TULSA, Okla. – The Donut Hole on Brookside was bustling with a line out the door as community members gathered for a free donut and a chance to reconnect with familiar faces. The event, hosted by “The Queens Dirty Dozens,” aimed to bring people together and show resilience in the face of recent challenges.
The donut shop had previously been targeted by vandals, who had struck the store two separate times, causing fear and concern within the community. Despite the setbacks, Josie Lee Turrelle expressed gratitude for the overwhelming support, stating, “It’s awesome, it feels really good because when everything happened, it was really scary.”
In a positive turn of events, a judge recently sentenced the individual responsible for throwing a Molotov cocktail into the store to five years in prison, with the sentence being enhanced due to it being classified as a hate crime. This verdict brought a sense of closure and justice to the community.
Johanna Merrill, a dedicated patron of the donut shop, expressed her admiration for the shop’s resilience, stating, “That saddens my heart but they came back, and they came back full force so that opens my heart as well.”
Sasha Turrelle affirmed the shop’s commitment to persevering, stating, “We’re here, and we’re there, and we’re everywhere, and we’re not going nowhere. We’re drag queens, you can’t get rid of us just like that honey.”
Despite the challenges, the shop remains unwavering in its dedication to the community, exemplified by the creation of over 700 fresh donuts to show gratitude for the support received. The event successfully brought people together and showcased the strength and unity within the community.