Last week, Americans United was honored at the Good Apple Awards, presented by our friends and allies at Oklahoma Appleseed Center for Law & Justice. I joined Alex Luchenitser – AU’s Associate Vice President and Associate Legal Director – for a trip to Tulsa, Okla., to attend a gala hosted by Appleseed and to accept our award for Partner Organization of the Year.
Per Oklahoma Appleseed, The Good Apple Awards celebrate “the year’s accomplishments and recognize Oklahoma’s public interest super heroes.” This year, Appleseed honored six “individuals and organizations who are serving our communities above and beyond the call of duty!”
We heard about the incredible social-justice work that Oklahoma Appleseed does, and we celebrated our recent wins in Oklahoma. We heard inspiring stories from folks who relentlessly pursue justice for domestic-violence survivors, people facing the death penalty, unhoused youth, immigrants, and other marginalized people. It was such an honor to be recognized alongside these fierce advocates.
Over the past year, we’ve cocounseled with Oklahoma Appleseed on two cases challenging actions by (now-former!) Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters. We’ve leaned on Oklahoma Appleseed’s lawyers to provide invaluable knowledge about the political situation and community dynamics on the ground.
This partnership has helped us score two big wins at the Oklahoma Supreme Court. In one case, the court put on hold a set of Christian Nationalist social-studies standards, and in another, the court blocked Walters’ attempts to purchase Bibles and Bible-infused instructional materials.
We’re so thankful for Oklahoma Appleseed, and we look forward to continuing to work alongside them and other local allies to protect the religious freedom of Oklahoma families and public-school children.
Photo: AU attorneys Alex Luchenitser (left) and Luke Anderson in Tulsa, Okla., in September 2025 for Oklahoma Appleseed Center for Law & Justice’s Good Apple Awards.
