BPP Board Chair, Rosa del Carmen Montaño Fimbres is pleased to announce that effective immediately, Adam Lopez Falk, Community Program Officer at Arizona Community Foundation is the newest leader of the BPP Board of Directors. Adam is a native Arizonan engaged heavily in Borderlands and Latino community advocacy issues. Lopez Falk has been a member of the Arizona Community Foundation team since 2021. We offer a warm welcome to our new friend and colleague, says Rosa del Carmen Montaño Fimbres. We are elated to continue to have the strong support of the Arizona Community Foundation. They are one of the founding members, and since 2002, have been a strong member, partner, supporter, and donor to BPP. Adam Lopez Falk is the sixth leader of Arizona Community Foundation to serve on the BPP Board of Directors.

Denise Herrera was recognized as a prominent leader by UT Austin. Congratulations to Con Alma Health Foundation executive director and BPP Board member Denise Herrera, PhD, for being recognized as a prominent leader in Health Education by the University of Texas-Austin. The College of Education invited her to be the keynote speaker at the Alderson Lecture and Awards Ceremony as distinguished alumni. She spoke about the lessons she learned from her alma maters — University of New Mexico, University of Arizona and UT-Austin — and how that applies to her work today, including preparing her to lead during a global health pandemic because of the complex research she conducted as part of her doctoral program. “It was an honor to return to my alma mater. My message was about leadership. We all have the capacity to lead regardless of our title or... (read more)

Binational Resilience Initiative - 2023 Grant: Advancing the resiliency of the region between San Diego County and Baja California Norte coastal communities. Together, San Diego Foundation, the International Community Foundation, Resilient Cities Catalyst and the San Diego Regional Climate Collaborative are committed to expanding the impact of the Binational Resilience Initiative (BRI) in the region. For the BRI 2023 Grant, we are seeking to support projects that help build the resiliency of the Cali-Baja region. We will award funding to nonprofit organizations in Mexico or the U.S. that are working to: Expand binational climate collaboration, advance coastal resilience from an integrated, regional approach, provide capacity-building support to organizations working to increase our communities’ coastal resilience.

FBI Director speaks about current threats to U.S. at Bush School. The head of the FBI spent time in College Station Wednesday night. Director Christopher Wray met with about 700 students and community leaders at the Bush School of Government and Public Service to discuss the importance of service and current events. Wray says he expects hostile nations to become even more aggressive in their efforts to threaten our nation. “Front and center is that expanded thread from China. And as I’ve said before, there is no doubt that the greatest long-term threat to our nation’s ideas, our economic security, and our national security, is that posed by the Chinese Communist government,” Wray said. On Wednesday, April 12, the Director of the CIA will be speaking at the Annenberg Presidential Conference Center.

Engage America 2023: The U.S. - Mexico Cross Border Sewage Crisis. The U.S. - Mexico Cross Border Sewage Crisis. The San Diego World Affairs Council presents the Engage America 2023 Panel Series: The U.S. - Mexico Cross Border Sewage Crisis featuring Distinguished Speakers: Kevin Cassidy, Serge Dedina, Margarita Diaz, David Gibson, Chris Helmer, Richard Kiy & Carl Nettleton. Begin your Earth Day 2023 festivities by coming by or logging in to this special event hosted in downtown San Diego at U.C. San Diego's Park and Market to learn more about the Tijuana River sewage crisis and learn how environmental, transborder issues are handled and resolved. The top rate panel of speakers represents environmental advocates, business leaders, and governmental interests.

The deadly fire in Juárez. By Morgan Smith. We stopped on the crowded street by the building where these terrible and very unnecessary deaths occurred and a young man from Venezuela came up to our car to say that his cousin had been among those killed. He looked stunned, in disbelief. We were unable to talk at length; there was too much traffic circling around us and, more important, I didn’t know what to ask. It seemed too intrusive. Several questions have to be answered, however. First, how could those who were in charge have walked away without opening the cell doors and letting the detainees out to safety? The video that we can now see makes it clear that these guards were initially in no danger from the fire. Second, Mexico’s... (read more)

