Recent stories from our VNN Oklahoma journalists
Software provider discusses ‘nightmare’ transition from SoonerCare to managed care
Written By: Rachael Schuit
(OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla.) The impact of the switch from SoonerCare to Managed Care has caused a mental healthcare crisis for Oklahomans.
Tulsa Mayoral Candidates Share Plans for Indian Country
Written By: Rachael Schuit
(TULSA, Okla.) Tulsans will head to the polls this year not just to elect a President–but also to elect a new mayor. There are currently three candidates in the race.
New Tulsa police chief announced, Indigenous representation appears to be left out of decision-making
Written By: Brittany Harlow
(TULSA, Okla.) Deputy Chief Dennis Larsen was named Tulsa’s next police chief on Friday afternoon.
Stitt signs Oklahoma Survivors’ Act into law
Written By: Brittany Harlow
(OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla.) After a long road to visibility, survivors of abuse in Oklahoma will soon be granted a new level of protection under the Oklahoma Survivors’ Act.
MMIW National Day of Awareness Event Held at Oklahoma Capitol
Written By: Trista Vaughn
(OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla.) Since 2010, May 5 has been recognized as a National Day of Awareness for the thousands of Indigenous people who go missing and are murdered every year.
Intertribal symposium to explore American Indian history and present-day impacts this July
Written By: Rachael Schuit
(TULSA, Okla.) Oklahoma is home to 39 tribes. As the state’s executive branch continues to push back on tribal sovereignty, a significant lack of information and resources regarding Indigenous facts and perspectives surround these issues.
Covering our local communities
Filling news gaps one community story at a time.
Covering our local communities
Filling news gaps one community story at a time.
Overcoming Adversity
Following hundreds of years of assimilation tactics forced upon Indigenous people in Oklahoma, which has caused deep-rooted generational trauma still experienced today, VNN recognizes the need for a path of de-assimilation.
Through news and information, our network aims to provide resources for Tribal citizens to reconnect themselves and their families with their cultural heritage.
Following hundreds of years of assimilation tactics forced upon Indigenous people in Oklahoma, which has caused deep-rooted generational trauma still experienced today, VNN recognizes the need for a path of de-assimilation.
Through news and information, our network aims to provide resources for Native people to reconnect themselves and their families with their cultural heritage.
Telling stories no one else is
Following VNN’s in-depth coverage about her abused grandson, Carolyn Ridling said her VNN Journalist was their angel, helping her family when no other news network would.
“She’s kind, tender-heartedly and came into my life and gave everything she had to help…. Thank you and I will forever be grateful for time you put into Tyler’s case.”
Brittany Harlow reported on the April Wilkens case after more than two decades of media silence. Wilkens is currently serving a life sentence for killing her rapist and abuser.
“Brittany’s uncompromising bravery in exposing and confronting the injustices in my case has truly helped keep my hope alive. By raising awareness of such harrowing women’s social justice issues, Brittany and VNN are endeavoring to make this a better world for all women and ultimately everyone.”
April Wilkens, #AprilsStory Why didn’t she stay away?
From Adversity To Entrepreneurship Learning Series
In 2022 and 2023, VNN Oklahoma and our community partners held in-person events and produced multiple stories exploring the path from adversity to entrepreneurship, the community benefits of taking that path, and the barriers that stand in the way.
Recognition of our work
Advice from journalists: Why we’ve invested in listening to people who don’t trust us
What a lot of our newsroom partners heard from the community members they talked to was the real importance of showing up on a regular basis. Brittany Harlow, founder and lead journalist at Verified News Network, focused her interviews on listening to indigenous people in Oklahoma. Read more.
Oklahoma collaborators cover underreported communities, amplify audience engagement
In 2022, OMC distributed NAJA’s project fee to its news organizations producing collaborative coverage of subjects ranging from mental health, marginalized voices or corrections issues in Oklahoma. OMC collaborators described these new projects with show-and-tell updates in monthly meetings this year. Here are some of the highlights: Big If True and VNN Read more.
Learn how to bookmark VNN and save the VNN News Feed to your smartphone here.
VNN Oklahoma
“After four years in traditional news, I wanted out. I did not like how Indigenous and other underserved communities are ignored or portrayed in a negative light by the news media. My exposure to Native American generational trauma as a news professional became secondhand to my exposure of it as part of an Indigenous-blended family, following my marriage to Kelly Tidwell, CEO of VNN and a citizen of the Muscogee Creek Nation. Our children are also Muscogee. The work we do is professional but also very personal to our own future generations.”
Brittany Harlow
Learn more about Brittany and the rest of the VNN Oklahoma team here.
VNN Oklahoma News Affiliates
Read our latest affiliate stories on VNN.
VNN Oklahoma Collaborators and Sponsors
Thank you for helping to diversify Oklahoma’s news ecosystem!
