Today, I got to know a mother of three children who lives in the La Morita community and whose husband lives in Kent, Washington dUSNA (dis-United States of North America). He paints houses in the Lake Washington area and sends money back to Tijuana. She's been involved with Esperanza for the past eight years and is in charge of a program that helps teach children about healthy water habits. They have lived apart for five years and she sees him once a year.
She and I are working together on a community garden project (really her idea). We are both really excited to get some more community-building programs started. What better place to start than an existing system that depends on individual and community nurturing (a garden)? I feel like my Biology Club organizing days are returning once more. The circle is becoming more complete. Indeed, all roads lead to Home.
Thank you to all those at Home (Kenmore, U-District, Veitshöchheim, Tijuana, Bensheim, Regensburg, Hong Kong, and elsewhere) who have nurtured this individual. I haven't forgotten you. In fact, you're in my thoughts daily, motivating me to "no pare...sigue, sigue" ("don't stop...continue, continue").
Currently reading: "Development as Freedom" by Amartya Sen
Currently listening to: Bob Marley, Manu Chao, and Blue Scholars
Saturday, April 23, 2005
Friday, April 15, 2005
In the news
You can find some pictures of my co-workers and Tijuana community members on the San Diego Union Tribune online photo gallery (see pages 1 & 2). Sniff...I'm so proud of them. Tomorrow, I'll be working with a volunteer group from Marin county to pour the foundation of Nico's (Nicolasa Lucero) house using some of the blocks that you can see being made in the pictures. I'll start talking more about the actual work I'm doing in future posts.
PS, one should now be able to post comments without needing an account.
PS, one should now be able to post comments without needing an account.
Thursday, April 07, 2005
Borders at the Beach
I told you there would be more comments and pictures about the border fence (see "News affecting my new home"). This is another view of the border fence at Border Field State Park (see previous post). Yes, the fence goes down the hill, across the sand, and into the water. More than a physical barrier -- the fence, made of temporary airplane landing strips left over from the first Gulf War, is riddled with rusted holes and is easy to climb -- the extent of the fence can be psychologically devastating. Is there no space we (Americanos) can share? Are we that different that we need a 10 foot tall metal barricade to seperate us, even at the beach?
This fence continues for 42+ miles inland and is accompanied by a second layer of fencing that is virtually impenetrable. Where thousands of migrants once waited to cross, now lies a lonely border that has pushed its potential crossers further east to the treacherous deserts and mountains. Since the implementation of Operation Gatekeeper in October 1994, the number of border-related deaths has escalated (3,000+ documented deaths since 10/1994). Further east, on the Arizona border, hundreds of volunteers participating in the Minuteman Project are waiting to spot immigrants trying to cross there.
Note: these migrants are not terrorists or drug smugglers. Not doubt both of those groups have better means of crossing than walking for days on end through the mountains and/or the desert. Build another fence for national security? For the security of our economic standard of living, perhaps.
For example, the estimated 1 million+ illigal immigrant workers in the dUS reportedly contributed $7 billion to Social Security without being able to benefit. We have a vested interest in maintaining a flow of undocumented workers.
References:
"Operation Gatekeeper: New Resources, Enhanced Results"
http://uscis.gov/graphics/publicaffairs/factsheets/opgatefs.htm
"The Minuteman Project"
http://www.minutemanproject.com/
"Illegal Immigrants are Bolstering Social Security with Billions"
NY Times, April 5th, 2005
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/05/business/05immigration.html?
This fence continues for 42+ miles inland and is accompanied by a second layer of fencing that is virtually impenetrable. Where thousands of migrants once waited to cross, now lies a lonely border that has pushed its potential crossers further east to the treacherous deserts and mountains. Since the implementation of Operation Gatekeeper in October 1994, the number of border-related deaths has escalated (3,000+ documented deaths since 10/1994). Further east, on the Arizona border, hundreds of volunteers participating in the Minuteman Project are waiting to spot immigrants trying to cross there.
Note: these migrants are not terrorists or drug smugglers. Not doubt both of those groups have better means of crossing than walking for days on end through the mountains and/or the desert. Build another fence for national security? For the security of our economic standard of living, perhaps.
