Summer Solstice Community Virtual Pow Wow

First Nations Kitchen  (FNK) is hosting the Summer Solstice Virtual Community Pow Wow in partnership with The Hook and Ladder Theater & Lounge and Community Technology Empowerment Project AmeriCorps. With this event, we aim to decrease isolation and offer a celebration to our local Native Communities. The money raised by this fundraiser will be used to pay for honoraria for the emcee, drummers, and dancers, promotional materials, and our gathering space at The Hook and Ladder.

One of our leaders, the Rev. Barb Fairbanks, had this to say about the Pow Wow… 

“The Virtual Pow Wow will be an awesome event connecting the community to a welcoming social celebration that represents traditional Native American culture, customs, and values. It's been a long year, due to the pandemic, without any Pow Wows in Indian country and they have certainly been missed. Many people believe that Native American Pow Wows help keep us connected to our ancestors who are no longer with us and keep the traditional ways alive. The drum represents the heartbeat of the culture and is to be treated with the utmost respect. This Pow Wow will be a welcoming event to many in the community!”

First Nations Kitchen is a ministry led by Indigenous people for Indigenous people. First Nations Kitchen is primarily a justice-focused, Gospel-based ministry.  Its primary intent is to provide food to Indigenous people who would not otherwise have access to high-quality, fresh organic food in an environment of radical hospitality and cultural empowerment. The values of welcome and hospitality are at the heart of First Nations Kitchen. We practice these values by cooking and sharing organic Indigenous foods in a caring, inclusive, and joyful environment. The pandemic has brought an increased sense of separation and loneliness to so many of us. FNK wishes to extend our “table,” where all are welcome, to our Native American communities and to all by sharing a Virtual Pow Wow. 

By hosting this event, we intend to foster meaningful connections to help one another feel less isolated and feel more hope. The Summer Solstice Community Virtual Pow Wow will lift up the arts and empower Native American voices and cultures. We also hope to share the news of our FNK program as a resource for food and hospitality.