TULSA, Okla. — The Black Wall Street Times will convene a public town hall with John Croisant, candidate for Oklahoma’s 1st Congressional District, on Thursday, January 15, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. at Metropolitan Baptist Church (The Met), 1228 W Apache St, Tulsa, OK 74127. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. RSVP here.
As public education is dismantled, healthcare access is stripped, voting rights are rolled back, women’s rights are under attack, mass shootings continue unabated, and federal enforcement operates with growing impunity violating human rights, this town hall is designed to move beyond campaign language and into real, consequential accountability from those seeking to lead.
The town hall will be moderated by Nehemiah D. Frank, founder, editor-in-chief, and publisher of The Black Wall Street Times, and will center the voices, concerns, and priorities of Black Tulsans, residents of Congressional District 1, and historically excluded communities as they assess those seeking to represent them in Washington.
John Croisant is a Tulsa Public Schools board member and candidate for Oklahoma’s 1st Congressional District, challenging Republican incumbent Kevin Hern, a MAGA-aligned lawmaker who has consistently backed the Trump administration’s agenda. Croisant brings direct experience in education governance and is running on a platform focused on public schools, healthcare access, civil rights, and economic opportunity.
“As a parent, former teacher turned Tulsa Public School Board Member, and community volunteer, I know that strong communities are built by listening to families and putting people first. Too many Oklahomans are being asked to do more with less while decisions are made without their voices at the table,” Croisant explained.
“I am running to fight for better schools, lower costs for working families, real investment in all communities, and a government that is accountable to the people it serves. The average district 1 citizen—including those whose voices have been historically neglected in this state—deserves to be heard, respected, and prioritized, and I am ready to unseat Kevin Hern and bring that fight to Washington,” Croisant said.
At the Town Hall, Croisant will outline his platform and respond to questions from the moderator and audience, addressing issues impacting those living in Oklahoma’s 1st District: Black voters, working families, young voters, faith communities, and small business owners.
“This town hall is about creating direct access between the community and someone seeking to represent those living in Oklahoma’s 1st District,” said Frank. “At a moment when so much is at stake for our families, our schools, our neighbors and our rights, people deserve more than soundbites. They deserve clarity, substance, and leadership.”
The Black Wall Street Times is a leading Black-led media institution in Oklahoma, recognized nationally for rigorous political reporting, analysis and community-centered journalism grounded in the legacy of Greenwood and the ongoing fight for equity and representation.
This town hall continues that mission by placing voters—not donors, not party leaders—at the center of the political conversation.
The event is free and open to the public. Community members, students, faith leaders, organizers, and voters across the district are strongly encouraged to attend and participate.
RSVP for The Black Wall Street Times’ first candidate town hall of the 2026 midterm election cycle.