Hey, Tulsa! Ready for a story about a fellow Tulsan that's going to hit you in the feels? When KJRH visited Able & Co. in downtown Jenks in 2025, Willie Steele was there to greet customers. “Welcome in,” he said. Two words, delivered as part of his workday. To understand what that welcome meant to Willie, though, we have to follow his journey back to a time when finding the right place to work wasn't so simple.

Willie graduated from high school in 2017. He tried other jobs and later described some of those experiences as difficult. His mother, Shameeka Steele, helped him discover Bridges, a Tulsa-area organization that prepares people with disabilities and other employment barriers for meaningful work. According to Bridges CEO Karie M. Jordan, Willie first visited and volunteered briefly to see whether it was a good fit. He eventually became part of the team. When Karie later talked about his early days, she remembered a question that had stayed with her. And, as it turned out, with Shameeka too.

Karie recalled that question during a conversation Willie, Shameeka and she shared on Tulsa Area United Way's Live United podcast in December 2025. Willie talked about enjoying teamwork and learning how to do different jobs. He liked earning his own money, too. Getting to buy things without relying as much on his parents gave him another measure of independence. He spoke about friendships at work and outside it. These are the ordinary pieces of adult life that Willie was glad to have a larger hand in shaping.

Shameeka had watched him change. She described an earlier period when Willie often stayed in his room at home. As his work and friendships developed, she saw him become more talkative, more involved and more excited to go to work. Her perspective carries extra weight because she knows Bridges as both Willie's mother and an employee there. During the podcast, she talked about the changes she was making as his mother.

Karie remembered asking Willie a question when he was first getting involved at Bridges. Before he could answer, Shameeka spoke for him. She was accustomed to looking out for her son and had fallen into the habit of answering on his behalf. Karie redirected the question to Willie. She wanted his answer. In the podcast, Shameeka recalled being taken aback at first. Later, she understood why that moment had stayed with her.

Shameeka came to recognize how often she'd been stepping in to speak on Willie's behalf. She began giving him more room to express his own opinions and make choices. Willie spoke about his mother becoming more patient, and he readily acknowledged that they still have the everyday disagreements familiar to plenty of families. Their relationship was growing alongside his independence. That shift took practice, in conversations and everyday decisions as much as at work.

The name Bridges fits what the organization is trying to do. There's a gap between wanting to work and finding a place where your abilities can be put to use. Since 1964, Bridges has helped people navigate that gap through training, coaching and employment opportunities. Its Jenks stores, Able & Co. and Bridges Mercantile, are among the places where people can learn and contribute. For Willie, part of the crossing was being given room to say what he wanted for himself.

By the time of the December interview, Willie could describe what the work had brought into his life. He valued his coworkers and the friends he had made beyond work. He could buy things with money he earned and take a greater part in decisions affecting him. When Karie spoke about his growing ability to advocate for himself, Willie agreed. He was there, telling the story in his own words.

Now let's return to the store in Jenks and the welcome KJRH recorded. In KJRH's 2025 report, Willie put his experience into words: “I do have a place in this world.” KJRH documented both his greeting and that answer. The United Way podcast reveals more about how he and his mother reached this point.

There's a reason I wanted to share Willie's story with you, Tulsa. Around our city, other people are searching for an opportunity, a connection or the chance to make their own choices. An introduction, a chance to work, or someone willing to listen can make a difference. Bridges is one place to explore; its website describes its programs and ways to get involved. You may find another local organization whose work means just as much to you.

If Willie's story stays with you, I hope it does more than make you smile. Find a cause you care about. Ask what would genuinely help. Give someone the space to share what they want for their own life. Sometimes the first thing you can offer is a question—and the space for someone else to answer.