EATSS returns to Guthrie Theater for Native scholarships

The American Indian College Fund is bringing its EATSS fundraiser back to Minneapolis on Dec. 1, pairing Indigenous food, art and music with scholarship support for Native students. The event at the Guthrie Theater will feature Indigenous chefs and a performance by Raye Zaragoza, with all ticket sales benefiting Native higher education.

Why it matters: - Native students continue to face major barriers in higher education. - Only 17% of American Indian and Alaska Native students hold a college degree, compared with about 40% of the general population. - The fundraiser is designed to turn an evening of culture into direct scholarship support for Native college students.

What happened: - The American Indian College Fund is bringing EATSS back to the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis on Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2026, in honor of Giving Tuesday. - The event pairs a multi-course dinner, Native art and a concert by singer-songwriter Raye Zaragoza. - The evening will take place at the Guthrie Theater, 818 South 2nd Street, Minneapolis. - Doors open at 5:30 p.m., the program begins at 7:30 p.m. and the concert starts at 8 p.m. - Tickets are $155 for EATSS plus concert access and $35 for concert only. - All ticket sales benefit the American Indian College Fund.

The details: - The dinner will feature Indigenous chefs from Indígena by Owamni, the restaurant inside the Guthrie, and the event closes with Native art and music on the Wurtele Thrust Stage. - The College Fund has provided more than $23 million annually in scholarships and student support. - Since its founding, the organization has served 150,600 Native students and invested more than $208 million. - The organization says 93% of its scholars give back to their communities. - Student ambassadors Brian, a psychology student at Red Lake Nation College and a member of the Red Lake Band of the Chippewa Indians, and Daniela, an MBA student at Sitting Bull College and a member of the Standing Rock Lakota Sioux Tribe, will attend. - Brian said he wants to earn a language and cultural teaching certificate so he can return to his school district and write curriculum that helps future generations speak the language. - The featured chefs are Crystal Wahpepah of Wahpepah's Kitchen in Oakland, Nathan Davis of A'Wiisinin Food Truck, Anthony Bauer of Traditional Fire Custom Cuisine and Andrea Condes of Four Directions Cuisine. - Wahpepah is a James Beard Emerging Chef finalist, the first Native chef on Chopped, and the author of A Feather and a Fork. - Davis is Le Cordon Bleu-educated. - Condes is trained at the Culinary Institute of America. - The College Fund is partnering with Indígena by Owamni, the Minneapolis restaurant founded by Chef Sean Sherman and centered on Indigenous foods and foodways. - Raye Zaragoza is a Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter whose music is shaped by identity, justice, community and connection. - Zaragoza first gained wide recognition with "In the River," her response to the Dakota Access Pipeline protests. - Zaragoza has performed on NPR's Tiny Desk, toured nationally, appeared in the Broadway production of Peter Pan and writes songs for Netflix's animated series Spirit Rangers. - The Guthrie has hosted EATSS before, including events with the Indigo Girls in 2023 and Rufus Wainwright in 2025.

Between the lines: - The event leans on food and performance to connect donors with Native culture, while keeping the message focused on college access and student outcomes. - Minneapolis gives the fundraiser a natural setting because the Twin Cities have a strong Native food and culture community and the Guthrie already has a track record with EATSS. - The emphasis on student ambassadors and scholar outcomes suggests the College Fund is trying to make the impact of donations feel immediate and personal.

What's next: - Attendees can buy tickets now for the Dec. 1 event. - The College Fund will use the proceeds to support scholarships and student services for Native students. - More information is available through the American Indian College Fund.

The bottom line: - EATSS is part fundraiser, part cultural showcase, and part pipeline for Native student support.