Pilot program deterring illegal border crossings in cars, Mexican officials say. The Mexican Consulate in San Diego is reporting that a 5-month-old pilot program at the San Ysidro Port of Entry has decreased incursions by migrants in vehicles onto U.S. soil by 60 percent. Back in November, Mexican officers on the local, state and federal levels were deployed to the south side of the port of entry to screen passenger vehicles as they approached the border crossing. According to the Mexican Consulate in San Diego, the plan was put in place to deter migrants, mostly Russians, from trying to get into the U.S. while being driven on what are called “SENTRI and Ready Lanes” used by pre-screened border commuters. The Smart Border Coalition and other groups have said long border waits... (read more)

NADBank is calling on all U.S. and Mexico undergraduate students to be part of the first class of NADBank University Ambassadors. Calling on undergraduate students enrolled in public or private universities or other institutions of higher learning in the United States or Mexico to serve as NADBank University Ambassadors, class of 2023 to create a communication hub, as well as to recognize outstanding students and broaden their academic work, in particular in the areas of the environment, sustainability, finance and international relations. As a NADBank University Ambassador you will: Enhance your leadership and academic development, be part of a dynamic space for discussion, cooperation and interaction between NADBank, the student community and... (read more)

BioBlitz aims to clean up the border but also opens eyes. Beneath the canopy of cottonwood trees, trash clean-up volunteers hear the wind rustling through the vibrant green, heart-shaped leaves. The poplar species, commonly found in seasonally wet riparian areas, overshadows a nearly dry riverbed of the San Pedro River, a well-known stop-over habitat for migratory birds and other wildlife species. The juxtaposition of the ecosystem is contrasted by 30 miles of 30 ft high rust-colored steel. The San Pedro is the last free-flowing river in Arizona, and home to approximately 18 federally recognized endangered species. According to the Sky Island Alliance (SIA), 45% of the 900 species in North America use the San Pedro River at some point in their lives. As an effort to document the biological diversity within the 3-mile radius alongside the U.S. - Mexico border, the annual community science effort, the... (read more)

Eva Longoria Movies – Eva Longoria is a renowned American actress, producer, and philanthropist. She was born on March 15, 1975, in Corpus Christi, Texas, USA. Longoria is of Mexican-American descent, and she grew up on a ranch in the small town of San Antonio. In addition to her acting and producing career, Longoria is also an active philanthropist. She founded the Eva Longoria Foundation in 2012, which focuses on empowering Latinas through education and entrepreneurship. The foundation has partnered with various organizations to provide mentorship, career training, and scholarships to young Latinas. Longoria is also involved in various other charitable causes, including the fight against cancer, support for children with... (read more)

Todd Robinson: ‘The United States and Mexico have shared responsibilities in the fight against fentanyl.’ The assistant secretary of state for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs emphasizes that, in the face of the opioid crisis, the US will need to address drug trafficking as a matter of public health. Todd Robinson – assistant secretary for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs at the US State Department – is convinced that the growing demand for synthetic opioids, such as fentanyl, must be tackled at great speed in both Mexico and the United States. Robinson affirms that his country is changing its approach to dealing with drug trafficking. Once perceived as a war, it is now a matter of... (read more)

US sends 12 soldiers for joint training exercises with Mexican army. A group of United States soldiers is currently believed to be on Mexican soil – not to combat cartels, as some U.S. lawmakers have proposed – but to undertake a joint training exercise with the Mexican army. On the request of the Ministry of National Defense (Sedena), the federal Senate granted authorization to President López Obrador to allow 12 members of the United States army to enter Mexico to participate in a training exercise at the Mexican army’s National Training Center in Saucillo, a municipality in southeastern Chihuahua. The exercise was scheduled to commence Thursday, April 6 and will conclude on May 11. The Senate authorization, outlined in a decree published in the government’s official gazette on... (read more)

See also: San Diego and Baja California women join forces to create a beer with a cause

