COMMUNITY PROFILE DENVER EATSS: INDIGENOUS CHEFS AND NATHANIEL RATELIFF JOIN FORCES FOR AMERICAN INDIAN COLLEGE FUND STORY BY GILES CLASEN OVER A WEEKEND IN APRIL, Denver-based singer Nathaniel Rateliff performed with the Colorado Symphony to raise funds for Indigenous students through the American Indian College Fund. Held at Boettcher Concert Hall, the performance, which was part of Denver EATSS (Epicurean Award to Support Scholars) 2025, also featured original dishes made with traditional ingredients by Indigenous chefs from across the country. In an interview with Denver VOICE, Rateliff said it was a no-brainer to partner with the American Indian College Fund. “It is our duty as artists to bring issues of economic, racial, and social justice to the forefront of conversations,” Rateliff said. “Our culture is set up to create distractions from what is actually happening to our communities. Art, therefore, must exist to bring attention to those who are overlooked and oppressed.” Ben Jacobs, co-founder of Tocabe: An American Indian Eatery, has participated in Denver EATSS for years. His restaurant is one of the few Native-owned, Native-focused food businesses in the country, and he hopes the event will help participants have a better understanding of Native food. “One challenge is that many people are just now learning about Native cuisine, and those who are familiar with it may think there’s only one way to approach it,” Jacobs said. “But Native cuisine is vast and regionally diverse. For example, I’m Osage from northeast Oklahoma, but we use ingredients from Maine, Minnesota, and Washington. We’re not tied to one tribe or region — we want all tribal identities to connect.” Denver EATSS’ goal was to extend the understanding beyond food, and Jacobs said he sees the event as a way to share stories and culture. “When we started, our goal was to share culture, community, and identity through food,” Jacobs said. “Many people recognize ingredients like buffalo, squash, corn, and beans but don’t know their history. These foods have always been here. When we serve them, we reintroduce them in a new way, helping people understand their roots.” The American Indian College Fund provides scholarships, cultural support, and student services to help Native students succeed in higher education. Its work supports not only education, but Native language programs, BEN JACOBS, CO-OWNER OF TOCABE: AN AMERICAN INDIAN EATERY, SERVING FOOD AT DENVER EATSS TO HELP RAISE MONEY FOR THE AMERICAN INDIAN COLLEGE FUND. | PHOTO BY GILES CLASON tribal colleges, and youth development programs across the country. The Fund also offers opportunities to Native students who may not have access to other support and financial resources to attend college. Lisa Aimsback, a student ambassador for the Denver EATSS events, never expected she’d still be in college at this point in her life. But the mother, advocate, and student at Blackfeet Community College is on track to graduate with her bachelor’s degree in social work in May and plans to begin her master’s program just one month later. “It took me a long time to believe I’d have the support I needed to go back,” Aimsback said. “But once I made the leap, I had support from the American Indian College Fund, from my family, and from my community. That made all the difference.” Aimsback, who lives on the Blackfeet reservation in northern Montana, is attending a two-plus-two program with the University of Montana. The program allows her to stay in her hometown while earning a bachelor’s degree online — a crucial option for a full-time employee and parent who cannot relocate. “There’s a lot of trauma here — addiction, homelessness, suicide,” she said. “I used to think I’d leave when my grandparents passed. But after really seeing the needs of my community, I realized I want to stay and make a difference.” Aimsback serves as a student ambassador for both Denver EATSS and the American Indian College Fund. Through her work, she encourages others in her community to apply for scholarships and educational support — even when they fear rejection. Continued on next page NATHANIEL RATELIFF. | IMAGE COURTESY OF COLORADO SYMPHONY May 2025 DENVER VOICE 11
12 Publizr Home