NAHJ and UTEP launch national survey of Latinos working in English- and Spanish-language news media

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The National Association of Hispanic Journalists and University of Texas at El Paso researchers today are launching a national survey of Latino journalists to determine the level of job satisfaction, prospects for career development and advancement, and current working conditions amid the rapid transformation of the nation’s new media. The survey is available online at http://www.utep.edu/liberalarts/evaluating-job-satisfaction-of-latino-journalists-in-multimedia-newsrooms/

Researchers will continue to collect data through the end of December and the results of the comprehensive online survey will be presented at the NAHJ 2018 conference in Miami next summer. “We seek participation by all Latino journalists working in news media – English and Spanish, legacy and digital media,’ said UTEP professor Dr. Maria de los Angeles Flores, co-author of the study with Latino media expert Dr. Federico Subervi, and support from Zita Arocha, director of Borderzine.com at UTEP. “It is essential to identify the obstacles that Latino journalists face daily to generate dialog within their respective organizations on effective approaches to better train, retain and promote journalists of color,” Flores added. NAHJ President Brandon Benavides said the survey will improve the organization’s ability to “comprehend, assess and map the frontier of the industry for journalists at any level in their career.”

“We have made a commitment to better equip our members with tools and resources helping them to stay ahead of the curve and to do so begins with possessing a certain basis of knowledge,” he said.

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

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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 border city’s recording industry reputation is growing

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El Paso is currently home to number of recording studios and the past year was a good one for musical artists coming out of the city on the crossroads between music scenes in Austin and Los Angeles. Khalid has been the most successful of three fresh faces from El Paso that have reached the national stage. Elia Esparza landed a spot on The Voice in 2016, followed by Valerie Ponzio in the 2017 season. Beacon Hill Recording Studios

Alfredo Gonzalez is general manager and music producer at Beacon Hill Recording Studios, 6430 Gateway Blvd, where Khalid recorded his hit song “Location.” Gonzalez said the 3-year-old studio struggled at first, in part because El Paso didn’t have a large recording industry infrastructure like big cities.

Prep meals businesses compete to replace big lunch burritos with healthier fare

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Businesses offering prepared meals are hoping to dramatically change the way El Pasoans eat by offering healthy alternatives to fast food restaurants and heavy portions of Mexican food. Armando Garcia, 33, and Aurelio Garcia, 26, are the founders of Evolution Foods, 1420 N. Lee Trevino, a Kitchen by Get Fit El Paso. El Paso needs “good quality food but at an affordable price,” Armando Garcia said. His business prepares and packages low-calorie, low-carb meals daily for customers who want to eat healthy, but don’t want to spend time shopping and cooking. In addition to Evolution Foods, El Paso is now home to several meal preparation outlets:

Just Fit Foods, has two locations in El Paso – on the East Side on Montwood and on the West Side on Resler.

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

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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.

Juarez celebra su primer Bazar Ambulante de Producción, Redes, Truques y Ventas

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Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua – Por primera vez, se llevó a cabo en Ciudad Juárez hace unos meses El Primer Bazar Ambulante de Producción, Redes, Truques y Ventas, que atrajo más de 28 bandas locales, fotógrafos, ilustradores, programadores visuales y otros artistas locales para vender su mercancía al público. Antonio Saenz Facio, uno de los organizadores, dijo que el evento es una manera para que la comunidad de Juarez se de cuenta de que “en la tierrita sí se tiene mucha calidad. Hay que apoyar al talento local, como a los amigos/conocidos que emprenden su negocio, para que podamos crecer tal vez ya no a nivel local, si no, mas allá”. La organización del evento fue llevada a cabo por la organización sin fines de lucro llamada Alianza Fronteriza. Es una alianza de músicos fronterizos para crear una unión de músicos y darse a conocer en todo el país.

El Paso family lives binational life thanks to SENTRI program

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Luis is among the thousands of people who cross the Juarez-El Paso border each day. His wife, Gabriela, often greets him at the door of their West Side El Paso home when he returns in the evening to ask “How was your day?” The Rio Grande river and border checkpoints separating Mexico and the United States are not considered obstacles for many locals who have business on both sides, and Luis and Gabriela’s family is no exception. Luis – who asked that only first names be used in this story – lives in El Paso, but works in sales in Juarez. His family is among the nearly 50,000 people enrolled in the Secure Electronic Network for Travelers Rapid Inspection (SENTRI) program that allows them to bypass long lines and cross the international checkpoint more quickly.

Cultural center provides taste of Turkey in El Paso

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For many local Turkish-Americans, El Paso’s Raindrop House signifies a place to gather with friends and visitors. A place where they can socialize, cook and eat together. “We serve Turkish-Americans, but also introduce Turkish culture to our American friends,” says Sabri Agachan, director of the El Paso branch of the Raindrop Turkish House. “We open our doors and our hearts to every individual in El Paso.”

The local cultural center is part of the Raindrop Foundation, a non-profit, non-political organization whose stated mission is to “cultivate friendship and promote understanding of diverse cultures, the foundation says on its website. “One of the most important goals of our organization is to bring people together from different backgrounds who may have different nationalities, religions, or ethnic groups,” Agachan says.

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

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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.

Books and backpacks less easy to carry across the border now than before:  Mexican students who attend U.S. schools face a new reality in the anti-immigrant age of Trump

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EL PASO – Hundreds of students cross the border from Ciudad Juarez to El Paso daily,  carrying heavy backpacks and books and dreams of a better life.  Heightened  anti immigrant  rhetoric across the country and various immigration enforcement executive orders from President Donald Trump have added more stress and uncertainty to their daily lives. Over 1,000 Mexican students attend the the University of Texas at El Paso and about  half commute to campus from their homes in Juarez, across the Rio Grande from El Paso, according to a previously published story. The commute is a hardship for many because of the long and complicated commute from their home in Juarez,  a walk  or a car ride across an international border bridge to have their documents checked, followed by a bus ride  to the UTEP campus some five to 10 minutes from downtown El Paso,

Related: In 2016, commuting daily from Mexico to attend school in the U.S. was no big deal for students who budgeted their time well

Most must wake up before dawn to make it to an early morning class, and often don’t return home to Juarez until well past the dinner hour.  Depending on the amount of foot or car traffic on the international bridge, the crossing time can vary from 20 minutes to two hours.