Dr. Alicia Odewale
The amazing Explorers and Speakers of National Geographic Live return to the Auditorium Theatre this season! This touring series brings to life awe-inspiring stories from around the world to our stage. The first engagement in this series of special events is “Greenwood: A Century of Resilience,” on January 29 with guest speaker and National Geographic Explorer Dr. Alicia Odewale.
In Oklahoma, The Tulsa Race Massacre impacted the very footprint of the Greenwood district itself. Dr. Odewale is an African Diaspora Archaeologist uncovering stories of resilience surrounding the Historic Greenwood District over the last 100 years. Now, unacknowledged and buried stories are coming to light celebrating a community’s survival against all odds.
We caught up with Dr. Odewale to learn more about her journey to becoming an explorer with the legendary National Geographic.
“It’s definitely not something I dreamed of doing when I was a little girl, I didn’t know what a National Geographic Explorer was, let alone that I could become one, so I actually get this question a lot, especially from students because there’s no single path to becoming one.”
Dr. Odewale explains one route to becoming an Explorer is to apply and be awarded a grant through the National Geographic Society. Her path was slightly different and began with developing her speaking series “Greenwood: A Century of Resilience“.
“This invitation was really timely because this all happened in 2021, the centennial year of the Tulsa Race Massacre. I had been looking for ways that we could continue to tell Greenwood’s story outside of formal classroom spaces, keep Greenwood in the forefront of public discussions of Black heritage sites, and at the same time tear down the myth that Greenwood/Black Wall Street was destroyed in 1921, and no longer exists today.”
In the process of developing the speaking event, she learned about available grants, and in the summer of 2022, Dr. Odewale got her first Nat Geo grant and officially became a National Geographic Explorer.
Although being a fairly new Explorer, Dr. Odewale reflects on how much there is to learn about holding this title and what opportunities and resources are available to her now, moreover, how she can use these new connections to help her family, community, and her students.
“But so far from what I’ve learned, being part of the Explorer community means joining a network of people who are all doing amazing things in the world using the National Geographic platform. In the short time I’ve been an Explorer, I’ve met photographers, rocket scientists, primatologists, marine biologists, Egyptologists, wildlife conservationists, and archaeologists from all corners of the world.”
Dr. Odewale on research site.
We asked if there were any funny memories on the road, considering the story of Greenwood has been brought/shared all around the country.
“One thing I love about my job is that I can be a mom, a professor, an archaeologist, and a National Geographic Explorer all at once. And having the ability to experience other places and travel with my babies is the best part of the adventure,” says Dr. Odewale.
During one trip to Seattle’s neighboring city, Poulsbo, their family was greeted to everyone in town dressed up as Vikings with long beards and horned helmets surrounded by the old English-style architecture. “My daughter started shouting ‘we’re in the How to Train Your Dragon movie, mommy,’” Dr. Odewale laughs. This began a quest all over town to find dragons and produced hearty laughs when attempting to pull a sword from a stone unsuccessfully.
A similar scenario happened when the family visited The Villages in Florida – a dedicated community that is mostly comprised of retired citizens where the main form of transportation is via golf cart! “It was so cool to see everyone driving tricked-out golf carts…We rented a cart and took a joy ride around town, but the funniest thing was being challenged to a cart race while we were waiting to cross the bridge. That was the slowest race I have ever been a part of and we were laughing the entire time.”
Dr. Odewale noted her excitement for the future and her gratitude for the opportunity to share her speaking series and this story with the world. Moreover, she emphasized the great impact present in experiencing every new city.
“[It] has given something back to us when we find something new to explore, and my kids and I learn about what life is like in a new place. Every place has its own secret history, its own stories, its own heritage sites, and I’m grateful I get to explore all of it both in and outside of my classroom.”
Experience incredible first-hand stories of discovery from Tulsa, Oklahoma with Dr. Odewale on January 29, and don’t miss out on future National Geographic Live events. Later this season, we delve into the controversial science of de-extinction, as well as learn about the world beneath the surface of the Earth’s oceans. This series has something for everyone! Come explore with us!
National Geographic Live Upcoming Events at the Auditorium:
Greenwood: A Century of Resilience – January 29 with guest speaker Dr. Alicia Odewale
How to Clone a Mammoth – March 26 with guest speaker Dr. Beth Shaprio
Coral Kingdom and Empires of Ice – April 30 with guest speakers David Doubilet and Jennifer Hayes
