New Documentary Highlights Storytelling From Black, Indigenous, And People Of Color Across Oklahoma

The Tulsa based radio news broadcast ‘Focus: Black Oklahoma’ has a new film that they are hoping inspires people to get more involved in their movement.

Focus: Black Oklahoma uses citizen journalists to gather and deliver the news specifically for black, indigenous, and people of color in communities across Oklahoma using a fair, fact-based approach.

Leaders behind 'Focus: Black Oklahoma" said their primary goal is showcasing marginalized communities and telling their stories.

Their newly released documentary "The Small Giant" tells the story of how the radio broadcast was brought to life. The film highlights what led Executive Producer Quaraysh Ali Lansana to create the radio program and use citizen journalist to affect marginalized communities.

Daryl 'DJ' Turner, a student at the University of Tulsa, filmed the documentary. Turner met with Quraysh and correspondents over a three month period to learn why they are passionate about storytelling.

"The Small Giant" focuses on how Focus: Black Oklahoma gathers and delivers news from a variety of cultural perspectives.

"The opportunity to hear the news or hear the perspective from someone I know that's out here in the fight, boots on the ground, hat's exciting and that's the vision Quraysh had for our community, coming together telling our stories so we can be aware," Focus: Black Oklahoma co-host Kuma Roberts said.

Roberts said 15 correspondents were featured in the film and that the goal is to get more people represented across the entire state of Oklahoma by telling these stories.

“I want them to take away that they too can make an impact in our community. If you have a story something that’s interesting to you something that’s challenging in your community something you want someone to know about. Please call focus black Oklahoma and become a correspondent and tell us those stories,” Roberts said.

Visit Focus: Black Oklahoma's Facebook page for more details. The documentary will air this weekend at Pursuit Films Studio near Admiral and Lewis.