FOUNDER



CARMEN EDITH PACHACAMAC FREEZE





Carmen Edith Freeze was born Carmen Edith Pachacama-Pachacama in Quito, the capital of the Republic of Ecuador, in South America where the latitude is almost 00° 00’ 00”, a place full of traditions, magic and love. Her family name, Pachacama, derives from Pachacamak, the name of the pre-Inca creator god of the indigenous people of what is today Peru. The temple of Pachacamak was in the valley south of the present city of Lima, Peru. Pacha translates as “the world,” while camak is thought to mean either “creator”or “animator.” The cult of Pachacamak was eventually adopted into the Inca cult of the sun. In Inca mythology, the creator was also called Pachayachachik, meaning the “Teacher of the World.” Pachayachachik was sometimes represented as the demi-god son of the creator or as a human being with miraculous powers who, as the culture hero of the people, was responsible for bringing humans the arts of civilization following the mythological flood and the creation or recreation of humankind.​



Carmen Edith started her art training at five years of age at the Youth Ballet of Quito and her gymnastics training at eight years of age at the School of Youth Gymnastics of Pichincha. At age 11, she began serious training in Andean Afro Ecuadorian folk art and attended “Colegio Experimental Simon Bolivar" where she studied folk dance performance and choreography with Mrs. Susana Rosero. Carmen Edith has performed with the Simon Bolivar Theater and La Casa de la Cultura. Her main dance folk character was the “Aya Huma” or “Spirit Head”.


In addition she studied Science in Commerce and Administration. After Carmen Edith went to University Technological Equinoctial to study two years of Financial Engineering. In 2000, attended Loyola University in Chicago to Study American Culture and ESL. Carmen Edith is also a Northwestern University-certified trainer in the measuring system Children and Adolescents Strengths and Needs, which is used to train and create reports that help with the policies and practices of ICDFS. Carmen Edith directed various projects with the Mental Health Services and Policy Program of Northwestern University. She managed three projects (Integrated Assessment, Child and Youth Investment Team, and Intact Families) for the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (IDCFS). Carmen Edith strengths are research and analysis and is passionate about economical development on Indigenous woman, children and nature, natural resources protection.


Currently Carmen Edith is attending a combined Master program in Economics and Policy Research at DePaul University. In addition she directs Pachacamak Folk Foundation programs, helping the Chicago community. She works closely with couple Chicago Public Schools, Montesori Rogers Park, Museum of Science and Industry and Joffrey Ballet. Also Woman from different communities in Chicago. The programs play a critical role in improving and extending the reach of awareness, consciousness of Folk Art through activities such as indigenous traditions education, art , environment education, basic environment screening, and facilitating access to Pachacamak Folk Foundation programs. These activities can directly and indirectly improve health, wellbeing outcomes of individuals and communities. Carmen Edith believes It is important to monitor and evaluate outreach efforts to show how committees outcomes are improved. Outreach programs can show they have improved communities outcomes by using evidence-based measures.