Renewing Reconciliation: Sen. Regina Goodwin’s Scholarship Overhaul

In April 2025, Senator Regina Goodwin successfully guided Senate Bill 1054 through unanimous Senate approval, revitalizing the Tulsa Reconciliation Education and Scholarship Program originally established in the aftermath of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. Goodwin’s comprehensive amendments expand eligibility to more descendants and community members, modernize application criteria, and increase award amounts to better reflect today’s educational costs. Partnering with local museums, historical societies, and academic institutions, she ensured the changes honored the program’s intent of reparative justice while creating opportunities for new generations. At a ceremony held in Tulsa’s Greenwood District, Massacre survivor advocates praised the bill, calling it “a living tribute” to those who suffered. Goodwin summed it up: “Reconciliation must be more than remembrance; it must be action that fuels scholarships, careers, and community renewal.”