Voices of OKC

In this episode, Emanuel Rivera shares his journey from Southside Chicago to Oklahoma, his mixed martial arts and ballroom background, and how he founded The Come-Up Foundation to bring martial arts, discipline, and mentorship to kids in schools and community centers.

We hear how the program builds leadership and emotional control, the anti-bullying and life-skills curriculum, school partnerships, and a win story that shows how young people’s lives are being transformed.

 

What You Will Hear in This Episode

• Emmanuel Rivera’s journey from South Side Chicago to Oklahoma
• Growing up without discipline, direction, or consistent role models
• Early trouble, hard lessons, and the turning point that changed his path
• Competing in mixed martial arts and how discipline reshaped his life
• How heart issues ended his fighting career and opened the door to purpose
• The origin of The Come Up Foundation and why mentorship comes before martial arts
• Why boxing and MMA reduce violence instead of increasing it
• Teaching emotional control, leadership, and resilience through training
• Partnering with City Center, schools, and community hubs instead of opening gyms
• Bringing The Come Up Foundation into Oklahoma City Public Schools
• The role Emmanuel’s mother played in instilling hope and accountability
• Practical steps for changing your life by changing your environment and habits
• The long-term vision for The Come Up Foundation across OKC neighborhoods
• A powerful success story of a young man whose life was completely redirected
• Why small moments of mentorship can shape a lifetime

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Key Quotes

“Mixed martial arts is the worm on the hook. The real change is the mentorship.”
“Discipline and emotional control will take you further than talent ever will.”
“If you hang out with five losers, you’ll be the sixth. If you hang out with five winners, it’s inevitable.”
“There’s no gratification like changing someone else’s life.”
“Sometimes you’re doing more impact than you even realize.”

What you will hear in this episode:

In this episode of Voices of OKC, Jed sits down with Dr. Wayne Chappelle, a licensed clinical and sports psychologist whose work spans elite military units, professional athletics, and high-performance leaders across the country.

Dr. Chappelle currently serves as a Sports Psychologist for the OKC Thunder and previously led the Aeromedical Operational Psychology Program for the Air Force Research Laboratory, where he studied what he calls the Psychology of a Hero. His work focused on identifying the mindset, resilience, and personality traits required to succeed in extreme, high-stakes environments.

Together, they explore why hardship can become a hidden advantage, how mindset shapes outcomes over time, and why people who endure difficult seasons are better equipped for long-term success. This conversation challenges the idea that comfort leads to growth and offers a grounded, hopeful perspective on resilience, purpose, and personal responsibility.

If you’ve ever wondered why some people keep moving forward when life gets heavy, this episode is for you.

Key Takeaways from the Conversation

• Why mindset is often the deciding factor between potential and performance
• How experiencing hard things can actually increase resilience and long-term success
• What elite military operators and professional athletes have in common mentally
• Why discomfort, pressure, and adversity often sharpen clarity and purpose
• How self-awareness and mental discipline shape outcomes over time

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Memorable Quotes

"You don't become resilient by avoiding hard things. You become resilient by going through them.”

"Pressure doesn't create character. It reveals it.”

"Mindset is the filter through which everything else passes.”

About the Guest

Dr. Wayne Chappelle is a licensed clinical psychologist and board-certified by the American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP). With over 20 years of experience, he has worked at the intersection of psychology, performance, and resilience, serving elite military personnel, professional athletes, and high-performing leaders. His work blends psychological testing, behavioral analysis, and real-world observation to understand what allows people to thrive under pressure.

Call to Action

Voices of OKC is produced at City Center, a nonprofit in the heart of Oklahoma City that empowers youth and families through mentorship, resources, and opportunities.

If this episode challenged or encouraged you:
• Subscribe to Voices of OKC
• Share this episode with someone who needs it
• Learn more about City Center and how you can support the work happening in our community

 

Real PEOPLE. Real HOPE. Real OKC.

What You Will Hear in This Episode

• The launch of Voices of OKC and why spotlighting local difference makers matters.

• Jeff Morfield's upbringing as a military brat, moving constantly, and attending six different schools.

• Living overseas during the Cold War, growing up in Germany, and witnessing life behind the Iron Curtain.

• A terrifying encounter in East Berlin and how it shaped Jeff’s understanding of freedom.

• Returning to Oklahoma just before the OKC bombing, and how that moment propelled him toward law enforcement.

• Serving 22 years as a police officer and deploying with the Oklahoma Army National Guard to combat zones.

• The unseen toll of law enforcement and military service, exposure to hundreds of critical incidents.