Miguel Torruco, Mexico Minister of Tourism is recognized for his work strengthening travel between US and Mexico. On behalf of the Houston Travel Fest, Jorge Franz, Senior VP of Tourism and Trade Relations delivers the Award. During the celebrations of the 47 Tianguis Turístico, Mexico´s top travel trade show, that took place in Mexico City this past March, Jorge Franz, Senior VP of Tourism and Trade Relations of Houston First, recognized, on behalf of the Organizing Committee of the Houston Travel Fest, Mexico´s Minister of Tourism, Miguel Torruco Marqués for his landmark Programs Operación Toca Puertas and Mis Raíces, (Knock on Doors and My Roots Programs) whose purpose has been to strengthen US-Mexico... (read more)

California-Mexico 2030 Summit: Turning Climate Challenges into Opportunities. The first California-Mexico 2030 Summit, to be held on April 19 and 20, 2023, will be organized around the transition to a sustainable and resilient climate economy for California and Mexico. The forum will take place in the context of the recent celebration of the bicentennial in diplomatic relations between the United States and Mexico. The objectives of this summit will be to evaluate the current state of the California-Mexico relationship and to identify key strategic areas for collaboration to address the most relevant bilateral challenges in this decade. The Summit will showcase existing research projects that UC experts are developing in partnership with their Mexican peers and help identify existing knowledge gaps.

Monarch butterflies become a powerful symbol for justice at the U.S./Mexico border (commentary). Monarch butterflies could go extinct, much to the dismay of environmentalists in the U.S. and Mexico. Monarch butterfly populations in Mexico have dropped 22% in the last year, according to a new World Wildlife Fund report. Eastern monarch butterflies migrate from Canada to the U.S. and down to Mexico to spend their winters in the forests of the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve in Mexico. The report found that the number of trees lost from these forests tripled in the last year. When the winter ends, monarchs then return north, passing through the U.S. to... (read more)

City of El Paso holds its annual Nature Challenge 2023. The city of El Paso is holding its annual Nature Challenge. The Nature Challenge is an international effort for people to find and document wildlife in cities across the globe. It is a bioblitz-style competition where cities are in a friendly contest against each other to see who can make the most observations of nature, who can observe and record the most species, and who can engage the most people. This challenge was invented by the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County and the California Academy of Sciences in 2016. This year observing and recording wildlife can be done on iNaturalist from April 28 to May 1 followed by... (read more)

Inside the boom in Chinese migrants at the southern border. Inside the boom in Chinese migrants at the southern border. Thousands of Chinese migrants and asylum seekers have arrived at the U.S.-Mexico border in recent months, and many more are heading north after passing through the treacherous Darién Gap jungle between Colombia and Panama. Why it matters: It's another example of people from well beyond the Americas seeking refuge in the U.S. through the southwest border — and reflects the ongoing backlash to Chinese President Xi Jinping's harsh domestic policies. "So the word is out, right?," Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, a Texas border Democrat, told Axios. "If you can get to... (read more)

See also: New trend: Migrants from Africa streaming into Tijuana

The situation at the U.S.-Mexico border. This week on 60 Minutes, correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi reported on the unprecedented migration crisis along the U.S.-Mexico border. CBS News immigration reporter Camilo Montoya-Galvez helped produce the story. As part of the team's reporting, he went on a ride-along with the U.S. Border Patrol early in the morning near Sunland Park, New Mexico. During a two-hour span, Montoya-Galvez watched as U.S. Border Patrol agents arrested several migrants. Montoya-Galvez spoke with a few of the detained migrants. One arrested couple told him they were from Mexico and had been trying to cross the border illegally to visit their sick son, who lives in Indiana. "I have a son who's very ill, and he needs open heart surgery," the woman explained in Spanish. "I went to... (read more)

Fatal fire at migrant centre follows mounting tension at US-Mexico border. Blaze that left 39 dead renews focus on disarray in treatment of asylum seekers. After travelling thousands of miles across swamp and jungle, Juan and his family had finally made it to the US-Mexico border when armed men kidnapped them. They were taken with dozens of other migrants to a house in Ciudad Juárez, he said, where one managed to secretly call 911. When the authorities arrived to rescue them, though, Juan and his family were taken straight to a migrant shelter. No one asked them for a statement, he said. “Here the police and the rest are all working together,” said Juan, whose name has been changed to protect his identity. During several weeks in Juárez, out of fear he has only left the shelter once and is now waiting to... (read more)

