How a foreign student taught me not to feel like an outsider in my own city

I don’t consider myself a social person, especially while I’m in college. I get too focused on school work, and usually meet new people if they are the first ones to come up and talk to me. I was also was self-conscious about people judging me for my English skills. Even though I was born in El Paso, I lived in Juarez, Mexico until fifth grade. And like a lot of others who live on the border, I sometimes felt like I was in an awkward limbo between cultures.

Mexican or American or what? Straddling the border can make it hard to bring identity into focus

As a child of the U.S., Mexico border, I’ve recently found myself lost between languages, cultures and racial terms like Latino, Hispanic and Mexican-American. Do I know who I am and where I belong to? No. Many children born in the U.S. whose parents were born in other countries grow up with the opportunity of learning two languages and the history of two countries—but at what cost does this come with? A couple of weeks after I was born in Denver my mother brought me to her hometown of Ciudad Juarez Mexico, where I would spend the first seven years of my life.

10 recommendations from a student for managing the stress of college

I knew the spring semester of 2017 was going to be a tough one. I was recently hired by a law firm and had decided to take three of the most hardest classes in my major. The pressure was on and I felt ready. I bought a new agenda and all my books were delivered on time. January went by, then February came and from there everything went downhill.

Finding success after the loss of a parent

The last year in high school is supposed to be an exciting time for graduating seniors. My senior year was a little different than some. My senior year my mom was dying from cancer and eventually passed away 11 days after my graduation. According to the Journal of Death and Dying 1 in 5 children will experience the death of someone close to them by age 18. I remember very vividly when my mother died.

Beyond Mexican food El Paso restaurants also offer a variety of cuisine from around the globe

In any given area in El Paso you’re almost guaranteed to be near at least one Mexican restaurant at all times. With the city’s proximity to Mexico, it’s not surprising that Mexican cuisine is such an essential part of El Paso’s one-of-a-kind culture. (Not to mention the fact that enchiladas, burritos, and any other queso-laden Mexican dishes are the bomb, amirite?)

However, while Mexican restaurants are the most popular in this town, that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for cuisine from other countries and cultures. El Pasoans may not realize that our city is also home to restaurants with food inspired by more than 15 countries. Next time you’re out and hungry, consider checking out the following restaurants for tasty, unique dining experiences that’ll transport you to different parts of the world.

This is a great time for music in El Paso and Juarez

El Paso and Cd. Juárez are in the middle of one of the best eras ever in the local music scene. It’s clear by looking at the new artists hitting area stages, including Latin Grammy-nominated The Chamanas, who have become one of the best artists on either side of the border. The local music scene is important to these border cities for several reasons. The local bands give the border community an opportunity to learn new music and see all the new artists that are emerging.

Havana Hallelujah II — street photography captures grit and resolve after Trump slams the door

HAVANA – Applause rings out as my Southwest Airlines jet lands at José Martí airport the day after Trump told Cuban exiles in Miami that he was shutting the door Obama opened to normalize relations with Cuba. They always applaud. It’s my second trip to the Communist island in six months and the third in ten years to do street photography for an exhibit in Taos this fall and as I walk the cobblestoned alleys of the historic city it becomes obvious that folks here are taking in stride what Trump said. Trump lied to the old men of Brigada 2506, the veterans of the disastrous Bay of Pigs landing in 1961. He blustered that he was rolling back the rapprochement, which was a lie.

Educator shares 5 tips for supporting immigrant and refugee students

By Katrina Landa, Ed.D.

In 2016, the United States welcomed 96,874 refugees, including 15,479 from Syria alone, according to the US Department of State’s Refugee Processing Center. Nearly 60 percent of those refugees were children.  As these families settle into the country and children enroll in local schools, teachers face the unique challenge of ensuring refugee students feel welcomed, while also meeting their educational needs. 
 
As the ESL and bilingual coordinator at American College of Education (ACE), I frequently share my experience in working with refugee, immigrant and foreign language-speaking students and offer teachers these top five tips below. 
 
1. Establish a safe space in your classroom. You must be vigilant and stop any bullying immediately.

Public TV plays important role for children living, learning on the border

As a child of the border, I grew up surrounded by two cultures, two languages, and two cities that brought opportunities and experiences not many students in the U.S. kids get. I had the advantage of completing first and second grade in Ciudad Juarez and later coming to the United States to complete elementary, middle school, high school, and college. I remember having to wake up three hours before my classmates in order to be at the international bridge by 6:30 a.m. and make it to school by 7:50 a.m. While this became a normal daily routine for me, I often felt it was unfair that I had to get up so early when other kids slept in because the lived just around the corner from school. Now that I am finishing college, I feel blessed that my have parents gave me a taste of the education in Mexico as well as in the United States. Thanks thanks to the early years in Mexican schools, I have strong skills in writing and speaking Spanish and my Mexican history skills are solid.

