The Oklahoma Women’s Journal

26/08/2024

Kyli was a girl who seemingly held space for anyone who passed by her. She had a way of reeling people in and pulling their stories and dreams out of them.
Not sure if it was her mission, but she naturally amplified voices that often went unheard. She wanted relatability to be the ground we stood on- where those who were broken could feel more whole, and those who felt whole could gain understanding of the ones who couldn’t quite get the pieces put together. Not only did she do this, but she then made herself this safe place for anyone who wanted to share whatever version of themselves they needed to. Her love for people and making space got all wrapped up in her biggest joy, The Oklahoma Women’s Journal; a platform she used to amplify voices and hold space for anyone who needed it.
She was truly brilliant…stunning inside and out. She was a rarity and her transparency was breathtaking. Kyli aimed to be her truest self to those looking in, sharing her insecurities and her heartaches. She shared her struggles and was never afraid to do so, in hopes that it would give just one person permission to do the same.
She tried so many new things and firmly believed that if you never worked through your failures, how would you know if you could have succeeded?
Kyli was truly one of a kind and if you were ever so honored to encounter her, you would know exactly what we mean 🖤
This was never a post we wanted to make. It’s with the heaviest, most devastated hearts that we share that Kyli is with her Savior, leaving a void here that we know can never be filled. We are loved by a God who gives us peace that surpasses all understanding, and we can only trust that that is exactly what our sweet Kyli is engulfed in as she sits in His presence.  

The Celebration of Kyli’s life will be held at Mercer Adams Chapel on September 14th at 2pm. If anyone has pictures they would like to share, or you wish to speak at the service, please contact Mikenna Hammond at 405-696-3717 so we can try to make those arrangements.

11/07/2024

✍🏼 Volume 4 Submission | .du.jour.shop

Empress Du Jour is an Oklahoma-based business that promotes self-expression and creativity through its handcrafted scrunchies. These large, extra-stretch scrunchies offer comfort and style, celebrating individuality. Empress Du Jour presents a universe of opportunities, combining remarkable workmanship and individual expression. Each garment is expertly produced, showcasing the spirit of comfort and style that is inherent in their products.

09/07/2024

✒️ A Two-Part Series | Volume 2 + Volume 4 Submission by
———
In the summer of 1983, Joyce met her husband and soulmate Frank while they were both teenagers and soon after started a family. They were married for over 38 wonderful and adventurous years.

Joyce is a mother to two adult sons,
a grandmother to a feisty Leo granddaugh-
ter, and a transplant wife and widow after
Frank passed away on August 25, 2021, due
to COVID-19 complications after receiving a
kidney transplant four years earlier. He died
exactly one week before her birthday. Be-
coming a widow changed Joyce’s life forever,
and she has a soft heart for widowed people.

She is a monthly writer for Hope for Widows
Foundation, which serves to bring hope and
support to an extraordinary community of
widows worldwide. Joyce’s writings on grief,
love, loss, and the beautiful mess in between
are an intimate look at life without her hus-
band Frank and how his unexpected and
untimely death showed her that nothing in
this world lasts forever – even true love – and
that life can change in one tragic instant.
———
𝘽𝙄𝙊:
Joyce was born and raised in Oklahoma and
is the youngest of sixteen children. She works
at a university and holds a bachelor’s degree
in Organizational Leadership. She runs Let-
ter10 Design, a creative business that pro-
vides modern calligraphy and hand engrav-
ing services to brands, businesses, couples,
and individuals looking to add a luxury touch
to their gifts or live events.
——

➡️➡️ SWIPE TO READ BOTH SUBMISSIONS

06/07/2024

📝Call for Submissions!

➡️ The Oklahoma Women’s Journal is accepting submissions for Volume 5 | The Anniversary Edition, launching April 2025.

✒️Submit your Personal Essays, Narrative Non-Fiction, Feature Articles, Op-Eds, Poetry, Short Stories, Interviews, Reviews, How-To Guides, Inspirational Stories and more by December 1, 2024. There is no limit to the amount of submissions you can include.

Your voice matters! 📢

02/07/2024

✨Submissions are open!!!! Get them in for your chance to be published in this upcoming print release - 𝙑𝙤𝙡𝙪𝙢𝙚 5 | 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝘼𝙣𝙣𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙖𝙧𝙮 𝘼𝙙𝙙𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣.🎉

📧 𝙎𝙪𝙗𝙢𝙞𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨@𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙊𝙠𝙒𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙨𝙅𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙣𝙖𝙡
Be sure to add a short bio & a professional photo of yourself. (At least 300 DPI)
✨The release party will be announced by January 2025. But there will be plenty of opportunities to take part in one of the fundraising events we will do to help pay the printing costs.

