FOR URBAN NATIVES BY URBAN NATIVES

Sutton King, MPH (Nāēqtaw-Pianakiw, “Comes First Woman”) is the Co-Founder, President, and Executive Director of the Urban Indigenous Collective, a public health nonprofit dedicated to advancing health equity and restoring balance for Indigenous peoples across Lenapehoking (NYC) and the greater tri-state area. A proud Afro-Indigenous woman from the Menominee and Oneida Nations of Wisconsin, Sutton is a nationally recognized public health advocate, social entrepreneur, and Indigenous rights activist.

At UIC, Sutton leads with a decolonial and community-rooted approach, guiding a multidisciplinary team in delivering culturally tailored health and wellness services, community-based participatory research, and advocacy. Under her leadership, UIC is reclaiming space for urban Indigenous peoples, creating pathways for healing that are grounded in culture, kinship, and Indigenous knowledge systems.

Sutton holds a Master of Public Health from the NYU School of Global Public Health and brings over a decade of experience working across health, philanthropy, and tech to drive transformative change. Her work with UIC reflects her lifelong commitment to uplifting Indigenous sovereignty, self-determination, and wellness—by us, for us, with us.

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Dr. Ariel Richer is a Co-founder and Director of Research at Urban Indigenous Collective. She is Afro-Indigenous and white; descendant of the Carib Indians, the Indigenous people of Trinidad and Tobago and Venezuela. Ariel is an Assistant Professor at the University of Utah, College of Social Work. Ariel earned both a Master’s Degree and a PhD in Social Work at Columbia University School of Social Work, and has been a Licensed Master Social Worker for 8 years. Her research focus is on intimate partner violence and increasing access to relevant services for Black and Indigenous women who experience structural stigma related to drug use, involvement in the criminal-legal system, sexuality, and racism. Her work is grounded in principles of community-based participatory research, as she works collaboratively with Black and Indigenous communities.

Previously, she worked as an Impact Evaluator at the Administration for Native Americans where she worked directly with community-based organizations developing logic models, evaluation plans, data collection tools, and processes. She is fiercely committed to addressing gender-based issues at large, especially gender-based violence, and has over nine years of experience within domestic violence organizations, sexual assault resource centers, and economic enhancement programs serving survivors of trafficking and domestic violence.

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Dr. Ebony Brushbreaker is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in multiple states, including Arizona, Nevada, and New York. She graduated Summa Cum Laude from Colorado State University with a Bachelor’s in Social Work. Before entering the field of Social Services, Ebony served in the United States Army for eight years, receiving an Honorable Discharge as a Staff Sergeant stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, in the 1st of the 159th Aviation Brigade. After completing her Master’s in Social Work, also Summa Cum Laude, she began her career in Medical Social Work. For over 12 years, she supported geriatric clients and adults with complex medical conditions across Long-Term Care, Hospice, and Home Health settings. Beyond clinical practice, she also served as a Regional Director of Social Services within the Long-Term Care discipline.

An enrolled member of the Sicangu (Rosebud) Lakota Sioux Tribe of South Dakota, Ebony is a powerful advocate for increasing access to mental health services for Native American and Indigenous communities. She recently earned her PhD in Health Administration in Health Care Leadership with honors (Summa Cum Laude) and is dedicated to expanding availability of medically necessary services. Her culture, upbringing, and lived experience deeply shape her clinical approach, which centers on cultivating the whole person—integrating the physical aspects of treatment within the medical model while honoring the presence and importance of Spirit. Rooted in traditional values, her culturally informed practice is holistic, empowering, and attuned to the experiences of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) communities. Ebony’s therapeutic orientation is eclectic, incorporating elements of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), expressive arts, structural therapy, and solution-focused approaches.

Ebony provides care to individuals (age 13+) and families experiencing a wide range of clinical concerns, including depression, anxiety, substance abuse, sexual trauma histories, grief, adjustment to aging, chronic illness, and end-of-life issues.