KEENE, N.H. (MyKeeneNow) Food can make us laugh, cry—or remember who we are.

That’s the heart of Foodstories: We Are What We Eat–Intersections Between Food, Memory, Identity, and Our Stories, a multimedia storytelling project by award-winning artist and author Shanta Lee, who was a featured guest on last week’s episode of My Keene Now & Next with co-hosts Abbie Trombly and Nicole Colson on WKBK Radio.

Foodstories officially launched in January 2025, but the concept had been simmering for years. It draws from Lee’s deep experience working at the intersection of agriculture, public health, business, and the arts—including her contributions to the Slow Living Summit and her leadership in arts administration.

“The purpose of Foodstories is to explore the idea that food can be a bridge to who we are as individuals and as a human collective,” Lee explains in a news release. “Food—whether we love sharing meals with others, or there is a particular dish we like or dislike—intersects with our sense of identity, culture, and many other aspects of who we are as people. What is more human than our relationship to food?”

As part of her 2024–2025 National Arts Strategies Creative Community Fellowship, Lee collected food-centered stories that reflect a wide range of emotional and cultural experiences. From funny tales of burned lasagna and secret sandwich obsessions to serious reflections on grief, race, and food allergies, more than 60 stories have been gathered.

Instead of a physical gallery show, Foodstories will culminate in a digital exhibition later this year. Lee is also collaborating with New Hampshire Folk Life to archive region-specific narratives, and she recently led a workshop through the Radically Rural regional food systems group, where participants shared personal memories and discussed the role food plays in community and identity.

“Even if you wanted to talk about difficult or challenging topics… just put the food out, just break bread,” Lee said during her interview on WKBK. “It breaks the ice into all sorts of things.”

Lee’s storytelling initiative is gaining momentum not only through word-of-mouth and community events but also by welcoming artists to contribute visuals and short films inspired by food and memory. A special event is planned at this fall’s Radically Rural Conference, adding a new layer of participation and artistic response.

Known for her multi-genre writing, visual art, and thought leadership, Lee is no stranger to ambitious, multidisciplinary work. She’s the recipient of the NEPC Individual Grant for Poetic Achievement and the Abel Meeropol Social Justice Writing Award, and her previous project for Vermont Public—Seeing…the Unseen and In-Between within Vermont’s Landscape—received wide acclaim. received wide acclaim. Her photography has been exhibited across the region, and her books have received national recognition.

But with Foodstories, Lee is turning the lens outward—toward others, their families, their kitchens, and their deeply human connections to the foods they remember. “I only hope to do these stories the honor,” she said.

To learn more about Shanta Lee’s work, visit Shantalee.com.

Listen to the full interview: