Meet Our Reporters
Grace Benally (she/her)
Member of the Navajo Nation
Grace Benally is Diné. Born in Shiprock, N.M., on the Navajo Nation, Grace later moved to Arizona to attend the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University. While pursuing a degree in journalism and mass communication, she developed a passion for writing about her community. It’s Grace’s goal to uplift the stories of Indigenous people, which she does as a social media coordinator for First Peoples Fund, a nonprofit focused on supporting Native artists and culture bearers. When Grace isn’t working, she is either out watching a new movie, playing video games, or spending time with her corgi, Stark.
Ways to connect with Grace:
- @itsgracebenally on Instagram/Threads
- Grace Benally on LinkedIn
- @itsgracebenally on X
A week out of my comfort zone
I’m not usually one to do audio stories, but this project has gotten me out of my comfort zone, which I appreciated. Having to think about so many things during an interview— holding the mic in the right position, getting photos other than portraits, making sure my...
Tylie Griffith Bookout (she/her)
Member of the Cherokee Tribe
Tylie Griffith Bookout is a Cherokee citizen from Collinsville, Oklahoma. She is a senior at Oklahoma State University studying multimedia journalism with a double minor in American Sign Language and marketing. Tylie is currently employed at the Center for Sovereign Nations (the Native American Student Resource Center) at OSU, running the center’s social media and giving Indigenous students across campus a voice. She is also the OSU College of Arts and Sciences Student Council president, and enjoys leading those in her college toward success. Tylie hopes to use her education to pursue a career in tribal media after graduation.
Ways to connect with Tylie:
- @t.ylie on Instagram/Threads
- Tylie Griffith Bookout on Facebook
- @tyliegriffith on X
Tylie’s take on Tulsa
During my week at NPR’s Next Generation Radio: Indigenous, I learned that technical malfunctions in capturing story elements are not world-ending, just a small bump in the road. It’s really easy to get stressed when something doesn’t work and lose sight of what it...
Elena Johnson (she/her)
Elena Johnson is a student at Oklahoma State University, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in strategic communication and a minor in Spanish. Following a four-year break from school, she is motivated and passionate about her studies. She hopes to gain more experience in photography and graphic design, as well as to weave her personal interests—social media and fashion trends—into her career.
Ways to connect with Elena:
- @elena_johnson4 on Instagram/Threads
- Elena Johnson on LinkedIn
My week in Tulsa
My time at NPR’s NextGeneration Radio was tremendously rewarding. I gained valuable real-world skills in audio storytelling by going through the entire creative process. From creating stand-ups to interviewing, scripting, and editing, I have learned so much. This...
Rahe-Wanitanama (they/them)
Taíno
Rahe-Wanitanama is from Dolphin Head Forest Reserve, where they feel most at home tending their community’s cassava field in the village of Askenish, near Garden Bush in western Jamaica. They’re a managing editor and reporter at Dolphin Head Story Bridge, an interactive multimedia platform for sharing stories and cultural heritage. Rahe’s goal is to help shape the narrative identity of the Ciboney Taíno through multimedia journalism, and to facilitate emotional and psychological reparations for her people living in regional and diasporic communities. Previously Rahe was an Unscripted Fellow for Native American Media Alliance and a Leadership Fellow for NBCU Academy at NAHJ 2023.
Ways to connect with Rahe:
- @rahewanitanama on Instagram/Threads
Where there’s a mirror, there’s an opportunity for reflection
This week, I reflected on the true meaning of “home” and our responsibility for telling these stories. Rose Harvey’s story showed me how closely family and community can intertwine, especially with our shared Native American connections where we can find home....