GSC Educators & Cultural Bearers Spotlight

Ana Puente Flores is from Mexico City. Her experience working in detention centers has given her the tools to conduct narrative practice workshops with immigrant youth in detention. As an organizer, she seeks to open up a path for alternative spaces of care, mutual aid, collective storytelling, and cultural revival. Her political energy is geared toward migrant and indigenous folks fighting and thriving for the land, waters, and seeds. She seeks to reweave the present human dynamics towards sustainability, memory, collectivity, and balance through this work. She is currently developing her practice as an herbalist by making herbal oils and tea blends.

I’m an Anishinaabe-kwe from northwestern Ontario who has lived in the north. I think that my passion for affordable foods in the north has come from both personal experience and seeing the struggles of others. Living in a remote reservation, I quickly learned that cooking from ingredients was simpler than trying to figure out what I’d want to eat for what could be months at a time without the ability to grocery shop.

I am a certified PRESERVESafe trainer and have been since 2012. In 2013, I was given the great honour of being chosen as the Nishnawbe Aski Nation Adult Food Champion.

My journey has allowed me to learn many different types of cooking from around the globe with our traditional foods. However, I love simple, country foods as well.

Bianca Dagga is a fierce queer multi-cultural burlesque performer. Since stepping into the spotlight in 2009, Bianca has graced stages all over the U.S. Recently, in February 2016 she made her international debut in Macau, China with Brown Girls Burlesque. In 2014 she was crowned Princess Of Latin Burlesque at the Latin Burlesque Festival in Dallas, TX. She was awarded "sexiest burlesque performer" at GO! magazine's lesbian nightlife awards. All of Bianca's acts speak true to who she is at her core. The Nuyorican Afro-puerto Rican Taino-Mapuche Chilean Warrior Woman comes out in every hip roll, thrust, and twirl! When she is not on stage, she is also a gogo and pole dancer. Aside from dance, Bianca is a professional art model. She was the resident art model at The CeeFlat Gallery in Greenpoint, Brooklyn from its inception in 2008 until they closed in 2013.

Brandon Ruiz (he/him), is a Community Herbalist, Urban Farmer, Ethnobotanist and Chef based on Lenape land (New York City). He has been working with plant medicines since a teen and established Yucayeke Farms (formerly known as the CLT Herbal Accessibility Project), an ongoing herbal and agricultural project cultivating culturally relevant herbs and foods for his community. He has taught throughout the U.S. and abroad on Caribbean Herbalism, Culturally-Relevant Herbalism and Farming, Accessibility and Racial Justice within Herbalism and Agriculture and numerous other subjects. His project and work have received funding from Gaia Herbs, The Persimmon Collective, Mountain Rose Herbs and he has been featured in conferences, blogs, educational material and magazines across the globe. Brandon’s focus is on Caribbean herbalism within the Caribbean, but as well as in the diaspora. His in person and online educational opportunities have been ongoing since 2020 and include subjects such as Herbalism with EBT, seasonal herbalism and an ongoing Caribbean herbalism course of 5 weeks. He teaches for numerous herbal schools across the globe including the Chestnut School of Herbal Medicine, Blue Ridge School of Herbal Medicine and Terra Sylva School of Botanical Medicine. He has published writings extensively with Herb Rally, the American Herbalist’s Guild and multiple blogs and independent herbal sites. He has supported GSC’s A New Day For Old Ways programs with classes centered on herbalism, foods as medicine, and identifying Native foods.

Brit Reed (Choctaw) credits her initial love of cooking and food to her parents. While working in their family's camp kitchen, she began learning from her aunt the importance of cooking for The People in a good way & to embrace traditional women's roles. These experiences led her to pursue learning about traditional foods & medicines. Throughout her time at The Evergreen State College earning her BA and MPA with a concentration in Tribal Governance, she focused her studies on tribal food (in)security, food sovereignty, tribal food policy, and the effects of food on the health of our tribal communities. he is the founder of the Food Sovereignty is Tribal Sovereignty Facebook group. She is also an I-Collective member, an organization made up of seed keepers, knowledge keepers, chefs, and cooks since 2017and a food service provider for the Tulalip Tribes.

