Les Thomas Sr., Urban Bridge's Executive Director of Community Engagement and Oklahoma State's Hype Man of Hope, shares what it took to move from anger without a blueprint to a life of mentorship and service. The conversation explores fatherhood, emotional growth, afterschool access, and why Oklahoma City must see potential before problems in its young people.
What this conversation explores:
- The personal cost behind a public life of joy
- Growing up without an active father or a clear blueprint
- How fatherhood, military service, and mentorship shaped Les
- Urban Bridge's work with young people in Northeast Oklahoma City
- Why afterschool opportunity and restorative justice matter
- How Oklahoma can invest in its future leaders
Chapter markers:
00:00 Meet Les Thomas Sr.
03:21 The cost behind the Hype Man of Hope
07:44 Where Les's anger began
13:38 Choosing fatherhood and the military
17:11 Military life, pressure, and leadership
24:32 Why Les keeps showing up
29:19 Urban Bridge and youth opportunity
36:40 Advocating for afterschool programs
39:32 Becoming Oklahoma State's hype man
54:45 Where Hope Culture began
1:02:43 What Les hopes for Oklahoma City's youth
1:08:11 Closing: We can win together
Guest bio:
Les Thomas Sr. is the Executive Director of Community Engagement at Urban Bridge and a 2026 Afterschool Ambassador. A native Oklahoman and retired Oklahoma Air National Guard veteran, he is also known as Oklahoma State University's Hype Man of Hope and works across mentoring, youth leadership, speaking, and community engagement.
Links and resources:
- Les Thomas Sr.: https://www.lesthomassr.com/
- Les on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/les-thomas-sr-hype-man-of-hope-400a70a6
- Urban Bridge: https://www.urbanbridge.org/
- Hope Culture Leadership: https://www.urbanbridge.org/hope-culture
- Afterschool Alliance — Oklahoma: https://afterschoolalliance.org/policyStateFacts.cfm?state=OK
- Oklahoma State Athletics: https://okstate.com/news/2017/8/27/general-les-thomas-joins-oklahoma-state-gameday-experience
- Hope Culture clothing line: No current store or URL was stated.
- Heroes In Waiting: https://heroesinwaiting.org/assemblies/
- “Will and Cubis” podcast: `[Name/spelling and link needed]`
Content note: Includes non-graphic discussion of neighborhood violence, juvenile court involvement, incarceration, depression, anxiety, and absent fathers.
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