Zack Davis — OKC realtor, investor, and host of the Keep Going Podcast — is a direct descendant of Quanah Parker. He shares the story of his first Comanche gourd dance, two years after losing his grandfather, and the $300-paycheck low point that nearly ended his real estate career before it started.

What this conversation explores:

Chapters:

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Blake Raney expected aviation to be about flying. Over time, it became a way to serve people who often feel unseen.

Chef Andrew Black, Oklahoma City restaurateur and 2023 James Beard Award winner, traces the discipline behind his work - from Saturday mornings in his grandmother's Jamaican kitchen to building restaurants in the city he now calls home. He and Jed Chappell talk about consistency, mentorship, staying present, handling roadblocks, and creating businesses that serve more than the people at the table.

Brad Carter, Oklahoma City’s Ward 1 Councilman, joins Jed Chappell to ask what the city must protect as it grows. They discuss transparent public service, listening across political divides, jobs and AI, recovery, homelessness, and the Oklahoma Standard Carter hopes will still define OKC for the next generation.

Kristina Mills did not apply for Survivor because she loved camping.

In fact, she had never been camping before.

She applied because she felt stuck. After walking through postpartum depression, losing her mother to a fentanyl overdose, and realizing her kids could see the sadness she was carrying, Kristina knew something had to change.

So she recorded a simple 60-second audition video and sent it in.

That decision eventually took her to Fiji as a contestant on Survivor 49. But the deeper story is not just about a television show. It is about grief, courage, motherhood, mental health, and choosing to move forward when staying stuck would have been easier.

In this episode, Kristina shares about her mother’s life, the pain of losing her to addiction, the healing power of telling the truth, and the hope she discovered on the other side of fear.

Kristina Mills

Voices of OKC: voicesofokc.com

Most people see after-school programs as activities, games, and homework help.

Christian Matthews sees something deeper.

As Program Coordinator at City Center, Christian spends his days helping students navigate challenges that often have nothing to do with academics. Behind many behavioral issues are stories of loneliness, bullying, family struggles, anxiety, and a longing to be understood.

In this conversation, Christian shares how God unexpectedly led him to City Center, what he's learned about loving people unconditionally, and why relationships remain the foundation of lasting transformation.

He also opens up about his personal faith journey, his work as an artist and musician, and the difficult decision to step away from growing opportunities in music in order to pursue deeper obedience and spiritual growth.

If you're a parent, mentor, teacher, coach, or community leader, this episode offers valuable insight into what young people need most from the adults around them.

• How Christian discovered his calling to work with youth

Instagram: @hecallsmechristian

🌐 City Center

City Center champions youth and families in under-resourced communities by creating empowered pathways to relief and restoration.

Kristina Mills thought she was simply watching an episode of Survivor.

Instead, it became the catalyst for a life-changing decision.

After battling postpartum depression, losing her mother to addiction, and feeling trapped in a season of grief, Kristina made a bold choice to pursue something that scared her. That decision eventually led her to compete on Survivor 49 in Fiji.

In this episode, Kristina shares the deeply personal story behind that journey, the impact her mother's life and death had on her family, and what she learned about resilience, healing, and hope.

She also discusses her work helping students prepare for meaningful careers through the University of Oklahoma's graduate business programs and how AI is reshaping the future workforce.

This conversation is a reminder that grief may ride along with us, but it doesn't have to drive our lives.

Brooke Freeman never planned to become a farmer.

After years working as a NICU nurse, she found herself wrestling with a simple question: How do we truly help people become healthier?

That question eventually led to the creation of Natural Freedom Farm, a nonprofit farm dedicated to growing fresh, nutrient-dense produce for families who might not otherwise have access to it.

In this conversation, Brooke shares the story behind the farm, the vision that launched it, and why education is just as important as the food itself.

She also explains regenerative farming, food insecurity, and how healthy food can become a pathway to better health outcomes for children and families.

Natural Freedom Farm has become an important partner to City Center, helping provide fresh produce that goes directly into meals served to youth and families throughout Oklahoma City.

Brooke Freeman

Website:

City Center

There’s a line Daniel Haynes says in this conversation that quietly captures the entire heart of the episode:

“When something is led by love, no one gets left behind.”

Daniel is the founder of Skyward Financial Solutions, a Certified Fraud Examiner, and co-founder of Live Full alongside his wife, Raven. But more than titles, Daniel is someone deeply committed to stewardship, integrity, family, and serving people well.

In this episode, Daniel shares the story of growing up in rural Oklahoma, collapsing during a basketball game because of an enlarged heart, losing a close friend, and eventually discovering accounting as a calling at just 16 years old.

Jed and Daniel also discuss the rapid growth of Oklahoma City, why exposure changes lives, how families need community around them, and why leadership rooted in love creates stronger cities.

This conversation feels deeply Oklahoma City.

Thoughtful. Honest. Hopeful.

It’s a reminder that the future of a city is shaped not only by development projects and arenas, but by people quietly choosing integrity, generosity, and stewardship every single day.

Resources & Links:

Some students are carrying pain they do not yet have words for.

They may not know if they are angry, sad, scared, overwhelmed, or simply tired. They just know something feels off. And too often, the adults around them rush to correct behavior before they understand what is underneath it.

In this episode of Voices of OKC, Jed Chappell sits down with Jordan Miller and Stuart Bennett from Generation Why, a mental health advocacy team serving students through school assemblies, creative arts, mentorship, media, internships, and purpose-driven programming.

Generation Why speaks in schools about mental health, anti-bullying, and suicide prevention. But what makes their work powerful is not only the message. It is the way they deliver it.

They use rap, spoken word, dance, live painting, DJing, photography, videography, and storytelling to create an environment where heavy conversations can become a little easier to enter.

Jordan shares why vulnerability is central to the work. Stuart talks about the importance of asking better questions and giving students time to answer. Together, they describe what it means to meet young people where they are, help them name what they are feeling, and show them that there are more options than the obstacles in front of them.

This conversation is about mental health.

Not perfect adults.

Jed, Jordan, and Stuart talk about:

Generation Why:

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Generation Why Instagram:

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John Marshall High School / OKCPS:

Chicken N Pickle OKC:

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Voices of OKC is a podcast from City Center featuring thoughtful conversations with people helping shape Oklahoma City through leadership, service, creativity, restoration, and hope.

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