POMA Conference & Thank You for Helping the Housers
Here's the latest dispatch.
Good afternoon,
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POMA 2023 Business Conference
I’ve just returned from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, which hosted our 18th annual Professional Outdoor Media Association (POMA) Business Conference.
It was my first time in the Sooner State—making it No. 41 of 50 U.S. states visited. And our conference was a success.
Going into the trip, I was aware that Oklahoma is now divided essentially in half. Look on Google Maps and you’ll see for yourself. Confusing, right? Let me demystify why this is the case.
The Supreme Court ruled four years ago that Eastern Oklahoma—including the Tulsa Metro Area—is Native American land. This is with respect to prosecuting crimes committed on tribal territories. That jurisdiction, the court said, belonged to the tribes and not the state of Oklahoma. Last year, however, that same SCOTUS narrowed the 2019 decision. NPR noted “the state may prosecute crimes committed against Native American victims by non-Indians in Indian country. Bottom line: power to prosecute will most likely now shift back to the state, and away from the federal government.”
Now back to POMA.
We had a jam-packed week with breakout sessions, keynote speakers, seminars, and range day. It was also a period of transition for our Board of Directors - of which I’m a part of. Our president, longtime outdoor PR/media professional Michelle Scheuermann, finished her term and handed the baton to Jen Ripple—a professional fly angler and 2023 inductee into the Southern Fly Fishing Hall of Fame. A bittersweet moment.
Jen promises to kick off her tenure with a bang, and I - along with the rest of our board - look forward to assisting her. POMA Members will soon notice some changes. (Rest assured, positive changes for the better.)
Outdoor media serves a purpose and our organization is eager to shape new and existing voices across hunting, shooting sports, fishing, and adjacent outdoor activities. Few in mainstream media “get” our lifestyle. Our organization seeks to fill the void—especially as longstanding sister groups fold or shutter permanently.
Outdoor journalists and multimedia professionals matter. And we’d like to be an incubator for this niche and refuge for those needing safe harbor.
Going forward, you’ll see POMA involved in more conferences. We won’t shy away from actively engaging folks near and far.
Does this sound like a group for you? We’d love to welcome more into our ranks!
Here are some highlights from the conference:
One of the most fascinating seminars we hosted was the “Stop the Bleed” training by Medic Up Consulting LLC from Los Angeles, California. I’ll dedicate an entire post to the experience next week, so stay tuned.
We were also delighted to welcome News on 6 anchor Tess Maune as our Thursday dinner keynote.
Did these photos give you FOMO? Don’t be jealous. Join us! Our 2024 Business Conference travels to the Palmetto State in May 2024. I know our East Coast members - myself included - will love the location.
Stay tuned for all official details soon!
Thank You for Helping the Housers
On Monday, I shared here that I lost a friend and colleague to cancer. In wake of his tragic passing, many people have generously contributed - myself included - to his memorial fund to help his widow and baby daughter.
As of this writing, over $15,000 has been raised to help them. And in a short span too. What an incredible effort!
ICYMI
Articles/commentary/media appearances from the past week.
MEDIA MENTIONS
My IWF colleague, Patrice Onwuka, plugged me in her recent inflation write-up.
ARTICLES/BLOGS
IWF: SEC Chair Gensler’s Biggest Digital Currency Crackdown Yet
Townhall: IRS Overstepping Bounds With 1099-K Reporting Rule
IWF: Education & Workforce Hearing Doesn’t Go Well For Julie Su
IWF: Ireland Shouldn’t Sacrifice 200K Cows In The Name Of ESG
Podcasts You May Have Missed
Catch up on District of Conservation episodes below.
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—Gabriella