My path to health and healing after struggling with an eating disorder

I was diagnosed with an eating disorder when I was 17 years old. One of my best friends went down the same road a year later. Many girls will starve their body; throw their finger down their throat and over exercise as if their life depended on it. In those moments of my life, I felt that it did. That was all I would think about; how to be skinnier.

Selena celebrated across El Paso

“Anything for Selenas,” the iconic line from the 1997 Selena Quintanilla-Perez biopic starring Jennifer Lopez, still sums up the feeling many El Pasoans have for the late Tejana songstress. The crowds turned out for a weekend of honoring the singer’s life sparked by the Selena Celebration movie festival at the Alamo Drafthouse at Montecillo March 31 through April 2.  

The festivities began with a party at the Later, Later bar, 109 N Coldwell The whole night belonged to the “Reina de la Cumbia” as people cheered, danced and sang along to all her hits. The Alamo Drafthouse had six screenings of the movie “Selena.” The $12.99 tickets included access to the April 2 Bidi Bidi Banda concert by an Austin tribute band in the theater’s parking lot. Those not attending movie screenings were able to attend the concert for $5. El Paso’s own Selena impersonator, Diamond, was the closing act.

In Haiti, Resilience Isn’t Enough

GRAND’ANSE, Haiti – Hurricane Matthew needed only a few hours to level the village of Anadère. But it could take months before the government or any relief agency provides assistance to this isolated community in southwestern Haiti. “No one has come here,” said resident Daniel Dieuveuille, six weeks after the hurricane ripped through Anadère on October 4, 2016.  Dieuveuille said all 50 or so homes in the village were destroyed, including those where the 70-year old farmer, his wife, and extended family have lived most of their lives. “We’re surviving on what little we have,” he said.

Havana Hallelujah – From hardscrabble reality to a vision in a dream

HAVANA – I met an orchid clutching a tree in Viñales, and to me that flower said, “I am Cuba.” Deeply rooted into the trunk, the flower trembled but stayed erect as a brisk breeze swept through the tobacco plantation. A week earlier, applause erupted as the Southwest Airlines 737 landed at José Martí Airport in Havana. “Hallelujah,” someone said. Getting to this closed island had always been a kind of religious pilgrimage. This time it was easy.

Donald Trump’s Hollywood star can’t get a rest when it comes to vandalism

President-elect Donald J. Trump’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame continues to be defaced likely by people who are either unhappy that he is going to be the next president and comment he made during the campaign that were deemed inflammatory. As a result, the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce has had to cover up Trump’s star to prevent others from defacing it again. “We regret that someone would deface a historic landmark,” said Leron Gubler, Hollywood Chamber of Commerce president and CEO in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter. “People who have a disagreement with Trump should not take it out on the Walk of Fame. The star will be restored to its original condition as soon as possible,” Gubler said.

Fruitful year ahead for Borderzine, and a call for support for diversity champion and Hispanic Link Founder-Publisher Charlie Ericksen

The new year starts soon with a bang as a new unpredictable Republican president, downright antagonistic toward news media, the border and immigrants, takes office. And Borderzine’s editors and student journalists are ready for the challenge of reporting the non-headline-making reality of the border region and share it with the wider public, the politicians and decision makers in Washington. Among new ventures in the works for 2017 are a journalism partnership with a major Spanish/English news outlet with increased focus on in-depth reporting by our students and professional staff about the economy, business, education, immigration (yes, the wall!) and the environmental needs of the U.S.-Mexico border region, as well as our signature storytelling – relating the unique culture and contributions of 20 million border residents to the rest of the nation. During 2016, Borderzine student reporters dove into story coverage of Pope Francis’ first-ever visit to Ciudad Juarez and the border, reported thoroughly on the effects of cross-border air contamination in a multimedia package that was presented at a national Communication conference in Philadelphia, and a collaborative effort with the New Mexico In Depth news site and NMSU students to report the local impact of the historic and histrionic presidential race between former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and billionaire Donald Trump for the White House. Next year we hope to continue two long-standing and successful on-going projects – Journalism in July, a multimedia journalism camp for the El Paso/Ciudad Juarez/Las Cruces area’s best and brightest high school journalists, and an annual summer Dow Jones Multimedia Training Academy for journalism professors from Hispanic-Serving Institutions as well as Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

