Native American Food Sovereignty Work in Western New York

Lawrence Wheeler is a member of the Trout Eater clan of the Paiute and also traces descent to the Cayuga. Mr. Wheeler is an Indigenous educator who has worked for the Seneca Nation and currently teaches at Salamanca High School. He describes himself as a “traditional white corn grower” who specializes in the preparation of Iroquois White Corn “while supporting other growers of foods traditionally grown by North American Indigenous peoples.” In 2008, he contributed three chapters to the volume Indigenous Educational Models for Contemporary Practice: In Our Mother’s Voice, Volume II (Routledge Press). In one of these chapters, “Gustango Gold: Lessons in Leadership from Corn,” Mr. Wheeler reflects upon his childhood memories of growing and processing corn. Along the way he derives insights about the care required to mentor youth and develop leaders. As we honor Native American Heritage Month, Mr. Wheeler will speak to the Villa community about the importance of personal and cultural memory, the Native American Food Sovereignty movement, and his own work to continue growing traditional foods and sharing traditional knowledge.

This is a live, on-campus event open to all members of the campus community. For those who wish to socially distance, we will also stream the event synchronously via Zoom (https://villa.zoom.us/j/92974955966).