“You got to drive 30 miles to get an apple”: Indigenous food sovereignty, food deserts, and changing subsistence practices in the gulf coast

Indigenous food sovereignty is increasingly used as a framework to explore changing diets and the impact of settler colonialism on the health of Indigenous groups. The impact of settler colonialism on changing the diet of Indigenous peoples and the creation of food deserts has been less frequently explored, especially within state-recognized tribes, and those located in the Gulf South. A qualitative descriptive research approach was implemented to perform 31 life course interviews with Gulf Coast Indigenous women. Findings indicate that settler colonialism has negatively impacted the land and disrupted traditional subsistence practices, which have changed the diet of tribal members, leading to an increase in the consumption of fast food, in addition to contributing to food deserts. Revitalization and protection of traditional food habitats, addressing sovereignty issues for state-recognized tribes, and community-led programs to restore lost food knowledge and address immediate nutritional needs are pathways to address Indigenous food sovereignty.