Vivian Morris worked as OK Policy's Tribal-State Policy Analyst from August 2023 until June 2025. She joined the organization in August 2021 as a Tribal Policy Fellow through the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities State Policy Fellowship Program. Vivian is Alabama (federally recognized as Alabama-Quassarte Tribal Town) Mvskoke-Seminole, and Diné (Navajo). Vivian grew up in rural Oklahoma, on both the Mvskoke (Creek) and Seminole Nation reservations. She completed her Master of Public Administration degree with a Public Policy concentration from the University of Oklahoma in May 2022 and holds dual bachelor’s degrees in Environmental Studies and Women and Gender Studies, with a minor in Native American Studies from the University of Oklahoma. Previously, Vivian served the Alabama-Quassarte Tribal Town Election Committee where she oversaw the tribe’s election process and policy development and worked as a Tribal Government Relations Health Promotion Coordinator at the Oklahoma Health Care Authority (SoonerCare). Vivian was a member of the 2022 AICCO Leadership Native Oklahoma class, recipient of the 2022 OU-WGS Alice Mary Robertson award, and Metriarch’s 2023 Breakthrough Maven award.
By: Vivian Morris
June 3, 2025 // Updated: June 3, 2025
There is a continued need for shared, strategic decisions that will shape the state's current and future policy-making with Tribal nations. For example, the processes, or lack thereof, surrounding Senate Bill 675 shed light on both lessons that should be learned around respecting Tribal sovereignty and engaging in direct Tribal consultation before making decisions that directly affect Tribal Nations. [More...]
By: Vivian Morris
May 10, 2025 // Updated: May 10, 2025
Understanding Tribal sovereignty is key to Tribal-state relations
In order to better understand how the State of Oklahoma and Tribal Nations interact, it’s vital to first understand what tribal sovereignty means. Sovereignty is the authority of a self-governing group of… Read more [More...]
By: Vivian Morris
April 4, 2025 // Updated: April 4, 2025
Note: Bill updates as of 3/27 deadline
While the overwhelming majority of bills were cut at the first deadline this legislative session, there are still quite a few bills remaining to be considered, specifically in the Tribal-state space. State governments… Read more [More...]
By: Vivian Morris
March 3, 2025 // Updated: March 3, 2025
Contact your legislator in support of the Oklahoma Dental Therapy Act, House Bill 2921.
• Find your lawmaker using OK Policy’s Legislator Lookup
The Dental Therapy Act in Oklahoma can help address our unmet dental care needs
This legislative session,… Read more [More...]
By: Vivian Morris
November 26, 2024 // Updated: November 26, 2024
The state's minimum wage is a contributing factor to our long-standing poverty. Wage compensation has significant consequences for Oklahoma and especially rural Oklahomans of color. [More...]
By: Vivian Morris
July 24, 2024 // Updated: July 25, 2024
Lawmakers from both the Senate and House considered dozens of bills directly affecting Native Oklahomans and Tribal governments on education, public health, housing, and public safety, among other topics. Oklahoma is stronger when the state collaborates and includes the Tribes to advance our overall prosperity and well-being as Oklahomans. [More...]
By: Vivian Morris
June 1, 2024 // Updated: June 1, 2024
A strong, mutually respectful relationship between the State of Oklahoma and the 38 federally recognized Tribal Nations in the state is vital to the well-being of all who call Oklahoma home. OK Policy will be publishing a series of articles… Read more [More...]
By: Vivian Morris
November 21, 2023 // Updated: November 22, 2023
Oklahoma has the second-highest share of tribal citizens of any state, which helps shape the fabric of our state’s culture and communities. This year, the Oklahoma legislature demonstrated this influence by including and valuing Native Oklahomans and tribal leaders in… Read more [More...]
By: Vivian Morris
May 1, 2023 // Updated: May 15, 2023
Across the United States, justice has lagged and gaps in response to Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women/People (MMIW/P) persist as a result of a legacy of institutionalized disregard for Indigenous lives. In 2018, Oklahoma was among the top 10 states… Read more [More...]
By: Vivian Morris
December 1, 2022 // Updated: December 1, 2022
Leading up to when Oklahoma expanded Medicaid coverage, Oklahoma had a large uninsured population of American Indian and Alaska Natives (AI/ANs). But as a consequence of Medicaid expansion and the Oklahoma Health Care Authority’s (OHCA) inclusion of — and consultation… Read more [More...]
OKPOLICY.ORG
There is a continued need for shared, strategic decisions that will shape the state's current and future policy-making with Tribal nations. For example, the processes, or lack thereof, surrounding Senate Bill 675 shed light on both lessons that should be learned around respecting Tribal sovereignty and engaging in direct Tribal consultation before making decisions that directly affect Tribal Nations. [More...]
Understanding Tribal sovereignty is key to Tribal-state relations
In order to better understand how the State of Oklahoma and Tribal Nations interact, it’s vital to first understand what tribal sovereignty means. Sovereignty is the authority of a self-governing group of… Read more [More...]
Note: Bill updates as of 3/27 deadline
While the overwhelming majority of bills were cut at the first deadline this legislative session, there are still quite a few bills remaining to be considered, specifically in the Tribal-state space. State governments… Read more [More...]
Contact your legislator in support of the Oklahoma Dental Therapy Act, House Bill 2921.
• Find your lawmaker using OK Policy’s Legislator Lookup
The Dental Therapy Act in Oklahoma can help address our unmet dental care needs
This legislative session,… Read more [More...]
The state's minimum wage is a contributing factor to our long-standing poverty. Wage compensation has significant consequences for Oklahoma and especially rural Oklahomans of color. [More...]
Lawmakers from both the Senate and House considered dozens of bills directly affecting Native Oklahomans and Tribal governments on education, public health, housing, and public safety, among other topics. Oklahoma is stronger when the state collaborates and includes the Tribes to advance our overall prosperity and well-being as Oklahomans. [More...]
A strong, mutually respectful relationship between the State of Oklahoma and the 38 federally recognized Tribal Nations in the state is vital to the well-being of all who call Oklahoma home. OK Policy will be publishing a series of articles… Read more [More...]
Oklahoma has the second-highest share of tribal citizens of any state, which helps shape the fabric of our state’s culture and communities. This year, the Oklahoma legislature demonstrated this influence by including and valuing Native Oklahomans and tribal leaders in… Read more [More...]
Across the United States, justice has lagged and gaps in response to Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women/People (MMIW/P) persist as a result of a legacy of institutionalized disregard for Indigenous lives. In 2018, Oklahoma was among the top 10 states… Read more [More...]
Leading up to when Oklahoma expanded Medicaid coverage, Oklahoma had a large uninsured population of American Indian and Alaska Natives (AI/ANs). But as a consequence of Medicaid expansion and the Oklahoma Health Care Authority’s (OHCA) inclusion of — and consultation… Read more [More...]
