Media Contact:
Tara G. Cunningham
Director of Communications
tcunningham@dillard.ed
504-816-4204
NEW ORLEANS, LA – Dillard University proudly announces Charity Blanchett, Yu’pik Alaska Native and Founder & CEO of the Dipping Spoon Foundation, as its Mellon Fellow, supported by a generous grant from the Mellon Foundation. As part of her fellowship, Blanchett will lead an Indigenous youth culinary program focused on food sovereignty and traditional cultural practices.
An award-winning nonprofit leader, public speaker, and social impact entrepreneur, Blanchett is dedicated to empowering Indigenous youth and preserving cultural identity. She founded Dipping Spoon, a pioneering nonprofit hospitality agency that promotes access, representation, and cultural identity within the luxury culinary space. Under her leadership, Dipping Spoon envisions a future where Indigenous youth excel as creative culinary entrepreneurs, blending food, science, media, design, and public policy to drive meaningful change.
Blanchett’s work has received national recognition. In December 2022, she was selected by the U.S. State Department for the U.S. Speaker Program, highlighting her commitment to social change through the Dipping Spoon Foundation. She is also an alumna of prestigious programs, including the Vital Voices Global Partnership Leadership Incubator Fellowship Program and the James Beard Foundation Legacy Network.
“As the Founder & CEO of Dipping Spoon, a foundation centered in nurturing Indigenous youth in culinary and FoodSTEM programs rooted in cultural practices and food sovereignty, Charity as a Mellon Fellow brings a unique perspective to understanding Black & Indigenous foodways .” said Zella Palmer, Chair, Ray Charles Program.
Dillard University is honored to welcome Charity Blanchett and looks forward to the impact of her work in advancing Indigenous food traditions and youth empowerment.
About the Ray Charles Program in African American Material Culture
The mission of the Dillard University Ray Charles Program in African American Material Culture is to research, document, disseminate, preserve, and celebrate African American culture and foodways in the South. New Orleans sits at the historical and cultural intersection of diverse groups with distinct and recognizable pasts. This program aims to understand how African, Caribbean, European, and American cultures coalesced to create a culture that is uniquely African American. The Ray Charles Program takes a deeper look at how African American culture is portrayed and taught in an effort to not only preserve that culture, but allow our students to take ownership of it as well. For more information visit the Ray Charles Program in African American Material Culture.
About Dillard University
Dillard University is a historically Black institution that cultivates leaders who live ethically, think and communicate precisely, and act courageously to make the world a better place. Located in New Orleans, Dillard is a private faith-based liberal arts university that offers 22 majors and two certificate programs. Ranked 5th on 2021 The New York Times Overall Mobility Index and 14th in 2022 by Academic Influence for Best Colleges and Universities by Academic Stewardship, Dillard’s call to future leaders is to Write Your Legacy. Find out more about Louisiana’s oldest HBCU by visiting www.dillard.edu.
