Introduction by Nina Simons, Bioneers co-founder and Chief Relationship Strategist

Katsi Cook has, for 5 decades, been a visionary leader in the defense of Indigenous women’s health, from her groundbreaking environmental research tackling PCB contamination among her people, to helping solidly reestablish traditional Indigenous midwifery in North America, to founding and/or running a number of significant organizations. Katsi’s latest mission as leader of the Spirit Aligned Leadership Program is to elevate the lives, voices, and dreams of Indigenous elder women who desire to intentionally transfer their knowledge and experience to younger women. Today, she will share stories of some of these remarkable women and what they can teach us about the Sacred Cycle of Life, covering such topics as the regeneration of Indigenous lifeways, ancestral healing, the world-building biocultural characteristics of matrilineal descent and rematriation, and addressing the maternity care crisis in Indian Country through kinship connection.