The first ever Ilimpa'chi' Indigenous Food Sovereignty Symposium will take place Saturday, Nov. 23! Enjoy live demonstrations and a panel presentation from special guests, Jason Champagne and Jody Gzhadawsot (Helps Children) Mattena. It will be a day you don’t want to miss!
Schedule of Events:
10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. - Chef's food demonstrations (Anoli' Theater lobby)
10:30 a.m. - Seasoned with Spirit Episode 1 (Anoli' Theater)
11 a.m. - Seasoned with Spirit Episode 2 (Anoli' Theater)
11:30 a.m. - Seasoned with Spirit Episode 3 (Anoli' Theater)
1 p.m. - Special Presentation by Kelli Case - "Food and Agriculture Across Indian County" (Anoli' Theater)
1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. - Panel discussion and Q&A with chef Jason Champagne and chef Jody Gzhadawsot Mattena
Jason Champagne
Jason Champagne is a member of the Red Lake Band of Chippewa in Minnesota and owner of Native Chef LLC. He has a bachelor’s degree in community nutrition from the University of North Dakota, a master’s degree in public health nutrition from the University of Minnesota School of Public Health and is a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Arts School.
Through his business, his goal is to help others understand that food can be a powerful, positive medicine and learning how to cook is the key to making it healthy, affordable and delicious.
Jody Gzhadawsot (Helps Children) Mattena
Jody Gzhadawsot (Helps Children) Mattena, also known as BossLady Anish, is an enrolled member of the Citizen Band Potawatomi (Bodewadmi) and Loon Clan (Maang Ndodem). She has always enjoyed harvesting and cooking, however during the COVID-19 pandemic she started sharing Indigenous recipes and knowledge on social media in the hopes of spreading healthy nutrition during a time of illness. Jody found this work to be very important due to the high numbers of heart disease and diabetes in the Indigenous population attributed to a diet that is not compatible with Indigenous peoples’ DNA (processed sugar, wheat and dairy).
She published her first Indigenous cookbook in June 2023 and is currently working on her second with a tentative publication date of autumn 2025.
Kelli Case
Kelli Case, citizen of the Chickasaw Nation, serves as senior staff attorney for the Indigenous Food and Agriculture Initiative (IFAI) at the University of Arkansas. IFAI is the singular national legal research and policy analysis center focused on supporting tribal governments exercising their sovereignty in the space of food and agriculture law and policy.
Before joining the IFAI, Kelli earned her B.S. in agribusiness form Oklahoma State University and her J.D. from the university of Tulsa. While in law school, she also completed the certificate in Native American Law program. Kelli clerked for both the Chickasaw and Pawnee Nation court systems where she spent time immersed in tribal codes and working to improve the lives of tribal citizens. Since joining IFAI, Kelli has traveled across Indian Country, working with tribes and tribal producers on their agricultural pursuits. Her work has focused heavily on the Farm Bill and its impact in Indian Country.
