Monica was born in London, England where she attended law school and practiced human rights & immigration law. She previously worked as a commercial lawyer in the Turks and Caicos Islands. Building equitable communities and creating opportunities for people to inclusively engage in hard conversations and experiences has always played a central role in her life and work.
Monica is a Program Leader with the Groundwater Institute which is a diverse collective of racial equity advocates, grassroots organizers, strategy consultants, and institutional leaders who are committed to shining a light on the root cause of the inequities in our society and driving large-scale transformation to build a more equitable future.
She also advises regionally on belonging & bridging strategy and includes the NWA Council, Engage NWA & Arkansas Immigrant Defense (AID) in her portfolio. She frequently speaks and presents on inclusion and equity practices and leads customized workshops. Monica lives with her husband and son in downtown Bentonville where they enjoy the myriad of incredible parks, trails, and unique arts experiences.
She serves on the Executive Board of the Greater Bentonville Chamber of Commerce, the Board of Directors for Ozark Literacy Council, the Advisory Council for the Bentonville Film Festival, and the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Advisory Board for the city of Bentonville.
Why BIKE POC:
As the daughter of immigrants from Uganda and India, my parents were consumed with navigating a very different culture in England, while building opportunities for myself and my siblings. Biking and outdoor recreation were not prioritized or even considered spaces that 'we' could occupy and feel welcomed within. As a result, I really did not even learn to ride a bike until adulthood and I still am learning the basics. Holding those fears, especially here in this community, where biking and nature feel so integral to everything we do, felt limiting and particularly concerning as I was raising a young child and wanted him to have all the experiences I felt were not accessible to me and did not in any way feel like a reflection of me.
When I shared these concerns with Bea she not only empathized but she helped me carve a path through Bike POC for my son to begin mountain biking and for me to start learning about all the ways biking and access to trails would enhance my own life and sense of place. More importantly, even, this journey of discovery has allowed me to deepen my own sense of self and connection to other people of color who have similar stories and nexus. I want to continue learning and walking/biking forward in my journey and support others who also may have apprehension or limited access or do not see themselves in the biking world. I want to share my story with the hope that this will support others to frame their own lens and build their own paths to biking, nature, and the beautiful wild woods, that are quietly and patiently waiting for all of us to show up and take our rightful space.
Equitable access to the outside world and all forms of transportation are vital contributors toward social justice, individual well-being, and thriving communities where we can all belong. This is why I am honored to serve on the Board of Bike POC.