Thurston County Commissioner, District 1
Carolina Mejia was elected to the Thurston County Council in November of 2020. Born in Progreso, Honduras, Mejia is a daughter to a Medical Doctor and a nonprofit advocate and educator. Throughout her life, Carolina's parents have demonstrated the importance of caring and advocating for disadvantaged community members. At the age of 11 years old, her family moved to a small rural community in Shelbyville, Tennessee.
Carolina, as a high school and college student continued to follow in her family's advocacy footsteps. As a high school student, she joined and advocated for Bedford Bridges, an organization with focus on creating connections between local government and the community. While enrolled at Christian Brother University in Tennessee, Mejia was an advocate for the Tennessee Equality Project, a nonprofit that promotes LGBTQIA+ rights.
In 2013, Mejia graduated from Christian Brothers University, where she obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration with a minor in Pre-Law. Shortly after graduating, she permanently relocated to Washington to continue her post-secondary education.
While attending law school, Mejia worked at Bean, Porter, Hawkins LLC, a law firm that specialized in immigration and personal injury. During her tenure at the law firm, she worked closely with clients, their families, and community partners as a law clerk. After her promotion from law clerk to office manager, Mejia assisted in changes that brought the law firm's budget deficit to a surplus of revenue. Since 2015, Mejia has been a Judicial Assistant with Thurston County Superior Court.
Like in the past, Mejia took to volunteering and advocacy in her new community here in the PNW. She has or is currently volunteering for One America, Centro de la Raza, Northwest Immigrant Rights Project, and Centro Integral Educativo Latino de Olympia. While her community changed from place to place over the years, Mejia has remained committed to serving diverse and underprivileged communities.
Mejia has been a Judicial Assistant with Thurston County Superior Court since 2015, where she works closely with Judges serving our community. She is the Treasurer of the Washington State Democratic Latino Caucus, a member of Thurston County Democrats and Thurston County Women Democrats.
Carolina's education, personal experiences, and professional background have taught her valuable lessons that are instrumental in guiding her work. She has a strong desire to serve our community and enhance its richness and diversity.