MSD Distinguished Speaker Series: An Evening with Alexis Nikole Nelson

We are thrilled to welcome Alexis Nikole Nelson, better known as the “Black Forager,” as this year’s Distinguished Speaker! A former Montessori student herself, Nelson embodies the spirit of curiosity, discovery, and joyful learning that defines a Montessori education. With her award-winning platform, she invites millions to explore the edible wonders hiding in plain sight, blending humor, history, and sustainability in every lesson. Through her work, Nelson not only reconnects us to the natural world but also shines a light on food traditions often overlooked. Don’t miss this inspiring talk that celebrates curiosity, resilience, and the delicious possibilities all around us!

Please note: this event is for adults only.

MORE ABOUT ALEXIS NIKOLE NELSON

Alexis Nikole Nelson is a forager and an outdoor educator using her platform to yell, sing and celebrate all the edible plants hiding in plain sight! She invites all who will come on the foraging journey of collecting, identifying, and eating wild food.

Nelson, who is known on social media as “Black Forager,” grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio, where she attended The New School Montessori – a fitting foundation for someone whose curiosity and hands-on approach to the world have shaped her career. Montessori education fosters independence, exploration, and a deep respect for nature, all of which shine through in Nelson’s passion for foraging. Long before she became a viral educator, she was a Montessori child, learning by doing and engaging with her environment in a way that would eventually captivate millions.

In an interview with National Public Radio (NPR), Nelson remembers the moment she discovered foraging–a memory that echoes Montessori’s emphasis on sensory learning and discovery. While gardening, her mother pointed out a patch of grass that looked different. Encouraged to investigate, Nelson broke off some blades and instantly smelled garlic. “If you [encourage] a five-year-old [like] that, they will just start breaking plants in your yard and seeing if magical smells emanate from them,” she laughs. That instinct to explore, test, and learn through direct experience–hallmarks of both foraging and Montessori education–set her on the path to becoming the engaging, knowledge-sharing force she is today.

Nelson has also cooked up quite a few awards, receiving the James Beard Award for “Best Social Media” 2022, being chosen for the Forbes 30 Under 30 list, being chosen as a TikTok Tastemaker, and being honored as part of Fortune Magazine’s Creator 25 in 2021.

With 5 million followers joining Alexis on the adventure, she reframes the world of food, asking us to consider tastefully satiating and environmentally sustainable food choices. She also peels back historical layers on African American and Indigenous food traditions that have traditionally been repressed. Whether Nelson is teaching audiences which seaweeds are delish or turning acorns into cheese, she does so with a song and a smile. Nelson’s comedic lessons and videos direct audiences to freely accessible food options and demonstrations of tasty dishes.

While delivered in a light-hearted manner, Nelson’s content has empowered those living in food deserts with greater self-sufficiency – which is no laughing matter. Nelson takes audiences into the woods and to the oceans in search of edible plants to enrich their palates and the planet.

As Alexis would say, happy snacking, don’t die!