Focus: Black Oklahoma’s Venson Fields turns our attention to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, benefits crisis. Tens of thousands of families across the state are still feeling the ripple effects of the government shutdown—not in abstract political terms, but in their kitchens and on their dinner tables.

At the University of Central Oklahoma, student journalists at The Vista have found their independence and integrity under fire, facing administrative pressures that echo the chilling precedents set at places like the University of Missouri, or Mizzou. These moments raise urgent questions about who gets to tell the story, whose voices are heard, and what happens to democracy when student press freedom is stifled. Nico Berlin takes a closer look at the growing wave of attacks on free speech across college campuses—right here at home and across the nation.

In May of this year, the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services revealed a 30 million dollar budget shortfall, which required an emergency appropriation by the state legislature. In September, the legislature announced hundreds of contracts would not be renewed to address the department’s budget going forward. FBO’s Alana Mbanza explores the human costs of these cuts.

According to the World Health Organization, “Everyone, if they live long enough, will experience at least one eye condition in their lifetime that will require appropriate care.” An estimated 2.2 billion people, or a quarter of the world’s population, live with visual impairment or blindness. In the town of Kinondo in Kenya, multiple organizations came together to provide vision care during World Blindness Month. Zaakirah Muhammad has details.

A year after the opening of Zink Lake in Tulsa, questions continue to surface about the safety and quality of water in the Arkansas River. FBO’s Roma Carter spoke with independent journalist Molly Bullock about her coverage of waterway contamination.

For generations, African American musicians have turned rhythm into revolution—using their art to challenge racism, economic oppression, and social injustice. From gospel to hip-hop, protest songs to soul anthems, Francia Allen continues her series on music & culture as she traces how music continues to impact both hearts and movements, amplifying the call for freedom, dignity, and a world grounded in love.

Finally, we pause to remember. This poem, written by Brooks Lansana, invites us into a space of reflection—of memory and reverence—for those whose names were never spoken, whose stories were buried beneath the ashes of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre.

 Focus: Black Oklahoma is produced in partnership with KOSU Radio & Tri-City Collective. Additional support is provided by the Commemoration Fund & Press Forward. Our theme music is by Moffett Music.

Focus: Black Oklahoma's executive producers are Quraysh Ali Lansana & Bracken Klar. Our associate producers are Jesse Ulrich, & Naomi Agnew.

You can visit us online at KOSU.org or FocusBlackOklahoma.com & on YouTube @TriCityCollectiveOK.

You can follow us on Instagram @FocusBlackOK & on Facebook at Facebook.com/FocusBlackOK.

You can hear Focus: Black Oklahoma on demand at KOSU.org, the NPR app, NPR.org, or wherever you get your podcasts.

https://linktr.ee/focusblackok

As the world celebrated a new ceasefire agreement in Gaza, other conflicts continue to rage across the globe, including in Sudan. In January, then Secretary of State Antony Blinken declared the Sudanese military and allied militias were committing genocide. What does this have to do with Oklahoma? Here’s FBO’s Nick Alexandrov.

 As federal budget cuts to healthcare and education take hold, more families in the United States will have to make difficult choices. In Oklahoma, the disparities are evident for students with special needs and people with multiple sclerosis. Zaakirah Muhammad has the story.

Since the passage of Oklahoma House Bill 1775 in 2021, educators and librarians have had to carefully navigate book offerings in classes and libraries. While legal challenges to the law persist, students of all ages risk missing out on learning opportunities that are only available in some banned books. Jess Grimes has more.

What began as a town hall for Enid’s Hispanic community turned into a cross-cultural summit—bringing together neighbors from all backgrounds to tackle shared struggles and build unity. Here’s Venson Fields with details.

Nestled in the Brookside neighborhood of Tulsa is a garden that's not just for growing herbs and vegetables, but for cultivating indigenous knowledge, wellness, and community. A nonprofit called "Burning Cedar Sovereign Wellness" aims to provide resources to tribal citizens living in an urban environment to promote health and cultural connection with an emphasis on growing and cooking food. Nico Berlin has details.

Here’s FBO’s Sondra Slade with a friendly reminder that sometimes driving on Oklahoma roads requires the heart of a lion.

As the war in Gaza approaches its two year mark, criticism of Israel and support for the Palestinian population has ignited debates over free speech in the United States. Universities have become nexuses of protest against US support of Israel in the conflict, and the federal government’s response has been to block education funding for schools and targeting activists for deportation. State governments and universities have begun taking their own actions to curtail pro-Palestine sentiments on campus. Nico Berlin has the story.

Across Oklahoma, and the country, women are facing unaffordable childcare, rising maternal mortality rates, and a lack of support systems. National problems require national solutions, and Mom Congress, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, is lobbying for federal legislation to address these gaps. Here’s Danielle A. Melton.

In May of this year, Oklahoma passed Senate Bill 806, otherwise known as the Food as Medicine Act. The bill aims to expand nutrition services and recognize the importance of food as a contributing factor to public health. A national organization based in Tulsa has been working to empower chefs to be nutrition leaders for their communities. Juddie Williams has details.

In our first segment about music and social movements, Francia Allen explored how gospel, blues, and songs of the Civil Rights movement helped elevate the voices of resistance for African Americans. In part two of the series, she focuses on the powerful ways Indigenous communities have raised their voices in resistance and pushed back against cultural discrimination, immigration issues, and treaty violations while staying connected to Native traditions. Here’s FBO’s Francia Allen.

The international conference Black Portraiture[s] will be hosted by New York University-Tulsa Friday October 3rd. The tenth in the series, the event will bring together scholars and artists to study the art and culture of the African Diaspora. Dr. Deborah Willis, University Professor and Chair of the Department of Photography & Imaging at the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University has been a co-organizer since 2006. For more information and registration online visit blackportraitures.info

Turns out finding you’re allergic to coconut after eating half your birthday cake isn’t the best party favor. For 11-year-old Sondra Slade, what started as the perfect day of pancakes, bike rides, and backyard BBQ ended with a dramatic faceplant into the condiment table – and a family still convinced that “just wiping it off” fixes everything.

 Focus: Black Oklahoma is produced in partnership with KOSU Radio & Tri-City Collective. Additional support is provided by the Commemoration Fund & Press Forward. Our theme music is by Moffett Music.

Focus: Black Oklahoma's executive producers are Quraysh Ali Lansana & Bracken Klar. Our associate producers are Smriti Iyengar, Jesse Ulrich, & Naomi Agnew.

Our production interns are Alexander Evans, Jess Grimes, Roma Carter, and Anna Wilson.

You can visit us online at KOSU.org or FocusBlackOklahoma.com & on YouTube @TriCityCollectiveOK.

You can follow us on Instagram @FocusBlackOK & on Facebook at Facebook.com/FocusBlackOK.

You can hear Focus: Black Oklahoma on demand at KOSU.org, the NPR app, NPR.org, or wherever you get your podcasts.