Nuevo obispo coadjunto de San Diego, el Obispo Cirilo Floresde origen mexicano.

 Como nuevo obispo coadjunto de San Diego, el Obispo Cirilo Flores estará un paso más cercano de hacer historia.

Como obispo coadjunto, el Obispo Flores está automáticamente en línea para reemplazar al Obispo Robert Brom cuando se jubile en el 2013, convirtiéndolo en el quinto obispo de San Diego y el primer obispo diocesano de origen mexicano en la Diócesis de San Diego. (En el pasado el Obispo Gilbert Chávez, quien también es de origen mexicano, fue obispo auxiliar.)

Flores fue asignado por el Papa Benedicto XVI el 4 de enero y será recibido oficialmente en la Diócesis de San Diego con una misa el lunes, 13 de febrero.

“Estoy aquí para escuchar y aprender”, fue citado el Obispo Flores en The Southern Cross, el periódico oficial de la diócesis. “El Obispo Brom es el obispo de San Diego hasta el día que se jubile. Tengo mucho que aprender de él acerca de los dones y los retos, de los recursos y administraciones de esta diócesis”.

El Obispo Flores dijo que se siente muy bienvenido en San Diego.

“Le doy las gracias a nuestro Santo Padre, Papa Benedicto XVI, por esta maravillosa y retadora asignatura y extiendo mi gratitud al Obispo Robert Brom, quien me ha dado su apoyo y bienvenida”, dijo el Obispo Flores en un comunicado de la Diócesis de Orange. “Estoy entusiasmado de trabajar con el Obispo Brom y de ayudarle durante este momento de transición, el cual será un momento para que yo aprenda acerca de la iglesia local de los condado de San Diego e Imperial”.

El Obispo Flores, de 63 años, nació el 20 de junio de 1948, en Corona, cuando Corona era todavía parte de la Diócesis de San Diego y pasó sus primeros 30 años de vida en esta diócesis. Su padre se mudó del estado de Sinaloa con su familia y llegó primero a Arizona para trasladarse a Corona, donde el mayor Flores fue barbero por 40 años.

El Obispo Flores recibió su licenciatura de Loyola Marymount University, un doctorado de Stanford University y una maestría en divinidad del St. John Seminary en Camarillo.

Fue ordenado sacerdote en la Diócesis de Orange en 1991. Después sirvió en diferentes parroquias en esa misma diócesis.

En el 2009, el Papa Benedicto lo nombró obispo auxiliar de Orange.

Aunque el Obispo Flores dijo que está emocionado de servir a la gente de San Diego, dijo que extrañará la Diócesis de Orange, donde “pasé todo mi sacerdocio. Ahí aprendí como servir a la gente a través del ejemplo de los sacerdotes que conocí en Orange”.

As the new coadjutor bishop of San Diego, Bishop Cirilo Flores will be a step closer to making history.

As coadjutor bishop, Bishop Flores is automatically in line to succeed Bishop Robert Brom upon his retirement in 2013, making him the fifth bishop of San Diego and the first diocesan bishop of Mexican origin in the Diocese of San Diego. (In the past Bishop Gilbert Chavez, who is also of Mexican origin, was auxiliary bishop.)

Flores was appointed by Pope Benedict XVI on Jan. 4, and he will be formally received in the Diocese of San Diego with a Mass on Monday, Feb. 13.

“I am here to listen and learn,” Bishop Flores was quoted in The Southern Cross, the diocese’s official newspaper. “Bishop Brom is the bishop of San Diego until the day he retires. I have much to learn from him regarding the gifts and challenges, resources and stewardship of this diocese.”

Bishop Flores said that he feels very welcomed in San Diego.

“I thank our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, for this wonderful and challenging assignment and I extend my gratitude to Bishop Robert Brom, who has been most supportive and welcoming,” Bishop Flores said in a prepared statement by the Diocese of Orange. “I look forward to working with Bishop Brom and assisting him during this time of transition, which will be a time for me to learn about the local church of San Diego and Imperial counties.”

Bishop Flores, 63, was born June 20, 1948, in Corona, when Corona was still a part of the Diocese of San Diego, and he spent the first 30 years of his life in this diocese. His father was from the northern Mexican state of Sinaloa with his family. The elder Flores lived in Arizona, before becoming a barber in Corona, where the bishop was born.

Bishop Flores attended Corona Unified School District, St. Edward School and Notre Dame High School in Riverside, California.

He received a bachelor’s degree from Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, a doctorate from Stanford University Law School, Palo Alto, California, and a master of divinity from St. John Seminary in Camarillo, California.

He was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Orange on June 8, 1991. After ordination, he served as parochial vicar at St. Barbara Parish in Santa Ana, St. Joachim Parish in Costa Mesa, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish in Newport Beach, and Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in La Habra.

He served as pastor of St. Anne Parish in Santa Ana and was a member of the diocesan finance council and the editorial board of the Orange County Catholic diocesan newspaper.

On January 5, 2009, Pope Benedict appointed him auxiliary bishop of Orange. He was ordained a bishop on March 19, 2009.

Although Bishop Flores said he’s looking forward to serving the people of San Diego, he also said he would miss the Orange Diocese, where he had spent “my entire priesthood. I was formed as a priest by the parishioners I was privileged to serve for 18 years; I learned how to serve by the example of the priests I have known in Orange,” he said.

When I was 16, a health educator came to my high-school gym class, corralled the girls in the locker room and talked about breast health.

My experience that day proved fateful for me, and those memories came back this week with the unsettling news that the Susan G. Komen Foundation would end its support of Planned Parenthood clinics. The foundation then recanted that decision on Friday, a victory for thousands of women who rely on Planned Parenthood for breast cancer screenings.

The news of the Komen Foundation’s reversal draws attention to the underlying issue—the need for widespread access to breast cancer screening, especially by low-income women. 

“My Heart Sank”

That day in school, we learned how to do a breast self-exam, and the health educator made us practice on the spot. When I asked about a hard knot I found in my right breast, she examined it briefly and said, “You should see a doctor.” My heart sank—could this be breast cancer? I am too young!

As a young Latina whose mother was a secretary with union benefits at a New York City hospital, I had access to premier health care. I quickly saw a doctor who was alarmed by the size of the lump, and before I knew it, I was laying on an operating table.

The surgeon removed a fibrocystic nodule from my right breast and, after a biopsy, I was relieved to learn it was benign. Thanks to very early detection, my breasts are healthy, and I am cancer-free.

As I look down on the scar on my right breast every day, I am thankful I had the education and the access to health care to remove the lump before it was too late. However, this is not the reality for most Latinas.

Latinas face some of the most serious challenges to accessing preventative health care, with potentially deadly results. Research conducted at the University of Louisville revealed that they are 20 percent more likely to die from breast cancer than white women, illustrating the dismaying health disparities that continue to plague Latinas.

Breast exams are therefore a particularly important aspect of preventative care for Latina women.

That’s why we at the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health (NLIRH) were so alarmed to learn early this week that the Susan G. Komen Foundation had succumbed to anti-choice pressure and halted funding of Planned Parenthood’s breast-cancer prevention programs.

Free or low-cost clinical breast exams offered by providers such as Planned Parenthood are often the only health care services available to Latinas, and to low-income and ethnic women in general.

 Latinas Twice as Likely to Die

Not only are Latinas more likely to die from breast cancer, but they are also twice as likely to be without health insurance. Nearly 40 percent of Latinas have no health insurance, while nearly 17 percent of white women are uninsured.

Breast-cancer screening rates for Hispanic women are also lower than for whites—69.7 percent compared to 72.7 percent—according to a recent study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That difference may seem small, but each percentage point represents many lives.

On Friday, the Komen Foundation rightly reversed course and announced it would continue to provide funds to Planned Parenthood health centers.

With Komen funds, those centers have provided more than 170,000 breast-cancer screenings in the past five years. These funds will continue to support preventative care for thousands of the most vulnerable women across the United States, offered through the health centers they trust.

While the rate of breast cancer among Latinas is alarming, we are not sitting idly by. NLIRH recently launched its “¡Soy Poderosa!/I am Powerful!” campaign, which provides opportunities for the Latina community to organize and amplify our voices through nationwide civic engagement in 2012.

All women deserve access to breast-cancer screening services, and collectively we must be proactive in tearing down the barriers to care.

NLIRH continues to encourage Latinas to be powerful, as well as to seek preventative care and regular cancer screenings at Planned Parenthood or other health centers. Taking those steps could be lifesaving—I can personally attest to that.

Jessica González-Rojas is the executive director of the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health, based in New York City, the only national organization working on behalf of the reproductive health and justice of the 20 million Latinas, their families and communities in the United States.

There is someone very important missing from the lives of tens of thousands of Latino children in San Diego County: their father. Although Latinos are not the majority in San Diego County, our men are disproportionately jailed and imprisoned, so they make up the majority of the incarcerated population. Latino children make up the largest ethnic group of children removed from the homes and placed in foster care, often with families of a different culture. Drug use, which includes alcoholism, and violence, both of which lead to legal problems, divorce and homelessness, also plague our community. What has happened to us?

