Cornell Indigenous Leader to Share Haudenosaunee Teachings on Nature and Well-Being at MCLA
Monday, February 23
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. 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 deep 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. 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.
About MCLA
At MCLA, we're here for all — and focused on each — of our students. Classes are taught
by educators who care deeply about teaching, and about seeing their students thrive
on every level of their lives. In every way possible, the experience at MCLA is designed
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to make their impressions on the world. In addition to our 130-year commitment to
public education, we have fortified our dedication to equitable academic excellence.
MCLA has appeared on U.S. News & World Report's list of Top Ten Public Colleges for
11 consecutive years, earning the No. 6 spot on the list of Top Public Liberal Arts
Schools in the nation for 2026. The College's focus on affordable education and economic
prosperity is reflected in additional 2026 U.S. News rankings: No. 6 for Top Performer
on Social Mobility for liberal arts colleges in the state and No. 4 for Top Performer
on Social Mobility for public liberal arts colleges in the country. These rankings
measure how well schools graduate students who receive Federal Pell Grants.