Grandmother Mona Polacca

Mona, a Hopi/Havasuai/Tewa elder has a Master of Social Work degree and has recently been chosen as a member of the World Council of Religious and Spiritual Leaders due to her international justice work. She has worked on issues of Indigenous Peoples especially related to the Right to Water, social and health issues, including the elderly native peoples.

Mona serves on several United Nations committees on indigenous peoples issues and is a featured author, speaker and educator on indigenous people’s human rights, aging, mental health, addiction and violence. She is also the President/CEO and faculty of the Turtle Island Project, a non profit program that promotes a vision of wellness by providing trans-cultural training to individuals, families and healthcare professionals.