Indigenous foods subject of next lecture in Ellwood House series

SYCAMORE – The June hybrid Brown Bag Lunch and Local Lore series will feature a guided discussion on Indigenous foods and natural resources stewardship.

The free program will be at noon June 6 at the Sycamore Public Library, 103 E. State St.

During the program, chef Jessica Walks First will discuss the history and food stories important to the Great Lakes region’s culture, according to a news release. Attendees also can learn about past and current Indigenous foodways.

Walks First works with Midwest organizations to address issues such as food justice, healthy eating, food access and food sovereignty. She is a chef, educator and the owner of the Ketapanen Kitchen catering company. Walks First also is a member of the Menominee Indian tribe of Wisconsin.

The “Indigenous Pathways to Food Sovereignty” program is part of Brown Bag Lunch and Local Lore, a free lecture series offered as part of a collaboration between the Ellwood House Museum and the DeKalb County History Center.

Brown Bag Lunch and Local Lore is funded in part by the Mary E. Stevens Concert and Lecture Fund.