The University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD) is proud to present the 2025 Ben and Jeanne Overman Distinguished Speaker Series lecture on Thursday, November 6, 2025, from 7–9 p.m. in the Kirby Ballroom. This year’s lecture features Chef Sean Sherman, a nationally recognized leader in Indigenous food revitalization.

Chef Sean Sherman, a member of the Oglala Lakota tribe, has dedicated his career to making Indigenous foods more accessible through the non-profit North American Traditional Indigenous Food Systems (NATIFS) and its Indigenous Food Lab. Author of The Sioux Chef's Indigenous Kitchen (James Beard Award, 2018), he founded Owamni (James Beard Best New Restaurant in America, 2022). Included on the TIME 100 List (2023) and recipient of the Julia Child Award (2023), Sherman works through his activism and advocacy to reclaim and celebrate the rich culinary heritage of Indigenous communities around the world.

Sherman’s presentation, The (R)evolution of Indigenous Food Systems of North America, will explore the cultural, ecological, and health impacts of reclaiming Indigenous food traditions and how these efforts contribute to broader movements of sustainability and social justice.

The event is free and open to the public (no ticket required), but registration is encouraged.

The 2025 Overman Distinguished Speaker Series is presented by the UMD Chancellor’s Office, in collaboration with the Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activities subcommittee. The Ben and Jeanne Overman Distinguished Speaker Series was established to provide free opportunities for students and the community to learn from experts in their field.

Image: Chef Sean Sherman, a nationally recognized leader in Indigenous food revitalization and founder of the award-winning Minneapolis restaurant Owamni, will be speaking at UMD on November 6, 2025. Footer Credit: Nancy Bundt. Header Credit: David-Alvarado