Episode 18

After numerous attempts by the Survivors of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre to be granted a trial, a judge handed down an unprecedented ruling on May 2nd that provides hope to those who are fighting to repair and restore Greenwood. Carlos Moreno has more. Next Jamie Glisson has the first in a series exploring the candidates running for political office across the state. Here, she speaks with Congressional District 3 incumbent, Congressman Frank Lucas and some new challengers for that seat. Adverse Childhood experiences are responsible for traumatizing millions of children across the state. One organization believes that a mentor can counteract that trauma with an activity as simple as bowling. Dawn Carter shares more about Big Brothers, Big Sisters Bowling for Kids Sake event. Brandy Colbert’s book "Blackbirds in the Sky" was written for young adults but doesn’t shy away from the tough topic of the Tulsa Race Massacre. Our teen correspondent Adrienne Brown has details about what’s been missing from her education and why straight talk in our classrooms matter. Preserving the prairie system is no simple task. And now at the heart of conservation and culture is the Prairie Chicken. While it may not be as familiar as Bald Eagles, Britny Cordera has more on what makes Prairie Chickens just as iconic and in need of protection. Finally Chaz Stephens will connect the dots from Dragonball Z to N.E.R.D. exploring how Black nerds are gaining greater visibility and acceptance in mainstream culture. 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 Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies. Our theme music is by Moffett Music. Focus: Black Oklahoma’s executive producers are Quraysh Ali Lansana and Bracken Klar. Our producers are Nick Alexandrov and Vanessa Gaona. Our production interns Torren Doss and Smriti Iyengar.