Irazema Guerrero Meléndez 

Mental Health Specialist and Stop the Hate Program Coordinator

Irazema is a mental health specialist, mindfulness facilitator, lifelong learner and educator. She is the eldest daughter of Mexican immigrants, growing up in South Los Angeles. She honors the love, courage, and resilience of her parents and ancestors, who are a source of strength and vision. Her firsthand experience with the inequitable conditions that BIPOC and economically disadvantaged communities face inspire her work as a clinical social worker and racial justice consultant. She brings over a decade of experience as a public school teacher and curriculum specialist, working primarily with immigrant youth and families from Latin America. At CERI, Irazema provides individual counseling, facilitates support groups, and integrates a collaborative approach to therapy and care management. With the guidance of her spiritual teachers and medicine elders, Irazema cultivates a path towards individual and collective liberation by integrating her indigenous ancestry, mindfulness practices, and educational leadership skills. During her free time, Irazema enjoys spending time with loved ones, being in nature, and swimming.