✨MORE INFO COMING SOON!
Stay Tuned. 📻

Oklahoma’s 1st local submission based women’s magazine created to amplify our voices.📢

01/07/2024

📝 Calling all writers! Submit your personal essays, poetry, feature articles, and more for a chance to be published!

Here are a few tips on what to submit if you are unsure.

Your story deserves to be heard. 📢

26/06/2024

🌼🌺Volume 4 | Submission by

𝙗𝙞𝙤:
Bridgette Hoshontomba is a Chahta artist based on Kickapoo Territory in Shawnee, Oklahoma.
She is the designer behind Issi-tohbi Designs, creating luxe heirloom quality beadwork. Her designs have been showcased with Native designers that she models for on runways from Osage Casino to NYFW. Alongside her artistic endeavors, she is a Native Studies student at Nebraska Indian Community College and serves her people as a community liaison for NOISE (North-eastern Oklahoma Indigenous Safety & Education). Bridgette will be modeling and designing for Heruse Tos at RiseNYFW in February 2024.

———
Follow ➡️➡️

24/06/2024

✨📝 Volume 1 Submission | By

This has always been one of my all time favorite submissions. Ashley submitted this on March 31, 2021. It was published in the Issue 2 release that summer of June 2021. And then republished and rereleased December 2022. Such an impactful piece and one I know many of us can relate too.

Enjoy ☺️

Thank you so much, Ashley, again for your vulnerability and transparency in this submission. You are such a brave soul and one who is constantly striving to help others, especially women.

Follow

20/06/2024

🎼🎤Volume 4 Interview | By

(Maddy), an artist in Oklahoma City, is a voice teacher at Onyx Butterfly, she’s in the band EMOkc, and is also part of Beam Live. I had the incredible opportunity to sit down with Maddy a few weeks ago and I have to say, I have never hit it off with someone so quick. Maddy is the epitome of down to earth, confident, and driven. I’m so grateful she took the time to talk with me.

Madddy teaches at Onyx Butterfly Monday, Wednes- day, and Thursday and currently has spots available!
Check out Maddy’s band EMOkcity
Check out Beam Live!

📸

𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙜𝙤𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙤 𝙢𝙪𝙨𝙞𝙘?
I’ve always been into performing. I started doing theater camps when I was 5 years old and fell in love with it. As I got older, I was hellbent on being on Broadway. Everybody would ask me, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” and I’d say, “I’m gonna move to New York and I’m gonna be on Broadway.” I got to 13, 14 and one of my friends was like, ‘you need to listen to this song’. It was “Welcome to the Black Parade”. Here’s the funny thing about this. I was in catholic school and we were at the coronation of our dean. I was in our cathedral, sitting there, headphones on, My Chemical Romance. That transpired into Panic at the Disco! which transpired into Fall Out Boy which transpired into Pierce The Veil, Paramore, and Sleeping with Sirens. A couple of my friends said they were going to Warped Tour and I was like, “I wanna go.” And they said “Well you can’t go unless you like the same music we like.” They were into Black Veil Brides and sh*t like that. So I started listening to it and realized I like this too.

Read the entire interview in Volume 4, Available online at www.TheOkWomensJournal.com

19/06/2024

📝Volume 4 Submission by

𝘽𝙄𝙊:
———
Katie is a 25 year-old multimedia artist, born and based in Norman, OK. Her work is ulti- mately self-serving; every piece is rooted in over- coming generational traumas that once cursed her family. Katie’s work has helped her find acceptance in her past and who she now is because of it. Her work is deeply spiritual and emotionally influenced by the natural world and its many cycles. Katie’s craft has helped her build a sacred connection with nature; one that has taught her to heal from old wounds and to understand that those wounds were an integral part of the natural cycle that is life.

Eventually, through the exploration of her inner workings, Katie was called to help others find peace within themselves. Her work beckons others to self eflect, heal from their repressed traumas, and accept who those traumas have shaped into being. Katie hopes to heal the wounded world through the inner healing and growth that is found in every fiber of her creations.
———
👀 To check out Volume 4 (the most recent release) as well as the first 3, visit 🖥️www.TheOkWomensJournal.com