Putting Tribal Sovereignty in Food Sovereignty
As IFAI enters its 13th year of serving Indian Country our Executive Director, Carly Griffith Hotvedt (Cherokee Nation) has a message for all of our stakeholders.
When you think of the next generation of Native agriculturalists, who comes to mind? While we work to address challenges and uncertainty in Tribal food and agriculture systems that are compounded by the shifting federal landscape, it remains a critical need to build the bench of Tribal youth engaging in food and agriculture in Indian Country.
The Indigenous Food and Agriculture Initiative just hosted our 11th Annual Native Youth in Food and Agriculture Leadership Summit, where we welcomed 34 young adults from 30 Tribal Nations for a week of learning and networking. To date, over 500 Native youth have attended our Summit, going on to become farmers, ranchers, agribusiness entrepreneurs, attorneys serving Indian Country, national leaders at Native-led organizations, and even elected Tribal leadership –all with a comprehensive understanding of Native food and agriculture. But our continued development of Native youth needs your support!
As we invest in Native youth to build the next generation of advocates for Tribal agriculture and food sovereignty, we are aware of the shrinking federal and federally-funded opportunities in this space. Your support allows us to continue to offer engagement, access, and community to this burgeoning cohort –ensuring that Native voices continue to be elevated and that our traditional foodways and knowledge perpetuate.
The cost of attendance for each Summit attendee is approximately $2,000. IFAI is committed to providing the opportunity to attend the Summit at no cost to each attendee. Your donation of any amount will help make the next Native Youth in Food and Agriculture Leadership Summit just as impactful or more than the ones before. A donation today at $1000, $100, or even $10 –is not just a gift, it is an urgent investment in the resilience, leadership, and food sovereignty of Native communities.
Make your donation online or contact Brenton Jones at baj005@uark.edu or (479) 575-3227 for information on how to donate in alternative formats.
Wado vv Donadagohvii (Thank you and Until we meet again),
Carly Griffith Hotvedt, JD, MPA (Cherokee Nation)
Executive Director
Indigenous Food and Agriculture Initiative