• How trauma compounds over time and why first responders often lack healthy outlets.

• The coping mechanisms no one talks about, drinking, gambling, infidelity, and silent suffering.

• A defining officer-involved shooting in 2021 and realizing something had to change.

• The reintegration struggle after deployment and wearing the uniform for decades.

• Discovering a massive gap in transition support for retiring first responders.

• Research showing first responders die 5–7 years earlier than the general population.

• Why Jeff chose to create a nonprofit instead of a for-profit solution.

• The vision and symbolism behind the On Call Project name and logo.

• Launching the Thriving Responder course focused on personal development, not just tactics.

• The Beyond the Badge program helping first responders transition into civilian careers.

• Addressing identity loss, mental health, finances, physical health, and spiritual wellbeing.

• Building pathways, resumes, certifications, and real employment opportunities.

• What hope truly means for first responders standing at the edge of retirement.

• Separating role from identity and learning it’s okay to take the uniform off.

Key Quotes

“Freedom isn’t something you understand until you see a world without it.”

“Police officers see 600 to 800 critical incidents in a career. Most people see four or five in a lifetime.”

“You weren’t meant to carry all of that and walk away untouched.”

“When the uniform comes off, it’s not ‘see you later.’ It shouldn’t be.”

“We onboard people intentionally, then throw them to the wind when they’re done.”

“The tattered ‘O’ represents the life we lived. The ‘Project’ is the path forward.”“Hope is understanding there is a pathway forward.”

“Police officer was my role. Husband and father are my identity.”

“It’s okay to take it off. Nobody thinks less of you.”

“God can redeem the hardest experiences and use them to bring life to others.”

Marcus Jackson recounts his path from a music-loving kid in Northeast Oklahoma City to co-founding the Bridge Impact Center (Urban Bridge), a holistic youth center. He explains how mentors, music education, and community support shaped his vision.

The episode highlights the Bridge’s practical approach—incentives like Bridge Bucks, hands-on stations, mental health supports, and community partnerships—that helped secure a brick-and-mortar space and serve over 200 teens, creating pathways for leadership and hope across OKC.

What You Will Hear in This Episode

• Marcus Jackson’s upbringing in Northeast OKC, being the youngest, feeling awkward, and getting in trouble outside the house
• Being diagnosed with ADD in third grade, and how “having the info” didn’t mean having support
• A real picture of neighborhood life, “busy” summers, latchkey days, and uneven access to good vs. bad
• The turning point, how a band teacher recognized Marcus’ talent, pulled him toward Classen, and possibly saved his trajectory
• Why mentors matter, not 24/7, but showing up consistently in their lane
• How music became Marcus’ pathway to confidence, discipline, and purpose, plus the “ADD as a superpower” idea when you lock in
• The role of strong parenting, boundaries, respect, and a mom who didn’t play
• The deeper question behind hope, what are you looking forward to, do you know what you love, do you know what you’re good at
• How society can talk people out of their calling, “too old,” “too young,” “get a real career”
• Marcus’ path into faith-based music, then youth leadership, then full-time community work
• Meeting Vernon Dees, building momentum through youth ministry, and scaling a school-based model from 6 schools to 31
• Compassion fatigue, family pressure, and doing what he had to do, including commercial plumbing, while still serving kids
• The night Marcus realized “filling a room” wasn’t the same as transformation, “cutting yards vs landscaping”
• The birth of the Bridge vision, more time, holistic support, and a space built around what teens actually need
• The Bridge “buffet” model, choice-based stations, adult-led programs, incentives, and autonomy that actually moves the needle
• The gritty early days, coffee shop whiteboards, working at Ross at 4:30am, no money, no team, just faith and grind
• The miracle moments, a church buying a building to make the youth center possible, and a six-figure check that forced infrastructure to level up
• A powerful story from the ice storm, meeting a kid walking 10 blocks for Wi-Fi, and how the Bridge became a lifeline
• The long game, five years to open the doors, serving 200+ teens annually, and building leaders from the teens themselves
• Why OKC is uniquely positioned to innovate in youth and community development, and why it’s a city-wide effort

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Key Quotes

“This is a team sport.”

“Living where I lived, you just never know who’s gonna walk up, what they’re gonna say, what kind of scheme they got going on.”

“It was easier for me to join a gang than it was for me to find a mentor.”

“She told me, I see who you hang out with and you’re too talented. You need to go somewhere else.”

“He expected excellence because he believed I could do it.”

“ADD can be a superpower. When you lock into something you love, you can really lock in.”

“We were cutting yards, but we weren’t landscaping.”

