- Details
- By Native StoryLab
This Friday, May 16th, join us on Native Bidaské for an inspiring conversation with Ben Jacobs (Osage Nation), co-owner of Tocabe: An American Indian Eatery and Tocabe Indigenous Marketplace.
With 17 years of experience leading the only Native-owned and operated restaurant in Denver—and now expanding into Denver International Airport’s Concourse A—Ben is changing how people experience Indigenous food.
Located near airport gates that serve international flights, people from all over the globe have the opportunity to experience eating Indigenous food.
In this episode, Ben dives deep into:
- How his family's legacy and Osage heritage shaped Tocabe’s mission
- The exciting launch of their newest restaurant at Denver International Airport
- Sourcing Native-produced ingredients from across Indian Country
- Indigenizing breakfast with bison, elk, and hominy-based dishes
- Building a distribution chain to support Native food sovereignty
- Why Native chefs are redefining Indigenous cuisine through innovation and collaboration
Whether you’re a foodie, entrepreneur, or community leader, you’ll walk away from this episode with powerful insights into Native food systems, the importance of cultural representation, and what it means to serve community through cuisine.
📅 Date: Friday, May 16 at 12 p.m. ET
📍 Watch on Native News Online’s Facebook and YouTube.
Help us tell the stories that could save Native languages and food traditions
At a critical moment for Indian Country, Native News Online is embarking on our most ambitious reporting project yet: "Cultivating Culture," a three-year investigation into two forces shaping Native community survival—food sovereignty and language revitalization.
The devastating impact of COVID-19 accelerated the loss of Native elders and with them, irreplaceable cultural knowledge. Yet across tribal communities, innovative leaders are fighting back, reclaiming traditional food systems and breathing new life into Native languages. These aren't just cultural preservation efforts—they're powerful pathways to community health, healing, and resilience.
Our dedicated reporting team will spend three years documenting these stories through on-the-ground reporting in 18 tribal communities, producing over 200 in-depth stories, 18 podcast episodes, and multimedia content that amplifies Indigenous voices. We'll show policymakers, funders, and allies how cultural restoration directly impacts physical and mental wellness while celebrating successful models of sovereignty and self-determination.
This isn't corporate media parachuting into Indian Country for a quick story. This is sustained, relationship-based journalism by Native reporters who understand these communities. It's "Warrior Journalism"—fearless reporting that serves the 5.5 million readers who depend on us for news that mainstream media often ignores.
We need your help right now. While we've secured partial funding, we're still $450,000 short of our three-year budget. Our immediate goal is $25,000 this month to keep this critical work moving forward—funding reporter salaries, travel to remote communities, photography, and the deep reporting these stories deserve.
Every dollar directly supports Indigenous journalists telling Indigenous stories. Whether it's $5 or $50, your contribution ensures these vital narratives of resilience, innovation, and hope don't disappear into silence.
The stakes couldn't be higher. Native languages are being lost at an alarming rate. Food insecurity plagues many tribal communities. But solutions are emerging, and these stories need to be told.
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Levi Rickert (Potawatomi), Editor & Publisher