ZUNI, NM (July 29, 2026) — As another growing season reaches its peak in the Pueblo of Zuni, the Zuni Youth Enrichment Project’s food sovereignty initiatives are thriving. From serving 120 children during the nonprofit’s 18th Annual Summer Camp to supporting apprentice families, local partnerships and community gardening efforts, ZYEP is helping youth and families build lasting connections to healthy food, cultural knowledge and one another.
Summer Camp represented the season’s largest undertaking as the food sovereignty team engaged children in four weeks of nutrition education and hands-on food preparation, with a special focus on traditional ingredients and current culinary trends. Each week highlighted a different activity.
Food Sovereignty Leader Khassia Hattie led the camp activities with support from fellow Food Sovereignty Leader DeVon Bowekaty and summer intern Keilana Dewa, 17, whose position is made possible with support from the Zuni Education & Career Development Center. Sugary drink education took center stage during the first week, as leaders helped campers understand how much sugar is hidden in store-bought beverages and why moderation matters.
“Asian-inspired beverages and foods are definitely trending, so we taught them to make brown rice boba with coconut milk,” said ZYEP Food Sovereignty Coordinator Brittny Seowtewa. “It’s a healthier version of a very popular drink.”
Week two featured rainbow fruit salad topped with sunflower seeds. During week three, campers made vegetable sushi using either nori or cucumber wraps, filling them with carrots and cabbage before adding their own sriracha mayonnaise.
“That was a surprisingly big hit,” Seowtewa said with a laugh.
During the final week, campers made traditional corn parfaits. They layered blue and white corn mush with fresh berries, pine nuts and agave or honey, and Seowtewa reported great reviews from team members and campers alike.
When families gathered July 17 for the annual End of Camp Celebration, the food sovereignty team served a quinoa vegetable salad featuring kale harvested from ZYEP’s own garden at Ho’n A:wan Park as well as greens grown in its hydroponic towers.
The kale had its own story. Earlier in the growing season, 42 kindergarten students from Shiwi Ts’ana Elementary School visited Ho’n A:wan Park and helped plant the kale seeds.
“It was a bountiful harvest to celebrate the end of this year’s camp,” she said. “And it was a beautiful full-circle moment as well.”
Seowtewa noted that the Ho’n A:wan Park garden has been enjoying a productive growing season thanks in part to this year’s active monsoon season. In July, those monsoon rains also brought flash flooding to the pueblo.
“The ZYEP gardens and campus experienced some flooding, but it was manageable,” said Tahlia Natachu-Eriacho, ZYEP’s executive director. “Unfortunately, some families were displaced due to major water damage. The tribe is working hard to find ways to support these families as they recover, and we will share more information with the public as soon as we have it.”
Now, as July draws to a close, the food sovereignty team is returning to its other seasonal initiatives, including the apprentice-style pilot project for three Zuni families. Each family includes a child who has been involved with ZYEP for years.
On June 7, apprentice families gathered at Ho’n A:wan Park to learn how to build traditional waffle gardens. They planted tomatoes, chiles and watermelons and learned about the benefits of the unique design, which conserves water and protects the crops from high winds.
While the apprenticeship program was put on hold during Summer Camp, Seowtewa said the team is connecting with families and scheduling garden check-in visits for the coming weeks.
Community partnerships also continue to thrive. The Indian Health Service campus garden has grown into a collaborative effort with staff members sharing the responsibility for watering and maintaining the space.
“We value those connections very much,” Seowtewa said. “They’re avid gardeners!”
She said the produce may eventually support “Bountiful Baskets” to combat local food insecurity. This IHS initiative would allow qualified families to harvest and share fresh vegetables from the garden.
Meanwhile, ZYEP is preparing for fall planting at Zuni Head Start, where children will learn how to plant, nurture and harvest leafy greens, root vegetables and sweet peas. The youth project also plans to provide Head Start with a water tank and hydroponic grow tower, with additional grow towers installed at the Zuni Senior Center.
Community events remain an important part of ZYEP food sovereignty programming as well. During a May planting party at Ho’n A:wan Park, more than 30 community members of all ages helped prepare garden beds, sow seeds, spread straw mulch to help retain moisture and water the newly planted crops.
“Everyone got dirty,” Seowtewa remembered with a laugh. “The families also played a few rounds of Garden Bingo to win prizes from our previous Garden Kits — things like gardening gloves and hand tools. We were excited to be able to offer wheelbarrows as grand prizes, and families each took home three or four starter plants for their own gardens.”
She said she and her team are already looking forward to a planned September workshop focused on seed saving and healthy garden recipes, a cultural workshop with the apprentice families, and the 2026 Family Cook Night Series, which kicks off in October.
With guidance from its Agricultural Advisory Committee, ZYEP’s food sovereignty initiative is dedicated to providing access to resources, instruction and knowledge sharing for people of all ages and abilities. The initiative is made possible with support from Newman’s Own Foundation, New Mexico Department of Health’s Healthy Kids Healthy Communities, Seventh Generation Fund for Indigenous Peoples, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and McCune Charitable Foundation.
To learn more about the Zuni Youth Enrichment Project and its programs, and for information about making donations, partnering with ZYEP, and volunteering, call (505) 782-8000 or visit zyep.org. And, to stay up to date on the latest news and events, follow the nonprofit youth organization on Facebook (/zuniyouthenrichmentproject), Instagram (@zuniyouthenrichmentproject), YouTube (/ZuniYouth), and TikTok (/zyep09).
Founded in 2009, the nonprofit Zuni Youth Enrichment Project is dedicated to promoting resilience among Zuni youth so they will grow into strong, healthy adults who are connected with Zuni traditions. ZYEP fulfills its mission by providing positive role models, enriching programs, and nurturing spaces that contribute to the healthy development of Zuni youth. ZYEP strives to provide every child with the encouragement and opportunities they need to reach their full potential.
