Healthy + Happy #19: Indigenous food sovereignty

“The health of our young people directly translates into the health of our nations. Our young people are receiving messages every day about the brokenness of our communities and our environment. It’s time we rewrite that story and empower young people with messages of hope and healing.”

- Megan Forcia, Native American Programs Coordinator, Healthy Foods, Healthy Lives Institute at the University of Minnesota -

American Indian/Alaskan Native youth (AI/AN) experience some of the greatest health, economic and educational disparities in the U.S. today. The causes are multi-faceted — government policies, underfunding, historical trauma — and the impacts are significant. AI/AN youth play a crucial role in restoring these Native traditions that promote health, restore identity and boost economic impact. 

• The story. When the federal government removed indigenous people from their lands in the 1800s, it dismantled their traditional food system and created a dependence on government commodities. The result? High rates of obesity, heart disease and diabetes that are still prevalent in the AI/AN communities today. On top of that, the lack of food availability and affordability continue to make adequate nutrition difficult.

• The good news. Indigenous leaders and innovators are rewriting the story with a roadmap for wellness, disease prevention and the revitalization of indigenous food systems. Food sovereignty — the ability to determine the quantity and quality of food consumed by production and distribution — plays a key role in helping communities heal. And it goes beyond food security. Leaders are focused on rebuilding relationships between people and the land, between those who eat and those who provide the food. 

• What the research says. According to the Aspen Institute, “Regaining control over the food system in Indian Country supports the ability of Native youth to thrive and restore their health, and the health of their communities and future generations. It improves local economies and reconnects people with traditional foods, revitalizing culture and re-imagining the relationship between individuals, tribal communities, and food.”

• What’s being done. On Monday (November 14), the USDA announced new resources as part of the USDA Indigenous Food Sovereignty Initiative. In partnership with tribal serving organizations, these resources will promote traditional food ways among tribal youth, communities and Native agricultural producers.

• Resources. The North American Traditional Indigenous Food Systems (NATIFS) has created Indigenous recipes and cooking videos that pair USDA commodity foods with traditional Indigenous foods. Indigenous ethnobotany experts share foraging best practices and resources by region.

• Bison. Bison remain central to many American Indian traditions, spiritual rituals, healthy diets and food security — and many tribes are bringing them back to help restore ecosystems.

• Seeds. Seeds are a vibrant and vital foundation for food sovereignty — and the basis for a sustainable, healthy agriculture. The Indigenous Seed Keepers Network is helping restore Indigenous identity and ensure that younger generations have seeds for generations to come.

Live in/near Minneapolis? Check out the Indigenous Food Lab (which plans to expand nationwide) to see cultural and nutritional revitalization in action. 

In the News

School food round-up.

• With school meal debt “ballooning” across the country, one woman is calling up her local schools to pay the bill.

• Last week, Colorado voted "YES" on universal school meals. 

• In Wisconsin, students are cooking meals for their classmates struggling with food insecurity. 

Hunger and homelessness.

• Approximately 1.4 million kids in the public school system are considered homeless (and Indigenous people and African-Americans have been unequally affected). 

• Distinguishing these children as “homeless” is crucial, as it unlocks a variety of support services, including immediate access to school nutrition programs.

• For students without housing, schools can provide a place of security, nutrition and support.

Helping our kids reach their full potential.

• One key to resilient, well- adjusted kids? Play. 

• Special Olympics Unified Sports is promoting engagement and inclusion for students with disabilities across the U.S.

• One former NFL player (turned educator) is helping student-athletes reach their full potential by building a strong foundation beyond sport.

Events, Happenings and Opportunities

• The International Physical Literacy Conference (IPLC) is calling for presenters at their upcoming event in New York on May 1-5, 2023. IPLC is designed to bring together health, education, recreation, and sport experts to advance knowledge, application and implementation of physical literacy programming across the globe. Presentation abstracts are due December 13, and early-bird registration for the conference begins January 20.

Have other national events or grant opportunities you'd like us to highlight? Let us know.