Lessons learned during my internship in TV news

University of Texas at El Paso students preparing to complete their bachelor’s degree in any communications major, such as Digital Media Production and Multimedia Journalism, must look for a media organization to conduct an internship if they wish to succeed in the demanding profession. An internship is fundamental for future journalists entering the job market, employers say. Students pursuing a major in journalism need a place to practice the craft of the profession and local news media outlets in the El Paso-Ciudad Juarez region offer great opportunities for UTEP students to complete their internship training. I had the good fortune of being selected for an internship at Entravision Univision 26, one of the highest -rated stations in the region. News Director Uriel Posada gave me the opportunity to enhance my communication skills during the fall 2016 semester.

7 things to know about Hueco Tanks State Park

Just east of El Paso, Hueco Tanks State Park and Historic Site protects the low-lying mountains that rise out the Chihuahuan Desert. Hueco Tanks holds a unique concentration of animals, plants and historical artifacts that make it unlike anywhere else in the desert Southwest. Below are seven reasons why Hueco Tanks is a special place. 1. “Huecos” aren’t in Waco, Texas

It would be easy for any Texan to confuse “Waco” and “hueco,” but although they sound the same, huecos are something different than the central Texas city.

Border region early voting shows unprecedented interest in presidential race, possibly a result of ‘Trump effect,’ experts say

This year’s contentious presidential election will most surely be remembered as one that broke new ground on many fronts: first woman on the ballot, first business tycoon/political outsider to run for the oval office, first time hot button issues of immigration and free trade made it to the national debate stage.  After election day we’ll also know whether the race for the White House has produced a long-awaited milestone regarding the national Latino vote, which many believe to be a sleeping giant that will soon wake up to vote in large enough numbers to affect the outcome of a presidential election.  This remains to be seen.  Read and watch border region election coverage by UTEP and NMSU student reporters and online news site New Mexico In Depth here.  A question in the minds of many is whether Latinos will be motivated to cast ballots in greater numbers than before because of Republican Donald Trump’s anti immigrant rhetoric and hate speech against Mexicans, Latinos and others, and promises to stop illegal immigration by building a “beautiful wall” between the United States and Mexico. Mexico will have to pay for it, he has said.

Crecí escuchando a Juan Gabriel, y será siempre parte de mi

La familia de Alberto Aguilera Valadez es la más afligida por su muerte el 28 de agosto. Sin embargo, hay otra familia que también lo lloran, la que lo vio convertirse en el cantante Mexicano de fama internacional Juan Gabriel – todo Juárez. Para mi y mi familia su música ha sido y sigue siendo parte de nuestras vidas diarias. Puedo recordar innumerables episodios que fueron marcados con canciones del Divo de Juárez. Mi madre, como muchas señoras de su generación, era ávida fanática de las letras de Juan Gabriel, y casi a diario traía un casete sonando en la camioneta.

What does Ay Ay mean in Spanish?

Ay ay is one of those cultural slang words that has a meaning but just cannot be defined. If you’re from El Paso you know what it means, but can you define it? Not really. You can try to, but you will have a hard time. I went went around trying to see if I could find a good definition of this phrase online but nothing really came up.

El poder del bilingüismo de acuerdo a tres jóvenes profesionales

Por Raquel Venado Bolaños

Patricia Ramos, Pilar Canchola y Sally Rodríguez no se conocen, pero tienen dos cosas en común: acaban de culminar sus estudios en Columbia College Chicago y son primera generación méxico-americanas. Como la mayoría de los inmigrantes, los padres de las tres nuevas profesionales dejaron México en busca de mejores oportunidades. Los de Ramos fueron a El Paso, Texas, mientras que los de Canchola y los de Rodríguez llegaron a Chicago. Ramos, Canchola y Rodríguez crecieron con el español como primer idioma. Patricia Ramos, de 23 años, describe a El Paso como un lugar en el que se habla mucho spanglish.

Machismo con trapeador

Por Jocelyn Soto

Creo que puedo hablar por muchas de las mujeres latinas cuando digo que desde niñas tenemos un sueño en común: llegar al altar con un vestido blanco, largo y brilloso y con nuestro príncipe azul al lado. Pero no vivimos en un cuento de hadas donde llega un hombre perfecto a rescatarnos. Inválidas no somos. Recuerdo que desde muy chica me gustaba que mi mamá y mi abuelita me contaran cómo cada una había conocido a su príncipe azul (mi padre y mi abuelo), la boda, y cómo era su vida después de casadas. Ahora ya más madura veo la vida diferente, en la que el rol de la mujer en el matrimonio cambia entre las generaciones y depende del lugar donde viven, aunque no lo crea.

