Submitted
2025 Indigenous Communities Fellowship

Steam Corn Punk by Dii IINÀ

Team Leader
Danielle Goldtooth
We imagine a different way of working with the land that is explored through cuisine. We utilize techniques and technologies of yesteryears paired with modern techniques and technology to bring “Steam Corn Punk” and innovative dining experience that explores “Transcontinental Culinary Synthesis”. During this 2hour -2day experience people explore how they can implement food sovereignty in there lives. From Foraging...
What is the name of your organization?
Dii IINÀ
What is the name of your solution?
Steam Corn Punk by Dii IINÀ
Provide a one-line summary or tagline for your solution.
Steam Corn Punk is an educational dining experience where guests learn about Food Sovereignty with skilled Hosts.
In what city, town, or region is your solution team headquartered?
Phoenix, AZ, USA
In what country is your solution team headquartered?
USA
What type of organization is your solution team?
For-profit, including B-Corp or similar models
Film your elevator pitch.
What specific problem are you solving?
The world has forgotten, except for very few, what local food systems looked like in their region when we worked with the land as people. Now with Global Climate Change we are all effected personally by it. The quality of our food suffered because we don’t take the time to learn about it. We want convenience we want quick and we want Easy, but that is not how make meaningful and impactful change. We want to invigorate people to explore their regions agricultural entities by showing them ours through the lens of cooperation and connection to the land in a fun and tasty way.
What is your solution?
We imagine a different way of working with the land that is explored through cuisine. We utilize techniques and technologies of yesteryears paired with modern techniques and technology to bring “Steam Corn Punk” and innovative dining experience that explores “Transcontinental Culinary Synthesis”. During this 2hour -2day experience people explore how they can implement food sovereignty in there lives. From Foraging to combat plant blindness, to multi part processing of Traditional Indigenous Ingredients to keep community knowledge relevant and alive. We believe that interaction with the land and empathy of people will open hearts to collaboration to inspire more to take on community work to serve each other in a more respectful and reciprocal fashion. Teaching Key points of Dinè philosophy along the way to showcase age old wisdom.
Who does your solution serve, and in what ways will the solution impact their lives?
We have completely different demographics we work with. Dinè Youth on Reservation- the population is school aged. Schools on the Navajo Nation have reports of poverty, malnourishment, low graduation rates. We like to address the youth in fun workshops to help their decision making in healthy foods and giving them the tools to make them with a cultural twist. This leads to lower grocery bill, give fundamental skills, while also being culturally relevant. Dinè Community Members on and off Reservation: Dinè Community members deal with loss of identity from years of assimilation and acculturation. Many people feel disconnected from their culture and community. Bringing food workshops and agriculture based activities reinforces cultural identity and community and helps address other underlying issues. Non-Native People- most people we come across do not know how or why there food system functions the way it does. We like to get people thinking to invigorate involvement and action to combat Global Climate Change as well as build bridges between communities through food.
Solution Team:
Danielle Goldtooth
Danielle Goldtooth
Founder/Owner