MINNEAPOLIS — The Independent has named Sean Sherman, founder and executive director of non-profit North American Traditional Indigenous Food Systems (NATIFS), award-winning chef of Owamni in Minneapolis and advocate for Indigenous foodways, to its inaugural Climate 100 List.
The UK and US-based online news source intends its Climate 100 List to be an annual roll call of leading climate activists, innovators, scientists, business leaders, creators, policymakers and entrepreneurs from around the world, all of whom are committed to the fight against climate change. Former British Prime Minister Theresa May will deliver the keynote address at the inaugural Climate 100 event on September 25 in New York City celebrating progress on the frontlines of the climate crisis during the United Nations Summit of the Future in New York, part of the 15th annual NYC Climate Week.
Sherman is Executive Director of North American Traditional Indigenous Food Systems (NATIFS), where he leads a team of culinary staff, educators, and advocates whose mission is to revive sustainable Indigenous food practices while restoring the strength and health of Indigenous communities. He carries the message of the NATIFS mission around the world in his role as a speaker and advocate, and last November, brought it to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference of the Parties (COP28) in Dubai.
Indigenous food systems play a crucial role in both preventing and withstanding the effects of climate change due to their deep-rooted connection to the land, biodiversity, and sustainable practices. These systems are characterized by traditional ecological knowledge, which has been passed down through generations and emphasizes the importance of maintaining a balanced relationship with nature.
“It’s an honor to see my name alongside the other passionate visionaries, leaders, and fighters on the Independent’s Climate 100 list,” said Sherman. “Indigenous communities face displacement and devastation from climate change, though we benefited least from the forces that created it, and we are custodians of knowledge that can light a better path going forward. I hope my place on the list carries the message of my nonprofit, NATIFS, to everyone looking for a way forward: Indigenous foodways once supported healthy individuals, stable communities, and balance in the natural world. Recovering these foodways and sharing knowledge and meals with one another is key to reconnecting and rebuilding what has been broken.”
The Independent has been at the front line of journalism since its launch in the UK in 1986, with its purpose to challenge, debate and make change happen way ahead of its time. In the UK, it remains the largest quality digital news brand and in 2016, was the first of the quality news brands to become fully digital. Now publishing from 12 countries and in six languages, and with a network of global correspondents, The Independent is a truly global news organization.
Chef Sean Sherman is an award-winning chef, educator, author and Indigenous food advocate and activist. As a member of the Oglala Lakota Sioux tribe, his mission centers on the revitalization of Indigenous food systems worldwide, raising awareness about the cultural and health benefits of Native American and other traditional cuisines. He is a founder of the James Beard award winning restaurant Owamni in Minneapolis, as well as his nonprofit NĀTIFS (North American Traditional Indigenous Food Systems), which works to restore and nurture Indigenous food systems across North America, and its premier project, the Indigenous Food Lab, which aims to improve health and increase wealth in tribal communities. Through his passionate activism and advocacy, Sherman is helping to reclaim and celebrate the rich culinary heritage of Indigenous communities around the world. For more, visit www.seansherman.com.