In wake of UCLA campus shooting, a reminder that Texas opens college classrooms to guns August 1

The recent shooting murder of a professor and the shooter’s suicide in the engineering building on the UCLA campus is a tragic reminder that on August 1 Texas public universities open their classrooms to guns. I recognized the office where the murder took place. The cramped associate professor’s office where quiet meetings with students take place is like the ones I used at the University of Texas at El Paso for a dozen years before my retirement in January. These small cubbyhole offices are the classic workspaces for associate professors outside of the lecture hall. In the bustling academic crystal palace they are small sanctuaries where students seek guidance as they wind their way through the labyrinth of higher education.

5 great places to stretch your dollar dining out in Juarez

Ever wondered as an El Pasoan how much money you could save on your weekends if only you were to go to the other side of the border and spend your money over there? Well, I can guarantee you would, and big time. The dollar being valued at almost 17 pesos makes it a no-brainer for an entertainment bargain hunter to go to Juarez and save some money, especially if you’re talking about eating at restaurants and going to the movies. I’m not into the nightclub scene, but like to go out for a nice meal. I’ve been going to restaurants on both sides of the border since I was a little kid.

A short tour through lost El Paso

El Paso is a special place with a long history. You may have heard of Mexican Revolutionary leader Pancho Villa’s visits to El Paso or the roaming alligators in San Jacinto Plaza. Over the years there has also been a lot of change in the Sun City. A recent lecture at the El Paso Museum of History with historian Fred Morales inspired this look back through time into how some familiar spots used to be in days gone by. 1.

6 phrases border dwellers should know when visiting Mexico City

 

Just because you live on the borderline between El Paso and Juárez, doesn’t mean that you get to know all the Mexican phrases. We are not even close to using them all and many we have never heard before. If by any chance you plan to travel to México City, let me give you a quick guide to some common phrases that you will be hearing over there. 1. Sepa la bola

In English: Know the ball

This is a simple phrase that that can also be heard here on the border to tell someone that they do not know something.

5 local boutiques where shoppers can find the ‘perfect’ spring dress in El Paso

One item every gal needs in her closet is the “perfect” spring dress that can be worn to any fabulous daytime event. And the more unique the better because, let’s face it, no one wants to walk into a social gathering wearing the same outfit as someone else. El Paso’s locally owned fashion boutiques offer saavy clothing shoppers unique options because they stock a very limited selection of styles created by designers you would not be likely to find anywhere else in town. Here are five local boutiques that are known for their exclusive inventory and have some great springtime fashion options. GAL
GAL is the newest high-end contemporary boutique to hit El Paso’s West Side.GAL shoppers love that the store resembles a New York showroom and provides a personal shopping experience for its customers.

It is time for the world of literature to reflect the diversity of the real world

An article in The Atlantic reported last year that nearly a third of Americans had not read a book in the time span of a year. From paperbacks to the now ever so popular e-book, Atlantic says that the number of people who do not read books at all has tripled since 1978. With a little research into the world of books myself; it wasn’t hard to notice that the lack of diversity in the publishing realm is probably not helping. Books and literature in general, that appeal to people of color and LGBTQ+, has also seen a steady shortage. According to the Center for American Progress, in 2014, people of color made up 40 percent of just 13 states.

Mexico medical care horror must be mended with compassion

Two years ago, when I was told that national healthcare insurance was now mandatory, I started looking for the cheapest health plan that would prevent me from being penalized. None of them were cheap – at least not for a full-time student working part-time. Right there and then, I wished we had a national healthcare system like the one in México. I always thought that having a government-funded healthcare system was the one thing that the Mexican government had done right. The Mexican Institute of Social Security (IMSS) was founded in 1943, and according to its website, their mission is to “offer healthcare from the best medical professionals in the country and Latin America for the welfare of the Mexican society, with quality and kindness.”

Those last two words are the ones that bother me.

Look at the pros and cons of studying abroad

It was all so enchanting. The cobblestone streets, beautiful European architecture, foreign accents and food … . It was my first time visiting Europe; London and Madrid, to be exact, and I completely fell in love. It was like nothing I had ever experienced in my life, but it sure changed the way I viewed a lot of things.