Chefs of the Gatherings Cafe at the Minneapolis American Indian Center have been working every weekday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., preparing healthy and delicious meals for the elderly in their community during the COVID-19 pandemic. (ThreeSixty Journalism/Emil Liden) Since March, the Elder Meal Program has provided over 22,000 meals for the elderly who normally depend on free meals from the center. (ThreeSixty Journalism/Emil Liden) “For me as a chef, it's just giving back to the community, staying grounded with my roots, and using my platform, my network, and my skills to put that on the front line and keep the community fit during this time,” says Chef Brian Yazzie (Diné). (ThreeSixty Journalism/Emil Liden) Chef Brian prepares a dish with beans and squash over the stove in the kitchen of the Minneapolis American Indian Center. (ThreeSixty Journalism/Emil Liden) Fresh herbs add flavor to the dishes Brian and his chefs prepare. (ThreeSixty Journalism/Emil Liden) “I am typically a bricklayer, I usually work construction. So I've been wanting to break into something to do with the food sovereignty movement or the indigenous food movement, and this was my opportunity to do that. I didn't want to go back to a job site where sanitary conditions are non-existent,” says Vanessa Besha Casillas (Ho-Chunk) (ThreeSixty Journalism/Emil Liden) Despite the hardships the COVID-19 pandemic has brought, Brian and the Native American community at the center have remained resilient in helping those in need. (ThreeSixty Journalism/Emil Liden) A dehydrating machine is used to extract the moisture from different foods and allows them to be preserved for a longer period of time. Here, Vanessa puts herbs into the machine to be dried. (ThreeSixty Journalism/Emil Liden) Dried chilis and sage are just a few of the ingredients native to the Americas that Chef Brian incorporates into his cooking in order to stay connected to his heritage and cultural roots. (ThreeSixty Journalism/Emil Liden) “Our bodies are the vehicles that they can't do no more. They got ideas and thoughts but you gotta be that thing that gets them, you know going and we got to be there for them so you know that kind of always stuck in my mind when I moved up here,” says Ben Shendo (Cochiti/Jemez). (ThreeSixty Journalism/Emil Liden) Using ingredients that are native to the Americas, including beans and squash, Brian cooks healthy meals for the elderly that tie back to Native American culture and tradition. (ThreeSixty Journalism/Emil Liden) Across the U.S., COVID-19 has disproportionately affected the Native American community as compared to non-minority groups. And with the elderly being at greatest risk of death by COVID-19, the Minneapolis American Indian Center is spreading a message of safety to protect the members of its community. (ThreeSixty Journalism/Emil Liden) Chefs at the Gatherings Cafe often get to bring out their creativity in the kitchen. Using leftover plum pudding, Vanessa makes small desserts topped with rich Azteca chocolate. (ThreeSixty Journalism/Emil Liden) “They are feeling the message we're trying to send. We aren't able to see their reactions, we aren't able to know what they're experiencing when they receive the box, but our intention is that they know that they're cared for. We want them to know that they're thought of,” says Vanessa. (ThreeSixty Journalism/Emil Liden) Grateful for the food they have been receiving, the residents of Bii di Gain elder (in Ojibwe, "Come in. Rest.") home in Minneapolis made a ‘thank you’ sign for the chefs of the Elder Meal Program. (ThreeSixty Journalism/Emil Liden) “I'm hoping one of the takeaways after this pandemic is that people start thinking of their broader community and the community that they participate in that they contribute to, and that they really become engaged in their communities, and the health of their communities,” says Vanessa. (ThreeSixty Journalism/Emil Liden) MINNEAPOLIS - Chefs of the Gatherings Cafe at the Minneapolis American Indian Center have been preparing healthy and delicious meals for the elderly in their community during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Emil Liden, a senior at Minnetonka High School this fall, produced this photo essay earlier this month during ThreeSixty Journalism’s 2020 Digital Media Arts Camp, in partnership with the Center for Prevention at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota and Padilla. Health equity was the theme, with a focus on racism as a public health issue.
AUTHOR REFLECTION
Brian Yazzie is a chef at the Minneapolis American Indian Center and runs the “Elder Meal Program,” which feeds the elderly of the Native American community around the Twin Cities.
I had the honor of meeting Brian, along with another chef, Vanessa, and Ben, who started the Elder Meal Program back in March.
During my visit to the center, I was able to capture Brian and Vanessa in action as they prepared food. Brian’s work with the Elder Meal Program is important for many reasons.
First, the COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately affected the Native American community across the country and especially here in the Twin Cities.
Second, the elderly are at a higher risk of death from COVID-19 and are among the most vulnerable when it comes to this deadly virus.
Lastly, the Native American tradition of caring for the elderly is something that Brian and those at the Minneapolis American Indian Center hold dear to their hearts.
Moreover, there is a community-oriented mindset when it comes to service that is so present at the center.
This is perhaps what was most moving during my time at the center. Not only did Brian and the other chefs hold great respect for their elders, but they also felt a duty as young people to take care of those who cared for them. It is this sort of mindset that I feel is most compelling when I tell this story and it is what I feel is most important for the viewer to take away.
I want to thank Brian and his team of chefs for welcoming me into their kitchen and allowing me to hear and photograph their story.
Through this photo essay, I want to recognize the incredible work the everyone at the Minneapolis American Indian Center is doing for their community. I encourage everyone to follow their example and take action to help those around you who are struggling during these difficult times.