NICOL RAGLAND | Photographer & Director

Imagery that does not cause dispute but rather reconfigure who we are.
An aesthetic meant to push boundaries and bridge difference.

Farmer’s Footprint

Trans Pecos

black cowboys essay — Black Cowboys + Girls

POETIC JUSTICE : THE ART OF HEALING

THE BREATH OF THE BARREL

Wild mustangs are being sold for as little as $25. Once sold, they can lose the protections meant to keep them safe.

A recent New York Times investigation exposed a legal loophole in the Bureau of Land Management’s “sale authority” program. Advocates say young, healthy, adoptable wild horses are being sold in bulk, then passed through dealers who may move them into the slaughter pipeline.

Sale authority was meant for older or repeatedly unadopted horses. It should not become a back door to destruction for young mustangs who still have every chance at a safe home.

What advocates are demanding:
• An independent audit of recent BLM sale-authority transactions • Real purchaser screening before sale • Post-sale tracking for horses and burros • Public reporting on sale volume, ages, facilities, buyer types and group sales • Enforcement against false statements and violations • A shift from costly roundups to humane fertility control and on-range management • Reform of the Burns Amendment and passage of the SAFE Act

How you can help:
Call the Department of the Interior: 202-208-3100 Ask Secretary Doug Burgum to suspend high-risk sale-authority sales, audit recent transactions and require traceability after sale.

Contact your U.S. Senators and Representative.
Ask them to support the Save America’s Forgotten Equines Act and H.R. 4356, the Wild Horse and Burro Protection Act.

Support frontline groups: Skydog Ranch & Sanctuary American Wild Horse Conservation All Seated in a Barn
The Equine Healing Collaborative

Some good news: Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs has paused removal of the Salt River horses and a California judge has halted a BLM relocation plan affecting horses in California and parts of Nevada.

Public pressure works. Keep calling. Keep sharing. Keep showing up.

Our wild horses deserve protection, transparency, and humane management — not a $25 sale slip into danger.

#WildHorses #Mustangs #SaveOurWildHorses #SAFEAct #horserescue

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Wild mustangs are being sold for as little as $25. Once sold, they can lose the protections meant to keep them safe.
A recent New York Times investigation exposed a legal loophole in the Bureau of Land Management’s “sale authority” program. Advocates say young, healthy, adoptable wild horses are being sold in bulk, then passed through dealers who may move them into the slaughter pipeline.
Sale authority was meant for older or repeatedly unadopted horses. It should not become a back door to destruction for young mustangs who still have every chance at a safe home.
What advocates are demanding:
• An independent audit of recent BLM sale-authority transactions • Real purchaser screening before sale • Post-sale tracking for horses and burros • Public reporting on sale volume, ages, facilities, buyer types and group sales • Enforcement against false statements and violations • A shift from costly roundups to humane fertility control and on-range management • Reform of the Burns Amendment and passage of the SAFE Act
How you can help:
Call the Department of the Interior: 202-208-3100 Ask Secretary Doug Burgum to suspend high-risk sale-authority sales, audit recent transactions and require traceability after sale.
Contact your U.S. Senators and Representative.
Ask them to support the Save America’s Forgotten Equines Act and H.R. 4356, the Wild Horse and Burro Protection Act.
Support frontline groups: Skydog Ranch & Sanctuary American Wild Horse Conservation All Seated in a Barn
The Equine Healing Collaborative
Some good news: Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs has paused removal of the Salt River horses and a California judge has halted a BLM relocation plan affecting horses in California and parts of Nevada.
Public pressure works. Keep calling. Keep sharing. Keep showing up.
Our wild horses deserve protection, transparency, and humane management — not a $25 sale slip into danger.
#WildHorses #Mustangs #SaveOurWildHorses #SAFEAct #horserescue

Miss OLIVIA just graduated from OU film school and already tackling the film industry as an art director through OU’s program ~ @grnlightprod !

