When Los Angeles native Iyshia Majors made the choice to trade Southern California for northeastern Oklahoma, she anticipated encountering a significant lifestyle shift. However, she likely did not expect that her initial months of settling into the region would feature an adult slumber party inside a celebrated regional institution. That unexpected immersion occurred when Majors joined fellow participants for an unconventional overnight experience at the historic Will Rogers Memorial Museum in Claremore.
The event, officially dubbed "Up Late with Will Rogers: An All-Nighter for Grown-ups," gave attendees a rare opportunity to spend the night inside the museum after closing time. For Majors, the gathering served as a lively social engagement and marked her very first visit to the museum dedicated to preserving the legacy of Oklahoma’s famed trick roper, humorist, and entertainer.
Majors arrived in the Sooner State in February 2026 as an official participant in the Tulsa Remote program. The widely recognized initiative was established to diversify and enrich the local professional community by actively recruiting and retaining remote workers from outside Oklahoma, bringing fresh perspectives and skills to the Tulsa metropolitan area.
Under the framework of the Tulsa Remote initiative, individuals accepted into the program are required to relocate their primary residence to Tulsa. In return for making the geographic transition and contributing to the local community, each participant is awarded a $10,000 grant to assist with relocation expenses and support their integration into the city.
While the adult sleepover was Majors' first time visiting the Claremore facility, the name and cultural significance of Will Rogers were not entirely unfamiliar to her. During her time residing in California, she had previously visited the Will Rogers State Historic Park, a renowned landmark located in Pacific Palisades where the iconic performer once lived and maintained a ranch.
Seeing the Claremore museum listed among local cultural destinations immediately connected the dots for the recent transplant. Majors recalled that when she discovered the Oklahoma museum, the historical reality resonated with her, reminding her that Rogers was fundamentally a native son of Oklahoma before achieving national fame in Hollywood and beyond.
Her discovery of the museum's sleepover event happened purely by chance during a routine internet search. While researching recreational activities and local lakes across northeastern Oklahoma, Majors noticed an online advertisement highlighting a unique after-hours program hosted at the Claremore museum.
The advertisement's mention of a late-night museum gathering immediately caught her attention. After navigating through the event listings and realizing that the institution was organizing a dedicated, all-night lock-in exclusively for adults, Majors found the concept exciting and decided to register for the program.
Once inside the museum for the overnight gathering, Majors and the other attendees participated in a wide array of heritage-themed activities. The schedule included practical lessons in traditional rope trick techniques, step-by-step guidance in country two-step dancing, and social downtime centered around making classic s'mores.
In addition to the interactive lessons and social festivities, the event granted guests exclusive behind-the-scenes access to the museum's inner workings. This immersive setting gave visitors an opportunity to examine the artifacts up close while learning comprehensive details about the life, career, and enduring cultural impact of Will Rogers.
Majors offered enthusiastic praise for how the event was curated, expressing deep appreciation for the historical depth presented throughout the evening. She observed that she came away thoroughly impressed not only by the life story of Will Rogers, but also by the rich heritage and welcoming community atmosphere of Claremore as a whole.
The overnight excursion also reinforced Majors' growing appreciation for her new home state, which has consistently surpassed her initial preconceptions. Prior to relocating, she had assumed that Oklahoma would be far more rural, quiet, and isolated than the environment she ultimately discovered upon her arrival.
Instead of the sparse landscapes she had anticipated, Majors found a community rich with personality and warmth. She noted that the experience was wonderfully surprising, praising the friendliness of local Oklahomans and describing Tulsa as a vibrant "little big city" brimming with distinct charm and character.
For remote professionals establishing lives in new regions, engaging with local heritage through immersive public events provides an essential bridge between new residents and their adopted communities. Having enjoyed her memorable stay at the Will Rogers Memorial Museum, Majors remains eager to continue exploring the cultural and historical landscape of Oklahoma.
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