Introducing our new Program Coordinator: Mérida McCarthy

Hi Everyone!

I'm Mérida McCarthy - you may pronounce it as resonates in your heart - and I'm honored and excited to join the Charter for Compassion Team as Program Coordinator! Let me you a bit more about myself and my background, this might help you understand more why I'm here:

I was born to British parents in Leeds (UK) and we moved to Zaria (Nigeria) before I was a year old. This was because my parents were University Professors in developing libraries and arts: My father actually moved to Recife (Brazil), but my mother re-married and stayed in Nigeria with me. We spent 8 years there until life took us back to Europe, to Barcelona (Spain) where we spent the following 25 years – probably the best of my life- until I married and had two beautiful daughters. Their father is Mexican, so we moved to Monterrey (Mexico) to raise them, and here I am still.

Development and Education have always been a BIG part of my life, and I studied Environment and Social Development centering on the social and educational aspects that interested me most. Being a work-at-home mom, I became a Gestalt therapist since this allowed me to have my own schedule. I was intrigued and wanted to understand what triggers people to be more caring for the environment and others, so I personally took to research Compassion, socioemotional education and any tendency that could help me understand further. That's how I came about Charter for Compassion (CfC) and Marilyn Turkovich six years ago.

I've spent the last 5 years working with Encuentro Mundial de Valores - World Wide Meeting on Human Values (EMV) here in Monterrey. The partnership between EMV and CfC implied the roll- out of Think Equal, CIT, SEE-Learning and other programs as part of the Compassionate Cities program, and at a more personal way to transform and heal trauma, and trigger awareness to prevent violence in families and communities. Therefore, I got involved in translating, training, facilitating, coordinating, implementing and finding ways to measure their impact in schools, universities and cities. These programs have been very successful and reached thousands of participants!

So, yes, I'm passionate about compassion, as you can see! but… I'm also passionate about art, I paint, draw and write, whenever inspiration hits and time allows me to. I love the outdoors, so you'll often see me trekking up a mountain, or enjoying the quiet desert that surrounds Monterrey. I love to travel, so I use any opportunity to visit friends and family abroad and get to know new places and cultures. I specially like to meet new people, and use every possible occasion to do this: concerts, events, museums, travel… even the Zoom meetings we'll be having or on my little terrace which has become a hub for many of my close friends!

And… I wish we could all live in Peace! That is probably my main drive: anything to do with peace, connection, compassion, kindness, caring, sharing, meditation, healing and friendship!

Please don't hesitate if you think I can do anything for you! Reach out and ask! I'm hoping this new role I'm in with CfC will help us all come together as One! At least One Compassionate Community!