Latinos are by far the largest minority group in San Diego County. In the interest of brevity the term “Latino” will be used throughout this article. It is understood that the vast majority of Latinos in California are of Mexican origin. Whether we call ourselves “mexicanos,” “Mexican-Americans” or “Chicanos,” there is wide acceptance of the concept of one “Raza,” which does not exclude our Puerto Rican, Cuban, or Central and South American brethren. Although many us are proud that our physical appearance and mestizo culture evokes the heritage of the original nations of this hemisphere, we are also heirs to the conservative Catholic culture of Spain. For centuries, Spanish-speaking people have lived in powerfully-connected family groups, and fathers were the central figures in each “familia.” The Hispanic tradition of using both fathers’ and mothers’ surnames demonstrates the deep respect which Latino men and women have historically felt and demonstrated toward one another. Latino men were judged, in the eyes of their communities, not by how much money they made, but by how they treated their loved ones. Latino men have a long history of being devoted to their children, and it is only in the past few decades that the fabric of that devotion appears to have started to unravel.

For centuries, the vast majority of Latino men and women have married for life. Today, the Latino divorce rate is only slightly lower than the 50% cited for the general American population. Recent changes in our society have not always been beneficial for Latino men. Thousands of them lost their jobs in the recession and economic pressures are considered the number one cause of problems that lead to divorce. In addition, for many Latinos, anti-immigrant hysteria has created even more problems. Those members of our community who do not have the proper work or residency papers are being hounded by an increasingly racist climate. Even those of us who were born here, or have been “naturalized” (as if that were necessary for a human being) are being subjected to undue scrutiny and pressure these days. These social ills, which contribute to high rates of addiction, violence, divorce and homelessness, are also behind one of the great social tragedies of our time; millions of Latino children growing up without knowing their fathers. In San Diego County alone, tens of thousands of Latino children do not live with their natural fathers. Many do not know their fathers at all. Thousand of Latino children have been removed from both their parents and are languishing in foster care. There are not enough foster care homes licensed to Latinos. Amiable co-parenting by divorced parents is uncommon among Latinos.

So, again, the rhetorical question: “¿Que nos ha sucedido?” (What has happened to us?) There are social theories, of course, but what is clear is that many Latino family lives have been disrupted and dismembered. Perhaps the most important thing is not to lament the passing of the traditional strong Latino family, but the active intention to seek a solution to our contemporary reality. Does anyone seriously suggest that Latino men have stopped loving their children? The reason many of our men make the sacrifice of leaving the old country and coming to work very hard in a hostile, racist society is to provide a better life for their children. Tens of thousands of Latino men right here in San Diego, including those who are divorced, get up with the sun every weekday morning to provide for their children. Even among the most die-hard Chi-cano “vatos” we see the names of their “morritos” tattooed on their bodies. Fathers are absent from Latino families, but it is not for lack of love or concern.

In our work with the POPS organization and the San Diego Fatherhood Network, we have seen Latino men struggle with all their might just to be allowed to see their children. Some have taken on the ultimate commitment and become single fathers, stepping up when things go wrong for mothers, and keeping their children out of foster care. Case examples include men who have been attacked and battered by the mothers of their children, yet have full custody of the children given to those same violent women by the courts. Men, especially Latinos and other men of color, are generally considered too unstable and untrustworthy to be responsible for children unless they are part of a married couple. In many cases, children are removed from mothers who are drug addicts or have abused the children, yet their fathers are not even contacted, since they are not considered a viable placement option.

Not only do children suffer serious consequences from missing their fathers, men pay a heavy price for being excluded from the joy of fatherhood. It is well-documented that children of all ethnic groups do better in school, have fewer behavioral and discipline problems, are less likely to use drugs, bully, act out sexually or run away, if their fathers are in the home or maintain a relationship with them. Similarly, men who have no contact with their children are the most likely to engage in crime, active addiction, gang activity and violence. It should be obvious but it bears saying: Children need their fathers and fathers need their children. For the past two or three generations, children have increasingly been treated as property, usually of the mother, but sometimes of the county or the state. It is our contention as men who work with fathers that children are not property at all, but persons, with rights. Among these is the right to be known and loved by their fathers. Without it children can grow up feeling abandoned and unworthy. Little boys need to be taught how to act like decent men (and fathers) and little girls need to know how to be treated with love and respect by a man. No one can do this like Papa’.

Adam Gettinger-Brizuela is the Director of Paternal Opportunities, Programs & Services, (POPS) and Co-Chair of the San Diego Fatherhood Network.

iPads being used in Hilltop Middle classrooms to learn science.

 In Benjamin Black’s 8th grade science class at Hilltop Middle School, students don’t get ready for class by sharpening their pencils, opening their textbooks and preparing to take notes. Instead, they reach for their iPads, power up their devices and make sure that they are logged on to the school’s Wi-Fi.

Earlier in the school year, Black, like a few other teachers in the Hilltop Middle Foreign Language and Global Studies (FLAGS) Program began using the iPad as the primary tool for instruction in class. The iPads were bought through a fundraising effort and students are paying for the devices in monthly payments so that they can keep the devices.

“IPads are minimum maintenance,” said Black. “The iPads use an operating system that students are used to. It’s very intuitive.”

In a warm-up exercise, Black’s science class is asked a series of questions to which the students respond on their iPads. Black, who is walking freely about the classroom can immediately see the students’ responses and then using a web-based application called Socrative, asks students to vote on the best responses from among their peers.

Students in Black’s class go through all the regular routine as they would in any other class in terms of reviewing the subject material, daily learning targets, use of standards-based curriculum, homework and even exams. However, use of the iPad has made this routine completely paperless and has given students and teachers the opportunity to see immediate results.

“We get our assignments faster and we can even see our grades right away,” said 8th grader Samantha Dow.

Black says that although students have only recently begun using the iPads, he has already seen an increase in academic achievement. On a recent exam, he says that this year’s students are outperforming students from the same class last year.

Superintendent Dr. Edward Brand believes that these examples of using technology in the classroom are important to the success of students.

“If we want our students to be competitive in the global economy, we have to make sure that they have exposure to the latest technology,” said Brand. “Teachers like Benjamin Black are leading the way for not only Hilltop Middle, but the entire Sweetwater District.”

It might be called Puerto Vallarta’s “Stairway to Heaven.” Climbing up a double row of steps and fronting white homes with red-tiled roofs, the cobble-stone heights of Iturbide Street offer a magnificent view of blue Banderas Bay and its population of wintering humpback whales and playful dolphins. From the high ground, the eyes can see the far-off flutter of sail boats, the medium-shot profile of the upright Sea Horse statue on the boardwalk below and the close-up touch of the downtown’s historic Roman Catholic Church.

Usually exuding calm, Iturbide Street is actually one of the flashpoints in an ongoing struggle to shape, re-define and direct the Mexican resort city’s future. On a recent January day, as workmen pounded away with a jack hammer to make way for a new garden at the bottom of the street, a small group of residents held a protest against a city project they contended would choke off circulation in the neighborhood.

A placard posted on the construction enclosure read: “No to street closures.” The new garden, they charged, would make parking impossible and hurt small, struggling local businesses in tough economic times. “We need ambulances to have access,” added Berta Elena Martinez, a 57-year resident of the neighborhood.

Busily collecting a growing list of signatures on a stack of petitions, Alicia Munguia asserted that Puerto Vallarta’s municipal administration, which leaves office after local elections scheduled for later this year, had not taken residents’ opinions into account. The official dissing, she continued, was reflective of a larger governing style that included last year’s demolishment of the old boardwalk, or Malecon as it is known locally, and its replacement with a newer, more manicured one.

The ongoing Malecon renovation, Munguia added, even dared to move the Sea Horse statue to a new spot on the boardwalk, thus tinkering with a community symbol where Vallartenses had long gathered to celebrate events such as the latest victory of the popular Chivas soccer team.

“First it was the Malecon,” Munguia said. “It was torn down without a consensus.” Adding insult to injury, the long-time resident said, was the pending plan to finish moving Puerto Vallarta’s downtown city hall to a new facility located in an outlying part of the Pacific Coast city this year. If Mexican downtowns have two elemental institutions, Munguia and her husband joined in, they are the church and the city hall. “The authorities have to be downtown,” Munguia argued.

In response to the Iturbide Street controversy, Puerto Vallarta’s municipal government published a display ad in a local newspaper. “We are working for the improvement of the historic downtown with the construction of the Iturbide walk-way,” the ad proclaimed. The city-sponsored message included the photos and words of three local merchants and residents. Salvador Pena Davalos, who was listed as living in the immediate neighborhood since 1945, was quoted praising the project.

“I find it acceptable,” Pena was quoted on the new garden, saying that Iturbide Street had become a “pig-sty” where passerby openly urinated and drivers double-parked. “This part is going to be prettier and more visible from above here.”

At first glance, the Iturbide Street skirmish might seem like a strictly local spat of a passing nature. In the bigger picture, though, the conflict is part of a larger one that has also flared up around rapid growth and traffic congestion, illegal condominium developments, invasions of street vendors, the razing of Puerto Vallarta’s downtown parks for parking garages and, of course, the Malecon renovation began in 2011. Underpinning the controversies are the contradictions between commercial development and community planning, mass tourism and sustainable visitation and the uncertain, turbulent transitions from old-school authoritarian rule to democratic governance, an unresolved matter across Mexico.

Perhaps ironically, one of the last exhibits to likely grace the interior of the old municipal palace was a recently-concluded show of Jalisco photographers that focused on themes of democratic participation and access to information. Images of protesting citizens stood out in black and white.

Undoubtedly, Puerto Vallarta’s long, spectacular Malecon is a defining if not the defining tourist attraction in the growing resort city of more than a quarter-million people.

