Chef Brave Heart

18/02/2025

Leksi Leonard is free. ✊🏾♥️🙏🏽
I didn’t grow up aspiring to be Michael Jordan. I grew up aspiring to be activists like my parents and grandparents.

My grandfather, Kenneth Tilsen, was a respected civil rights attorney who defended countless activists, including leaders of the American Indian Movement. Dennis Banks, Russell Means, and Clyde Bellecourt weren’t just historical figures to me—they were regulars in my grandfather’s den. I knew them as my uncles.

My brothers and I didn’t play “Cowboys and Indians.” We played the American Indian Movement. Weekly, we’d get a phone call from Uncle Leonard Peltier. I’d tell him about school, what I was into, and then my dad would take the phone.

At 11 years old, I wrote my first book—The Run for Freedom—dedicated to Leonard Peltier and all political prisoners around the world.

Now, my brother Nick Tilsen has helped free him. He committed to ensuring Leonard has the dignity to return to his homelands and live out his days in peace.

I couldn’t be more proud. I know my grandfather is smiling ear to ear, knowing that his grandchildren continue to uphold his legacy.

Today is a good day. photo courtesy of

17/02/2025

Ok Kendrick Lamar we’re coming for you. ♥️🔥♥️🔥♥️🔥♥️ this is so fire ladies.

17/02/2025

Your heavenly birthday is approaching . It’s been seven months since you left this earthly place. I wish I could say losing you was easy, that healing from your loss was a breeze, but honestly, it’s incredibly painful. You’d probably be disappointed that I still shed tears for you.

We used to sit and talk for hours about our favorite plates; the details, the flavors, the memories attached to them. I loved hopping into your Jeep and finding rocks at my feet, the ones you’d collected and cherished. I miss our drives through Spearfish Canyon, listening to you talk about the places you’d traveled and the places we’d go just for a meal.

Life is strange. One moment, you’re just living your life, and then a stranger walks in, and suddenly, over a smile and a cut of fish, a connection is made. We became fast friends; first a helping hand, then my sous.

Remember the time you made 625 bison meatballs? Or the time I collapsed on the kitchen floor, and instead of picking me up, you just laid down next to me and let me cry? I asked you, How do I cook with a broken heart? You put your hand on my back and said, We all have at least a piece of our heart that’s broken. Then, after a pause, you added, Also, you really need to clean under the prep tables. We both started laughing, moved everything, and scrubbed the kitchen. That was one of the hardest days in the kitchen, but you made it lighter.

You never made me feel silly for being sensitive; I think you found it endearing. You always made me feel safe and protected. We couldn’t have been more different, couldn’t have come from more different worlds, but somehow, in that tiny kitchen, we created a sanctuary for our friendship.When you were dying, I held your hand. You asked me to run my nails up your arm, and I did, tears rolling down my face. And in true you fashion, you looked at me and said, Chef? I’m suing for harassment.

You always knew how to make me laugh; even in the worst moments. I still get mad at you. I wish you had made better choices for yourself. I wish you had asked me for help sooner. But more than anything, I just wish you were still here. Toksa Ake until I see you in the next life.

16/02/2025

Hey Rapid City! Chrissy is bringing out her food truck! Go support our friends at Chrissy’s Island Grill, LLC!! Order some ribs and chicken for me.

Hi everyone!

This month we will be open for the following dates/events:
- Saturday, February 22nd: Black Hills Home Builders Association 2025 Annual Pub Crawl
- Sunday, February 23rd: 2025 Rapid City Polar Plunge

We will post more details regarding our hours the week of. We can’t wait to see you all!☺️🌺

16/02/2025

We need to utilize our collective power. We are the resistance. ✊🏾♥️🙏🏽

14/02/2025

Happy Valentine’s Day.

A day we’re supposed to gush over and love on the romantic partner in our lives. As a Cancer, I used to revel in the over-the-top nature of the day—the grand gestures, the romantic dates, the gorgeous flowers. But someone once took that from me, intentionally, to be hurtful and cruel.

Every year, when this day rolls around, I think about how much pain he must’ve been in to want to do that to someone he supposedly loved. And I think about how, for many of us, it’s hard to find the energy to celebrate anything in this dystopian era of chaos and greed—let alone a commercialized holiday designed to make us spend money.

So instead of the usual Valentine’s Day sentiments, I offer you this:

From a young age, we are taught that we are not whole without a lover or a partner. But what if I told you that you are already whole? Right now, as you are—with your trauma, your mess, your unhealed parts, your quirks, your fire—you are already enough.

And in this chapter of your life, the most revolutionary thing you can do is love yourself. Pour so much into yourself that you no longer need another person to fill you—but instead, you simply allow the universe to bring someone of equal strength into your life.

So, however you choose (or don’t choose) to celebrate today, I hope you remember this: One of the most romantic things someone can do is put their heart on a plate and cook for you.

