(DRAFT) Struggles in the Borderlands: Working for Justice in El Paso

The many faces of El Paso: A scenic view, a view of the smelter that has been a source of environmental pollution for years, a rare November snow, and the Spanish-English newspapers (El Diario and El Paso Times) that offer two very different views of the city.

(Photo of Dr. Chavez-Leyva taken from http://www.elpasotexas.gov/library/archive/2007/news020707.asp)

My time in El Paso was short but intense at multiple levels. It was made particularly productive and easy by the presence of friends and family. I spent Friday evening and part of Saturday as guest of UTEP Chicana historian Yolanda Chavez Leyva and her artist- photographer friend Lucia. Over a wonderful home-cooked breakfast on Saturday morning I interviewed Yolanda about her work with Paso del Sur, an emergent organization founded to resist the urban renewal plans crafted by the city’s political and business elites who crafted a redevelopment plan for the downtown area and the historical segundo barrio adjacent that sits adjacent to it. The plan was developed and subsequently adopted by the city council without input from residents and has proven to be quite controversial because it involves the displacement of numerous people and re-design of the neighborhood that would destroy the barrio’s structural and historical integrity.

Paso del Sur website: http://www.pasodelsur.com/




Thanks to my father I had the wonderful opportunity to meet some 3rd cousins of mine for the first time while in El Paso. Lupe and Jesse Vega and their mother Paula (my paternal grandmother's sister) spent part of Saturday with me sharing familial history and their views on how El Paso has changed since they moved their in 1946 from Houston.

A view across the fence into Juarez along Paisano Rd. and a mural in Central El Paso off Piedras St.

Veronica Carbajal, a former student of mine who is now a lawyer with the Texas Rio Grande Legal Aid office and chair of the local ACLU chapter also hosted me in El Paso and took lots of time from her busy schedule to give me a tour and set up meetings with people. Born in EP, Vero grew up in Juarez and attended schools in El Paso. She has returned to her hometown to provide leadership and advocacy in several areas, including Environmental Justice and Housing. More on my conversations with Veronica soon. Pictured above to her right is Kevin McCary, also a TRGLA lawyer specializing in immigration. Over lunch at Mujer Obrera he discussed some of the cases he has worked on in this area as he assists individuals struggling to work their way through the complex bureaucratic system.

In the photos below in segundo barrio and the downtown area one can see the vibrancy of the neighborhood and visible signs of resistance against the development plan.















I had an inspiring and informative discussion with Carlos Marentes at farm worker center and safe haven in Segundo barrio located near one of the bridges and next door to a border patrol office. See videos below for segments.


Carlos Marentes (Part I): Centro de Los Trabajadores Agricolas Fronterizos from Louis Mendoza on Vimeo.




A very full Monday ended with a fantastic discussion with the amazingly committed staff at the Paso del Norte Civil Rights Project who took time to share their work, some of the legal and advocacy cases they pursue on behalf of individuals and policy reform and why they do this seemingly endless work. (Right to left: Brianna Stone, Gabby Garcia, Paulina Baca, and Valerie Noche, an intern with the Jesuit corps from N. California.) (More details soon.)



If you're interested in seeing more of my conversation with Carlos Marentes you can go here: http://www.vimeo.com/409602
It's a long video (15 minutes).