Higher education center at McAllen names new leadership, sets enrollment goal. Manuel M. Vela will assume the role of vice president and chief operating officer at Texas A&M’s growing center in South Texas. Texas A&M University has named Manuel “Manny” M. Vela as vice president and chief operating officer of its Higher Education Center at McAllen, effective May 15. “Over the next five years, we will double our enrollment at the Higher Education Center at McAllen, build a new nursing facility and expand our academic offerings,” said Dr. M. Katherine Banks, president of Texas A&M University. “Manny Vela, our new vice president and chief operating officer for Texas A&M University’s McAllen Higher Education Center, will play a critical role in advancing these goals. We are happy to... (read more)

See also: Freeport-McMoRan Native American College Scholarship Program

I grew up in Mexico and my dad helped me pay for school by sending money from the US. Now, I'm helping other immigrant families do the same. When I was a child, my mom would wait anxiously each month for a payment to arrive from the US. My dad and two sisters were already there. My mom, another sister, and I lived in Durango, Mexico. My sister and I worked to help our mother run a small bodega and butcher shop, but the money from the US provided much needed support to help us make ends meet. I knew we weren't alone. I went to private school for part of high school. There, I saw that my classmates and friends were able to have this chance at a better education because of their dad, aunt, or older sister working north of the border. When I was 17, I immigrated to the US. I graduated from high school and went to college. I had... (leer más)

UT history professor named USA Today Woman of the Year. USA Today’s Women of the Year project recognized UT professor Monica Muñoz Martinez as a national honoree for her work shedding light on the history of Mexican Americans in Texas during the 20th century. The project honors influential women who leave positive societal impacts with former first lady Michelle Obama, the women of the 118th Congress, and Sandra Day O’Connor, the first female Supreme Court Justice, among the other honorees. Martinez pioneered Mapping Violence: Racial Terror in Texas 1900-1930, a digital project which serves to rediscover and focus on stories of racial violence in Texas. She also spearheads Refusing to Forget, a nonprofit organization which brings attention to the state-sanctioned violence toward ethnic Mexicans along the U.S.-Mexico border in... (read more)

Meet the residents of Sun City—where aging is actually fun. In this Arizona community, retirees attend prom, join cheer squads, and shoot pool. In short, as one resident says, ‘This is not God’s waiting room.’ It was while watching the movie The Savages in 2009 that photographer Kendrick Brinson caught her first glimpse of Sun City, Arizona, a sprawling retirement community northwest of Phoenix. The film scene—with bright desert light, cacti, golf carts, and tidy rows of ranch-style homes—“had this really strange, very visually interesting look to it,” she says. Since then, Brinson, 40, has gone every year to photograph Sun City’s residents, some of whom have become her close friends. Observing the enthusiasm people have for the many activities there, the self-described perfectionist says she learned something about herself: “I realized that... (read more)

PBS chef Pati Jinich traces U.S.-Mexico border on 'La Frontera.' Pati Jinich was a political analyst at the Inter-American Dialogue think tank in Washington, D.C., before she became a Emmy-nominated chef and cookbook author. So her primetime PBS culinary docuseries “La Frontera with Pati Jinich,” which uses food to showcase stories of the “fronterizos” who live on the U.S.-Mexico border, seems a natural progression. Yet it was what the Mexico City native didn’t know about her homeland that actually inspired the TV series, which premieres its second season April 3. The official chef of the Mexican Cultural Institute since 2007, Jinich has always been intrigued by the history and politics of the Mexican people. Still, it was only after several years of doing her PBS show, “Pati’s Mexican Table,” and writing three cookbooks that she recognized... (read more)

Voices from the Sonoran Desert: New film, 'Borderlands,' tells the story of one woman's harrowing journey across the U.S.-Mexico border. Sometime in the 1980s, a large group of migrants from El Salvador fled their warring country to seek asylum in the United States. On this month-long journey, they weathered tropical storms and the rocky slopes of the Sierra Madres, but on the final leg of their trek, they faced the Sonoran Desert: an arid and scorching hot no-man’s land that wraps around central Sonora and southern Arizona through the tip of the Baja Peninsula. Under cover of night, the group began their crossing in Sonoyta with the help of two hired smugglers, but plagued by the relentless heat, the howls of... (read more)

