CARES and ARPA spending in Indigenous Nations
For this story, I traveled to the Yurok, Blackfeet and Navajo Nation reservations for a summer-long fellowship with the Carnegie-Knight News21 program. Though this article was written with two other reporters, my focus was the section on the Navajo Nation. Additionally, I served as the photographer for this story.
Additional Gaylord E-Portfolio required information:
– Audience: created for all audiences
– Date completed: August 2021
– Technology utilized: Adobe Lightroom, Google suite
– Skills utilized: writing, photography, reporting
– What I learned: culturally sensitive reporting, nationalized investigative reporting, increased photography skills
Police funding and the recall battle in the Norman City Council
This story gives a comprehensive history of the relevant events leading up to the 2020 Norman City Council budget meeting that sparked national interest, planted the seeds for the birth of a conservative grassroots organization and opened the door for violent harassment against city councilors.
Additional Gaylord E-Portfolio required information:
– Written for The OU Daily’s Crimson Quarterly magazine
– Audience: created for all audiences
– Date completed: October 2020
– Technology utilized: Google suite
– Skills utilized: writing, reporting
– What I learned: inner workings of local government, history of racial trauma in Norman
OU student teachers navigating through the first semester of COVID-19
This piece features conversations with several OU student teachers as they navigate the world of online learning, mask mandates, teaching through grief and months of uncertainty. This story was written in partnership with Oklahoma Media Center.
Additional Gaylord E-Portfolio required information:
– Written for The Oklahoma Media Center and The OU Daily
– Audience: created for all audiences
– Date completed: July 2020
– Technology utilized: Google suite
– Skills utilized: writing, reporting
– What I learned: feature writing techniques
Q & A with Navajo Nation police chief about the toll of the pandemic exacerbated by funding shortfalls
This conversation with Navajo Nation Chief of Police Phillip Francisco sat down to discuss how his department met the needs of the community, though the toll on the officers was significant. At the time of the interview, Chief Francisco was making a pitch to tribal administration to provide more funding for officer positions and vital infrastructure upgrades.
Additional Gaylord E-Portfolio required information:
– Written for Carnegie-Knight News21
– Audience: created for all audiences
– Date completed: August 2021
– Technology utilized: Adobe Lightroom, Google suite
– Skills utilized: photography, writing, reporting
– What I learned: logistics of the flow of federal money to tribes, cultural customs of the Navajo Nation, history of US/tribal treaties
Descendant of Tulsa Race Massacre Survivors returning to Black Wall Street to continue his family legacy of entreprenuership
After growing up in Tulsa and experiencing traumatic and sometimes violent racism, Dwight Eaton left the city behind, thinking he’d never return. Now in his 50s, the accomplished businessman returned to the site of the infamous Tulsa Race Massacre to start a new chapter in the city.
Additional Gaylord E-Portfolio required information:
– Written and produced for NPR Next Generation Radio
– Audience: created for all audiences
– Date completed: April 2021
– Technology utilized: Adobe Lightroom, Adobe Audition, Adobe Rush, Google suite
– Skills utilized: photography, writing, reporting, audio editing, video editing
– What I learned: advanced audio editing techniques, history of Tulsa’s Greenwood District
Beth Wallis 