About Michelle Reid

What I have done most in my life is try to help others and create communities...by being a voice for those who do not have one...In the 1980's I was a childbirth educator to help those women who could... not afford to pay...I became a La Leche League so I could help mothers breastfeed their babies, helped to start the Teen Coalition of Cape Cod....finding resources to help them make good decisions and know where to find help.. The 90's brought me to helping Native Americans in the prison system with their spiritual rights, went in to some prisons to help in Native Circles which led me to write a newsletter for their children Hanta Yo which means clear the way.....this was my give away for 10 years and it was international. During this time I went to the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont and was part of the Womens' Hoop being started and we gathered to teach the crafts...This led to the Nebasak Drum, we went to gatherings and sang, drummed,the women rattled..... I also studied herbal medicine, making my salves and teas. I came back to MA. to work in a teen shelter,my son and I lived there in the farmhouse and it was work I loved...Nawontah became ill so I had to leave and after that I worked with special need adults, lived and worked on a farm..became ill and left. 2001 I was diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer...I took it as a gift...a wake up call..said I was dancing with it not battling as no fight was going on..I continued with the prison work and Hanta Yo during the year of my journey...this dis-ease brought many gifts and I am blessed to have had my oldest daughter and mom by my side, also my children' father and wife, plus others from the town in which I moved to be near family. After this journey I realized my gift is to be a voice for the children...youth at risk, in 2006 became a foster parent, have adopted 2 wonderful sons, they join my 5 other children and 7 grandchildren. show more