NATIVE LEADERS OF CANADA


Beverley Jacobs,
Mohawk Nation of the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy, Bear Clan, 1965 -
She is a lawyer and spcialist in issues related to native women and girls. Beverley lives and practices law at her home community of Six Nations of the Grand River Territory in Southern Ontario.  She is currently in the last stages of completing an interdisciplinary PhD at the University of Calgary that includes Law, Indigenous Wholistic Health and Indigenous Research Methodologies. The title of her thesis is “Impacts of Industrial Development on the Wholistic Health of the Mohawk Peoples of Akwesasne: A Human Responsibility and Rights Solution”.  Bev obtained a Bachelor of Law Degree from the University of Windsor in 1994 and a Masters of Law Degree from the University of Saskatchewan in 2000. 
Beverley is also a consultant/researcher/writer/public speaker/lecturer and she is a former President of the Native Women’s Association of Canada (elected 2004 to 2009).  She currently sits as an Aboriginal Advisory Member to an international organization called Save The Children Canada and volunteers on many other committees.
Her passion is the peacefulness and safety of Indigenous peoples, especially Indigenous women and girls.  For the past 20 or so years, much of her work has focussed on anti-violence work including advocacy for families of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls and educating the public about the history and impacts of colonization, which has resulted in the historic traumas that are occurring to Indigenous peoples. 
In October 2008, Beverley was one of fifty women recognized by several Canadian peace organizations for her work and dedication to further a culture of peace in Canada.  In November, 2008, she became a recipient of the Governor General’s Award in Commemoration of the Persons Case, in recognition of her contribution to the advancement of Aboriginal women’s equality.  In May, 2010, she received a Circle of Honour Esquao Award from the Institute for the Advancement of Aboriginal Women in Edmonton, Alberta.  Most recently, on December 1, 2016, Beverley received a Franco-German Prize for Human Rights and the Rule of Law from the Governments of France and Germany for her human rights fight for the issues relating to Missing and Murdered Indigenous women and girls in Canada.
She is mother of Ashley and grandmother of Nicholas (15), Tessa (13), Bryson (8) and Kenna (6) who also live at Six Nations Grand River Territory.  She is partner to Patrick Sandy, Mohawk Nation, Turtle Clan.


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Copyright 2009