Charlene Defreese is passionate about the outdoors, enjoying activities like fishing, camping, and hiking. With over 18 years of volunteering for the Ramapough community, she’s dedicated to community service for her nation's elders and children. Professional work experience includes 5 years with the NY/NJ Indian Council for Employment and Training, focusing on empowering her community through education and skillset training opportunities. She is committed to uplifting and preserving Ramapough culture.

Chenoa Amadahe Francis also known as Diwanmanci, Sunflower in Hopi. Towering House/Red Running through the Water clans. From Arizona/New Mexico, raised in Denver, she identifies as daughter, sister, auntie, artist, friend. Active in indigenous community since youth, she advocates for indigenous rights, testified at Colorado Capitol, pomotes awareness through outreach, school talks, conferences. Youth Coordinator at Spirit of the Sun, she teaches ancestral ways and decolonization. She gardens, cares for pets, seeks knowledge. She is a board member at Her Many Voices Foundation and integrates art with activism and nature. She strives for intergenerational care and education.

Cherilyn Yazzie is a Navajo woman and farmer who started Coffee Pot Farms to address food access issues. She is a social worker, public health worker turned FARMER and farmer organizer. She studied Social Work at Northern Arizona University and Business studies at Thunderbird School of Global Management.

Coffee Pot Farms is a 36-acre farm located in Dilkon, Arizona. Yazzie says she founded the farm on the belief that “food is the first medicine, as it comes from Mother Earth, and that food sovereignty is the critical first step to creating healthy communities and healthy families.”

Deb Echo-Hawk is the Keeper of the Seeds for the Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma Seed Preservation Program. They believe that the seeds that have sustained their Pawnee for hundreds of years and should be a part of their daily diet. Deb works with her brothers Walter, Lance, and Roger, as well as the Nasharo Council of Chiefs, Cultural Committee and PSPP Team.

The Project is unique as they have 18 volunteer gardeners from their tribal homeland in Nebraska and Kansas growing out their seeds in addition to local Oklahoma gardeners. The on-going story of their challenge to bring back their non-hybrid corn for the welfare of their people is promising.

Ean is a water protector that holds a B.A. in Political Science with a Minor is Native American Studies, a Water Studies Certificate, and Early Childhood Education Certificate from Metropolitan State University of Denver as well as a Horticultural Therapy Certificate for Colorado State University. In college, Ean worked in the Denver Park and Rec and Denver Zoo greenhouses. He conducted his undergraduate research on increasing yields in greenhouse settings with organic methods, authored food sovereignty white papers for the City of Denver, worked for the Colorado Native Plant Society, and is a member/volunteer with local food justice groups like Revision Food Coop, Spirit of the Sun, and Denver Food Rescue. He founded Headwater Protectors, a nonprofit that delivers compassionate water and trash service to the unhoused residents of Denver.

Emily Vass is a Deathworker who helps families with grief and death support. She is an author, speaker and community leader. She is a mother of 2 neurodiverse teenagers. A wife to a career active duty service member. She has spent much of her 18 years of marriage as an acting single parent as her husband has been forward deployable their entire marriage. Emily’s work focuses on respite care, education and advocacy for the dying and their future grievers. Emily hosts events, workshops and retreats all over the country for grievers, deathworkers and funeral professionals, To find out more about her work consider checking out her website.

Hëyeko Müchuksu:u, Kang oyahenti Emma. My lineage comes from the Kiowa, Oleta, Boruca, and Bribri tribes. I am a cultural activist, artist, and school design coach residing in California. I was raised in traditional plant and cultural knowledge and given the privilege to work with elders from across California and Nevada preserving historic cultural sites and knowledge.
I am working on my formal education in Archeology so that I may assist indigenous people with repatriating (repatriar/reclamar) their historic cultural items, documents, photos, and recordings. In doing this work, I want to return those relatives (familiares/parientes) home, thus freeing them from settler-colonial cages also known as “museums” or “archeological archives”.

Aquay! My name is Gordell Wright and I am a citizen of the Shinnecock Nation located on Long Island, New York. I graduated from Long Island University with a bachelor degree in Political Science.

I’ve been very active within my Shinnecock Nation from helping create the Shinnecock Youth Council, serving on various committees, volunteer work and serving in tribal leadership for 10 years both on council and then as trustee. I am a traditional dancer and sing with the Youngblood singers formed in the late 70s. I currently reside in Arizona on the Gila River Reservation where my wife is from and also have one daughter.

