A movement reclaiming holistic and ancestral healing for the minds, bodies, and spirits of young people.

We envision a future where every person is a healer—rooted in love, guided by ancestral wisdom, inspired by culture, and empowered by community to care for themselves and one another.

Meet the Team

Meet the healers behind Hidden Healers – a team rooted in lived experience, storytelling, and cultural wisdom.

We do this work because we’ve lived it. Our team carries personal and professional experience navigating trauma, healing, and resistance in under-resourced communities. We know what it means to fall through the cracks—and we also know the power of being caught by someone who sees you.

  • Chief Partnerships Officer


    Maddox (he/they) is a social impact visionary from the concrete jungle of NYC, who believes in the idea of Protopia. Protopia is the idea that every day we can actively work towards the world we want to see. MADDOX is a co-founder of Direct Cash Transfers as an intervention to end youth homelessness, he believes in the role imagination plays in ending youth homelessness. He has expanded the narrative shift beyond a seat at the table and supporting people with lived experience to, not just have a seat at the table but to also be supported to have their own homes both metaphorically and literally. Making sure that people who are directly impacted are at the forefront of the decisions that will impact their lives and that our policies are reflective of the needs of our most marginalized. 

  • Co-founder

    Kheira (she/her) is a Muslim Algerian American, is an undergraduate student at George Mason University, passionate about creating spaces [literally] by studying civil & infrastructure engineering and [figuratively] by empowering individuals to create the change they want to see. Her involvement with Our Minds Matter has informed her passion for creating safe spaces that destigmatize mental health and promote wellness. She has also had the chance to share her story at Harvard University’s National Muslim Women’s Summit 2020, The Global Health Leaders Conference at Johns Hopkins University, and advocate with VOICE-IAF, This is My Brave, and Promote Care Prevent Harm. Kheira finds great joy in making others smile and helping them to believe in their best selves!

  • Chief Executive Officer


    Ayanna Kelly (she/her/ella) is a storyteller, advocate, and community builder dedicated to reclaiming ancestral healing for the global majority. As the co-founder of Hidden Healers, she channels her lived experience, deep empathy, and background in human systems to create spaces where healing is accessible, culturally grounded, and transformative. A disabled veteran and former national security professional, Ayanna has worked across government, tech, and consulting, always centering people and equity in her work. She is a proud Afro-Latina, a daughter of Dominican immigrants, and an active voice for mental health advocacy. Through Hidden Healers, she is fully committed to uplifting communities, amplifying hidden healing practices, and ensuring that those often left out of traditional mental health spaces are seen, heard, and supported. She resides in Virginia with her spouse, two children, and chocolate lab.

  • Co-founder

    Mahmoud is an Egyptian-American innovator and holistic mental health leader who combines 15+ years of lived experience with a visionary, systems-driven approach to transform youth mental health. He co-leads the Hidden Healers movement, dedicated to centering ancestral healing practices for BIPOC youth through accessible, culturally grounded approaches, community, and love. This movement includes the MTV Hidden Healers Campaign, a historic initiative that reached over 10 million people, and the Hidden Healing Fund, a $1M partnership with Pinterest and MTV to accelerate holistic healing. As the founder of FloraMind, Mahmoud created one of the first culturally relevant mental health programs for youth globally. Across his initiatives, including FloraMind, campaigns, engagements, and consulting/advising corporations, governments, and nonprofits, Mahmoud's work has impacted over 15 million youth and families, advocating for youth mental health investment and leadership. Mahmoud has been honored at the White House by President Biden, First Lady Dr. Jill Biden, MTV, and the Surgeon General as a top youth mental health advocate. Recognized by President Bill Clinton, Ashoka, and Forbes, he is also a Stanford d.School Innovation Fellow. Known for redefining mental wellness, Mahmoud's TED talk on toxic positivity has sparked vital conversations. He serves on the board of Mental Health America and the 988 National Steering Committee for suicide prevention.

WHAT WE DO

Hidden Healers reimagines mental health by reclaiming ancestral healing practices, amplifying community care, and empowering young people from the global majority to heal through storytelling, education, and advocacy.

We’re transforming the lens—expanding what counts as care, and who gets to be seen as a healer.

WHY WE EXIST

60%

of youth of color report moderate to severe anxiety and depression

1 in 3

engage in self injury; 1 in 6 have attempted suicide

28.6%

who needed care didn’t get it

Yet, there is hope:

67%

would turn to family, and 64% to friends for support

Mental health systems weren’t built for us—and too often, they fail to meet the needs of youth from the global majority. But healing has always lived in our communities.

We use storytelling to shift how healing is defined and where care happens. By centering ancestral wisdom, community care, and youth power, we’re not just expanding access—we’re reimagining the system itself.

HOW WE DO IT

  • We create digital campaigns to reclaim ancestral wisdom and uplift grassroots healers, like through our award-winning MTV campaign.

    We’re producing a documentary and digital storytelling projects that spotlight community-rooted healers and redefine what mental health care can look like.

  • We uplift and resource local healers—many of whom are artists, doulas, circle keepers, and youth mentors—who are already doing the work without recognition.

  • We create tools, host conversations, and build partnerships that bring healing justice into schools, nonprofits, and institutions—without compromising its roots.

We’re restoring the roots of care—where healing is cultural, collective, and necessary for a livable future.

Help us build the bridge for healing.

Let’s work together

Have a story to share, a question, or want to collaborate?

Reach out—we’d love to connect!