Carla Herrero facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Carla Herrero
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Herrero in 2014
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| Born | December 1994 (age 30) |
| Nationality | Spanish |
| Other names | Silay Alkma |
| Known for | Anti-bullying activism |
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Notable work
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"El dolor silencioso" |
Carla Herrero Torellas (born December 1994), also known as Silay Alkma, is a Spanish writer and speaker. She is famous for her work against school bullying. As of 2019, she works for a company called WALK, which helps leaders.
When Carla was younger, she was bullied for eight years because of her weight. This made her feel very sad and confused. She realized she had been bullied when she started a new, positive school. There, she did a project about young people's identity and bullying. The University of Girona gave her an award for this project. She also made a video called "El dolor silencioso" (The Silent Pain). In the video, young people who had been bullied, including Carla, encouraged others to speak up. In 2013, Carla started her own group called Rompe el Silencio (Break the Silence). This group helped young people who were bullied, both online and in person.
Contents
Carla's Early Life and School
Carla Herrero's classmates started bullying her when she was eight years old. She was in third grade at a school in Tordera, Barcelona. Carla was a bit heavier than her friends and also a little shy. Other kids would call her names and make fun of her weight.
During this time, Carla didn't fully realize she was being bullied. She became even quieter and avoided looking people in the eye. She remembered feeling alone when she saw other children playing during recess. Eating made her feel better for a short time, but as she gained weight, the insults grew worse. Her home and loving family were a safe place away from the teasing.
Facing Difficult Times
When Carla was 11, she joined a social group where one student led others in judging and bullying her. Carla later thought that these girls made her feel less important, which made it easier for them to control her. They also hurt her physically sometimes. Once, they pushed her down stairs, and another time, they pulled a chair out from under her.
Carla felt very sad, confused, and like she was not useful. She said she didn't know who she was, which is a time when kids usually figure out their identity. Looking in a mirror, feeling her skin, and hearing her voice all made her feel bad. She later said that speaking up and telling someone would have been the best thing to do. Slowly, she realized she liked talking to people outside her difficult social group.
Finding Her Voice and Helping Others
The bullying lasted for eight years. It stopped when she started high school, called bachillerato in Spain. Carla said she felt much better in this new school. She got good grades and understood that her old social group wasn't true friendship.
Online, using the name Silay Alkma, Carla wrote about her bullying experiences. She met other young people from around the world who had also been bullied. She put her diary entries into a book called Alma de Cristal (Soul of Glass). Her experiences also inspired a school project about how bullying affects a young person's identity.
The Silent Pain Video
For her project, Carla made a video called "El dolor silencioso" (The Silent Pain). In the video, some of the people she met online, along with Carla herself, talked about their bullying. They encouraged other young people who were suffering to speak up. This video became very popular online. Carla's family only learned about her bullying when her research project and video came out.
In 2012, Carla's work won a special prize from the University of Girona. This award helped her study psychology at the University of Girona for one year, starting in September 2012. Later that year, she gave a TEDxYouth talk at the university. She shared her story about being bullied and finding support online.
Carla's Work and Activism
In 2013, Carla started an organization called Rompe el Silencio (Break the Silence). She got help from the Fundación Telefónica program. This group was created to support young people who had faced bullying and other emotional challenges. Its goal was to help them get help and feel like themselves again.
Through Rompe el Silencio, Carla gave talks and workshops in schools. She wanted to teach people about bullying among young people. The organization's website also gave young people a place to talk to each other. The program helped Carla's group grow and reach more people. It even had programs in countries like Peru, Ecuador, Argentina, and Mexico.
In 2015, Rompe el Silencio was one of ten winners in a contest in Spain. This contest was sponsored by Ashoka and Boehringer Ingelheim. Carla's group received money and professional training in Barcelona. The next year, Carla was one of two finalists from Spain to go to a big international meeting in Germany.
Today, Carla Herrero works as an office and program manager at a company called WALK. This company helps leaders. She has a psychology degree from the National University of Distance Education. She also volunteered for the United Nations as a research data analyst. She has worked with Youth Europa and the European Youth Parliament.
Carla's Books
- "A la recerca de la pròpia identitat" (2012; in Catalan, meaning In search of one's own identity)
- Alma de Cristal (2012; in Spanish, meaning Soul of Glass)
See also
In Spanish: Carla Herrero para niños