Irka Mateo is a Taino elder from Kiskeya, modern-day the Dominican Republic. She is a ceremonialist and traditional healer who conducts earth-honoring ceremonies and traditional amazonian healing throughout the year. Ms. Mateo has documented Taino cultural and spiritual survival in the Dominican countryside for two decades and currently produces documentaries on these topics. She also has documented the Dominican folk music that is performed in the spiritual ceremonies. In 2013 she was supported by the Grammy Foundation for creating an archive on this folk music project. She worked for ten (10 years) at the Smithsonian Institution National Museum of the American Indian, creating and implementing Taino cultural programs for children and adults. She is an award-winning singer-songwriter and recording artist, one of the pioneers of the Dominican alternative music movement. She lives in Los Angeles.

Hëyeko Müchuksu:u, Kang oyahenti Emma. My lineage comes from the Kiowa, Oleta, Boruca, and Bribri tribes. I am a cultural activist, artist, and school design coach residing in California. I was raised in traditional plant and cultural knowledge and given the privilege to work with elders from across California and Nevada preserving historic cultural sites and knowledge.

I am working on my formal education in Archeology so that I may assist indigenous people with repatriating (repatriar/reclamar) their historic cultural items, documents, photos, and recordings. In doing this work, I want to return those relatives (familiares/parientes) home, thus freeing them from settler-colonial cages also known as “museums” or “archeological archives”.

Jade is a born & raised Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal member. She and her mother Sherry Pocknett's run the Sly Fox’s Den Restaurant. Jade ran the the Pow wow Trail Sly Fox's Den food Stand in 2015. She says "Growing up in Wampanoag territory was a life of education that I received that was really just a part of our life ways. I am a natural fisherman, hunter and gatherer. My favorite thing to do would be fishing. Something about the water feels like home. I always look forward to the beginning of our “New Year'' which usually starts in March or April depending on the weather. This is spring when the herring start their run back North to spawn, which always means the Stripers are following not too short behind. I love this time of year because of the abundance of food that there is to harvest and the teachings that go along with it. Teaching my children and other tribal kids the bounty of the seasons is also a part of what I do naturally. There are many things to harvest and many things to learn to keep traditions alive."

James Calabaza is an enrolled member of Santo Domingo Pueblo, James grew up with a passion to support Indigenous communities. As a first generation college graduate from Colorado State University, James strives towards educating others about the importance of higher education, community resilience and cultural preservation.

After working in the government sector for a few years, James realized his heart belonged to the nonprofit world. James works for Colorado-based non-profit, Trees Water & People, as their Indigenous Lands Program Director where he works closely with Tribal communities on developing community-led initiatives that will strengthen their communities for a healthier future. As a proud indigenous person, he understands and experienced first hand the hardships and struggles that affect indigenous communities across the country. Following his passion and spiritual education from his community elders, his vision is to educate and empower the warriors of tomorrow, all while respecting and honoring our ancestral roots.

Jody (Ground Hog) Van Dunk was Raised in the Ramapo M.T., Following in the footsteps of his father, Chief Redbone (Van Dunk), for over 50 years. He learned the native traditional ways like Wood carving, Cooking all types of wildlife, Tanning and Persevering all types of hides, and, most of all planting seeds for the next generation by teaching what he’s learned and is still learning (AHO)..R.M.l.

Josephine A. Smith is an enrolled citizen of the Shinnecock Indian Nation of eastern Long Island, New York. She resides on the Shinnecock Territory with her family. Josephine began foraging and cooking at a young age, watching her mother, grandmother and aunts and uncles. As she became an adult, she continued her interest in learning about the traditional foods and medicines of her people and passes this knowledge on to her children and grandchildren. For over 25 years she developed recipes and sold her foods as a vendor at powwows. She has given presentations on traditional foods and has catered special event receptions for museums and cultural organizations. Josephine serves as the Director of Cultural Resources Department for the Shinnecock Nation, and owns her own business as a jewelry, craft and regalia designer. Though physically no longer travel to powwows as a food vendor, she still enjoys gathering from the land and sea and cooking for family and friends.