Always proud o’ you darlin and excited to share a set in the very near future! 🎞️ @olivia.grace.sears

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Miss OLIVIA just graduated from OU film school and already tackling the film industry as an art director through OU’s program ~ @grnlightprod !
Always proud o’ you darlin and excited to share a set in the very near future! 🎞️ @olivia.grace.sears

Nelson Jackson carries the kind of legacy that can’t be separated from skill, grit and devotion
to the horse.

Originally from Bixby, Oklahoma, Jackson started competing in steer wrestling and calf roping at the Boley Rodeo in 1965. From there, he traveled across the country competing in both events, building a name for himself in the arena and beyond it.

He eventually made Tulsa home, where he became deeply respected as a horse trainer and farrier. Cowboys and ranchers brought horses to him from across the nation, trusting his hands, patience
and knowledge across multiple rodeo disciplines.

Over the course of his career, Jackson won the Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo multiple times in both calf roping and steer wrestling, leaving a lasting mark on the legacy of Black rodeo.

When the conversation turned to showing these images at the National Cowboy Hall of Fame for BOLEY DAY, his nephew replied with ,
“You’re about 75 years too late.” He’s not wrong
and with a truth that sits heavy.
These stories have always belonged in the center of American western history, not on the margins.

Nelson Jackson. Bixby born. Tulsa rooted.
A horseman through and through.

Grateful to know you, good man.

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Nelson Jackson carries the kind of legacy that can’t be separated from skill, grit and devotion
to the horse.
Originally from Bixby, Oklahoma, Jackson started competing in steer wrestling and calf roping at the Boley Rodeo in 1965. From there, he traveled across the country competing in both events, building a name for himself in the arena and beyond it.
He eventually made Tulsa home, where he became deeply respected as a horse trainer and farrier. Cowboys and ranchers brought horses to him from across the nation, trusting his hands, patience
and knowledge across multiple rodeo disciplines.
Over the course of his career, Jackson won the Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo multiple times in both calf roping and steer wrestling, leaving a lasting mark on the legacy of Black rodeo.
When the conversation turned to showing these images at the National Cowboy Hall of Fame for BOLEY DAY, his nephew replied with ,
“You’re about 75 years too late.” He’s not wrong
and with a truth that sits heavy.
These stories have always belonged in the center of American western history, not on the margins.
Nelson Jackson. Bixby born. Tulsa rooted.
A horseman through and through.
Grateful to know you, good man.

We’re incredibly grateful to receive Best Female Director and Best Documentary Short from the Los Angeles based Independent Shorts Awards for Poetic Justice Documentary. @independentshortsawards

These awards belong to so many people, our courageous participants who trusted us with their stories, our talented team, partners, and everyone who believes that creativity can be a pathway to healing, restoration, and second chances.

Poetic Justice has always been about more than a film. It’s about the transformative power of being seen, heard and given the space to reclaim your own voice.

Big thanks to the Independent Short Awards for this recognition, and thank you to everyone who continues to champion stories that remind us of our shared humanity + women’s voices behind bars.🙏🏼

Sign up for our newsletter for future screenings @ www.poeticjusticedoc.com

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A Sunday Oklahoma evening shooting THE HUNT family. So much joy documenting this crew full of love, faith, play, burgers, ropin’ and each other.

@denardhunt4 + @_latrelda .. such a beautiful family you’ve created. ♥️

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A Sunday Oklahoma evening shooting THE HUNT family. So much joy documenting this crew full of love, faith, play, burgers, ropin’ and each other.
@denardhunt4 + @_latrelda .. such a beautiful family you’ve created. ♥️

On May 22, the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum will host Boley Rodeo Day, a celebration honoring the legacy of the nation’s oldest Black rodeo and the enduring impact of Black cowboys, cowgirls, artists, and storytellers who helped shape the American West.

For one day, Prosperity Junction will transform into Boley Main Street through historic imagery, storytelling, rodeo demonstrations, film, music, and photography rooted in the living history of Boley, Oklahoma.

