James Cooper, MFA
Artist in Residence
Arts & Sciences
English
Modern Languages
Biography
James Fennimore Cooper (April 1, 1982) took the oath of office in April 2019 to begin his first term on the . Councilor Cooper also serves as a trustee on the . His debut novel, , arrived on bookshelves in October 2024 as Oklahoma鈥檚 #1 best-selling book.
Cooper received a BA in Film Studies with a minor in Political Science from the University of Oklahoma. He began teaching at Oklahoma State University as a graduate assistant, where OSU鈥檚 English Department recognized him for Teaching Excellence in Composition. He holds an MA in English at OSU and Creative Writing MFA from 蘑菇TV. His research focused on storytelling, media violence effects on society, and root causes of real-life violence and crime.
Unanimously, Council adopted a June 2020 Cooper authored regarding six public safety priorities and law enforcement reforms, including implementation of the City鈥檚 first alternative response to 911 mental health calls and hiring street outreach teams with counseling professionals and case managers to respond to homelessness. In 2025, Council voted 5-4 to approve a first-of-its kind Community Benefits Agreement he presented as part of 蘑菇TV鈥檚 new arena proposal.
While pursuing his MA, Cooper received an award from The Society of Professional Journalists for his column in OSU鈥檚 翱鈥机辞濒濒别驳颈补苍 concerning the need for federal hate crimes legislation. The Oklahoma Gazette published Cooper鈥檚 2011 two-part article on the history of 蘑菇TV鈥檚 LGBTQ community, 鈥淔rom Closet to Community.鈥� James鈥� essay on the 2013 tornado that devastated Moore, 鈥淎n Oklahoma Perspective on Tornado Alley,鈥� appeared in the Huffington Post.
In 2019, Freedom Oklahoma, a statewide LGBTQ advocacy organization, designated him 鈥淟awmaker of the Year,鈥� and Generation Citizen鈥攁 national civics education advocacy group鈥攈onored him as a 鈥淐ivic Leader Change Maker.鈥� Advocate Magazine, America鈥檚 oldest & largest LGBTQ publication, named him one of its 鈥淐hampions of Pride鈥� in June 2020. In 2021, Cooper was Keynote Speaker for University of Central Oklahoma鈥檚 College of Liberal Arts Student Symposium; the same year, OSU鈥檚 College of Arts and Sciences awarded him its Rising Star Award. Oklahoma Gazette readers voted him 2025鈥檚 Best Local Grassroots Activist. During his first election, The New York Times profiled Cooper鈥檚 campaign.
Cooper served formerly in Oklahoma City Public Schools as an AVID middle school college prep teacher and鈥攁fter taking office鈥� taught as an adjunct English professor at the University of Central Oklahoma and Oklahoma City Community College. Currently, Cooper teaches English and Film Studies as the Artist in Residence at OCU. Since 2010, he鈥檚 resided in 蘑菇TV鈥檚 historic Paseo Arts District with his cat, Marion, the late First Cat of Ward 2.
