Grandmother Mona Polacca

Mona Polacca is an educator, facilitator and speaker. She has held posts of responsibility within her own community, such as Treasurer for her tribe, the Colorado River Indian Tribes. She has a master’s in social work and justice studies (ABD) at Arizona State University and has over thirty years of experience working, presenting and publishing on health and social issues affecting Native American peoples. She is serves as a tribal liaison of the Healing the Border Project of the Indigenous Alliance Without Borders. She is currently a Senior Fellow overseeing the Original Caretakers Program for the Center of Earth Ethics. As the President of the International Council of Thirteen Indigenous Grandmothers, she works with Indigenous women to preserve, and protect Indigenous practices and ceremonies, including the right to use their earth-based medicines. She is a participant in the United Nations Permanent Forum of Indigenous Peoples Issues and has assisted in listening sessions with Indigenous Peoples. Her spiritual practice is grounded in the Havasupai, Hopi and Tewa Original Instructions and the Native American Church.