How can I help?

Marianne Zhetot Kwe Almero is a first generation Potawatomi and Pilipina who earned her Bachelor’s degree from UC Berkeley, where she researched art-therapy as treatment for PTSD in collectivist societies. In 2024 she graduated from Columbia School of Social Work where she received her MSW. Since 2019, Marianne has worked in the mental health field as a strong means of support for participants ranging from children to elders struggling with addiction, self-harm, trauma, suicide attempts and ideation, eating disorders, mood dysregulation, psychosis, and other challenges surrounding mental health.

Since 2022, Marianne has used these experiences in the field to support the Urban Native community in New York City, providing mental health counseling and advocacy services. With the understanding of the relationship between mental health and oppressive systems that marginalize Indigenous communities, Marianne also engages in social justice advocacy to fight for liberation for all people and decolonize educational institutions, incarceration and police systems, and health accessibility.

Marianne is currently the Community Wellness Specialist at Urban Indigenous Collective, where she is developing programming on direct-care mental health services, traditional wellness services, MMIP, and community wellness initiatives. On her free days, you can find Marianne participating in local social justice initiatives, supporting local drag artists, exploring new music, foraging, and spending time with her loved ones, especially her cat Chadwick.