Rebecca Najera covers race and equity for Oklahoma Watch, a nonprofit investigative news organization based in Oklahoma City. Najera graduated with a master’s degree in journalism from the University of North Texas in 2021, where she was a Mayborn Scholar and editor-in-chief of the North Texas Daily, the student paper. As an undergraduate at UNT, she reported and edited for the Daily, and prior to that she earned her associate degree at Tyler Junior College, where she was editor-in-chief of The DrumBeat, the student publication. Najera’s writing and photography have earned her awards from the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association. Home for Najera is New London, Texas.
Beat: Race and inequity in Oklahoma.
This reporter will cover issues facing different racial, ethnic and immigrant communities in the state. They will cover the intersection between race and politics, housing, labor, healthcare and education. They will shed light on injustices facing these communities, as well as write pieces that show the culture of various minority groups. They will collaborate with other reporters on projects that intersect with race and their specialty. They will take the news of the day and look for enterprise and investigative opportunities. They will build lasting relationships and sourcing with minority communities.