For example, the estimated 1 million+ illigal immigrant workers in the dUS reportedly contributed $7 billion to Social Security without being able to benefit. We have a vested interest in maintaining a flow of undocumented workers.
References:
"Operation Gatekeeper: New Resources, Enhanced Results"
http://uscis.gov/graphics/publicaffairs/factsheets/opgatefs.htm
"The Minuteman Project"
http://www.minutemanproject.com/
"Illegal Immigrants are Bolstering Social Security with Billions"
NY Times, April 5th, 2005
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/05/business/05immigration.html?
Amigos sin Fronteras?
If you take Interstate 5 California Exit 4 and head straight for 2-3 miles, you will find Border Field State Park. Previously known as Friendship Park (named by former First Lady Pat Nixon in 1971), this park sits on the western-most segment of the dUS-Mexico border. The border fence seperates the park from a lighthouse and the Plaza Monument bullfight ring (the second largest in the world), which are both located in Tijuana.
Oftentimes, for my work, I take volunteer groups to the Tijuana side of this park show the stark contrast between one side and the other. Having never been to the dUS side, I decided to venture over there on my day off. Direct access via car to the hilltop picnic area near the fence was barred due to "construction," so I took advantage of the sunny weather and walked the mile from the outer parking lot to the fence. Upon arrival, I noticed two border patrol agents on 4x4's and a third sitting in a Ford Explorer. Closer to the fence, there were some handwritten signs (see picture) from a protest rally a couple days prior. Just after taking some pictures, I heard my name called from the other side of the fence. It was Juan and two of the Los Niños muchachas, Becky and Emily! Juan is a resident of the La Morita colonia whose house was built by Esperanza five years ago. He now offers his bus as transportation to volunteer groups that come down. Becky and Emily are both long-term volunteers, like myself, living in Tijuana for a year. The also host volunteer groups that come from the dUS to help build schools and take care of kids. The three of them happened to be taking a group of volunteers to the border fence at the same time that I was visiting the other side (el otro lado). We greeted each other and chatted through the fence for awhile. It felt strange. I wanted to shake hands, shift my body position to their side, and go get some fish tacos in Tijuana, but the fence held me back. I imagine that prison visits might feel similar.
While the coincidental cross-fence encounter was strange, it solidified in my mind the fact that friendships can cross barriers. Like the sign said, "AMIGOS SIN FRONTERAS" ("Friends without borders"). The fence made no difference in our sentiment towards one another...only towards the pinche fence that stood in our way.
Oftentimes, for my work, I take volunteer groups to the Tijuana side of this park show the stark contrast between one side and the other. Having never been to the dUS side, I decided to venture over there on my day off. Direct access via car to the hilltop picnic area near the fence was barred due to "construction," so I took advantage of the sunny weather and walked the mile from the outer parking lot to the fence. Upon arrival, I noticed two border patrol agents on 4x4's and a third sitting in a Ford Explorer. Closer to the fence, there were some handwritten signs (see picture) from a protest rally a couple days prior. Just after taking some pictures, I heard my name called from the other side of the fence. It was Juan and two of the Los Niños muchachas, Becky and Emily! Juan is a resident of the La Morita colonia whose house was built by Esperanza five years ago. He now offers his bus as transportation to volunteer groups that come down. Becky and Emily are both long-term volunteers, like myself, living in Tijuana for a year. The also host volunteer groups that come from the dUS to help build schools and take care of kids. The three of them happened to be taking a group of volunteers to the border fence at the same time that I was visiting the other side (el otro lado). We greeted each other and chatted through the fence for awhile. It felt strange. I wanted to shake hands, shift my body position to their side, and go get some fish tacos in Tijuana, but the fence held me back. I imagine that prison visits might feel similar.
While the coincidental cross-fence encounter was strange, it solidified in my mind the fact that friendships can cross barriers. Like the sign said, "AMIGOS SIN FRONTERAS" ("Friends without borders"). The fence made no difference in our sentiment towards one another...only towards the pinche fence that stood in our way.
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