By day, jogging and dog-walking locals scurry alongside crawling groups of now-mainly older foreign tourists that meander by a wishing well, elaborate sand sculptures, statues, hustlers and restaurant/bars promoting cheap margaritas and beer. Street vendors dart in and out of the throngs, selling dolls, gum, jewelry, popsicles, and even massages. Flying v-formations of pelicans glide over the bayside boardwalk, while a trio of Aztec dancers performs for the tips of gabachos. On another end of the Malecon, the indigenous flying men from Papantla, Veracruz, scramble up a tall pole and then hurl themselves over a platform suspended upside down by ropes, slowly twirling down to the sand while accompanied by the breaking, dramatic notes of a flute. A bilingual Spanish-English sign staked in front of the spectacle appeals to the onlooker:

“Papantla Flyers: On each flight risking life to give continuity to ancient culture. Your donation is important because it is our only wage.”

By night, the Malecon undergoes a metamorphosis. Flashy night-clubs with names like Mandala or the Zoo pound thumping, pill-friendly sounds for hopping, gyrating bodies from Mexico and abroad-much to the disdain of old-timers who complain of the loud disruptions to their lives. The party never really ends. Early one morning, a pair of shirtless young men wandering down a side street spotted another shirtless young buck standing on a balcony. One of the men on the street barked in English: “Hey, angel baby, got any bud?” “Yeah, come on up!”

For months last year, the Malecon was virtually shut-down after work crews moved in and commenced ripping up the pride and joy of Puerto Vallarta. New palm trees were planted and a new, more pedestrian-friendly boardwalk closed off to vehicular traffic and rolled out for the walking shoes. Sporting a leprechaun on its sign, a new casino, the Foliatti, opened its doors in December. The Foliatti is part of a new gambling culture that’s taking hold in the port city. In residential neighborhoods, so-called “tragamone-das,” cheap slot-like machines that reputedly pay small cash prizes to a winner, are cropping up inside and just outside small stores, notably where many children gather.

As part of the Malecon’s new look, the local government has installed new public bathrooms, albeit with a 40 cent entrance fee. There is no charge to use the bathroom in the soon-to-vacated old city hall next to the Malecon.

While relieving oneself on the Malecon bears a cost, bicycling and kayaking can be enjoyed for free. The municipal government now lends 15 bicycles, 20 baby carts and 15 kayaks for intervals ranging from 30 to 60 minutes. A user has to leave a piece of identification as collateral. “Many, many people have used this service,” said city staffer Susana Quesada. “It’s a permanent thing.”

As the Christmas season loomed late last year, the Malecon renovation was behind schedule and workers stepped up the pace to complete Vallarta’s new crown jewel just in time for the high season. Then tragedy struck.

On December 28, Aide Maribel Pacheco Arizmendi and her younger sister Rocio were in town for the holidays. A 31-year-old teacher from the state of Mexico, Aide Pacheco was posing for a photo at one of the new metal sculptures on the Malecon. Making the unforeseen mistake of touching the work of “art,” the educator was reportedly zapped with a charge of electricity. While attempting to rescue her collapsing sister, Rocio was also shocked.

Interviewed on a You Tube video, Rocio claimed that it took paramedics 10 minutes and an ambulance about 15 minutes to show up at Puerto Vallarta’s most-visited tourist draw. When the emergency responders showed up, it was too late anyway. Aide Pacheco was pronounced dead, killed in a freakish accident while on a much-deserved vacation with her little sister. It’s unclear precisely how Pacheco was electrocuted, and weeks later the press is mum about the young woman’s death.

“It’s not right that this should happen,” a tearful Rocio said on You Tube.

Generally outraged by the Pacheco death, locals have mixed opinions about the outcome of the Malecon project. Berta Elena Martinez and her son Juan Agustin Murillo have sold children’s toys and flashing plastic lights on the Malecon for 11 years. The renovation put them out of business for six months, and left a pile of debt they are still trying to pay off. Murrillo said the verdict is still out on the positive or negative impact of the new boardwalk. “This is something new,” he said. “We’re accustomed to having a flow, and we have to adapt ourselves to this model.” But Murillo added that some businesses were probably unable to survive the long closure, as he noticed more and more closing near the construction zone.

With more than a decade in Puerto Vallarta, Liliana Cueva now manages the two Huichol Collection outlets on the Male-con. Featuring on-site craftsmen, the stores sell the stunning art of the indigenous Huichol people of Jalisco, Nayarit and Durango. Made of paper maiche, wood, clay or ceramic, many products also come in the form of the animals central to Huichol cosmology. Striking beads from the former Czechoslovakia- the “best” in the world- are the “principal part” of the Huichol’s artwork, Cueva said.

The young retail manager said the new Malecon is a toss-up in commercial terms so far, with extra business in one store and about 50 percent less in the other because of the detour of pedestrian traffic away from the latter’s particular location. Yet the Huichol Collection’s overall business is still down before pre-economic crash levels, according to Cueva. “People only pay their stay and their food,” she said. “People don’t have money to spend on souvenirs, like they do in other ways.”

Cueva said her business was given a 30-day notice before the Malecon construction got underway, but still had to pay rent and utilities for the one store that remained open during the project’s peak activity.

Some people approached for their opinions declined to give their names for this story. A woman behind a counter in a jewelry store quickly cut off the conversation, cryptically warning of being “watched” by neighboring businesses. A U.S. citizen with nearly two decades under her belt as a regular visitor to Puerto Vallarta said she went by the Malecon one day last year and came back the next for a big surprise.

“One day all of a sudden, these gates are up and there are armed guards all over the place,” she recalled. The new Malecon, she continued, is “nice but I don’t think they should have spent the money.”

The woman was very critical of the way construction began, nearly ensuring that citizens who had earlier protested the renovation would be caught off-guard. The frequent visitor said she preferred to remain anonymous because her family has property in Puerto Vallarta and did not want “trouble.” Speaking out in Mexico is not the same thing as in the U.S., she insisted.

For Puerto Vallarta’s powers-that-be, the ultimate acceptance of the new Malecon is a high-stakes affair. Considered Mexico’s second most-popular tourist destination, Puerto Vallarta is showing renewed spunk at a time when competition is fierce for scarce tourist dollars. The federal Tourism Secretariat reported a 11.4 percent in local hotel occupation during the first two weeks of January, compared with same period in 2011. The increase in hotel occupancy even beat out Cancun and the Riveria Maya for the first two weeks of the year.

Recently, Puerto Vallarta scored a major coup when it landed the decades-old Tourism Tianguis, which had previously been held every year in Aca-pulco. Set for next month, the event draws thousands of industry heavies who wheel and deal for short-term and long-term tourism packages and profits. And Puerto Vallarta delivered another blow to violence-ridden Acapulco when the relatively tranquil, smaller city on Banderas Bay got some of the legendary Spring Break business that has fled the tarnished old pearl of Mexican (and world) tourism.

The big, U.S.-based Spring Break promoter Student City is advertising 2012 Spring Break “party packages” at Puerto Vallarta clubs known for all-you-can drink sprees.

“From tequila manufacturing and bullfights, to raging day parties-you’ll be sure to have a blast chilling with the thousands of other students who flock to PV,” read a Student City Internet promotion that was a little sloppy on Mexican economic geography but more accurate on the endless party scene, or “reventon,” as it is known in Mexico.

In the current scheme of things, the fate of Puerto Vallarta’s downtown and its beloved Malecon are tied to national and international currents of fame, fortune and failure.

Interviewed at his street display, one artist contemplated Puerto Vallarta within a global context.

“I love the Malecon. I love Vallarta. That’s why I live here,” he said. Nonetheless, he added, local developments are bound to the rise of China, the decline of the US, the turbulence in Europe and the historic emergence of the frugal tourist. “We understand the world is in crisis, and the reduction in tourism is not exclusive to Mexico,” he said. “If part of the U.S. hurts, it affects our whole body..there are no sales. The thing to do is to put up with it for a spell. We have to continue creating our art for better times,” he concluded. “It’s not the end of the world.”

Frontera NorteSur: on-line, U.S.-Mexico border news Center for Latin American and Border Studies New Mexico State University Las Cruces, New Mexico

Estuve leyendo los comentarios que hicieron a mi columna “Mitt Romney: ¡Ay, Chihuahua!”, acerca del padre nacido en México del candidato presidencial republicano y de su bisabuelo refugiado en el vecino país, que se publicaron en el portal de internet del diario El Nuevo Herald de Miami.

Entre los mensajes, la mayoría en mi contra, encontré una catilinaria de 431 palabras colocada por un usuario que se identificó como “comejenalpiano”, quien trataba de calmar la molestia de otro internauta por mi escrito.

Transcribo sus palabras: “Felicitaciones. Pero no se cabree mucho con esta rata infecta de Zartha, que es sólo un impenitente odiador de Estados Unidos y un agentón comunofascista, que vive aquí y se aprovecha de nuestra espléndida y a veces demasiado permisiva democracia”.

En el resto de la diatriba me llama otra vez rata y me acusa de ser parte de una conspiración en contra este país, al que amo y del que soy ciudadano naturalizado.

Pero, cinco minutos después de leer la monserga entera, recibí una llamada desde Lafayette, Luisiana. En la otra línea estaba el activista comunitario Fernando Pérez-Viart del Proyecto Hispano de Ayuda a la Comunidad, quien me dijo que había reproducido un escrito mío contra la ley HB56 de Alabama.

El activista, originario de Cuba, quería alertar a la comunidad de Luisiana sobre las desastrosas consecuencias que ha tenido la medida antiinmigrante en el estado hermano del sur y para que nada parecido haga metástasis en su área.

Después de colgar con Pérez-Viart, tenía otra comunicación en el celular. Clarissa Martínez, la directora de Inmigración y Campañas Nacionales del Consejo Nacional de La Raza (NCLR), estaba respondiendo a un pedido de declaración sobre el último invento de los intolerantes de Washington contra los indocumentados y sus hijos ciudadanos.