Leo Cordier is a Sicangu Lakota and originally from Rosebud Indian Reservation. He is now living in New York City and is a father, native cook, coding enthusiast, and co-owner of Buffalo Jump NYC, an Indigenous-focused catering business that seeks to re-indigenize the NYC Food Scene.

Previously he worked with Cante Tenza Okolakiciye (The Strong Heart Warrior Society) and Tokala Okolakiciye (The Kit Fox Warrior Society) and aided in the protests against the pipeline at Standing Rock.

Linda Black Elk is an ethnobotanist and food sovereignty activist specializing in culturally important plants and their uses as food and medicine. She has dedicated her life to giving back to indigenous peoples and their communities. Linda works to build ways of thinking that will promote and protect food sovereignty, traditional plant knowledge, and environmental quality as an extension of the fight against hydraulic fracturing and the fossil fuels industry. She has written numerous articles, book chapters, and papers, and is the author of “Watoto Unyutapi”, a field guide to edible wild plants of the Dakota people. Linda proudly serves as the Food Sovereignty Coordinator at United Tribes Technical College in Bismarck, North Dakota, where she passes ethnobotanical and food systems knowledge on to her amazing students. When she isn’t teaching, Linda spends her time foraging, hiking, hunting, and fishing on the prairies and waters of the northern Great Plains with her husband and 3 sons, all members of the Oceti Sakowin, the Seven Council Fires of the Lakota.

Marcella "Marty" Perrano was the Indian Ed director for 25 years under a Title 5 Indian Education federal grant For the Mahwah & Suffern school districts. She taught history and culture to Ramapough students on reclaiming native culture with crafts, storytelling, history, and self-pride. Though now retired, Marty still enjoys working with children doing native programs and has continued working with some local schools. Marty is also passionate about her work protecting local burial grounds.

Meagen Baldy is a member of the Hoopa Valley Tribe, she resides in Hoopa CA and is the Executive Director of the Klamath Trinity Resource Conservation District. She is the outreach cook, and manages the Hoopa community garden in Hoopa. Her true passion is teaching people across Indian Country how to cook and utilize local foods, indigenous foods, and accessible foods in healthy dishes. She is a mother of four children, and also a caretaker of her three nephews, so raising 7 children, she is more than ever passionate about home preservation, raising her own livestock, and growing her own food. She carries these passions over into her work, developing the community garden as a mentoring tool to help at risk youth learn skills on how to grow their of food, and how to cook it.

Natalia Gonzalez was born and raised in Boriken. She's a native of El Barrio Jagual of San Lorenzo, Puerto Rico. She is one of 8 siblings who grew up in a family dedicated to working and living off the land. She embodies her Taino heritage as it was passed down to her by her mother and ancestors through music, food, and the ways of the land.

A current Food Educator with Edible Schoolyard New York City where I have been able to follow a passion I have for food, health, and indigenous food knowledge.

As a student I got my first taste in food and anthropology during my undergraduate career and am now pursing a masters degree in applied anthropology to combine my passion for food and qualitative research.

A goal of mine is to understand more about my cultural food knowledge (Hopi, Dine, Mexican) and be able to share this knowledge with the youth of New York City where they aren’t as surrounded by indigenous culture as I was growing up just outside of the Navajo and Hopi reservation.

Phoenix Anaya from Ndee Nation, who founded a Natural Medicine community group in 2012, which is a private group (practitioners and students) that shares and discusses naturopathic topics. She hosts classes on naturopathic subjects, ranging from medical herbalism & gardening, plant identification, and more. Phoenix is a veteran of the US Marine Corps.

Poppy Jones is grateful for his forest life. He grew up in the (Onteoras) Catskill mountains, fishing, hunting, and growing gardens, leading to a life close to nature. Jones has over 15 years of experience in plant medicine and foraging. Jones connects with the forest by quietly listening to subtle communication through flora, fungi, trees, and ferns. Jones now teaches and mentors students, friends, and family in herbal medicine at resorts, camps, spiritual centers, foraging, walks, reservations, and universities.

