This past week, two native women were in the news: Sacheen Littlefeather and Nicole Mann. Sacheen Littlefeather, an activist and actress who refused Marlon Brando’s Best Actor Oscar in 1973, passed away. Nicole Mann, a NASA astronaut and Marine Corps pilot, became the first Native woman to go to space. The fact that many didn’t know about Shacheen or her activism until her passing illustrates the persistent and pervasive erasure of Indigenous people, their stories, and their voices throughout American history. The tides seem to be shifting and I’m glad to see so much coverage of Nicole Mann’s historic accomplishments, but we still have a long way to go. When I created Taste the Nation, I wanted to give voice to communities that we don’t really hear from in the mainstream. Back in 2019, while filming the first season of my show, I traveled to Arizona for the episode “The Original Americans”. I had the honor of meeting and learning from two remarkable women: Felicia Ruiz (@feliciacocotzin), a curandera or healer, and @twila_cassadore_, a forager. It was life-changing. Felicia graciously invited me to her home, nestled at the base of Camelback Mt., and taught me about all the medicinal and edible plants in her garden. She has such a calming, comforting presence about her. This is just part of her story. There’s a link in my bio to watch all of Taste the Nation on @hulu. I hope you see yourself in the indigenous and immigrant communities featured in the series. #indigenouspeoplesday #indigenouswomen #tastethenation