Cornell Indigenous Leader to Speak At MCLA

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NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Wahieñhawi "Hawi" Hall, Assistant Director of Counseling and Psychological Services and Community Liaison for Indigenous Students at Cornell Health, will present "Nature, Well-Being, and Indigenous Perspectives on the Interconnectedness of People and Creation" as part of Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts' Green Living Seminar Series on Wednesday, March 4, at 5:30 p.m.
 
An Indigenous Mohawk and Cherokee woman raised within the Onondaga Nation in New York, Hall will share Haudenosaunee perspectives on nurturing relationships with the natural world through reciprocity, interdependence, and stewardship, stated a press release.
 
Her presentation will explore what the Haudenosaunee have identified as their "original instructions" regarding the role of Indigenous peoples as part of Creation, and offer insights into adopting a practice of thanksgiving.
 
Hall, a licensed clinical social worker, combines her cultural connections and lived experiences within Indigenous community with her professional expertise as a mental health provider. She is committed to promoting decolonization in systems, equity, and inclusion for historically marginalized groups, stated a press release. Central to her work is the foundational belief that our relationship to the natural world is one of reciprocity, interdependence, and stewardship.
The presentation will be delivered remotely with in-person viewing at MCLA.
 
All presentations take place Wednesdays at 5:30 p.m. in MCLA's Feigenbaum Center for Science and Innovation, Room 121 and will be recorded as podcasts available at mcla.edu/greenliving.
 
The event is free and open to the public.
 
MCLA's Green Living Seminar Series brings environmental experts to campus throughout the academic year to engage students and community members in conversations about sustainability, climate change, and ecological responsibility.
For more information, contact Dr. Elena Traister at elena.traister@mcla.edu or (413) 662-5303.

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Driscoll Focuses on Outdoor Recreation for 413 Day

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff

Brian Gilbert of Hilltown Anglers gives the lieutenant governor a lesson in casting at the Zoar Picnic Area on River Road. 
FLORIDA, Mass. — Last year, Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll celebrated 413 Day with a tour of Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art
 
This year, it was in the middle of a river. 
 
Driscoll was getting a lesson in fly fishing from Brian Gilbert of Hilltown Anglers after a speaking to outdoor recreation stakeholders at Berkshire East in Charlemont. 
 
"We started our day in Gill, Massachusetts, where we talked about housing choice and really making sure our small and rural communities can participate in our housing programs and have priorities for more funding," she said. "And being at Berkshire [East] Mountain, it was just terrific to be able to hear from so many outdoor rec enthusiasts about what we have in Franklin County and Berkshire County to really celebrate eco-tourism and how we can partner with our local stakeholders." 
 
Gilbert gave the lieutenant governor a quick rundown on fly fishing gear and techniques and then had her do some dry land practice casts (and warning everyone to step back) before she got her waders on. 
 
"Outdoor recreation is really one of the important drivers of the economy and community out here, and it's also a heck of a lot of fun and and important for public health," said Paul Jahnige, director of the Office of Outdoor Recreation, while Driscoll was in the middle of the Deerfield River.
 
His office is working an Industry Pathways Project to find how the state can better support the outdoor recreation industry. It's held several virtual listening sessions in addition to that morning's with area businesses and state agencies in Franklin County. 
 
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