“Empowering Food Sovereignty honors our traditional foods as a way to nourish and uplift the next generations of Native Leaders.”
Kylie Reese-Quintana (Navajo Nation), 26, is a medical assistant passionate about reconnecting Indigenous youth with traditional foods, culture, and land-based knowledge. Raised in a small town on the Navajo Nation, Kylie learned traditional foodways from her elders and family, shaping her deep commitment to cultural preservation and community health. Now based in Spanish Fork, Utah, she continues this work through the Title VI Indian Education Program, helping bring cultural education and connection to K–12 students in her community.
In her urban community, many Indigenous youth lack opportunities to engage with traditional practices or understand where their food comes from. This disconnect can impact both cultural identity and overall health. Through her Dreamstarter project, “Seeds of Sovereignty: Empowering Indigenous Youth through Food and Culture Classes,” Kylie aims to address these challenges by creating pathways for youth to reconnect with traditional foods and make healthier lifestyle choices rooted in cultural knowledge.
Kylie will lead garden-based food sovereignty education through summer programming like Camp Eagle, along with foraging workshops, community food demonstrations, and youth-led cultural events. By offering hands-on experiences that teach the full cycle of food—from planting and harvesting to preparation—she will help youth build lasting connections to their food systems. Through workshops and field trips, Kylie envisions long-term impacts including improved nutrition, stronger cultural identity, and a greater sense of overall well-being in her community.
