Nearly half of Oklahoma households are one misstep away from financial insecurity

Despite an improving national economy and a (deceptively) low statewide average unemployment rate, nearly half (49.1 percent) of Oklahoma households are in a persistent state of financial insecurity, according to a report released today by the Corporation for Enterprise Development… Read more [More...]

[Read This] Scarcity: Why Having Too Little Means So Much

I had the opportunity recently to hear Princeton psychologist Eldar Shafir talk about the research and principles behind his new book (co-written with Harvard economist Sendhil Mullainathan), “Scarcity: Why Having Too Little Means So Much.”  The premise of the book… Read more [More...]

2012 New Census data shows stagnant incomes, many Oklahomans still living in poverty

This post was written by OK Policy intern Annie Mitchell (with a little help from Carly Putnam).  Annie is a native Tulsan pursuing her Master’s in Social Work at OU-Tulsa.  Carly is an undergraduate at the University of Tulsa majoring… Read more [More...]

[Closing The Gap, Part 5] Past is future: Intergenerational wealth

This is the fifth post in a running series based on our recent report, Closing the Opportunity Gap: Building Equity in Oklahoma, which assesses the racial wealth gap and proposes solutions for closing that gap through asset-building. Previous posts detailed … Read more [More...]

Am I such a danger to the people? (Guest Post: Camille Landry)

Camille Landry is a writer, activist, and advocate for social justice who lives in Oklahoma City. This is the fifth in Camille’s series, “Neglected Oklahoma”, focused on Oklahomans who find themselves in a position where the basic necessities of life… Read more [More...]

[Closing The Gap, Part 4] Regenerative assets: Why you need money to make money

This is the fourth post in a running series based on our recent report, Closing the Opportunity Gap: Building Equity in Oklahoma, which assesses the racial wealth gap and proposes solutions for closing that gap through asset-building.  Previous posts explored … Read more [More...]

Watch This: The Line

The Line documents the stories of people across the country, from the suburbs of Chicago to the economically devastated Gulf Coast, living at or below the poverty line.  Emmy Award-winning producer Linda Midgett chronicles poverty in America straight from the… Read more [More...]

Marriage won’t end poverty

Poverty in Oklahoma is at a six-year high. Recent Census numbers showed that more than one in six Oklahomans – and almost one in four children – live in poverty. Even as we are lauded for our economic successes, the… Read more [More...]

Closing the Opportunity Gap: Building equity in Oklahoma

Click here for a copy of a presentation of this research to the OKDHS Practice and Policy Lecture Series on 4/25/2013 Oklahoma’s prosperity depends on the financial success and economic achievement of the people who call it home.  For a… Read more [More...]

Oklahoma Poverty Profile 2011

Poverty in Oklahoma reached a six-year high in 2011, according to data released last month by the U.S. Census Bureau.  The data revealed that more than one in six Oklahomans – and almost one in four children – now live… Read more [More...]