Happy Valentine’s Day.

10/02/2025

Literally what I thought 🤣🤣🤣🔥🔥🔥🔥

08/02/2025

Love love love! This is what food sovereignty looks like. The reclamation of our traditional Indigenous food ways and our cultures.

Corn was a staple of the Haudenosaunee diet, and Angel Jimerson hopes the Iroquois White Corn Project at the Ganondagan State Historic Site in New York, will restore that role. Founded in the 1990s, the project hand-raises and hand-processes white corn. As a young Native American, Jimerson says they struggled in their early years but found their purpose working with their cultural heritage, learning patience, resourcefulness, gratitude, and mindfulness.

Learn more about the rich agricultural traditions of the Haudenosaunee: https://on.natgeo.com/3WRZbwr

08/02/2025

Wow!!! This is incredible! Congratulations Sean Sherman & Owamni - By The Sioux Chef sky is the limit!

30/01/2025

The state of the world is heavy, and the effects of this administration ripple through every aspect of our lives; even in ways we haven’t yet uncovered. To carry on with business as usual feels tone-deaf. But this is not the time to shrink back; it’s the time for action, organizing, and communal support. Silence is complicity.

We don’t all have the same resources, but we all have something to contribute. Here are ways you can take action, no matter where you are:
• Stay Informed & Educate Others – Follow reliable news sources, read policy changes, and help break down complex issues for your community. Misinformation thrives in confusion.
• Support Local & Grassroots Organizations – Donate if you can, volunteer your time, or amplify their work. Many small organizations are doing critical work with limited resources.
• Show Up & Speak Out – Attend town halls, organize or join protests, and hold elected officials accountable. Our voices matter, and collective action drives change.
• Mutual Aid & Community Care – Check in on your neighbors, share resources, support local food banks, and help those struggling. Strengthening our communities starts with direct action.
• Vote & Advocate for Policy Change – Elections at every level matter. Support leaders who fight for our people, and push for policies that protect our communities.

Hope is not passive, it is built through consistent action and solidarity. Let’s lift each other up and move forward together. What’s one action you can take today? Art by my talented & brilliant dear friend

28/01/2025

Relatives! We are in a crucial time to manage and organize our resources. Please plan on participating in the food distribution! Thank you food distribution Sacred Storm Buffalo for continuing this important work!

Food Distribution! Hokaa✊🏽💛🖤♥️🤍ATTENTION: Rapid City Buffalo Distribution -Jake Little, Director of the OST Food Distribution, Food Sovereignty Project, will be distributing Buffalo to the Indigenous People of Rapid City on Thursday, January 30, 2025 at 11 AM. Distribution will take place at Wambli Ska Center 522 Anamosa St, Rapid City, SD 57701

28/01/2025

We Are Indigenous People: A Call to Action

We are living in dark times, but these are not times for despair. These are times for action. We are Indigenous people—the original inhabitants of this land, the land upon which this country was built. Though this land was stolen from our ancestors, it inherently remains ours. We are citizens of sovereign tribal nations, and our connection to this land and our identity remains unbroken.

We must resist. We must fight back, even within their systems. Our survival, our sovereignty, and our communities depend on it.

Actionable Steps to Protect and Strengthen Our Communities
1. Advocate with State Senators and Congressmen in Republican States
Call your state representatives and demand that they honor treaty obligations and advocate for the rights of Indigenous people.
Short Script Example:
“Hello, my name is [Your Name], and I am a citizen of [Your Tribal Nation]. I am calling to urge [Senator/Congressman’s Name] to uphold treaty obligations and advocate for the rights of Indigenous people in [State]. Our sovereignty and the promises made to our nations must not be ignored. Thank you for your attention to this matter.”
2. Contact Your Governor’s Office
States receive nearly one-third of the federal budget. Demand that your governor allocates resources equitably, ensuring that Indigenous communities are not left behind. Ask for funding for healthcare, education, and food security for Native people.
3. Support Food Security Initiatives
If you run or support a nonprofit, business, or corporation—or if you have personal means—begin purchasing and storing food. Our people will need this support in the coming months. Organize food drives and distribution in your communities to ensure no one is left hungry. .4. Utilize Indigenous Knowledge and Prepare
Rely on the knowledge passed down through generations. Prepare your freezers, preserve traditional foods, and practice the survival skills we’ve always known. This is the time to put everything we’ve talked about into action. Ensure your family and community are equipped for the future

22/01/2025

Three generations of my family fought for the freedom and release of Leonard Peltier. This is such a great interview from my brother Nick Tilsen regarding Leonard Peltier

21/01/2025

20/01/2025

I’m so proud of my brother and everyone that made today possible!!!! 😭🙏🏽♥️♥️♥️ my grandfather fought for Leonard 50 years ago and now he’s coming home.