Woman makes history as Albuquerque’s first female fire chief. An NMSU graduate student made history this past month as she was named Albuquerque’s first female fire chief. Emily Jaramillo was initially a teacher but changed career paths as she was inspired by a local firefighter who spoke about the fire service in one of her classes. Jaramillo then enrolled into the Albuquerque Fire Rescue Training Academy and began her career. As Jaramillo moved up through the ranks at the fire department, she was also raising two young children as a single mother, and also pursuing a master’s degree at New Mexico State University. Jaramillo began her tenure as the... (read more)

See also: ABWA - Territorial Charter Chapter, Yuma, announces HerStory 2023 Award Recipients

Hamer named secretary of American Society of Mexico. The American Society of Mexico has just appointed Glenn Hamer as secretary of its board of directors. Hamer is president and CEO of the Texas Association of Business. “With a proven track record for success in the public policy arena and a previous 14-year tenure as CEO of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Glenn is a highly regarded international expert, participating in trade missions to China, Taiwan, Mexico, Canada, Israel and the United Kingdom, ASM said. “Please join us in welcoming Glenn into this new position. His participation will be of enormous value for our organization.” The American Society of Mexico is a non-profit, non-partisan organization established in its original charter to represent all U.S. private interests in Mexico. As a... (read more)

See also: Q&A: Anna Alemán, executive director, CommUNITY en Acción

Get tougher on fentanyl and trying to bolster US-Mexico anti-crime collaboration. By Earl Anthony Wayne. US-Mexico relations face serious challenges at present which spanning issues from trade and migration to border violence and drug trafficking. But the most dangerous threats surround the trafficking of synthetic opioids, particularly fentanyl, to the US and the violence and corruption that this trafficking fuels around production and supply routes in Mexico. The US and Mexico have been discussing improved cooperation against fentanyl in recent days, but it is not yet clear what may emerge. The US should press urgently for an agreement that produces more effective and better coordinated security collaboration that delivers measurable progress on reducing fentanyl flows to the US. An improved agreement should also address other serious problems related to cross border drug trade, including... (read more)

Virtual wall: how the US plans to boost surveillance at the southern border. AI-enhanced cameras can detect ‘objects of interest’ miles away, which critics say will drive migrants deeper into dangerous desert. A new map detailing the location of hundreds of surveillance towers is providing the most comprehensive public look yet at the growing virtual wall at the United States’ southern border. The map, published this month by the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a non-profit focused on digital privacy, free speech and innovation, tallies more than 300 existing and 50 proposed surveillance towers along the US-Mexico border. The largest expansion of surveillance towers that Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is considering, according to the map, would take place near... (read more)

How is the opioid crisis affecting U.S.-Mexico ties? Q: How is the rising political tension between the United States and Mexico over the opioid crisis affecting their bilateral relationship? How has cooperation evolved between the two countries, and what policies are needed to effectively address the fentanyl crisis? A: Arturo Sarukhan, board member of the Inter-American Dialogue and former Mexican ambassador to the United States: “Counternarcotics cooperation and intelligence sharing between Mexico and the United States is in a rut. Since the outset of the López Obrador administration, it has been a chronicle of a crisis foretold. It was hampered out of the gate by a nationalistic and jingoistic approach as López Obrador largely eviscerated cooperation with Washington, only for it to nosedive in response to the arrest of a former Mexican secretary of defense in Los Angeles. And while the Biden administration has... (read more)

Axios Explains: Why it's so hard to come to the U.S. legally. Permanently moving to the U.S. was once as easy as getting on a ship or strolling across a border. Today, most lawful means of entering the country take years because of overwhelmed immigration agencies, rising levels of global migration and a limit on the number of certain visas, all of which have culminated in a massive backlog of people trying to get to the U.S. Around 9 million people are awaiting green cards, and those wait times have skyrocketed from just a few months to years, possibly decades, according to the Cato Institute and other researchers. In 1991, only 3% of preference immigrants, or those seeking visas through family members already in the U.S., had to wait more than 10 years. By 2018, 27% of... (read more)

