I-Collective
I first heard about the I-Collective when I began to research Twila Cassadore, one of the central figures in the documentary Gather. The organization “stands for four principles: Indigenous, Inspired, Innovative, and Independent,” and is comprised of a network of Indigenous “chefs, activists, herbalists, seed, and knowledge keepers”. They all work together to bring conversations about Indigenous food sovereignty to the forefront by changing the narratives around Indigenous food sources and foodways as they strengthen the ties to these traditional foodways within their own tribal communities. The collective celebrates the wide variety of perspectives that emerge because of their different approaches to revitalizing foodways, and displays individual member’s projects on the website for viewers to check out. Their website also features a blog and other story-sharing platforms that promote stories that change the narrative about Indigenous foodways. The other major component of I-Collective is a currently-in-progress cookbook that will contain a bounty of recipes made from local, culturally relevant foods. They also have a supplemental webinar to complement the cookbook.