Episode 28: A Conversation with Mary Gordon About Roots and Seeds of Empathy

This episode kicks off a series of podcast episodes that we’re having with the presenters that we had at our December 2023 Embracing The Early Years Professional Learning Day.

In this episode “A Conversation With Mary Gordon About Roots and Seeds of Empathy” you will hear ASCY’s Susan Lepore have a conversation with Mary Gordon about how to build a society that is inclusive and caring, by developing early empathy. 

Mary Gordon is recognized internationally as an award-winning social entrepreneur, educator, best-selling author, child advocate and parenting expert who has created programs informed by the power of empathy. In 1996, Ms. Gordon created Roots of Empathy, a national and international children's charity which now offers programs for elementary school aged children in every province of Canada and in 12 countries. In 2005, Ms. Gordon created the Seeds of Empathy Program for 3-5 year olds. This program has scaled in Canada, the US, and the UK.    Ms. Gordon speaks and consults to governments, educational organizations, and public institutions, including the World Health Organization and the United Nations. Ms. Gordon is often a keynote presenter at international conferences such as the world’s biggest tech conferences- Collision and Digital-Living-Design (DLD). She is a frequent participant on global panels discussing empathy and children’s mental health. Most recently she gave a keynote to the military during Mental Health Week. She is the recipient of many awards recognizing her contribution to innovation in education and international social entrepreneurship, including the 2018 Governor General of Canada Award for Innovation.  She has been awarded the Commemorative Medal for the Golden Jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in Education and the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for significant achievement and remarkable service. Ms. Gordon is a Member of the Order of Canada, Order of Ontario and the Order of Newfoundland and Labrador. She is also the recipient of honorary doctorates in Canada and Europe. The Finnish organization HundrED has awarded Roots of Empathy for 5 years in a row, each year since its inception, as one of the most inspiring and innovative educational programs in the world.    Ms. Gordon is featured in international documentaries, has also given several TEDx Talks, and has had dialogues with His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Roots of Empathy and Mary Gordon are quoted in 1200 Academic journals from 65 countries. Both Ms. Gordon and the program have been featured in the New York Times, the LA Times, the Washington Post, the BBC, The Globe and Mail, Time Magazine, Japan’s NHK, CBC and in features on PBS, CNN, NBC, The Guardian, The Irish Times, The Financial Times, The Independent and the Huffington Post. She has written many articles, book chapters, children’s books and her book, Roots of Empathy: Changing the World Child by Child, is a Canadian bestseller and is available in multiple languages.

For more information about Roots of Empathy and Mary Gordon please rootsofempathy.org