How cartels use illegal wildlife trafficking to make fentanyl. Wildlife trafficking from Mexico to China has helped cartels secure the chemicals used to make illicit fentanyl, according to research from the Brookings Institution think tank. The research, published last year, is especially relevant as tensions grow between the two countries and the United States. Cartels have leveraged the illegal wildlife operations, in part, by supplying Chinese traders with wildlife products in exchange for the precursor chemicals used to manufacture drugs like methamphetamine and fentanyl, according to Brookings Institution research. Although legal wildlife trade... (read more)

Petco Park named best MLB ballpark in the US: Report. If you’re a Padres fan who is all too ready to be taken out to the ballgame, you can rejoice in knowing home games are at the best ballpark in the U.S., according to USA Today. After ranking all 30 MLB stadiums in the U.S., USA Today named Petco Park as top dog. Calling it the “perfect” ballpark, USA Today noted the stadium’s stunning view of the downtown skyline, Gallagher Square and the delectable bites to eat at the park as reasons for giving the honor to San Diego. “It’s really difficult to imagine any stadium topping Petco Park – it’s simply the best,” the report said. San Francisco’s Oracle Park and Chicago’s Wrigley Field followed closely in the list as... (read more)

Your Guide to Crossing the San Ysidro Border. If you're considering crossing the border between San Diego, CA and Tijuana, Mexico then check out this helpful guide with everything you need to know about the San Ysidro border. San Diego is home to California’s southernmost city, Imperial Beach, and shares a border with the popular Tijuana, Mexico. So, how does one get from one city to the next? They’re right next door… but there is still an international border in the way. The San Ysidro Land Port of Entry is by far the busiest land crossing point between the United States and Mexico. The most easily accessible border crossing between the hubs of Tijuana, Mexico, and San Diego, California, can be crossed by foot or via the... (read more)

The drive behind Tesla’s new manufacturing plant in Mexico. Tesla’s plan to open a Gigafactory in Monterrey is welcomed by local business elites, but will only deepen processes of labor devaluation and technological dependency. On February 28, Mexico confirmed that Tesla will install an assembly plant in Monterrey, a northeastern city in Mexico located only 220 kilometers from the border city of Laredo, Texas. This will be Tesla’s seventh assembly plant and its third outside the United States; the other two are in Shanghai and Berlin. The announcement has caused great fanfare and celebration by corporate media in Mexico and the United States, with claims that the new Gigafactory will drive technological, industrial, economic, and... (read more)

LG Energy Solution to build $5.5B EV battery plant in Arizona. LG Energy Solution announced it will build a $5.5 billion battery manufacturing facility near Phoenix to supply both electric vehicles and energy systems. The new facility will be the single largest investment ever in a stand-alone battery manufacturing complex in North America, according to a news release from LG. “LG Energy Solution’s decision to increase investment in cylindrical EV battery production in North America comes from rising demand from EV makers for locally manufactured high-quality, high-performance batteries,” the company said. The new facility is scheduled to begin production in 2025, mainly for EV makers in North America. LG Energy Solution also has an... (read more)

Nearshoring to Mexico is booming: What shippers need to know to keep up. Nearshoring to Mexico is gaining traction among shippers at a rapid rate. To keep up with the demand, Mexico will open 25 new industrial parks by the end of 2023, spurred by the $35 billion in total foreign direct investment from 2022. On top of that, 88% of US-based small and medium-sized businesses are reshuffling their supply chains to utilize suppliers in Mexico this year. Nearshoring will continue growing well into 2024, and if shippers aren’t already considering this strategy, they risk falling behind in the market. What is nearshoring? Nearshoring is a practice used by companies to relocate their business operations from a distant region to a closer, nearby country. While nearshoring isn’t a new concept, it’s gained significant... (read more)

Restaurant owners in Baja blame long border waits for lack of business. The long lines between San Diego and Tijuana are said to be the number one reason U.S. residents won’t travel south of the border for a meal, a tourism official in Tijuana says. “I believe if those crossings were a bit more fluid we would see anywhere from a 10 to 15 percent increase in business at our restaurants,” said Hugo León Valle, a coordinator with Baja California’s Gatro-Tourism Cluster. While there has been a recent increase in travelers, he said, it would be much better if the border waits weren’t as long. “A resident of San Diego who would consider traveling to places such as Puerto Nuevo, Ensenada or the Guadalupe Valley won’t go once they... (read more)

