LOCAL: Stories, Streets, and the Spirit of Route 66

CreativeMornings Tulsa returns March 20 with the global theme LOCAL, and this month’s conversation feels especially fitting for our city.

The theme was chosen by the CreativeMornings chapter in Santos, Brazil. In Portuguese, local means being a resident or native of a particular place. The idea goes deeper than geography.

Their chapter described it this way:

“We are proud to be from Santos. The feeling of loving the city but sometimes moving away. The benefits of belonging somewhere.”

That sense of belonging resonates strongly here in Tulsa, a city where history, creativity, and entrepreneurship intersect in unexpected ways.

Few places embody that spirit more than Route 66.

For this month’s gathering, we are excited to welcome Roniet Sachs, a community storyteller and placemaker working to bring new energy to Tulsa’s historic Mother Road.

Roniet serves as Placemaking Strategist for the Tulsa Market District at the Lobeck Taylor Family Foundation, where she collaborates with entrepreneurs, artists, and community partners to activate public spaces, support small businesses, and create experiences that bring people together.

Her work focuses on making Tulsa a place where creativity, local business, and community connections flourish.

Roniet’s relationship with Tulsa and Route 66 began in a way she never expected.

Originally from Los Angeles, she moved to Tulsa just two and a half years ago. At the time, she did not realize that the iconic highway connecting Chicago to the Pacific Ocean would soon become a central part of her life.

There is an irony in that journey.

Route 66 famously ends in Santa Monica, just miles from where Roniet once lived.

Today she works along 11th Street in Tulsa’s Market District, helping tell the stories of the entrepreneurs, artists, and local champions who keep the spirit of the Mother Road alive.

In her CreativeMornings talk, Roniet will explore how Tulsa became known as the Capital of Route 66, the legacy of Cyrus Avery, often called the Father of Route 66, and the vibrant community of businesses and cultural spaces that continue to define the corridor today.

She will also share what lies ahead as Tulsa prepares for the 100th anniversary of Route 66 in 2026, a milestone that will bring new attention to the city’s history and future.

At its core, Roniet’s story is about something deeper than a highway.

It is about how people create place.

The entrepreneurs who open shops along historic streets.
The neighbors who gather for events and celebrations.
The artists, builders, and dreamers who invest their energy into a city they believe in.

These are the stories that make a place feel like home.

They are the stories we are excited to explore together this month.

⸻

Join Us

📅 March 20
⏰ 8:30 AM
📍 Gradient
12 N Cheyenne Ave

CreativeMornings Tulsa is free and open to everyone.

Come for the coffee, stay for the conversation, and leave with a deeper appreciation for the people and places that make our city local.