Monthly Focus Meetings, PLUS
Held on the last Wednesday of each month at 2:00 PM, these meetings are in partnership with Texas A&M AgriLife. Each gathering will feature shared best practices, per topic, from each cemetery lead. Advance Training hours apply to Master Naturalists.
- A walk-through of the nearby CLM pilot cemetery site following indoor discussions.
Oakland Cemetery Community Outreach Meeting & Tour
September 24, 2025 – 2:00 PM
MLK Community Center – Activity Room B
2922 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard
Dallas, Texas 75215
214-670-8418
Followed by Guided Tour at the Oakland Cemetery Prairie Restoration
Oakland Cemetery
3900 Oakland Avenue
Dallas, Texas 75215
Why We’re Gathering
Oakland Cemetery is honored to be recognized as one of the stars in the Constellation of Living Memorials. We are bringing together our community leaders to share the initiatives Oakland has been developing and to explore how our grounds can serve as a resource for strengthening our neighborhood.
From education and wellness to opportunities for reflection, exercise, and meditation, we hope to reimagine the role of a historic cemetery in supporting the revitalization and well-being of the surrounding community.
Together, we can reimagine Oakland as a place of remembrance, renewal, and pride, where history and nature walk hand in hand.
What We Need to Ask Together
• What does the community need from Oakland Cemetery? A place that feels inclusive, beautiful, and respectful of ancestors—offering pride, safety, and opportunities for youth.
• What does Oakland Cemetery need? Support for the restoration and ongoing maintenance of its grounds, along with welcoming community engagement that reimagines historic cemeteries as respectful shared spaces—open to the community for health, well-being, and educational opportunities that benefit the neighborhood.
• What does CLM need to support Oakland? Community voices, neighborhood leadership, and shared stewardship to guide and sustain the work.
What CLM Has to Offer
• Entrance Landscape: Professionally designed plan (pro bono by Matt Stubbs), installation facilitated by Corrin Breeding. (pending final approval of Oakland Cemetery Board).
• Funding: CLM provides funding for native plants and seeds for the entrance and prairie restoration.
• CLM Scholarships: For neighbors to become Master Naturalists, Master Gardeners, or 4-H youth leaders.
• Training & Support: Workshops, advanced training, and mentorship through Texas A&M AgriLife Extension.
Who You’ll Hear From on September 24
• Moderator: May Rigby – CLM Public Health Outreach Coordinator
• Lynn McBee – Civic Leader, Oakland Cemetery and Oak Cliff Cemetery Board Member
• Kristi Lichtenberg – Executive Director, Cornerstone Crossroads Academy
• Destinie Sykes – President, Wheatley Place Neighborhood Association
• Matt Orwat – Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Agent
• Paul Franklin – Dallas Outreach Director – Wall Project
• Cemetery tour led by Monica Newbury –Oakland Administrator & CLM Volunteer Cemetery Lead
What We’ll Do Together
• Shape the Future: Gather input on what the community most needs from Oakland today.
• Build a Timeline Together:
- If there is community interest, set priorities for entrance planting, prairie restoration, and youth programming.
- Plan community events for Fall/Winter 2025 through 2026 and beyond.
- Open enrollment for the 2026 Master Naturalist and Master Gardener classes—with scholarships available.
• Tour the Cemetery: Walk the prairie restoration site and imagine together what Oakland can become.
✨As a star in the Constellation of Living Memorials, planting seeds of renewal for generations to come.✨