GINNIE GRAHAM

Senior Reporter

What I do here

My job is to highlight all the things making Tulsa unique and interesting, hold influential people accountable and make sure public dollars are well spent. I’m on the hunt for stories that improve the well-being of the city and educate Tulsans about each other for greater empathy and understanding.

My Background

For more than 30 years, I have written about the city’s people, places, events and issues as a daily journalist at the Tulsa World. I’ve been a reporter, editor and columnist that has taken me into nearly every kind of environment, from a hot air balloon to death row to the living rooms of many Tulsans. I’ve done in-depth reporting on many societal issues including child abuse, substandard housing, food insecurity, early childhood education, high incarceration rates, homelessness and domestic violence. The best part of my job is meeting new people to write about their perspectives.

As a fifth-generation Oklahoman, I spent my childhood in Grove and teenage years in Perry, where I graduated high school in 1990. At the University of Oklahoma, I earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism and master’s degree in public administration. My husband and I raised our two children, who attended Tulsa Public Schools and are now in college, in Tulsa.

Where can you find me in Tulsa?

As a new empty nester, I’m rediscovering the city in many ways. My free time is spent checking out small retailers, restaurants and funky exercise classes. Often, I’m nestled in my favorite chair reading or hanging in my backyard listening to music. My favorite Tulsa spots are bookstores, coffee shops and anywhere with a decent happy hour. If I’m listening to music, I prefer small venues with local musicians. My volunteer work is focused on the nonprofit Poetic Justice’s Prison Journalism Project to help incarcerated women in Oklahoma become journalists.

Journalistic ethics

I believe in accuracy, following the journalism adage, “If your mother tells you she loves you, check it out.” Fairness is just as important, giving everyone a chance to respond. I don’t believe in “gotcha” interviews or going into stories with a pre-determined angle. While I enjoy writing about and observing politics, I’ve never made a political donation.