“We need more time, and we need to stop the silo of ministry focus and start looking at the whole person.”

“We’re going to be the buffet. The trickiest thing about a buffet is you think you chose what you ate, but it was already cooked.”

“Five years is what it took for us to open those doors.”

“Oklahoma City is prime for being leaders in innovating how we serve young people, families, and communities.”

Kelli Masters is an attorney, sports agent, author, and speaker known for breaking barriers in sports and law. A former National and World Champion baton twirler and Miss Oklahoma 1997, she earned her Juris Doctorate with Honors from the University of Oklahoma.

After beginning her legal career in litigation, she became a Certified NFL Sports Agent in 2005 and founded KMM Sports. In 2010, she made history as the first woman to represent a top-five NFL Draft pick. Today, Kelli leads KMM Sports, heads High Impact Life Ministries, and inspires audiences nationwide through her book and speaking.

What You Will Hear in This Episode

• How Kelly Masters grew up as an Oklahoma native and lifelong OU football fan
• The childhood drive that began with baton twirling and perfectionism
• Kelly’s breaking point in law school and the moment she truly discovered hope
• Surrendering fear, identity, and achievement to God
• How winning Miss Oklahoma opened the door to law school
• Building a law practice focused on service to ministries, foundations, and missions
• The unexpected introduction to sports agency work
• Becoming the first woman to represent a drafted NFL player
• Launching KMM Sports in Oklahoma City when everyone told her it was impossible
• Growing a nationwide agency representing 30+ athletes
• The underdog story of Cooper McDonald making the Kansas City Chiefs roster
• Kelly’s practical steps for discerning purpose, hearing God’s voice, and walking in obedience
• Why spiritual mentors matter and how fear tried to shape her life
• A powerful encouragement for listeners who feel overlooked, weary, or forgotten

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Key Quotes

"Hope didn’t get real for me until the moment I surrendered and realized God’s love was actually for me."

"When you're driven by fear, nothing you accomplish is ever enough. Surrender changes everything."

"I told God, whatever You ask me to do, the answer is yes, even if it means scrubbing toilets."

"I didn’t think I belonged in the sports agent world, but that’s exactly where God called me to be."

"Everyone told me starting an agency in Oklahoma City was crazy, but I had peace. I knew what God said."

"God has not forgotten you. His promises are for you. He is an on-time God, even when it feels delayed."

"He will bless you, and until then, He will keep you."

 

Ron "Spinozi" Benton: From a 250 Dollar Bet to a Christmas Movement

In this inspiring and wildly entertaining episode of Voices of OKC, Jed sits down with Ron "Spinozi" Benton, beloved radio   host from The Morning Animals on The Sports Animal, and the unexpected heart behind one of Oklahoma City's most powerful holiday traditions, 12 Days with Spinozi.

What began as a lost $250 college football bet turned into a chain reaction of generosity that now provides Christmas gifts for thousands of kids every year through City Center. Ron shares the unbelievable story of how Mike Gundy mailed him a personal check, how listeners flooded him with donations, and how driving around OKC picking up envelopes of support became a holiday movement.

You will hear hilarious behind-the-scenes moments, deeply emotional encounters, and the story of how Spinozi unknowingly became Santa to Jed’s young daughter at a moment her little heart desperately needed hope.

Through laughter, storytelling, and heartfelt honesty, Ron reveals why he feels called to show up for people, whether through Christmas fundraising, reading to schoolkids, or picking up strangers on freezing bus stop days, because “if you do not see the miracle, be the miracle.”

What You Will Hear in This Episode

• How Spinozi accidentally became Santa to a City Center child
• The OSU football bet that sparked a massive Christmas outreach
• Mike Gundy's handwritten check that started it all
• How Facebook and Twitter exploded the moment Ron said, "I will come pick it up."
• The birth of 12 Days with Spinozi
• Donors climbing off ladders, stopping at work, and lining up to be part of something meaningful
• OG&E drivers volunteering and becoming part of the tradition
• A wish list from a child asking for one bed to share with two siblings
• Bob Stoops is calling the show in tears, asking, “How can I help?"
• Why Ron believes everyone wants to help, they just need someone they can trust

Why This Episode Matters

This episode captures the heart of OKC: neighbors helping neighbors, small gifts turning into big miracles, and one man using his platform to bring hope during the holidays. Spinozi's story shows how generosity multiplies and how one person's yes can change thousands of lives.

Key Quote

“If you do not see the miracle, be the miracle.”