The exhibition will feature work by Garrett Augustus, Brian Edwards, Eyakem Gulilat, Leondre Lattimore, Jakian Parks, Nicol Ragland, and Seth Stern, alongside the unveiling of Seth Stern’s Like Father, Like Son, entering the museum’s permanent collection.

The day will also include:
• Live painting demonstration by Thomas Blackshear II
• Roping demonstration with IPRA World Champion Danell Tipton
• Cowboy Concert with Grammy Award-winning artist Tony Williams

May 22, 2026
10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Free with museum admission & membership or $25 online or at the door.

This is more than a rodeo celebration, it is a recognition of legacy, resilience, artistry, and the communities that continue to carry these stories forward.

Special thanks to Project 2020 Foundation, Karen Ekuban, Joey Niebrugge, Eric Singleton and Kerrie Loyd Booher for their vision, leadership, and support in helping bring this important event to life.

Very grateful to be part of this very special event.
Hope to see y’all Friday!!

#BoleyRodeo #BlackCowboys #BlackRodeo #NationalCowboyMuseum #Oklahoma

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On May 22, the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum will host Boley Rodeo Day, a celebration honoring the legacy of the nation’s oldest Black rodeo and the enduring impact of Black cowboys, cowgirls, artists, and storytellers who helped shape the American West.
For one day, Prosperity Junction will transform into Boley Main Street through historic imagery, storytelling, rodeo demonstrations, film, music, and photography rooted in the living history of Boley, Oklahoma.
The exhibition will feature work by Garrett Augustus, Brian Edwards, Eyakem Gulilat, Leondre Lattimore, Jakian Parks, Nicol Ragland, and Seth Stern, alongside the unveiling of Seth Stern’s Like Father, Like Son, entering the museum’s permanent collection.
The day will also include:
• Live painting demonstration by Thomas Blackshear II
• Roping demonstration with IPRA World Champion Danell Tipton
• Cowboy Concert with Grammy Award-winning artist Tony Williams
May 22, 2026
10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Free with museum admission & membership or $25 online or at the door.
This is more than a rodeo celebration, it is a recognition of legacy, resilience, artistry, and the communities that continue to carry these stories forward.
Special thanks to Project 2020 Foundation, Karen Ekuban, Joey Niebrugge, Eric Singleton and Kerrie Loyd Booher for their vision, leadership, and support in helping bring this important event to life.
Very grateful to be part of this very special event.
Hope to see y’all Friday!!
#BoleyRodeo #BlackCowboys #BlackRodeo #NationalCowboyMuseum #Oklahoma

Honored and deeply grateful to receive a grant from the Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition - @ovac_ok to continue documenting and showcasing portraits of legends within Oklahoma’s Black rodeo community.

This year marks 123 years of the Boley Rodeo, a reminder of resilience, culture, and the enduring spirit of Black cowboys and cowgirls in Oklahoma.

I’m especially proud to be in partnership with the Project 2020 Foundation and the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum to help bring these stories into a broader view and honoring voices that have shaped the land, culture, and the
story of the American West.

I’ll share a wall of photographs alongside photographers Garrett Augustus, Brian Edwards, Eyakem Gulilat ,Jakian Parks, and Seth Stern.

Big love to Karen Ekuban + Kerrie Loyd Booher + Joey Willis Niebrugge for trailblazing the event along with building upon the incredible history of Boley Oklahoma.

This is more than a project, it’s a gesture of respect, remembrance, and visibility.