Se trata de la Ley H.R. 1956: Acta de Reforma de Verificación de Elegibilidad para Reembolso del Crédito Tributario por los Niños. La normativa fue introducida el año pasado por el congresista republicano por Texas, Samuel Johnson, junto con 37 copatrocinadores, y fue aprobada por la Cámara de Representantes el 14 de diciembre pasado.

Básicamente lo que prende la normativa, que actualmente se encuentra en las negociaciones de un comité de conciliación de la Cámara de Representantes y el Senado, es negarle los reembolsos a que tienen derecho los indocumentados por sus hijos ciudadanos, si pagan sus impuestos con el número de identificación tributaria, ITIN o W-7.

La devolución, que fue un derecho adquirido desde 1998, con el propósito de impedir que los niños nacidos en Estados Unidos entren en el renglón de pobreza, sería abrogada por la propuesta del texano.

Más de 4 millones de niños ciudadanos resultarían afectados por la medida, pese a que sus padres estén cumpliendo sus obligaciones fiscales con el Tío Sam.

Contrario a las mentiras de los antiinmigrantes que dicen que los indocumentados no pagan impuestos, el año pasado los trabajadores irregulares aportaron 9 billones de dólares (en inglés) para sostener el seguro social y el medicare. Y se calcula que en los últimos diez años han aportado 90 mil billones de dólares.

Lo irónico de la normativa es que está siendo negociada por 20 legisladores, de ambos partidos, para subvencionar una porción de la extensión del recorte de impuestos salariales, iniciativa que entregaría 1,426 dólares en los bolsillos de 121 millones de hogares estadounidenses, incluyendo los de los desempleados. Es decir, que se trata de quitarle el pan de la boca a los niños ciudadanos, hijos de indocumentados, para dárselo a otros.

Si por defender los derechos de menores de edad nacidos aquí, me llegan a calificar de rata infecta y conspirador, no me importa. Sé exactamente que no estoy actuando como roedor, sino todo lo contrario.

PD: Siempre he dicho que no estoy a favor de una política de fronteras abiertas, pero creo que se debe legalizar a los indocumentados afincados aquí que no son bandidos o delincuentes.

Rafael Prieto Zartha es el director editorial del semanario Qué Pasa-Mi Gente, en Charlotte, Carolina del Norte.

Los funcionarios de la Ofi-cina de Aduanas y Protección Fronteriza de los Estados Unidos (U.S. Customs and Border Protection, CBP) inaugurarán el 23 de febrero un carril rápido piloto para peatones en el puerto de entrada Otay Mesa. De modo similar que para los actuales carriles rápidos para vehículos, todo viajero con un documento aprobado que tenga la tecnología de identificación de frecuencia de radio (Radio Frequency Identification, RFID) puede utilizar el carril para cruzar la frontera más rápido.

El “Ready Lane” para peatones estará abierto de 4 a.m. a 8 p.m. de lunes a viernes y de 8 a.m. a 10 p.m. los sábados y domingos. Los documentos que pueden utilizarse en el “Ready Lane” son la tarjeta pasaporte de los EE. UU., la tarjeta del Programa de Viajeros Confiables (SENTRI/ FAST/Global Entry) y las versiones más nuevas de las tarjetas de residentes legales permanentes y de las tarjetas para cruce de fronteras/visas láser emitidas después de 2008. Todos los viajeros mayores de 16 años deben poseer una tarjeta de viaje habilitada por RFID para utilizar el carril.

“Esta prueba piloto nos permitirá evaluar la mejor manera de sacar provecho de la tecnología existente para reducir el tiempo de procesamiento para los viajeros que cruzan la frontera a pie”, explicó Chris Maston, director de Operaciones en Campo, en San Diego. “En la CBP, tenemos el compromiso de continuar buscando maneras de hacer que nuestra frontera sea más segura y eficaz”.

La CBP instalará tres puntos nuevos de escaneo en el puerto de entrada Otay Mesa para el “Ready Lane” para peatones. Los viajeros que cumplan con los requisitos para utilizar el “Ready Lane” para peatones ingresarán a la instalación desde la izquierda, en una línea separada de los viajeros comunes sin docu-mentos válidos para el “Ready Lane”.

Cuando un viajero llegue al punto de escaneo, escaneará su documento acercándolo al lector de tarjeta, que permite leerlo de forma electrónica antes de dirigirse a la cabina de inspección. Esto le permite al funcionario de la CBP recibir la información del viajero por adelantado para poder realizar el procesa-miento más rápido al mismo tiempo que se mejora la seguridad general.

Los funcionarios de la CBP necesitan acceso en tiempo real a la información de un viajero para tomar una decisión de admisibilidad rápida y minuciosa. Al recibir la información por adelantado, después de que el viajero escanea su propio documento en el punto de escaneo, el funcionario de la CBP puede centrarse, en cambio, en la persona, lo que mejora la seguridad del funcionario y permite acelerar el procesamiento.

Un sistema algo diferente de procesamiento rápido para peatones, que utiliza documentos de viaje aprobados por la Iniciativa de Viaje del Hemisferio Occidental (Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative), ya se encuentra instalado y en prueba para peatones que utilizan el puerto de entrada Paso del Norte en El Paso, Texas. Los resultados de las pruebas piloto en El Paso y Otay Mesa ayudarán a la CBP a determinar si los sistemas ameritan extender su uso a nivel nacional.

Los “Ready Lane” para vehículos han probado ser eficaces para mejorar el procesamiento con un rendimiento del 20 al 25 %, que se traduce en un beneficio para los via-jeros al reducir el tiempo general de cruce.

La construcción de los puntos de escaneo en el “Ready Lane” para peatones en Otay Mesa comenzará el 5 de febrero, pero se realizará solo durante la noche para no incomodar a los viajeros.

La CBP continúa alentando enérgicamente a los viajeros a obtener documentos de viaje habilitados por la RFID para agilizar su entrada a los EE. UU. y ayudar a que el cruce de la frontera sea más eficaz. Los viajeros que tengan uno de los documentos de viaje seguros habilitados por la RFID pueden utilizar tanto el nuevo carril “Ready Lane” para peatones como el actual “Ready Lane” para vehículos.

Para obtener más información, visite www.GetYou Home.gov o www.CBP.gov.

Antes de inaugurar el carril rápido para peatones en Otay Mesa el 23 de febrero, los funcionarios de la CBP probarán el sistema e invitarán a los medios de prensa para ver y utilizar los nuevos puntos de escaneo en una fecha a confirmar

Por Herman Baca

Sería realmente increible si alguien en nuestra comunidad en 2012 pudiera honestamente decir que, “politicamente algo esta fundamental o sistematicamente mal en nuestra creciente comunidad.” Las recientes acusaciones en el Distrito Sweetwater por la Fiscal, Bonnie Dumanis, lo deja claro.

En la politica hay un viejo dicho que dice, ” a veces lo que ves no es lo que ves, a veces lo que oyes no es lo que oyes, y a veces lo que es, no es!”

Mirando el panorama general la verdad es que, algo está fundamental y sistemáticamente mal politicamente. Esto está confirmado a nivel local y nacional por la legal (legislacion gubernamental) e illegales (vigilants) ataques a los derechos humanos, civiles y constitucionales de nuestra gente. Muchos creen que los ataques no son casos aislados, sino que son bien planeados y orquestados ataques politicos, por una reducida minoría anglo que sabe que no tiene tiempo y tienen miedo que perderán control político y económico. Muchas personas han empezado a cuestionar el por qué los políticos, desde el Presidente Obama hacia abajo nuestros His/Her Panics dicen poco o nada políticamente sobre los ataques.

Numerosas personas han atestiguado los ataques a nivel nacional que han emanado desde Arizona con SB 1070, legislacion para destruir Chicano Studies (nuestra historia) y la prohibición (estilo Nazi) de libros Nativo Americanos y Chicanos. Aparte de eso, antiguos estados esclavistas tales como, South Carolina, Georgia y Texas han legislado leyes de immigracion tipo “Jim Crow” en contra de los Mexicanos. Para agregar daño al insulto, la Gobernadora malinchista de Nuevo Mexico, Susana Martinez, desgraciadamnete se ha echado a cuestas dirigir los partidos linchistas de supremacia blanca y Partido del Te (Tea Party) en contra de su propia gente. La legislación aprobada en esos estados ha resultado en la muerte viciosa de odio en Pennsylvania del immigrante Mexicano Luis Ramirez por matones racistas y el horrible asesinato de la niña de 9 años Brisenia Flores por los Minutemen.

En CA la situación política Bell con población de 37,000, 90% Mexicanos, entrada doméstica media $29,946 fue robada por políticos y administradores con total participación y adquisión de políticos elegidos Her/His Panics. La ratería incluyó al Administrador de Bell (un blanco) ganando $787,637 por año, Asistente de Administrador (blanco) $367,288 y el Jefe de Policía (blanco), $457,000!

En el Condado de SD tendrían que estar ciegos para no ver las notables similitudes entre Bell, CA y National City. NC como Bell es una ciudad pobre (la más pobre en el Condado de SD), población 70% de ascendencia Mexicana, entrada doméstica media de $39,000, con empleados (no de seguridad) de la ciudad entrada promedio $55,000 y policias de seguridad pública y bomberos ganando $86,000!

Como la reportada ratería en Bell, NC ha sido y continúa siendo saqueada con su llamado impuesto sobre la venta de 1 centavo (uno de los más altos de CA) y suma de 80-90 millones de dólares en un periodo de 10 años. Un impuesto que ha sido gravado sobre las espaldas de los residentes más pobres del Condado de SD!

