sat on boards for organizations such as Lynn Institute, Salvation Army, A Chance to Change, the Adventure District,…

Right around the corner from Neighborhood Alliance’s little firehouse, Thuan Nguyen runs an insurance company in the heart of the Asian District. The average Oklahoma City neighbor has probably passed by his office near NW 23 and Classen, unaware of the remarkable advocate within. When he isn’t running a successful small business, Nguyen is busy…

At the Neighborhood Alliance of Central Oklahoma, we know that strong neighborhoods need strong partners. One of these strong partners is Johnson and Associates (J&A), a local civil engineering firm. J&A has worked on projects all over OKC, including iconic landmarks like Scissortail Park and The Bricktown Canal. They have provided engineering and surveying services…

On a hot Saturday morning, Christina Brightwell-Thompson gathered with a group of devoted neighbors and volunteers to clean up the Metro Park Neighborhood Association, one of Oklahoma City’s three current Strong Neighborhoods Initiative communities. Neighboring Classen-Ten-Penn (the city’s first SNI) and abutting downtown, Metro Park is in Ward 6; the boundaries are unique based on…