From Survival to Frybread: A History of Resilience, Food & Community An Interactive Cooking and Cultural Learning Experience with American Indian Student Alliance

Join us for a hands-on frybread-making workshop led by AISA Student Organization President Angel Morado! This workshop will explore the complex history of frybread, its origins as a survival food during the forced displacement of Native peoples, and its lasting significance within Native communities today. Frybread emerged from a history of colonization, when Native Nations were forcibly removed from their homelands and separated from their traditional food systems. With limited access to traditional foods, Native families adapted government-issued commodities such as flour, salt, and lard to survive. While frybread has become a symbol of resilience, family, and community, its history also opens important conversations about the long-term health impacts of colonial food systems, including the prevalence of diabetes and other diet-related health disparities in Native communities. Through cooking, conversation, and shared learning, students will have the opportunity to reflect on the relationship between food, history, cultural identity, and Indigenous resilience. Come learn, cook, and connect as we honor the strength of our ancestors while recognizing the importance of Indigenous food sovereignty and the reclamation of traditional foodways.