When Tulsa employee Raven Spirit Girty wears her ribbon skirt, like she did at last month’s Native Day parade in Tulsa, she’s embracing more than tradition. The garment is a vibrant symbol of Indigenous pride, female strength and cultural continuity.
“I wear my ribbon skirt year-round to normalize Native fashion and share my love for my tribe and family,” she said. “It’s also a way to tell our stories.”
Her family makes ribbon skirts together, turning the process into a celebration of womanhood and heritage. “We talk, connect and pass down skills to the next generation.”
Cherokee Strength Through History
Girty, a member of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, is a leader of Williams’ Native employee resource group. She said events like the Tulsa parade and now, Native American Heritage Month, are an opportunity to share the rich and sometimes painful histories of Native communities.
“Cherokees are a strong group of people,” she said. “We have overcome incredible odds. We have lived through so many atrocities, but we come out stronger. We continue to build as a nation.”
She said her parents, aunt and uncles and grandmother find ways to incorporate history and living culture into daily life, through hunting, foraging, cooking and art.
“Family bonds are so strong in Native culture and all generations of my family are continually taught the importance of connection. Connection to the land, each other and to our faith.”
The Native ERG is hosting an all-employee event this month featuring William D. Lowe, former Speaker of the House of the Muscogee Nation National Council, and president of the American Indian Chamber of Commerce of Oklahoma, who will speak on leadership and emotional intelligence.
Why Inclusion Matters
Girty encourages others at Williams to join ERGs as members or allies, to learn how inclusion fosters understanding and also professional development opportunities.
“No matter which ERG you join, you’ll learn something new, build meaningful relationships and find a space where you can grow both personally and professionally,” she said.
Girty joined Williams in 2021 and worked in Supply Chain roles before her current role as a Business Transformation specialist. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management from Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, in the heart of the Cherokee Nation.
Learn more about working at Williams on our Careers site.