Grateful to be trusted with this.🙏🏽

BOLEY RODEO DAY ~ May 22nd | National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum
Full Event Info ~ https://tinyurl.com/2p9z4mer

📷 Donnie Stephens + Ronnie Stephens

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Honored and deeply grateful to receive a grant from the Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition - @ovac_ok to continue documenting and showcasing portraits of legends within Oklahoma’s Black rodeo community.
This year marks 123 years of the Boley Rodeo, a reminder of resilience, culture, and the enduring spirit of Black cowboys and cowgirls in Oklahoma.
I’m especially proud to be in partnership with the Project 2020 Foundation and the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum to help bring these stories into a broader view and honoring voices that have shaped the land, culture, and the
story of the American West.
I’ll share a wall of photographs alongside photographers Garrett Augustus, Brian Edwards, Eyakem Gulilat ,Jakian Parks, and Seth Stern.
Big love to Karen Ekuban + Kerrie Loyd Booher + Joey Willis Niebrugge for trailblazing the event along with building upon the incredible history of Boley Oklahoma.
This is more than a project, it’s a gesture of respect, remembrance, and visibility.
Grateful to be trusted with this.🙏🏽
BOLEY RODEO DAY ~ May 22nd | National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum
Full Event Info ~ https://tinyurl.com/2p9z4mer
📷 Donnie Stephens + Ronnie Stephens

We’re honored to share that our film
POETIC JUSTICE @poeticjusticedoc has been selected as an Official Selection at SeriesFest Season 12! 🎬
This will be our World Premiere!

We’ll be competing in the Independent Pilot Competition: UNSCRIPTED, and we’re so very grateful to share our work alongside so many incredible storytellers.
Huge thanks to the SeriesFest team for the opportunity!

Passes are on sale now, so make sure to grab yours at seriesfest.com/passes ! May 6 - 10 | Denver, CO

#SeriesFest #Season12 #TVFestival #officialselection #denver

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We’re honored to share that our film
POETIC JUSTICE @poeticjusticedoc has been selected as an Official Selection at SeriesFest Season 12! 🎬
This will be our World Premiere!
We’ll be competing in the Independent Pilot Competition: UNSCRIPTED, and we’re so very grateful to share our work alongside so many incredible storytellers.
Huge thanks to the SeriesFest team for the opportunity!
Passes are on sale now, so make sure to grab yours at seriesfest.com/passes ! May 6 - 10 | Denver, CO
#SeriesFest #Season12 #TVFestival #officialselection #denver

TULSA BLACK RODEO ~ The hottest show on dirt !
@blackrodeousa

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TULSA BLACK RODEO ~ The hottest show on dirt !
@blackrodeousa

📽️Official trailer for our film ~ POETIC JUSTICE
@poeticjusticedoc
Big thanks to our editors ~ Eric Burton +
Victor Caballero

📽️Stay tuned for 2026 screenings + sign up for our newsletter @ poeticjusticedoc.com

📽️Here we go team!
Director ~ Nicol Ragland
Producer ~ Amy Janes @amydjanes
Editor ~ Eric Burton @erictburton
Executive Producer ~ John Budd @johnhbudd
Sound Design ~ Jon Vogl @jonvogl
Music Score ~ Justin Burnett @justincaineburnett
Poetic Justice Co-Founder ~ Ellen Stackable @ellenstackable

#okiefilm #oklahomafilm #restorativearts #thisisoklahoma #poeticjustice

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Dominion, when born of dogma, forgets its limits.
It confuses stewardship with ownership.
It mistakes belief for permission.

We’ve seen how rigid certainty can justify control, over land, over bodies, over those deemed “less than” by way of “othering”.

When doctrine hardens, nuance disappears, and domination begins to masquerade as righteousness. What follows is extraction dressed up as order, harm excused as destiny.

But the world doesn’t belong to us.
We belong with it.

True care requires humility and the willingness to listen, to adapt, to share power rather than seize it. Any belief system that demands dominion without responsibility, obedience without compassion, or certainty without accountability is not sacred.
It is dangerous.

Justice, like the living world, thrives not under control but under relationship.

Some friends don’t just live by this but preach it.
Grateful to have this sister of mine as a friend as well as mystical anglican grounded in cultivating relationships with the holy, the earth and all things wild. @anglicancowgirl

KEEP RISING. 💛
📷 shot on RAGLAND RANCH