Gisele Barreto Fetterman

Gisele Barreto Fetterman (; born February 27, 1982) is a Brazilian-born American activist and nonprofit executive. She is a founder of the non-profit Freestore 15104 and a co-founder of the non-profits For Good PGH and 412 Food Rescue. She is married to U.S. Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania. She was active in public life as the Second Lady of Pennsylvania during her husband's tenure as lieutenant governor.

Early life Fetterman was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. When she was seven years old, she came to the United States as an undocumented immigrant with her mother and younger brother, taking up residence in a one-room apartment in New York City. They left Brazil due to violent crime in their community. In New York, the family lived in poverty, and furnished their apartment with furniture they found on the street.

Fetterman received her green card in 2004 and became a citizen of the United States in 2009.

Activism and public life As first lady of Braddock, Pennsylvania, Fetterman founded the Braddock Free Store, a non-profit organization that provides local lower-income families with toys, diapers, baby formula, clothing, household items, and furniture. She started the Braddock Bench Project, focused on adding benches to local bus stops. The organization redistributed 2.5 million pounds of food in its first two years. For Good's largest initiative is The Hollander Project, a business incubator for women entrepreneurs.

She has pushed for the United States Congress to take "humane and compassionate" approaches to immigration, and petitioned that immigrant families should not be separated. She also supports the legalization of marijuana in Pennsylvania and is a supporter of LGBTQ rights in the United States. She was named "Best Activist" by the Pittsburgh City Paper for her community involvement. Earlier that month she spoke out about the killing of Antwon Rose Jr. Rose got out of the drive by shooter's car and ran from the police before being shot. According to Fetterman, Rose was "just a really lovely, gentle kid" and "really special" for volunteering at one of her nonprofits. The residence, on property owned by the Pennsylvania National Guard, is located about from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Fetterman, whose family has chosen not to live at the official residence, runs a program teaching water safety at the pool. On October 29, 2019, she was the first woman recipient of the Rodef Shalom Congregation's Pursuer of Peace Award.

In February 2020 Fetterman criticized the company Amazon for selling an anti-immigration bumper sticker with the text "Fuck Off, We're Full" written on the shape of the continental United States. The sticker was described on the company's website as an "Anti Immigrant Vinyl Car Bumper Window Sticker", She tweeted at Amazon, asking the company to reconsider the "power and influence" of their platform. She took part in the 2020 Census Tour, speaking at Pennsylvania State University about the importance of filling out the United States Census.

In April 2020, Fetterman spoke about the importance of social distancing, and the power of community engagement, during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. In September 2020, Fetterman helped organize a shopping-spree event for women first responders. Fetterman gave her husband's primary victory speech in May 2022 following his stroke.

In 2021, Fetterman was named by Carnegie Corporation of New York as an honoree of the Great Immigrants Award.

Personal life In 2007, Gisele met John Fetterman, then the mayor of Braddock, Pennsylvania, after writing him a letter inquiring about the town's role in the steel industry. They were married the following year.

In August 2020, she spoke publicly about her use of medical marijuana to treat chronic back pain.

Fetterman made a cameo appearance in the 2022 film The Pale Blue Eye, which also had a cameo appearance by her husband.