Como en Bell, NC está haciendo lo mismo… Con la total participación y adquisición de su Alcalde blanco y (4) políticos electos Her/His Panics.

En el Norte del Condado la población de cerca de 50% de personas de descendencia Mexicana, cinco personas indocumentadas y desarmadas fueron muertas por agentes de la ley. Escondido es una ciudad con segregación racial de Mexicanos, con una fuerza policiaca tipo guardabosques Texanos del alguacil Joe Apario y un consejo municipal del cual Hitler se hubiera sentido muy orgulloso en la Alemania Nazi. Continuan con sus puntos de control policial, pasó ordenanzas en contra de rentar a Mexicanos, y per-mitiendo que los agentes de los Ice Migra viajen con sus oficiales de policia, irónicamente.

Entonces ¿por qué está politicamente sucediendo esto a nuestra comunidad?

Solo la historia nos puede contestar esta pregunta. Muchos olvidan que a finales de los 60’s nuestra gente ni tan siquiera existía para las instituciones políticas, sociales y económicas de E.U. A nuestra gente se le refería como la minoría silenciosa,invisible y olvidada. Politicamente esta-bamos representados por el Asembleísta Alex Garcia, la única persona de descendencia Mexicana en la Legislatura del Estado de California y en el Condado de San Diego, el Consejal de National City, Louie Camacho.

Esta triste situación política no empezó a cambiar sino hasta1959 con los esfuerzos organizativos de Bert Corona, Ed Roybal y Eduardo Quevedo quienes organizaron (MAPA) la Asociación Política de Mexico-Americanos. Irónicamente las primeras victorias políticas con base en la comunidad fueron ganadas predominantemente en las elecciones de la junta escolar fidecomisarios del Sur de La Bahía. Individuos como Ernie Azhocar, Ben Moreno, Oscar Cañedo y otros abrieron las puertas políticas a individuos que les siguieron, tales como Pete Chacon (2do Asembleísta electo de CA) y después Consejal Ciudadano, Jess Haro.

¿Cuáles son las razones históricas por lo que lo antes mencionado le ha pasado a nuestra comunidad?

1. Como un professor de Estudios Chicanos preguntó, “¿qué ha cambiado en los 43 años en los que has estado envuelto?” Mi respuesta, “Si somos honestos la única cuestión tangible que ha cambiado políticamente es… Datos Demográficos”. Te apuesto, le dije ” que nuestra poblacion en esos 43 años se ha incrementado 10 veces” pero desafortunadamente, agregué, “nuestra estupidez política se ha incrementado en 50!”

2. La falta de infraestructura política para proteger, avanzar y hacer políticos especialmente de los nuestros que rindan cuentas a nuestros intereses. Como un político lo declaró: “Si vas a estar en la política, tienes que saber como contar, ya sea gente o dinero, porque eso es la base de todo el poder político.” No obstante agregó, “tienen que ser personas organizadas y dinero organizado porque la política no es un juego de individuos sino de intereses en competencia.” Nuestra pregunta es… ¿En dónde está nuestra gente organizada y el dinero?

3. Por último es el asunto de nuestra explosión demográfica, una población que nos hará la mayoría en un futuro cercano en CA y otros estados del Suroeste. Si nuestra gente no se educa (no sólo en las escuelas, pero en conocimiento de su historia, lenguaje y cultura), politicarse para entender los aspectos que afectan sus intereses, y se organize, las cosas seguirán igual o se pondrán peor. Finalmente, si lo arriba mencionado no se hace, nosotros y nuestros hijos y nietos podríamos posiblemente vivir bajo un sistema de tipo apartheid, tal como el mundo lo vio en Sudafrica!

Baca es presidente del Committee on Chicano Rights en National City. La parte 1ra de esta perspectiva se publicó en Enero 20. Puede encontrar este artículo en nuestra página web en: http://laprensa-sandiego.org/?p=16145

(Gracias, traducción por Sr. Hector Juarez)

Connected to a network of professional committed to solving the nation’s foreclosure crisis one homeowner at a time, Marilu’s message to financially strapped homeowners: “more help is available than ever before. Since 2007, 7.9 million homes in the United States have been lost to foreclosure, and my mission is to stem the tide of foreclosures within South San Diego.

As a Certified Distressed Property Expert (CDPE), Marilu is knowledgeable of the entire landscape of foreclosure avoidance options and is distinctly qualified to negotiate with banks and help financially strapped homeowners to regain peace of mind and a sense of stability for the future.

Marilu has developed a free report entitled, “Are You Living Under the Cloud of an Unmanageable Mortgage?” that is accessible from her website, www.CasasChulaVista.com

The report provides an overview of qualification criteria for the most common foreclosure alternatives, cites red flags for scams, and reminds home-owners why avoiding foreclosure needs to be a top priority.

Upheaval on Wall Street has gotten a lot of attention, but until recently, homeowners have been left to their own devices. ORTIZ is on a mission to change that.

About: Marilu Ortiz – Broker Owner of Real Estate Casablanca, DRE. Lic.# 01376496 651 Third Ave, Suite D, Chula Vista, Ca. 91910.

Durante todas las épocas del año las actividades de-portivas ya sea a puerta cerrada o al aire libre hacen parte de la vida de niños y jóvenes. Por eso es importante tomar las precauciones necesarias y evitar accidentes.

De acuerdo con los datos de los Centros para Control de Enfermedades de Estados Unidos – CDC – las lesiones son la principal causa de muerte en menores de 19 años. Anualmente, cerca de 9.2 millones de niños entre 0 y 19 años de edad reciben atención médica en salas de emergencia por lesiones y unos 12,175 niños mueren por esta causa.

Es claro que todos queremos evitar accidentes y lesiones, pero a veces el descuido le gana a la precaución y las consecuencias pueden ser fatales.

Para empezar es importante monitorear las actividades extracurriculares de sus hijos. Si los ha inscrito en alguna actividad deportiva después de la escuela, debe asegurarse de las certificaciones de la institución en la que inscribió a sus hijos, conocer a los maestros e instructores e identificar las rutinas y las personas con las que su hijo estará compartiendo parte de su tiempo.

La meta es proteger y mantener seguros a nuestros jóvenes y ayudarlos a disfrutar de sus actividades. Los padres pueden hacer la diferencia siguiendo ciertos pasos para mantener a sus hijos seguros en campos de juego, canchas y escenarios deportivos.

Asegúrese de que su hijo cuente con el equipo necesario para practicar el deporte o la actividad que haya escogido y que cumpla con todos los requerimientos de seguridad como el uso de equipos de protección —cascos, rodilleras, coderas y bandas de protección en las muñecas— además de las otras prendas deportivas adecuadas para la actividad o posición en que jueguen.

De acuerdo con la información difundida por los CDC es importante asegurarse de que esos equipos deportivos de protección estén en buenas condiciones. Un equipo del tamaño inadecuado puede incomodar y distraer pero además, es posible que no ofrezca la protección nece-saria.

Muchas veces el amor que le tenemos a nuestros hijos nos lleva a complacerlos en cosas en las que no deberíamos hacerlo. Si su hijo no tiene las condiciones necesarias para cierto deporte es mejor que lo entienda y lo supere. Si sus condiciones físicas no son adecuadas para determinada actividad su riesgo de salir lesionado puede ser mayor.

Es importante que los niños aprendan y practiquen las habilidades que requiere el deporte o la actividad que realiza. Por ejemplo, el manejo de las técnicas adecuadas de bloqueo y defensa son claves en la prevención de lesiones en la práctica de deportes como el fútbol tradicional o el americano.

Las denominadas técnicas biomecánicas o relacionadas con el movimiento y la alineación, también juegan un papel en la prevención de lesiones en deportes como el béisbol. Además, asegúrese de incrementar la actividad poco a poco y en forma segura para mejorar la condición física del niño, ya que esto lo protegerá contra las lesiones.

Los cambios bruscos de temperatura pueden tener consecuencias. Dé tiempo a los niños deportistas para que se ajusten en forma gradual a las temperaturas calientes y a los ambientes húmedos, así puede prevenir lesiones o enfermedades relacionadas con el calor.

Los padres y los entrenadores deben estar muy pendientes de que durante estas actividades los jugadores estén hidratados y vestidos adecuadamente. 

La comunicación entre padres, entrenadores y deportistas es siempre importante, igual que el buen ejemplo. Usted puede dar buen ejemplo practicando conductas seguras, como usar casco y seguir las normas de seguridad.

Como patrocinador inalámbrico oficial, Boost Mobile seguirá teniendo presencia en los partidos en la gira estadounidense y trabajará con el portero, Luis Ernesto Michel del CD Guadalajara como embajador de Boost Mobile. El patrocinio también llegará a vida en las tiendas de Boost Mobile con materiales y mer-cancía de las Chivas desple-gados.

A lo largo de la asociación Boost a patrocinado “la Zona Chivas”, un área interactiva con actividades, premios y oportunidades para los fanáticos a que se tomen fotos con su jugador favorito. Además, nuestro embajador Luis Michel y otros jugadores de las Chivas han hecho apariciones en tiendas de Boost Mobile. Estas actividades y muchas más continuarán en 2012.

“Boost Mobile ha sido el patrocinador inalámbrico oficial de CD Guadalajara desde 2008 y esperamos continuar con esta valiosa asociación”, dijo Steve Gaffney, vicepresidente de mercadeo corporativo de Boost Mobile. “Nuestra continua alianza sirve como una sólida plataforma para poner valor en el servicio nacional, sin contrato, sin límite de Boost y oferta internacional”.

