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TULSA, Okla. – Tri-City Collective and its award-winning NPR news program and podcast, Focus: Black Oklahoma, are excited to announce receipt of a Press Forward grant in the amount of $100,000.
In light of the dramatically changing and decreasing amount of local news across America, Press Forward formed as a nationwide movement dedicated to strengthening communities by reinvigorating local news organizations.
Tri-City Collective was established in 2016 and is an organization led by experienced educators, activists, and change-makers who are dedicated to promoting diversity, inclusion, and providing educational and artistic opportunities beyond traditional classroom settings for both young people and adults.
Central to its mission is the exploration of the state and nation’s history, which forms the foundation of its educational initiatives. These initiatives take various forms, such as radio programs, workshops, art exhibitions, live curated discussions, curriculum development, and published written works.
Tri-City Collective joins 205 others in receiving grant
Tri-City Collective’s proposal was selected from more than 900 received by Press Forward. The grant will be used to continue and expand Focus: Black Oklahoma’s operations across the state during the next two years.
The 205 grantees, including one in every U.S. state, are sharing $20 million to close persistent coverage gaps. Approximately 40 percent of the grants were given to BIPOC-led organizations like Tri-City Collective and just seven percent were granted to radio programs like Focus: Black Oklahoma.
Quraysh Ali Lansana, Founder of Tri-City Collective and Executive Producer of Focus: Black Oklahoma thanked Press Forward and its donors, stating, “The work in which Focus: Black Oklahoma engages is vital to our communities, as news deserts are abundant in Oklahoma. We are extremely grateful to Press Forward for helping us continue to fill these gaps.”
Three other Oklahoma news organizations received a Press Forward grant, including Black Wall Street Times, Lorton Media Group/The Frontier, and Nondoc Media.
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About Focus: Black Oklahoma
Focus: Black Oklahoma is a monthly hour-long radio program produced by Tri-City Collective in collaboration with KOSU Oklahoma City/Tulsa. It aims to shed light on issues relevant to Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC), rural, and marginalized communities in Oklahoma. 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.
