Mariah Gladstone, Indigenous Chef, Food Activist

Montana Folklife Demonstrator

Indigikitchens | Kalispell, MT

Mariah Gladstone (Blackfeet, Cherokee) grew up in Northwest Montana. She graduated from Columbia University with a degree in Environmental Engineering and returned home where she developed Indigikitchen, an online cooking show dedicated to re-indigenizing diets using digital media. Indigikitchen is a portmanteau of Indigenous, digital, and kitchen. Using foods native to their Americas, the show gives Native American viewers the important tools they need to find and prepare food on their own reservations. Beyond that, it strengthens the ties among indigenous cultures and is a reminder of the inherent worth of their identities while fueling their physical bodies.

According to a recent article in The Flathead Beacon, “Gladstone champions the need for healthy, affordable food in communities that need it most, such as the Blackfeet reservation — an area roughly the size of Delaware with only two grocery stores, both in Browning, and each offering a small inventory of fresh, healthy, traditional foods.” Says Mariah: “You have these different food systems, and after a few generations of shelf-stable foods, that’s what people are used to. My goal is getting people excited about different food, getting excited about community gardens and sustainable sources of traditional food.”

Mariah has been recognized as a “Champion for Change” through the Center for Native American Youth, a “Culture of Health Leader” through the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and a Grist 50 “Fixer.” She is currently on the board of the Native Youth Food Sovereignty Alliance (NYFSA).