OUR STORY
"Focus: Black Oklahoma" is a monthly hour-long radio program produced by Tri-City Collective in collaboration with KOSU. It aims to shed light on issues relevant to BIPOC, rural, and marginalized communities in Oklahoma. This program delves into a wide range of topics including news, politics, education, arts, history, and health, fostering a deeper understanding and driving change within Oklahoma's diverse population.
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By serving as a catalyst for change and understanding, "Focus: Black Oklahoma" strengthens Oklahoma's ability to create awareness and promote a more diverse and inclusive population. It strives to shed light on important issues while promoting a greater understanding of the experiences and perspectives of BIPOC, rural, and marginalized communities in the state.
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The program broadcasts monthly on KOSU and KWGS, both National Public Radio affiliates. KOSU airs every third Sunday at 3 p.m. and the following Friday at 1 p.m. on 91.7 FM in Oklahoma City, 107.3 and 107.5 FM in Tulsa, 88.3 FM in Stillwater, 94.9 FM in Ponca City, and on KOSU.org.
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KWGS airs the fourth Thursday of the month at 12 p.m. and the fourth Friday at 8 p.m. on 89.5 FM in Tulsa and publicradiotulsa.org.
Focus: Black Oklahoma is a project of Tri-City Collective, produced in partnership with KOSU Radio, and Tulsa Artist Fellowship. Additional support is provided by the George Kaiser Family Foundation, the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies, and the Commemoration Fund.
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Our theme music is by Moffett Music.
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Focus: Black Oklahoma’s executive producers are Quraysh Ali Lansana and Bracken Klar. Our associate producers are Smriti Iyengar and Jesse Ulrich.
Winner
Alfred I. duPont-Columbia Award
Focus: Black Oklahoma has won an Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University Award for “Blindspot: Tulsa Burning,” a collaborative podcast with KOSU, WNYC Studios, and The History Channel.
The award is considered one of the most prestigious in journalism, recognizing investigations, podcasts and documentary films for the strength of their reporting, storytelling and impact in the public interest. In its 80-year history, duPont-Columbia has given only five awards to Oklahoma organizations.
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The six-episode “Blindspot: Tulsa Burning” podcast explores the racial terror that destroyed the Greenwood District of Tulsa, Oklahoma, 100 years ago.
Through conversations with descendants, historians and local activists, the series considers how the traumatic two-day attack continues to take a toll.
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The jury proclaimed the podcast as an “immersive, deeply reported series” that “placed powerful eyewitness voices at the heart of a century-old narrative.”
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The podcast began as an idea conceived by Focus: Black Oklahoma executive producer Quraysh Ali Lansana.
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You can listen to “Blindspot: Tulsa Burning” on KOSU, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever podcasts are available.