About The Project
The Project began with a simple invite.
Before it had a name, before it became a community gathering, and before it started gaining traction online, it started with Wyatt Fraley being bored, lonely, and tired of feeling like there was nowhere to go.
In ninth grade, Wyatt began inviting people to hang out at places like the bowling alley, Gathering Place, and the zoo. At first, these were just casual plans. Twenty people here. A group outing there. Something to do besides sitting at home feeling disconnected. But over time, Wyatt noticed something deeper happening.
A lot of the people who showed up were not the loudest people in school. They were not always the most popular, the most socially secure, or the ones already plugged into every event. Many of them were isolated. Some were awkward. Some were quiet. Some just needed someone to ask.
Wyatt realized there was an invisible barrier that could be lifted by something as simple as an invitation.
That realization changed everything.
During high school, Wyatt often felt left out. He was not involved in sports or many extracurricular activities. He remembers taking AP classes and sometimes having to work alone because he could not find a group. That kind of loneliness can make a person shrink. For Wyatt, it eventually became fuel.
At one bowling alley hangout, something clicked. The room was not perfect. The people were not performing coolness. Some of the "cooler" friends even left early because they felt awkward too. But in that moment, Wyatt realized he had built something real: a room where people who normally felt outside of things could finally feel at home.
The Project grew from that feeling.
It became a community experiment built around inclusion, low-pressure connection, and the belief that people are often closer to belonging than they think. Sometimes all it takes is one person willing to make the plan, send the invite, and create the space.
Today, The Project continues that mission in Tulsa: bringing people together through creative gatherings, shared experiences, and intentional community. It is not just about hanging out. It is about breaking the loneliness loop. It is about giving people a reason to leave the house, meet each other, make something, and feel like they belong somewhere.
The Project exists for the people who needed the invite.