Traditional indigenous knowledge is not front and center in most conversations on food system transformation and this needs to be rectified. That is why we are so excited to announce the next Food Tank Summit on ‘The Wisdom of Indigenous Foodways’ to be held January 22, 2020 at Arizona State University.

The Summit is a collaboration between Food Tank, the Swette Center for Sustainable Food Systems at Arizona State University and the Sustainable Community Food Systems Program at the University of Hawai’i, West O’ahu.

Confirmed Speakers Include:

Maenette Benham, Chancellor, University of Hawai’i at West O'ahu

Bryan Brayboy, Bryan McKinley Jones Brayboy, Ph.D., Senior Advisor to the President, President's Professor, Lumbee

Twila Cassadore, Food Sovereignty Advocate from the San Carlos Apache Tribe

Paula Daniels, Co-Founder, Center for Good Food Purchasing, and Founder, Los Angeles Food Policy Council

Terrol Dew Johnson, Founder, Tohono O'odham Community Action

Kamuela Enos, Director of Social Enterprise, MA'O Organic Farms

Cindy Farlee, Student, ASU Food Policy and Sustainability Leadership, Associate Program Officer for the Native American Agriculture Fund

Mariah Gladstone, Founder, Indigikitchen

Janie Simms Hipp, President, Native American Agriculture Fund

Michael Kotutwa Johnson, Farmer from the Hopi tribe

Deb Krol, Arizona Republic Environment Reporter, Xolon Salinan

Chelsey Luger, Journalist, from the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa and Standing Rock Sioux Tribe in North Dakota.

Kathleen Merrigan, Executive Director, Swette Center for Sustainable Food Systems

Albie Miles, Assistant Professor of Sustainable Community Food Systems, University of Hawai'i at West O'ahu

Karli Moore, Student, ASU Food Policy and Sustainability Leadership, Associate Program Officer for the Native American Agriculture Fund

Andi Murphy, Multimedia journalist, Toasted Sister Podcast, Native America Calling

Melissa Nelson, Professor of American Indian Studies, San Francisco State University

Danielle Nierenberg, President, Food Tank

Cheryse "Kaui" Sana, MA’O Organic Farms Manager, Native Hawaiian

Chef Sean Sherman (Oglala Lakota), CEO/Founder: The Sioux Chef / NATIFS.org / Indigenous Food Lab

Shondiin Silversmith, Arizona Republic Indigenous Affairs Reporter, Navajo

The Summit will feature native voices and, over the course of two hours, speakers will delve into a wide range of issues from biodiversity, to wildfoods, landrace property rights, and more all while sharing inspiring models of strength and innovation within indigenous communities. Reception to follow (included).

Agenda

4:00-4:05 Call to Order, Review of the Day, Dani Nierenberg

4:05-4:10 Welcome Prayer & Blessing of the Food

4:10-4:25 Welcome & Views from our Hosting Universities President’s Professor Bryan Brayboy (Lumbee), University of Hawai’i - West O’ahu and Chancellor Maenette Benham (Native Hawaiian)

4:25-4:45 Seeds of Resistance, Mariah Gladstone (Blackfeet, Cherokee)

4:45-5:30 Panel 1: De-Powering Law and Institutions: What needs to change?

Moderator: Deb Krol, Arizona Republic Environment Reporter (Xolon Salinan),

Panelists: Paula Daniels (Native Hawaiian), Janie Simms Hipp (Chickasaw), Melissa Nelson (Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa), Chef Sean Sherman (Oglala Lakota)

5:30-5:45 Effective Partnering: University-Community Collaboration for Food System Change

Moderator: Andi Murphy, Toasted Sister Podcast (Navajo)

Panelists: Albie Miles, Kamuela Enos (Native Hawaiian)

5:45-6:30 Panel 2: Resilience and Success in Indian Country

Moderator: Shondiin Silversmith, Arizona Republic Indigenous Affairs Reporter (Navajo)

Panelists: Twila Cassadore (San Carlos Apache), Terrol Dew Johnson (Tohono O’odham), Michael Johnson (Hopi)

6:30-6:45 Visions for the Future

Moderator: Chelsey Luger (Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa, Standing Rock Sioux)

Panelists: Karli Moore (Lumbee), Cheryse "Kaui" Sana (Native Hawaiian)

6:45-6:55 Wrap-Up & Thank You

Dani Nierenberg and Kathleen Merrigan

7:00 Reception

Indigenous Food Tasting by:

Twila Cassadore (San Carlos Apache)

Desert Rain Café and Ajo Farmer's Market & Café: Terrol Dew Johnson (Tohono O’odham), Sterling Johnson (Tohono O’odham) and Nina Sajovec