Los fans de las Chivas podrán mantenerse conectados con sus familias y amigo en México con Boost Mobile que ofrece el más competitivo plan de llamadas a México y otros destinos internacionales con llamadas y textos sin límite a México por tan solo $5 al mes cuando se agrega al Plan Mensual Sin Límite con Redupago. Por $10 al mes el International Connect Plus de Boost Mobile ahora ofrece tarifas reducidas a teléfonos fijos y móviles a más de 200 destinos, incluyendo $0.15 centavos por minuto a teléfonos celulares en México. Esta mejora al International Connect ofrece algunas de las más bajas tarifas internacionales por minuto de la industria. 

Además, los clientes actuales con el International Connect Plus por $10 más al mes, automáticamente recibirán estas tarifas reducidas como parte de su plan. Para ver la lista completa de tarifas con descuento, por favor visite al www.boostmobile.com/internationalconnect.

POSTMARK AND E-MAIL SUBMISSISION DEADLINE IS FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

The University of California, San Diego Early Academic Outreach Program has for fourteen years been a leader in honoring the life and legacy of Cesar Chavez through their annual essay contest. Please distribute this information widely. If you are in education please download and share the application at the link below. Be part of this San Diego traditions by helping us promote the longest running essay contest honoring Cesar E. Chavez in the state!

Instructions for completing essays: Write a two-page, typed essay answering the essay prompt presented. Be sure to develop your essay in a clear, concise manner. Include your name, address, phone number and school name on the Essay Contest Application.

Download the Essay Packet at: http://eaop.ucsd.edu/_files/2012-Chavez-essay.pdf

Free Tax Assistance now available at Chula Vista Libraries

This tax season don’t deal with the frustration of misplaced forms and tax publications or struggle to answer tax questions. To help low and middle income residents with their taxes, the Chula Vista Public Library has free tax assistance offered by trained volunteers under the auspices of AARP, as well as paper copies of many tax forms and instruction booklets. Special attention will be given to residents over 60.

We invite our residents to use the library’s services to help prepare their taxes, said Library Director Betty Waznis.

Whether you need copies of forms or come in for personal assistance, the library is here to make this stressful and busy time easier.

Free personal tax assistance is offered on the following days and times:

· Civic Center Branch, 365 F Street: AARP has scheduled sessions every Monday, Wednesday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

· South Chula Vista Branch, 389 Orange Avenue: Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The library is unable to offer appointments in advance. The service is offered on a same day first come, first serve basis and will end on April 15.

In addition, paper copies of most basic tax forms and booklets are available at both branch libraries.

For more information, visit the Chula Vista’s library, or go online at www.chulavistalibrary.com.

February 16 Public Meeting to Discuss Water Quality, Tijuana River Flood Control, and Watershed Planning

The United States Section of the International Boundary and Water Commission has scheduled a public meeting of the USIBWC Citizens Forum on Thursday, February 16, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. at the Tijuana Estuary Meeting Room, 301 Cas-pian Way, Imperial Beach, CA 91932. The meeting will focus on water quality and flood control issues.

Members of the public who would like more information about the meeting may call 619-662-7600 or e-mail sally.spener@ibwc.gov.

MTS Kicks Off the 10th Annual MTS Coca-Cola Laptop Scholarship

Entries are now being accepted for the 10th Annual Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) Coca-Cola Laptop Scholarship.

Application forms are available on-line on the MTS web-site at www.sdmts.com or at The Transit Store at 1st and Broadway in downtown San Diego. Information is also available at high school counseling offices.

Adelante Mujer Conference, Latinas Inspiring Young Latinas

The Adelante Mujer Conference is an all day celebration in hopes of inspiring a higher percentage of Latinas to continue their education beyond high school. The 19th Annual Adelante Mujer Conference will provide various presentations by professional San Diego Women who serve as exceptional examples for younger Latinas and their mothers. Many presenters have had to overcome barriers and struggles in order to accomplish their success. The festivities will include a small breakfast, several breakout workshops, lunch and entertainment.

This year’s Adelante Mujer Conference will take place at Eastlake Middle School on Saturday March 3, 2012 from 7:45 am – 2:00 pm for girls in grades 6

th-12th and their mothers. A scholarship is awarded to an outstanding Latina senior who has maintained a high grade point average while being actively involved in her community. Adelante Mujer presents an opportunity to maintain and strengthen the connection between students, schools and the community.

U.S. National Educator of the Year say’s “Americas Education System is being BLOWN AWAY by the Chinese!”

Local public school veteran teacher and national recognized educator including the “Milken” United States National Educator of the Year, Keith Ballard, traveled to China and India to learn from their public education system in comparison to the United States. This coming week, Feb. 16, Ballard will share his experiences and perspective from his travels with South Bay audience at Chula Vista High School.

Ballard will reveal that the US Public School System is being “Blown-Away” and simply won’t be able to compete without undergoing major changes! Making the comparison to a football game, Ballard contends that the Chinese public school system (K-12) is so good that is something like the NFL, where as the United States is playing high school football. Ballard states “the main reason I did this project is because I have a 7 year old son and I have “deep concerns” weather his education in the US public school system will sufficiently prepare him to compete for the best jobs in the future.”

Event: Understanding the New Tsunami “The Chinese Public School Educational System” & How to prepare your Children to Compete for the High Tech, High Paying Jobs of the Future!

Date/Time: Thursday, February 16th (6:30pm – 8:30pm)

Location: Chula Vista H.S., Jack Tygett Performing Arts Center (820 4th Ave. Chula Vista, CA 91911).

A couple of weeks ago the San Diego County Board of Su-pervisors came one step closer to changing the way the Supervisors re-draw their districts every ten years. Couple this with the recently voter-passed term limits placed on the Board of Supervisors and change is inevitable.

For decades the County Board of Supervisors has been one of the last good old boy bastions in local politics. The Board has been a place where White Republicans have held forth, with the exception of Leon Williams in the 80s. The current roster of Supervisors have served on the Board since the mid 90s, often times their re-elections are mere formalities. This in part has been due to the fact that the County Board has had the responsibility of re-drawing their own districts every ten years in such a manner that they have been able to confirm their safe seats.

For minority communities, the supervisors’ race has been a constant frustration. With the exception of Williams, no minority has served on this Board. In addition, no Democrat has come close to winning a seat. Democrats consider it a small victory when they are able to force a run-off.

It is with this backdrop and the threat of a Voting Rights lawsuit that Supervisor Greg Cox put forth a plan to change the way future re-districting is done. The first step in taking this responsibility out of the hands of the Supervisors is to change the state election code that would allow the County to establish an independent redistricting commission. Current state law requires county supervisors to draw the electoral districts.

On a 4-1 vote, naturally the only dissent vote was from Supervisor Bill Horn, the first step toward legislative change was taken that would allow the County to establish an Independent Redistricting Commission. For this, Greg Cox and and his colleagues on the Board of Supervisors, with the exception of Horn, deserve kudos for doing the right thing!!!

José Díaz-Balart, chief political analyst for Telemundo, had one important task during the September 7, 2011, Republican debate—to ask the candidates about immigration. Díaz-Balart asked his question, got his answer and was dismissed from the stage. The stereotype was fulfilled; a Latino asked one question and the one question was about immigration. With that box checked, the moderators and candidates were able to return to “non-Latino” issues.

The problem is, the issues that keep Latinos up at night—like double-digit unemployment rates, living at the poverty end of the wealth gap and having the highest high school dropout rates in the country—go well beyond immigration. Herein lies the challenge for President Obama. He must recast his connection with Latino voters beyond a narrow focus on immigration and engage Latinos as the multi-issue electorate they are.

It’s easy to see why Latinos have been typecast within the narrow frame of immigration. The vast majority are immigrants or the children or grandchildren of immigrants. In 2008 then-candidate Barack Obama used the issue to connect with Latinos by highlighting the importance of immigration reform. This strategy was wildly successful and netted him close to 70 percent of the Latino vote. Today that strategy is counterproductive. Latino voters are keenly aware that “La Promesa de Obama”—as his campaign pledge for comprehensive immigration reform became known—was not fulfilled. And now they have other priorities: according to the latest impreMedia-Latino Decisions tracking polls, economics have eclipsed immigration as their top concern. For Latinos, the economy and the related issue of education have come to demand the same level of attention that President Obama once gave immigration.

Since 2009 minority unemployment has been in the double digits. At its height in 2010, Latino unemployment was at 13.9 percent; today it’s 11 percent. Latinos have been the hardest hit in the recession, and they have the steepest climb to recovery. According to the Pew Hispanic Center, Latino median wealth plummeted 66 percent between 2005 and 2009. The decrease in wealth nationally was the most acute among Latinos, leaving one-third of the community either with debt or no assets.

Latinos are losing not only their jobs, benefits and homes but their hard-earned position in the middle class. Within one generation families have gone from working class to middle class and back to working class again. The wealth gap between minorities and non-minorities is the largest since the Census Bureau began providing this information in 1984. The white-to-Latino ratio of median wealth in 2009 stood at 18 to 1, more than twice the ratio before the recession. The gap between rich and poor has also become a serious problem within the Latino community, with their wealth disparity the greatest of any group.

In addition to having experienced the steepest decrease in wealth, Latinos have the highest birthrates and the lowest levels of education. Latino dropout rates are triple those of whites and double those of African-Americans. Education is particularly important to Latinos because more than one-third are under 18. In 2008–09, in the two largest public school districts, New York City and Los Angeles, Latino children made up 41 percent and 74 percent, respectively, of incoming first graders.

