A collection of news, events, and random details about Tijuana & the border.
“Finding Fernanda”: Pictures from an Investigation
“Finding Fernanda,” the first book by the photojournalist and investigative reporter Erin Siegal, uncovers pervasive fraud in the international adoption industry, specifically between Guatemala and the U.S. It’s not a photo book, but photographs are central to its conception.
On Saturday, Siegal will celebrate the publication of “Finding Fernanda” at powerHouse Books in Brooklyn. For more photographs from her reporting: http://nyr.kr/sM1ykI
The cartels are growing vast expanses of marijuana in remote forests of many national parks, like Mount Shasta National Forest and Sequoia National Park in California, to name just a couple. The cartels are also growing marijuana in Kentucky, Tennessee, even Michigan. We’re talking millions of acres. To defend their crops, they’re armed to the teeth with assault weapons. There have been law enforcement personnel in the parks shot and killed by Mexican nationals.
Polka dots in TJ.
“Several cities across Mexico are holding marches, after thugs assassinated seven people, one of which was the son of poet Javier Sicilia.”
So I went up to the giant Jesus statue at Kilometer 38 along the coastal highway, south of Rosarito, to see him up close. The toes of one foot peeks out the bottom of his robes.
This Tumblr is on pause for a bit. Be back later!
What good does it do to control the quality of our air and water in the United States so strictly that we drive our manufacturing industry south of the border to Mexico or offshore to Asia where environmental regulations are either lax or nonexistent?
The University of San Diego’s Border Film Week is this week, featuring four films— all free and open to the public!
TijuaneadosAnonimos (2009): The border city of Tijuana, México is experiencing a crisis of unprecedented violence and ungovernability, this situation affects the daily lives of its inhabitants. Every week, a group of people get together in Tijuaneados Anonymous to share experiences and discuss solutions to the erosive phenomenon that affects them and their city: the tijuaneado. During the sessions the characters reflect on the city, imagining how they want Tijuana to be and how they want to be as individuals. The voices of Tijuaneados Anonymous members are complemented trougout the perspective from citizens that work in close contact with the city and its population, the documentary states: it’s time to stop blaming “others“ for a collective problem. The city is the sum of everyone. Producer Omar Foglio will answer questions after the screening
Tijuana Jews (2005): The documentary “Tijuana Jews” explores the little known Jewish community living in Tijuana, giving an insight into the blending of Mexican and Jewish cultures and customs. The film tells the story of the immigrants who established this community as well as a history of the city of Tijuana beginning with Prohibition in the 1920s, when the city became well known. Dr. Alejandro Meter will share commentary on the film and answer questions after the screening.
La Mama: An American Nun’s Life in a Mexican Prison (2010): Narrated by Susan Sarandon, “La Mama: An American Nun’s Life in a Mexican Prison” tells the fascinating story of Mother Antonia, a Beverly Hills sociolite that gave up her privileged life to devote herself to serving criminals in a Mexican penitentiary. Mother Antonia has served her self-imposed life sentence for over thirty years. Filmmaker Jody Hammond will discuss the film and answer questions after the screening.
On The Edge (2006): “On The Edge” is a documentary covering the brutal murders of hundreds of poor young women in the border town of Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, murders that have been repeatedly ignored and unresolved by police and governments since 1993. The film sets out to explain the social, cultural, and economic factors that have created this situation where the killings continue to go unpunished. Filmmaker Steev Hise will discuss the film and the implications of the femicide after the screening.
For more details and info on how to RSVP, check out the Trans-Border Institute’s website here.
[Violence]… it is a reason to rededicate resources to the local, state and federal law enforcement agencies that are focused on making sure that violence does not spill over because we certainly do not and will not allow the blood that has been shed on the streets of Mexico to spill over to California.
