Langston University School of Business alumna found her voice at 72 years old
by Gerard Lewis, Public Relations Intern
Beverly Huggins Kirk, a Langston University alumna, master quilter, educator and cultural historian, found her public voice later in life; now she urges seniors across America not to wait for certainty before stepping into purpose.
“Uncertainty has a way of making people pause, but I’ve learned that waiting for the ‘right time’ can quietly become a decision to stay silent,” Kirk said. “My message to seniors is simple: Today is the time to act.”
In 2026, with leadership priorities, economic pressures, and growing concern about aging, loneliness and relevance, many seniors have reassessed their place in a rapidly changing world. After decades in corporate America, Kirk discovered her creativity and calling had intensified.
At a stage where many have been encouraged to slow down, she leaned forward, transforming quilting into a powerful medium for faith, healing, history and legacy.
“Life didn’t become quieter for me at 72,” Kirk said. “It became clearer.”
That reassessment became a turning point.
Kirk is the founder of Scissor Tales Guild–Oklahoma’s first African American quilt guild–and the creator of “A Maker of Quilts,” a limited-edition, 26-page, full-color booklet that weaves together quilt photography, personal reflection and cultural storytelling. Her quilts address themes that resonate deeply today, such as resilience across generations, healing after loss and grief, and faith in uncertain seasons.
“America is like a quilt,” Kirk wrote in the booklet’s opening pages. “Many patches. Many stories. Held together by something stronger than we can see.”
Although innovation, leadership and creativity can often be associated with youth, Kirk represents a growing but often overlooked truth: some voices are meant to rise later. Her message aligns with that of the mission of Langston University’s School of Business—to elevate purpose-driven leadership across the lifespan.
“Beverly Kirk embodies what so many seniors need to see right now,” said Dr. Daryl Green, dean of LUSB. “In a time when uncertainty can paralyze people, she chose expression over fear. Her work reminds us that our later chapters can be our most influential.”
Kirk’s work speaks to a generation navigating transition in an era defined by disruption, reminding people they can reinvent, reengage and lead at any age.