At first glance it would seem that because of the magnitude of their economic losses and their grim educational position, Latinos would be the most punishing of the president’s policies. But the data suggest that Latinos want more government involvement, not less, making them unreceptive to the message of the GOP and particularly the Tea Party. During last summer’s debt debate, an impreMedia-Latino Decisions poll showed that(83 percent of Latino voters supported some sort of tax increase in the debt reduction plan. Forty-five percent supported a taxes-only route. Even a majority of Latino Republicans preferred some taxation over a cuts-only approach to the deficit. For Latinos, economic well-being is intimately tied to the economic recovery of the nation; they are progressives who support a robust federal government. The proposal to create a National Infrastructure Bank to bring about job creation is exactly the type of policy that resonates with them.

The GOP has also failed to win the support of Latinos on education. The impreMedia-Latino Decisions polls show that 57 percent of Latino voters support President Obama and the Democrats’ education policy, which has emphasized early childhood education, school reforms and developing community partnerships. Republicans were seen as the better option by 20 percent and a disillusioned 14 percent lacked confidence in both parties.

Indeed, the Latino community’s most tangible achievements under the Obama administration are in the realm of education. The education gap between Latinos and non-Latinos shows clear signs of shrinkage. Dropout rates are decreasing, and from 2009 to 2010 Latino college enrollment grew 24 percent, an increase of 5 percent over the previous year.

And yet, despite recent comments by Jim Messina, President Obama’s 2012 campaign manager, Latino support is not a given for the president. In a December 2011 impreMedia-Latino Decisions poll, 54 percent of registered Latinos said they were certain to vote for Obama. This is a long way from the 70 percent of 2008. Tangible disillusionment was also apparent in the decreased rate of turnout among Latino voters in the 2010 midterm elections, the Pew Hispanic Center reported. In 2011 the president’s approval ratings among Latinos hovered in the 60 percent range. However, this aggregate figure combines “Strongly Approve” and “Somewhat Approve,” obscuring the fact that more than half of his approval is from the lukewarm “Somewhat Approve” category. The implication is grave, since participation is fueled by enthusiastic voters who have strong feelings about their candidate.

If the president is to get past his failed immigration pledge and reconnect with Latino voters, he must do two things: highlight the natural ideological affinities between himself and Latinos, and showcase the economic and educational programs he has implemented and will continue to promote. Simple electoral math puts Latinos at the forefront of the president’s re-election strategy in the 2012 election. Latino voters make up at least 15 percent of the population in half of the top swing states—Colorado, Florida, New Mexico and Nevada. They are a crucial part of the electoral formula necessary to prevent President Obama from being the third Democratic president in history not to get a second term in office—and they deserve to have the full range of their concerns understood.

Dr. Victoria M. DeFrancesco Soto, a fellow at the Center for Politics and Governance at the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas, is the director of communications for Latino Decisions. Follow Dr. DeFrancesco Soto on Twitter: @DrVMDS

For the past six years or so I have heard constant threats from Arizona Attorney General Tom Horne (Canada) and Superintendent of Schools John Huppenthal (Indiana) that they were going to ban, destroy and wipe out Mexican American Studies, as well as Occupied America. Now after disregarding a $177,000 report that refutes their charges that the program and the book are racist and un-American, the nativists carry out their threats. They destroy MAS and snatch the books from on looking students. Their stupidity exposed them, so they now say it wasn’t so.

The problem is that witnesses saw Tucson Unified School District Superintendent John Pedicone’s (Illinois) swaggering thugs “remove” the books from MAS classes as students looked on.

Their cowardly behavior reached new lows when blogger Jeff Biggers wrote that the books had been “banned.” They protested that they were not “banned” but only “removed.”

Let me see if I understand: If the books would have been put on a prohibited list of readings they would have been banned, or better still censored. But, because they were already there and ripped from the sight of students, they were removed.

I have been visiting Tucson for the better part of my life. I could always understand white folk there, although I did not always agree with them. For example, Barry Goldwater was my ideological opposite, but he had an affinity for Arizona that few of the carpetbaggers such as Pedicone have today. He knew many of my relatives, and recognized that you better talk the talk.

Not so with the Arizona carpetbaggers (as distinguished from those of the 1860s who had a purpose). This recent bunch has moved there for the sun and the cash. They do not respect the environment, its traditions or the people. Witness the systematic destruction of Mexican American barrios. What is Old Town Tucson but a pseudo replica of Disney Land?

It is difficult to dumb down language to the level of the locust. So to start with, censorship is thought control. The First Amendment reads,

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances…

Thomas Jefferson and James Madison argued that this freedom was critical to a free society.

What is happening in Tucson is a political act designed to control what students and the community read and think. It is not a question of good taste or what is true or not. It was the intentional use of naked political power to suppress a particular people.

Huppenthal was elected on the platform of “stopping La Raza [the people].”

On May 12, 2010 Horne said, “The bill [HB2281] was written to target the Chicano, or Mexican American, studies program in the Tucson school system.” According to the Los Angeles Times, “He singled out one history book used in some classes, ‘Occupied America: A History of Chicanos,’ by Rodolfo Acuna, a professor and founder of the Chicano studies program at Cal State Northridge.”

Horne continued, “To begin with, the title of the book implies to the kids that they live in occupied America, or occupied Mexico.” Horne’s language was pretty clear. He did not say remove but targeted the book and MAS.

As with Horne, others have labeled the book Marxist. A prominent scholar of European history labeled Occupied America, a Marxist book. When pressed on what he based this assumption, he fumbled around and finally said in a deposition that I used the term “hegemony” several times in the text.

In Horne’s case, he did not like the title because, according to him, it “implies” that the United States invaded Mexico – a historical fact. Evidentially, Horne has not read the autobiography of Ulysses S. Grant or Abraham Lincoln’s take on the war.

The truth be told, Occupied America does not refer to occupied Mexico; it refers to occupied America. If Horne had a grasp of Latin American history or geography, he would know that Argentines, Peruvians, Cubans, Central Americans and Mexicans are Americans. Indeed, U.S. secretaries of state have exploited the notion of Pan Americanism for economic advantage. Thus the occupation began in 1492 not 1836 or 1848.

The touted Cambium Audit, which Horne’s successor Huppenthal ordered and the citizens of Arizona paid for, said, Occupied America: A History of Chicanos is an unbiased, factual textbook designed to accommodate the growing number of Mexican-Americans or Chicano History courses. It is the most comprehensive text in this market according to Amazon. The Fifth Edition of Occupied America has been revised to make the text more user-friendly and student-oriented., while maintain its passionate voice. This text provides a comprehensive, in-depth analysis of the major historical experiences of Chicanos that invokes critical thinking and intellectual discussion.

The curriculum auditing team refutes the following allegations made by other individuals and organizations. Quotes have been taken out of context. Therefore, the ‘controversial’ aspects are indicated in italics to demonstrate the claims made by concerned constituents.

Thus the nativists’ hypocrisy gives opportunism a bad name. They care nothing about the truth, they care nothing about Latino students, what they care about is controlling thought by “removing” books and killing a highly successful program.

They want to specifically suppress the thought of Latinos. The reason that they have not targeted Native, African and Asian Americans is that these groups are smaller and consequently more manageable. Latino public school students comprise 43 percent of the public schools, and they want to genetically engineer them.

Everyone in this country should be concerned about the removing or banning of books. They are euphemisms for censorship. What happened in Tucson constitutes an attack and constraint on everyone’s freedom.

The locust have a history of trying to control Mexican American Studies through prior restraint. When this did not work, they demolished the program and banned the books. This banning will have a chilling effect on the publication of future books. Usually, there is the opportunity to dispute the charge in court. This has not happened in Arizona – there was no trial.

Aside from Occupied America, Critical Race Theory by Richard Delgado, 500 Years of Chicano History in Pictures edited by Elizabeth Martinez, Message to Aztlan by Rodolfo Corky Gonzales, Chicano! The History of the Mexican Civil Rights Movement by Arturo Rosales. Pedagogy of the Oppressed by Paulo Freire, Rethinking Columbus: The Next 500 Years edited by Bill Bigelow and Bob Peterson, William Shakespeare, The Tempest, more than a dozen other books have been banned.

The charges of censorship have shaken the administration. After acting brazenly they are drawing the distinction between “banned” and “removed.” However, the record is the record. The banning of the books did not occur in a vacuum.

I have personally never experienced this level of hypocrisy in over fifty years of activism. It seems as if the locust and I do not speak the same language. It is also frustrating because up to now no one seemed to be listening. How do you deal with people who lie with such impunity?

As for me, it is a badge of honor to appear on the same list as the other banned authors. But what I resent is the draft dodgers, Pedicone, Horne and Huppenthal questioning my patriotism. I volunteered draft during the Korean War although I had a student draft deferment. They should check the records; they will learn that Mexican Americans served at a much higher ratio than any group in Tucson.

So my advice to them is not be so be opportunistic and hypocritical. The Tucson cabal is giving these words a bad name. Horne said that 2281 targeted Mexicans and specified which books it was going to get rid of. Huppenthal has not listened to facts and pressured the TUSD to ban MAS and the books. As for Pedicone, he is the bagman.

De vez en cuando los medios de comunicación se meten en el ojo del huracán. El aprieto mediático tiene raíz en diversas esferas de la cultura norteamericana, pero en general su crisis tiene principio y fin en la política.