Regina Lopez-Whiteskunk, was born and raised in southwestern Colorado, resides on the Ute Mountain Ute reservation. She is a member of the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe of Towaoc. She has spent 10 years in the information technology field, working for Chief Dull Knife College, the Southern Ute Indian and Ute Mountain Ute Indian Tribes and elected member of the Ute Mountain Ute Tribal council. She is a former co-chair for the Bears Ears Intertribal Coalition Co-Chair and education director for the Ute Indian Museum in Montrose. Currently she is seeking a Master’s of Environmental Management with Western Colorado University. She serves on the Telluride Institute Board, Advisory board for Great Old Broads for Wilderness, Torrey House Press Board, and Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance. She's has traveled extensively throughout the country sharing the Ute culture through song, dance, presentations, and is honored to continue to protect, preserve and serve through education, creating a better understanding of our resources, culture and beliefs— a great foundation for a better tomorrow.

Sara Calvosa Olson (Karuk) is a food writer and editor living in the Bay Area with her husband and two teenage sons. Her work dwells at the intersection of storytelling, Indigenous food systems, security, sovereignty, reconnection, and recipe development. Her writing has appeared in News from Native California and Edible Shasta-Butte. With an interest in using both culturally sound & faithfully updated techniques using traditional Indigenous plants and animals, her cooking inspires a new look at the oldest foods in California.

Bestselling Cookbook Author of "Chími Nu'am, Native California Foodways for the Contemporary Kitchen" Published by Heyday Books, Release Date September 5th, 2023 #FoodsFromNativeCA

Sarah Ortegon was born in Denver, Colorado to a family of 12 kids. They're enrolled Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho. She graduated from Metropolitan State University of Denver with a BA degree in Fine Art. She's been featured at the Denver Art Museum and in the 2019 PBS Film, “The Art of Home.” She was crowned Miss Native American in 2013, and has toured with Native Pride Dancers, traveling and performing jingle dress dance in the US and also in Moldova, Europe and Guatemala. She completed an Alaska excursion through the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS). "This was a life changing experience for me & taught me the importance of our mother Earth" says Ortegon. She is a Wilderness Hiking Instructor for NOLS, leading 30 day outdoor excursions. She is also an actress featured in the "Black Elk Speaks" in and the musical "Sitting Bulls Last Waltz" in 2016. She was also cast as an extra and stunt woman in the BBC/NBC miniseries "Jamestown" on PBS. Currently, she is an Executive Legal Assistant for Native American Rights Fund, Indigenous peoples rights advocate for over 50 Years.

Sewa Yuli is a queer, full spectrum birthkeeper, bodyworker, community cook and parent. Rooted in Mexican curanderismo, Traditional Mexican postpartum care, and Food Justice advocacy, Sewa is the founder of Mi Xantico (pronounced chan-tico).

In addition to the aforementioned services, they provide 1:1 meal prep services, postpartum nutritional support, catering, cooking classes and more. Centered around Ancestral Foods, Sewa utilizes culinary medicine to promote healing, connection to tradition and health autonomy in all their practices.

Shaina Gonzales is a 12th generation Hopi Indigenous Seed Protector. Native Indigenous Activist, Feminist, committing to decolonizing. Empowering Indigenous Womxn, Youth, Men, Two-Spirit, Plant and Animal relatives. LGBTQ+ Advocate. Human Resource provider with edible forest, greenhouse enthusiasm practicing Indigenous agri-culture and nutrition education. Indigenous Chef fighting for Food Sovereignty, Justice and Climate change. Founder of Indigenous Toddlers and Teachings program through Spirit of the Sun. Early Childhood Development specialist, trained in Military-Family Trauma.

Shaina Oliver is Northern Dine, Born of Alkaline Water Clan on their maternal side, and Salt Water Clan on their father's side. She's a tribal member of the Navajo Nation from Shiprock, New Mexico, is an advocate for Indigenous Peoples’ Rights. In 2015, after the EPA’s toxic mine spill affecting the Animas and San Juan Rivers, which supply water to the Navajo Nation, Shaina became more aware that the environmental disasters that happen in Colorado—where she now lives with her husband and four boys—also impact her tribe’s well-being and future. Shaina began to feel her responsibility to do her part as a mother, aunt, sister, descendant, and survivor of genocide. currently residing in Denver, CO with my four kids and husband.