Toby Brown: Entrepreneur, Investor, and Purpose-Driven Leader

In this empowering episode of Voices of OKC, Jed sits down with Toby Brown, Founder and CEO of The Brown Group, whose portfolio spans real estate, fitness, spirits, automotive, banking, private lending, and more. Toby’s journey is a powerful example of discipline, faith, and transformation.

Raised in Arkansas before moving to Oklahoma, Toby shares how he went from an eight year corporate job to discovering real estate and how one commission check changed the direction of his life. He explains the principles behind building long term wealth, including buying distressed homes, leveraging assets, reinvesting into new verticals, and staying committed to growth.

Toby also talks about the importance of mentorship and exposure, recalling his early experiences seeking guidance and vowing to become the kind of mentor he never had. His authenticity, leadership style, and people first mindset have made him a respected voice in Oklahoma City and a powerful example for young entrepreneurs.

One of the most impactful parts of this episode is Toby’s vulnerable story of hitting rock bottom at nineteen, dropping out of college, getting involved with the wrong crowd, and feeling lost. A former referee and friend, James Booth, stepped in when no one else did and helped redirect Toby’s life. From there, Toby rebuilt himself through education, hard work, and a renewed commitment to purpose, eventually earning his associate’s, bachelor’s, and master’s degrees while working multiple jobs.

Today, Toby invests back into the next generation. Through leadership classes at City Center, he has inspired students to launch businesses, build confidence, and see a future far bigger than their circumstances. This conversation is full of wisdom, honesty, and practical steps for anyone navigating purpose, business, or personal growth.

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What You Will Hear in This Episode

• Toby’s journey from Arkansas to Oklahoma City
• Leaving corporate America to become an entrepreneur
• Building wealth through real estate and strategic leverage
• Why authenticity and people skills matter in business
• How mentorship and exposure change young lives
• Toby’s lowest moment at age nineteen and the mentor who helped redirect his future
• Rebuilding his life through education, discipline, and faith
• Why discomfort is essential for growth and purpose

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Key Quotes

“You do not go from success to success. You go from failure to success.”
“The comfort zone is where dreams go to die.”
“God has a promise for you, but you cannot reach the promise without the process.”

Jack and Jay Evans: Twin Brothers, Builders, Developers, and Breakers of Generational Cycles

In this inspiring episode of Voices of OKC, Jed sits down with Jack and Jay Evans, identical twins, successful Oklahoma developers and homebuilders, and longtime supporters of City Center. Their story is one of resilience, family, hard work, and breaking generational cycles that often repeat themselves.

Jack and Jay share openly about growing up with deaf parents, navigating childhood poverty, relying on the Salvation Army for Christmas gifts and basic needs, and experiencing many of the same struggles faced by City Center youth today. They talk about the emotional weight of empty refrigerators, utilities being shut off, and the embarrassment of inviting friends into a home their parents struggled to maintain.

Despite these challenges, the brothers made a conscious determination to build a different kind of future. They worked full time while taking night classes, completed associate degrees through Enid’s Higher Education Center, and eventually transferred to UCO to finish their education. They often commuted from Enid just to attend class. Their journey is a masterclass in grit, discipline, and refusing to stay stuck in generational patterns.

Today, Jack and Jay lead respected companies across the Oklahoma City metro. Jay is the owner of Two Structures Homes, focused on building quality homes that give families dignity and generational opportunity. Jack oversees Caris Holdings, a vertically integrated development group that includes land development, homebuilding, rentals, and construction services. Both are deeply committed to using their influence to strengthen the community.

The brothers also share how they became connected with City Center, first through the Spinozi Christmas campaign, then through attending the annual gala, hearing powerful stories, and touring Santa’s workshop. They were moved by the dignity-based giving model, where parents choose their kids’ gifts, and by how much City Center maximizes impact with limited overhead. Their support has been transformative, and their story deeply resonates with families who have lived similar experiences.

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What You Will Hear in This Episode

• Jack and Jay's upbringing with deaf parents
• Childhood poverty, empty refrigerators, and help from the Salvation Army
• How they broke out of generational patterns
• Working full-time and taking four night classes each week
• Commuting from Enid to UCO to finish their degrees
• Starting and growing Two Structures Homes and Caris Holdings
• Why they believe homeownership creates generational change
• Their first impressions of City Center and why they chose to support it
• The importance of dignity, stewardship, and hope

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Key Quotes

"We did not just grow up without money. We grew up in poor ways."
"You can change your situation incrementally. A little today, more tomorrow."
"There is no balance in business. You do what needs to be done."
"Hope is dreaming, then acting on those dreams."