A pocos meses de las elecciones presidenciales, los medios de comunicación tratan de pisar con delicadeza el camino sinuoso de la política. La prensa escrita, las cadenas de televisión y algunas difusoras radiales hacen lo posible en mostrarnos un semblante apolítico, sin tendencias ni corrientes filosóficas.

Es decir, nos dicen, a través de sus propios medios de difusión, que no mantienen inclinaciones políticas, ni son proclives a aferrarse a las ideas de algún partido político. En otras palabras, tratan de convencernos de que sus voces provienen de la objetividad, la neutralidad y el equilibrio.

A pesar de que encaran con sumo cuidado el trayecto de sus pasos, algunas veces los medios de comunicación se tropiezan y caen en el espacio nebuloso de la política. En el suelo no simplemente son presa fácil de los mercenarios de la política, sino también hacen notar sus tendencias reales e intereses de todo tipo.

“La destructiva, viciosa y naturaleza negativa de los medios de comunicación dificulta la tarea de gobernar este país, no permite la tarea de encontrar gente interesada en el gobierno…”, subrayó Newt Gingrich, candidato republicano a presidencia durante un debate en South Carolina.

El ex jefe de la Cámara de Representantes no simplemente supuso, sino que también expuso explícitamente que las cadenas de CBS, NBC y CNN están en contra del idealismo conservador del Partido Republicano.

A pesar de que no mencionó a los medios de comunicación en español, seguramente la etiqueta de “liberal” también se los otorga a cadena de Telemundo, Univisión y al periódico La Opinión.

La queja de los líderes republicanos sobre el semblante liberal de los medios de comunicación no es una noticia nueva. Por el contrario, se ha convertido en una estrategia oportuna y frecuente de sus candidatos y políticos para crear efervescencia y lograr el apoyo de sus bases.

Sin embargo, los medios de comunicación, a pesar de las quejas de los líderes republicanos, son entidades “conservadoras” del sistema político norteamericano, propiamente de la ideología liberal.

Los medios de comunicación, como entidades del estado “liberal” norteamericano, defienden su constitución política, la realización de elecciones libres, los derechos humanos, el sistema económico capitalista, un Estado laico o división del Estado y religión.

Así, Newt Gingrich puede estar gritando a los cuatro vientos la existencia de un complot liberal mediático. Empero, tanto él cómo sus correligionarios conservadores y libertarios, son tan liberales como los demócratas y los medios de comunicación.

Humberto Caspa, Ph.D., es profesor e investigador de Ecomonics On The Move. E-mail: hcletters@yahoo.com

Scott Peters who is running for congress scored a coupe when he received the support of several Latinos including Lorena Gonzalez of the AFL-CIO, Assemblyman Ben Huseo, candidate Mary Salas, CV councilman Steve Castaneda, and the Chicano Democratic Association…. the only thing is we don’t remember Peters ever doing anything for the Hispanic community when he was SD city council person… hell we went on his web site and we didn’t see him mention Hispanic community once… we wonder what the criteria was to earn those endorsements….

Lori Saldana, who is in the same race as Peters, is Hispanic and supportive of the Hispanic community when she served in the assembly, seemingly this wasn’t good enough…

Mateo Camarillo who is half Filipino and Mexican, has decided to run for the district 9 seat. This is the district that he carved out that is supposed to a Hispanic power house… unfortunately no Hispanic saw it this way and none file to run… Mateo is out to prove them all wrong…..

Bob Castaneda, older brother of CV city councilman Steve Castaneda, has taken out papers to run the CV city council, running for the seat held by Pamela Bensoussan…

The Arizona Supreme Court recently ended the political career of Alejandrina Cabrera who wanted to run for city council in the border town of San Luis, AZ, because she no habla English good enough. Then again most of the residents of San Luis no habla English…. Still you have got to know English if you are going to run for office…

By Gustavo Arellano

Dear Mexican: My family for six generations have been born and raised in Brownsville, Texas. Everyone speaks Spanish most of the time. Right now, almost every Republican in the state is trying to get redistricting to the finish line to cut out the bumper crop of Mexican-American candidates from coming up. They passed voter ID laws recently, and you begin to get the idea after a few citizen deportations to Mexico that the Texan Republican legislature doesn’t really like us.

Ron Paul has gotten some trace traction with Puerto Ricans and Florida Hispanics recently. That doesn’t fix the fact that all of his homies in Texas who have voted for him every year HATE LOCAL HISPANICS. His rhetoric sounds good sometimes because it seems so constitutional. Can you take a quick look at his immigration and border policies and tell me what kind of mess it would make (or not) for a Mexican-American to pick Ron Paul, much less ANYONE, in the GOP?

Valley Vato

Dear Wab: I actually know more than a few Mexicans who are Ron Paul supporters (shout-out to P. Sergio!) because—as I’ve noted many times before—Mexicans are natural libertarians: want the government out of their lives, hate the drug war, and love money. But when it comes to the issue of immigration, Paul is two tacos short of a combo plate. For a man who believes in open commerce, he wants to severely regulate immigration. For someone who believes in people being able to determine their own lives free of governmental diktat, he doesn’t support the DREAM Act and wants to repeal birthright citizenship. For someone so right-on about America’s imperial wars, he’d have America’s military patrol the U.S-Mexico border. That Ron Paul’s immigration policy is basically no different than that of his Republican colleagues in the face of an otherwise-impressive policy platform is costing him millions of Mexi votes and is the biggest disappointment a liberty-loving Mexican has faced since the Mexican national soccer team.

Unlike many gabachas living in Tucson, I love living in a bilingual city and am trying to learn to speak better Spanish. Because of this, I am watching a lot of Spanish-language television. My problem? I am a science fiction nerd. Although I enjoy the novelas, horror movies, and gameshows, I haven’t found any good science fiction shows to watch. I see lots of Mexicans at comic book/sci-fi cons/movies, and superhero and Star Wars cosplay seems popular with the kids, so the genre must have enough fans to support some programs. So where can I look for Spanish shows with spaceships and lots of pew-pew-pew?

Where No Gabacha Has Gone Before

Dear Gabacha: Gracias for reminding us that normal gabachos live in Tucson and the city’s isn’t composed of spree killers and Know Nothings who ban Mexican-American studies and books by Sherman Alexie from schoolchildren lest Mexi kids learn and shit. As for your query: I take it you haven’t mined the canon of Santo, the legendary silver-masked wrestler? He fought diabolical brains, evil brains, and plain ol’ invading Martians when not fending off vampire women and other horror tropes. There was a chingón 2008 indie movie, Sleep Dealer, that was like Blade Runner meets Born in East LA, and UCLA had a film retrospective of Mexican sci-fi from the 1950s a couple of years ago. But the greatest example of Mexican sci-fi, as you noted, is the Star Wars galaxy—I’ll leave people with the examples of Chuy Baca and Arturito and leave ustedes to divine the rest!

Ask the Mexican at themexican@askamexican.net, be his fan on Facebook, follow him on Twitter or ask him a video question at youtube.com/askamexicano!

The photographs hang on the Mexican side, next to the lanes where traffic lines up, waiting to cross into the U.S.

 On February 2, the Center for Cultural Investigation of the Autonomous University of Baja California mounted an exhibition of 18 large photographs, taken by photographer David Bacon, on the border wall, next to the garita, or gate, between Mexicali, in Mexico, and Calexico, in the United States. The photographs, which measure about 6′ by 4′, hang on the steel beams that make up the wall in the section of the border that lies between the two cities. They hang on the Mexican side, next to the lanes where traffic lines up, waiting to cross into the U.S. At times, hundreds of cars spend over an hour in the lines, giving drivers ample opportunity to look at and react to the images.

The show, called “Beyond Borders,” consists of images that document the process of migration. Some show the life of Mexican migrants in the U.S., while others were taken in migrants’ home communities in Mexico. Three photographs show children working in the fields in northern Baja California, including one taken just a few miles from the Mexicali gate itself.

In an interview with local media at the show’s opening reception, in a park across the street from the wall, Bacon explained, “As a photographer, I’ve tried to create images that aren’t neutral. They are, first, a reality check, showing what life is actually like, trying to do it through the eyes of people themselves. But they are also a form of social criticism – of poverty, of the discrimination and unequal status migrants face, especially in the U.S., but even in Mexico itself. Therefore, they’re also a call for social change. So what better place to show them than on the wall itself? The Center is using an object hated on both sides of the border, and reclaiming it as a site for developing popular culture, and even more, a space where people can be urged to make changes so that some day we live in a world where the wall itself will not exist.”

Luis Ongay, director of the Center for Cultural Investigation of the Autonomous University of Baja California, said that many people will see the show, because of its location where cars and pedestrians are crossing to the United States. “We know this is an open space, it’s bringing the museum into a public space.” He invites people to give their comments on its Facebook page: http://es-es.facebook.com/cicmuseouabc

Christian Fernandez, center subdirector, noted that the exhibit uses images that are part of a project of popular art and culture, and then shows them in a way that is accessible to ordinary people. “We have a show about migration, and the people looking at the images are those who themselves are crossing the border – migrating.” He pointed to two images, one depicting an old labor camp in the Palo Verde Valley, which housed bracero workers in the 1950s, and another portrait of a former bracero, taken in Oaxaca. “Some former braceros, who are very old now, come on Sundays to this park to meet and talk with each other. What will they think of the images that show parts of their own experience?”

Bacon especially thanked Natalia Rojas, who was able to create the very high quality prints. The prints were made on plastic-coated fabric, stretched across metal frames, and coated with an anti-UV protective film. Fernandez said he hoped that the prints would survive the next three months of the show, and that if they did, the center might then bring them to other sections of the border wall in Baja California.