She is a field organizer for Moms Clean Air Force and EcoMadres Colorado Chapter, and advocate for Indigenous Peoples' Rights to clean air, water, and lands. Working for environmental justice for all children and communities. Shaina has been featured by ABC News, Yahoo! News, the Colorado Sun, Indian Country Times, The Tyee, the Denver Post, VoyageDenver, Colorado Public Radio, and Denver7.

Shannon is from Kykotsmovi, Arizona. Shannon is a certified Permaculture Design Instructor, focusing more on Indigenous Permaculture, the weaving of Traditional Ecological Knowledge with innovative science. The mother of six children, Shannon comes from twelve generations of earth caretakers and seed keepers. She is an active educator and has presented and taught widely on permaculture design and practicing Indigenous Permaculture at the Denver Indian Family resource, Rocky Ridge Boarding School on the Navajo Nation. Shannon is the Executive Director for Spirit of the Sun, Inc. located in Denver. Spirit of the Sun received the 2020 Human Rights Award from Youth Celebrate Diversity. Shannon co-created and led an Indigenous Permaculture Community Garden Project with the Four Winds American Indian Council. Shannon has received the Justin B. Willie humanitarian award (2014) on the Navajo Nation as well as the Cesar E. Chavez female leadership award (2015) for her work with Indigenous gardening, food justice, and community building projects in Denver.

Shavonne Smith is a member of the Shinnecock Indian Nation and serves as the Environmental Director. She has worked for the tribe for 13 years. She began in the tribe's aquaculture program and went on to develop the Shinnecock Environmental Department. As the director, she has helped lead the tribe's ongoing resiliency efforts. In 2016, she and her staff received an EPA Region 2 Environmental Champion Award for their work. They've gathered data to develop a water quality monitoring program, an Integrated Solid Waste Management Plan, and coordinating the community garden. She's helped to grow and manage sustainable oyster farming system for over 5 years.

She has formed many partnerships with local groups, government agencies and sister tribes that have provided a strong support and resource network to aid in the large task at hand. She embraces working with the next generation and learning from their knowledge and perspectives.

Chef Sherry Pocknett is the first Indigenous woman to win a James Beard Award. She founded Sly Fox Den, a restaurant and cultural center that educates the public on Indigenous foodways, culture, and history. Chef Pocknett honors the food from these Northeast Indigenous lands and waters and practices traditional techniques in farming, hunting, fishing, and cooking. Pocknett grew up on Cape Cod; she is the daughter of Native American rights advocate and Mashpee Wampanoag Chief Sly Fox, Vernon Pocknett.

Sid Whiting Jr. is a Sicangu Lakota northern traditional dancer and long-time powwow participant and Arena Director. He has been a part of the Denver Native community and an advocate most of his life. He continues to keep the Native community a valuable part of the Denver cultural norm as a member of the Denver March Pow Wow, Amerind All West Indian High School Basketball Tournament, and Tall Bull Memorial Grounds. He is presently working with the University of Denver on the Native American Advisory Council. Sid is also a cultural academic presenter in a program that helps Native American high school students become college ready while instilling their traditional Indigenous knowledge to assist them with Math, Culture, and Environments (MCE) classes. His main objective is to enhance the student’s college experience in a cultural Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts & Math (STEAM) setting. Currently, Sid is a cultural academics presenter working on K12 and Higher programming.

Thomas Goodman Allen Jr. was born and raised in Colorado. He attended Head-start at the Denver Indian Center and Riverside Indian School in Anadarko, OK. He's worked in the Data and Programming Field with companies like Century Link, Xcel Energy, KBtoys.com and MCI WorldCom. He is full blooded Native American of Sac and Fox, Northern Arapaho, and Yuchi decent. On his maternal side he descends from the survivors of The Sand Creek Massacre, whose original Arapaho family name was “Runs Behind the Tribe” and on the paternal side he shares close lineage to Chief Black Hawk & Olympic Medalist Jim Thorpe. His original Sauk family name was “Where the Whirlpool Gathers” – since this is a name with 16 characters. He is a Data manager for the Honoring Fatherhood Program at the Denver Indian Center. He also represents his culture at pow-wows, presenting Native History at Schools, planning and implementing activities like the Senior Luncheon, Fry Bread Friday’s and Voter Registration. he enjoys spreading knowledge about Native Americans and getting the tough discussions started.