Cheaper by the border: Why Americans are heading to Mexico for vet care. Valerie Silva estimates that she's saved hundreds on vet bills for her dogs over the past year. All it takes is a two-hour drive across the U.S.-Mexico border for the prices to plummet. Her first trip to a Mexican vet clinic was at the start of 2022, when her chihuahua mix Sunny needed vaccines. All the local clinics near her Indio, California, home were booked full, so she found a pet hospital near her grandparents' house in the city of Mexicali. She liked the service enough to come back to get Sunny spayed and have a second dog, a Husky named Paco, vaccinated. Overall, she said about eight shots for two dogs cost about $200, while the spaying procedure cost $80. "The price difference is insane," Silva, 21, told USA TODAY. "It's just so... (read more)

How important is Juarez to El Paso's economy? The economic future looks bright for the Borderland and a big reason why is our location on the border. University of Texas at El Paso Economist Dr. Tom Fullerton told CBS4's John Purvis, "There's going to be continued investment in factory capacity all around Ciudad Juarez." With a population of 1.5 million people, Juarez is seeing an economic boom thanks to one of the major consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. American companies want to move their manufacturing away from Asia and bring it much closer to home which has led to major growth in maquila plants across the Juarez area. UTEP's Hunt Institute reports that Juarez gained 19,000 jobs last year compared to less than 6,000 in El Paso and 3,500 in... (read more)

Fronteras: The Changing America Desk is an unprecedented, multimedia collaboration among seven public radio stations. Fronteras covers an area of about 9 million residents and reaches an audience of about 1 million listeners. Fronteras stories deal with the complex and controversial southwestern border with Mexico, including security, immigration, drugs and weapons smuggling. It also seeks to show that the border is far more than a smuggling corridor. Fronteras mandate is to broadcast and publish stories from throughout the Southwest that go beyond breaking news and the sensational to find the people and stories that are real, relevant and alive. www.fronterasdesk.org

April 12, Assessing World Threats from a CIA Perspective | The Intelligence Studies Program at the Bush School of Government & Public Service invites you to Assessing World Threats from a CIA Perspective with Bill Burns, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), on Wednesday, April 12, 2023 at 5:30 p.m. CT. The event will be held in the Frymire Auditorium of the Annenberg Presidential Conference Center on the campus of Texas A&M University.

April 19 and 20, California-Mexico 2030 Summit: Turning Climate Challenges into Opportunities | The first California-Mexico 2030 Summit, to be held on 2023, will be organized around the transition to a sustainable and resilient climate economy for California and Mexico.

April 22, The Border Is Beautiful Festival | The Border is Beautiful Festival is a celebration of our bicultural art, music, and heritage in downtown Laredo. Given the dynamic interplay of culture on the border and its power to connect, this festival seeks to create deeper cultural awareness and highlight lo mejor de lo nuestro.

May 17 to 21, 41st Annual Tejano Conjunto Festival, San Antonio, TX | The Tejano Conjunto Festival is the first and longest running conjunto festival in the country and is internationally recognized as the most influential event for this beloved and popular Texas musical tradition.

May 18-19, New Mexico Public Health Association (NMPHA) 2023 Annual Conference (virtual,) is open for registration & proposal submissions | Join as an attendee and/or share your important public health research, programming, or advocacy projects with our community through a learning session or a poster presentation. Register for the 2023 conference here. Submit a proposal here (due Friday, Feb. 17).

June 5-7, Hispanics in Philanthropy conference: Building, Funding & Fueling Latinx Power, San Francisco, CA | HIP’s annual conference sparks dialogue on how to better invest in Latinx communities by bringing together key stakeholders, from trustees and foundation staff to corporate and nonprofit leaders, to engage in learning and discussion through panels, plenaries and workshops.

June 13-14, Leading Locally 2023: The Power of Place-Based and Community Philanthropy, Council on Foundations | Leading Locally will be an informative, engaging, and energizing event to help you develop practical skills and connect with your peers on the issues that matter to you.