Regina Goodwin

Regina Goodwin, a native of Tulsa, grew up on historic Greenwood Avenue. After graduating from Booker T. Washington High School in 1980, she received a bachelor’s degree in fine arts from the University of Kansas, and completed master’s coursework in animation at Columbia College in Chicago, Illinois. Goodwin, a faithful member of North Peoria Church of Christ, grew up in a loving and community-oriented family. Her grandparents, Bethel and Harold Parker, Jeanne and Ed Goodwin, Sr., and parents Alquita and Ed Goodwin, Jr. instilled the philosophy that “Service is the rent we pay for our room and board on earth.”

Engaged in social justice issues and guided by “The Power of We,” Goodwin was elected to serve as State Representative for Tulsa House District 73 in 2015. After serving 9 years with supportive, capable people, Regina ran and won to become State Senator of Senate District 11 in 2024. She was chosen to serve as deputy assistant floor leader for the Senate Democratic Caucus during the 60th Oklahoma Legislature.

Goodwin fights to improve public education, economic development, health care, housing, voter access and criminal justice reform. Initiating a grassroots effort, she worked with the North Peoria Church of Christ Group who received a $1.6 million planning grant from the Biden Infrastructure Act to partially remove the I-244 highway cutting through the Greenwood District and reconnect the community.

Fair housing rehab was constructed after Goodwin called for a federal Housing and Urban Development investigation. She worked with senior citizens and a lawsuit was favorably settled. Enlisting partners, she helped gain a pardon and freedom for a man wrongly sentenced to life in prison. Goodwin later joined forces with the Jones Family, CeCe Jones Davis, Pastor Keith Jossell and more, to seek justice for Julius Jones. While not released, Julius was removed from death row and his life was saved.

Several of Goodwin’s bills have been signed into law. She was the principal House Author of HB 1357, the Caregiver Support Act, and HB 3393, which banned the shackling of pregnant, incarcerated women during labor and delivery. HB 2253 clarifies voting rights for persons convicted of a felony, and Oklahoma voter registration forms now reflect language from her bill. A “Remembering Black Wall Street” license plate bill and her trailer bill with a more direct funding path included in SB 170 both passed and now help fund Tulsa Juneteenth, Inc.  HB 1629 restores voting rights for those who have commuted sentences to time served, reclassified sentences to time served or pardons from the governor.

Serving as House assistant minority floor leader, she was also past chairwoman of the Oklahoma Legislative Black Caucus from 2019-2021. As a descendant of Tulsa Race Massacre survivors, Goodwin is featured in the Harvard Business School Case Study on the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre and Reparations. In 2021, marking the race massacre centennial, Goodwin and the Tulsa S.T.E.P.S. organization initiated successful community fundraising efforts for the then three known race massacre survivors, all centenarians; Mrs. Viola Ford Fletcher, Mrs. Lessie Benningfield Randle, and the late Mr. Hughes Van Ellis. She sought the aid of Pastor Michael Todd and Transformation Church, who generously donated $600,000, and caring citizens also gave, totaling a $630,000 contribution.

Among treasured survivors, descendants and advocates, Goodwin testified during a U.S. Congressional House Judiciary Committee hearing on the issue of reparations. In 2022, Goodwin and Tulsa S.T.E.P.S. coordinated efforts as philanthropists Ed and Lisa Mitzen/Business for Good, greatly gifted one million dollars to be shared with then three survivors. Leadership by then Rep. Goodwin and Sen. George Young of Oklahoma City secured a bipartisan budget item in historic funding of $1.5 million for an education scholarship trust fund begun by Rep. Don Ross and Sen. Maxine Horner, both of Tulsa, related to the race massacre. The mission is to advance generations of impacted descendants, students and to enhance education.

Goodwin’s genuine service to the community springs from deep roots in Tulsa and has not gone unnoticed. She is the recipient of numerous community service honors, including the AARP State and National Caregiver Awards; Women of Color Expo Woman of the Year Award; the YWCA Through 100 Years; 1 of 100 Women of Moxie Award; the Oklahoma Commission Status of Women Guardian Award; Dialogue Institute Courage in Public Service Award; and the League of Women Voter’s Madame President Award. Goodwin was also named the National Black Caucus of State Legislators (NBCSL) 2022 Legislator of the Year, Region X, and received the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education Distinguished Service Award for Outstanding Legislation.