Lori Nair, a Tulsa business owner, started her shop by accident 22 years ago when her daughter needed a special bag for her wheelchair. She began sewing and eventually branched out into embroidery. Her love of being in Tulsa and the support of her team at Tatermash Embroidery have helped her business grow so much that she opened a factory location near 31st and Harvard in the city.
Tulsa has seen an increase in female business ownership, with a score of 61/100 in the latest Equality Indicator data. This reflects the positive trend of the city’s support for women entrepreneurs. Networking with other small businesses has been key to Nair’s success, highlighting the importance of community support in business.
On the other hand, Tulsa saw a significant drop in homelessness due to disability status, with the score falling from 35/100 in 2018 to 20/100. Homeless Walt Lewis, who uses a wheelchair, shared his struggle and the need for more resources to support individuals facing homelessness. Mayor GT Bynum acknowledges these challenges as part of a larger narrative for the city of Tulsa.
The stories of Lori Nair’s success as a business owner and Walt Lewis’s challenges as a homeless person reflect different experiences within the Tulsa community. Despite their different realities, both emphasize the importance of support systems and resources in shaping the overall landscape of a city.