The Oklahoma Bar Journal May 2026

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JUNE 3, 1910 Macon, Georgia

I’ve been meaning to write for a while now. There’s been so much weighing on me lately that I figured putting pen to paper might help me breathe a little easier. At least these words are mine, and no one can take them from me. This morning starts like most others. I woke up before the sun rose, my back aching from another restless night on the old, stiff cot. Mama was already awake and in the kitchen, stirring the pot of grits for breakfast. My younger siblings were still asleep, curled up under the patched blankets and quilts, unaware of the long day we have ahead. Outside, the fields stretched wide, and they stood still. Read the full essay at www.okbar.org/lawday.

1. Thalia Grace Campos First Place 12th Grade Art Union High School, Tulsa

2. Aubrey Hastings First Place 11th Grade Writing Vanguard Academy, Broken Arrow

3. Manuel Sanchez and Vianey Gonzalez First Place 11th Grade Art Poteau High School, Poteau

4. Alexis McKee Second Place 11th Grade Art Warner High School, Warner

MAY 2026 | 51

THE OKLAHOMA BAR JOURNAL