Lee Anne Bruce Boone takes over as the new director of the Oklahoma Ethics Commission amid challenges of inadequate funding and tackling 'dark money' in politics, a concern highlighted by her predecessor Ashley Kemp and Democratic leaders. Shonda Little has details.
Carlos Moreno introduces us to Nem Lun, a Myanmar immigrant, and the new Immigrant Affairs Manager with the City of Tulsa, who brings her own experiences of seeking freedom and safety to the role. Carlos Moreno shares more.
Severe weather damaged thousands of trees in the Tulsa area earlier this year. A million cubic yards of green waste was collected, and many trees were bent or broken. Britny Cordera reports on how the community is coming together to regrow the city’s urban tree canopy.
Jasmine Biver-Smith explores the growing trend among African Americans reconnecting with their heritage, inspired by Ghana's 'Year of Return.' This initiative marks 400 years since the African diaspora began and has reignited interest in understanding ancestral roots. In part 2 of this series, we highlight Ashley Yearby, who is planning a journey to Africa, in hopes of inspiring others to discover their ancestry and celebrate the deep ties between Africa and its global diaspora.
Allison Herrera has two stories that tie in local Native American issues and initiatives to the movie Killers of the Flower Moon.
In spite of the dark and cold, winter has a reputation for being the most wonderful time of the year thanks to the influx of holiday cheer. Without confirming or denying her presence on the Naughty List, Sondra Slade tells the story of the year her Christmas was a wrapper’s delight.
Focus: Black Oklahoma is produced in partnership with KOSU Radio, Tulsa Artist Fellowship, and Tri-City Collective. Additional support is provided by the George Kaiser Family Foundation and the Commemoration Fund.
Our theme music is by Moffett Music.
Focus: Black Oklahoma’s executive producers are Quraysh Ali Lansana and Bracken Klar. Our associate producers are Smriti Iyengar and Jesse Ulrich. Our production intern is Shi Brown.
