Mahal Ramos: Moving to Tulsa, Strategic Self-Reflection, and Leadership

Mahal Ramos’s story spans continents and coasts, beginning with her birth in the Philippines before moving to the United States. As a child, she experienced a bi-coastal upbringing, attending elementary school in New Jersey before relocating to the West Coast to complete her schooling alongside family in California. Navigating the distinct energies of North Jersey street culture and West Coast life, Mahal learned early on to adapt to new environments. During her high school years, she channelled her energy into leadership and expression, becoming president of dance production to find her personal voice and identity. Despite having a steady job, a car, and an active role in church ministry in California, Mahal hit a point where life felt hollow, unsustainable, and financially tight—relying at times on recycling bottles for gas money or spinach. Sensing a strong internal push that she needed a radical environment change to survive and grow, she applied for the Tulsa Remote program on a whim. Encouraged by her young daughter's open willingness to embark on an adventure together, Mahal made the leap and moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma, right before the COVID-19 pandemic began. Moving to Oklahoma provided Mahal with a crucial period of stillness and decompression, allowing her to step out of survival mode and untangle her identity from pure workplace productivity. In Tulsa, she completed her bachelor’s degree in organizational leadership online and immediately transitioned into her master’s program. Today, Mahal embraces her identity as an "adopted Tulsan," using her lived experience across cultures and environments to empower and mentor emerging leaders.