This article is part of U.S. Democracy Day, a nationwide collaborative on Sept. 15, the International Day of Democracy, in which news organizations cover how democracy works and the threats it faces. To learn more, visit usdemocracyday.org. (NATIONWIDE) Federally-recognized tribes have the right to govern themselves, known as tribal sovereignty. But, despite being sovereign nations,
This article is part of U.S. Democracy Day, a nationwide collaborative on Sept. 15, the International Day of Democracy, in which news organizations cover how democracy works and the threats it faces. To learn more, visit usdemocracyday.org. (NATIONWIDE) True to VNN Oklahoma’s mission to cover the 2024 election year with an Indigenous focus, we’ve been
This article is part of U.S. Democracy Day, a nationwide collaborative on Sept. 15, the International Day of Democracy, in which news organizations cover how democracy works and the threats it faces. To learn more, visit usdemocracyday.org. (NATIONAL) As of 2022, 1.2 million Native Americans were unregistered to vote across the United States. With the
(SEMINOLE COUNTY, Oklv.) Jimcy McGirt, the convicted child rapist at the center of the landmark McGirt v Oklahoma Supreme Court case, is currently in custody at the Seminole County Jail. McGirt was arrested on Aug. 31 by Seminole Lighthorse Police. McGirt was released on May 7 of this year after taking a 30-year plea deal
Written By: Rachael Schuit and Brittany Harlow (OKLAHOMA) After years of work and countless hours put in by numerous criminal justice advocates, the Oklahoma Survivor’s Act (OSA) finally went into effect this month. Senate Bill 1835, signed by Governor Kevin Stitt in May, allows courts to issue lower sentences to survivors whose crimes relate to
(CHOCTAW NATION) The unbreakable bond between the Choctaw Nation and Ireland reached a new milestone this August. Two events celebrated the unveiling of the Eternal Heart sculpture, honoring the longstanding connection between Ireland and the Choctaw Nation. On August 29, the Choctaw Cultural Center held a celebration for attendees to enjoy music from RUNA, a
(TULSA, Okla.) The Tulsa Mayoral Election is next Tuesday, and seven candidates are vying for the opportunity to run the largest U.S. city that sits on three tribal reservations: Muscogee Nation, Cherokee, and Osage. This year, VNN Oklahoma is committed to covering elections with a focus on Indigenous perspective. Related Story: Tulsa Mayoral Candidates Discuss
(TULSA, Okla.) Gaps relating to the health and wealth of Indigenous Americans are felt in Oklahoma and beyond, and one area in which this gap is prominent is in housing for Indigenous youth. Equality Indicators show that Native youth is homeless at two times the rate of white youth in Tulsa. Olivia Denton Koopman, Chief
This is a VNN Collaboration produced by VNN Oklahoma in partnership with Pursuit Films Written By: Rachael Schuit and Brittany Harlow Narrated By: Trista Vaughn (CHEROKEE NATION) Genes are the code of life. A continuous pathway of one living being to another, carrying what has been into what will be. Joe Ballard is a member
(MUSCOGEE NATION) Thanks to research, reporting and a generous donation from Verified News Network (VNN) Oklahoma, for the first time ever, an extensive digital collection of American Indian history is now available at no cost to the public through the Tulsa Public Library System. As of July 12, anyone with a TCCL library card can
