THE GRADY DIGEST
THE NEWSLETTER OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF GRADY COUNTY OKLAHOMA - February 2026

Rooted in Service, Running for Community: Why I'm Seeking a Seat on Chickasha City Council
By Heather Schenk

In 2009, I moved to Chickasha from California with two young children and a determination to build a stable, meaningful life. I did not come here with political ambitions. I came as a single mother looking for opportunity, affordability, and a community where hard work still matters.

Chickasha gave me that chance.

I began my massage therapy practice at The Fuzz Salon, building my client base one relationship at a time. From there, I opened the Wellness Studio, later worked in the Petroleum Building, and eventually transitioned my practice into my home. Over the years, my business has grown and evolved alongside this town. Through dedication and community support, I have been able to support myself solely through work I feel passionate about.
Because of Chickasha, I was able to raise my son and daughter here as a single mom for most of their lives. I was able to buy my own home - and pay it off. I was able to build stability for my family through small-business ownership and community trust.

Beyond massage therapy, I have taught yoga at Shape Fitness and for various groups in the community. I have witnessed how powerful connection can be - how movement, healing, and shared space bring people together. That sense of connection is part of what makes Chickasha special.
What I love most about this town is its heart. There is a strong undercurrent of art, creativity, and resilience here. From our festivals to our parks, our small businesses to our civic organizations, Chickasha is filled with generous, hardworking people who care deeply about their neighbors.
So why am I running for City Council?

I am running because I believe local government should be accessible, transparent, and centered on people. I am running to represent residents who may not always feel

heard - working families, small-business owners, seniors, young people, and those navigating financial challenges. I want to ensure that as our city grows, the people who already live here are brought along with that growth, not pushed aside by it.

I have never held political office. I am not a career politician. I do not have a political machine behind me, nor do I have a financial interest tied to development or contracts. My only vested interest is in helping this community thrive.

At my core, I am a humanist. People come first. No matter our background, income level, education, or life circumstances, we deserve to stand on equal footing. A strong community recognizes that everyone has value. The person with limited resources still has wisdom and compassion to offer. The person with financial means has an opportunity to uplift others. When we support one another - with time, talent, empathy, or resources - we all rise.

My goals are straightforward:

     - Increase transparency and make city information easier
to access and understand.
     - Advocate for responsible economic development that
benefits current residents.
     - Support neighborhoods in ways that strengthen them rather than displace them.
     - Prioritize practical, people-centered solutions in city decision-making.

The election for Chickasha City Council is April 7. Local elections often have the lowest turnout, yet they are the ones that most directly impact our daily lives - from infrastructure and public safety to economic development & neighborhood stability. Change truly happens at the city level.

Whether you support me or another candidate, I encourage you to get out and vote. Civic participation is how we shape the future of our community.

Chickasha has given me opportunity, stability, and a place to call home. Now I am stepping forward to serve - with integrity, humility, and a deep commitment to the people who make this town what it is.

 

Meeting Notes from February

We had another terrific meeting in February. We heard from our own Heather Schenk who is running for Chickasha City Council. We also got to hear from N'Kiyla "Jasmine" Thomas who is running for the US Senate seat currently occupied by Markwayne Mullin. Join us for our next meeting on March 10th at 6:30 PM in the Emerson Room at Austin Hall on the USAO campus. US Senate Candidate Troy Green will be our guest speaker. We'll see you there!



 

 
What Kind of a Free Country is This?
By Virginia Savage

Just what kind of a free country has paramilitary goons aka ICE, busting out people's windows to then drag them out, throw them on the ground, pepper spray them, kidnap and detain them in "detention centers" aka concentration camps where they are further mistreated with foul food and water, overcrowded conditions, poor medical care and with no access to legal representation; let alone executing peaceful ICE observers in broad daylight in front of witnesses, as if they, ICE goons, were above the law?

What kind of a free country has a so-called president who insists that everyone must agree with him or be sued, detained, arrested; when legacy media tosses millions at this deranged, demented, malignant narcissist? What kind of a free country has an impotent Congress filled with elected officials afraid to say no to their criminal president? We are a free country that is descending into tyranny.

We really must have open and compassionate conversations about just how our little town of Chickasha, the county seat of Grady County, is going to respond when ICE goons show up and start kidnapping our neighbors. We must have these conversations with the City Council, school boards, USAO, which has many international students, with small businesses, restaurants, chambers of commerce, charities and faith communities. How are these entities going to respond when ICE goons show up and kidnap students, workers, or our neighbors?

You all understand that without immigrants this country would not exist. You all understand that immigrants contribute much more than they utilize in terms of resources. You all understand that being in this country without proper immigration documents is a CIVIL offense and not a criminal one, right? This is like getting a traffic ticket for speeding or an out of date inspection sticker. Not a big deal. So, why would this Criminal Regime want to play on Americans' racism and fear of the other? To distract from the real issue, which is and always has been: CLASS WARFARE. Divide and conquer is what the elites have been doing since before the founding of this country.


We must start reading groups to study up on authoritarianism. We thought we were somehow special, protected. That becoming a dictatorship would never happen here, but is has. Books like On Tyranny, by Professor Timothy Snyder, are a good start. The Action Squad is currently reading it. Last year professor Snyder moved to Toronto to teach at their university due to the dangerous political climate in the USA.

This country was built on land that Europeans stole from people already living here. This country was built with the stolen labor of kidnapped Africans. So, maybe instead of teaching school children that the USA is special and exceptional and free, we should be atoning for our wrongs with reparations and respectful treatment of indigenous nations. Maybe we could behave like neighbors helping neighbors.

 

GCDP Action Squad Weekly Protests

Our GCDP Action Squad continued to show up every Thursday in February, protesting the actions of I.C.E., the invasion of Venezuela, and the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti. They will be back out in March, so plan to come join them and have your voice heard!

 

 

UPCOMING EVENTS:

MAR 10 – MONTHY MEETING, 6:30 PM, @ the Emerson Room in Austin Hall at USAO, Chickasha, OK
US Senate Candidate Troy Green will be our special guest speaker.
APR 14 – MONTHY MEETING, 6:30 PM, @ the Emerson Room in Austin Hall at USAO, Chickasha, OK
This will be a planning meeting, so bring your ideas!
MAY 12– MONTHY MEETING, 6:30 PM, @ the Emerson Room in Austin Hall at USAO, Chickasha, OK
This will be a planning meeting for the debate on 05/23/2026.
MAY 23– CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 4 DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE DEBATE, 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM,
@ Grady County Fairgrounds. Candidates Mitchel Jacobs and Jeff Pixley will be our guest debaters.