BPP Member News (6/7)

Understanding COVID-19 is the key to fighting it. La Jolla Institute for Immunology presents the COVID-19 Vaccine Resource Guide. While the global COVID-19 vaccination campaign continues, there are many questions circulating about the mRNA and Johnson & Johnson/Janssen COVID-19 vaccines approved for use in the U.S. and we have the science-based, data-driven answers. This brief, easy-to-understand e-guide updated in April 2020 (after being initially developed in February 2021) will keep you informed and empower you to engage in conversations about the safety and efficacy of these vaccines and the groundbreaking research underway related to fighting COVID-19. Stay informed and lead conversations using this the COVID-19 Vaccines Resource Guide.

Comunalia, the community foundations network in Mexico, announces its new director. Tatiana Fraga Diez joins Comunalia to lead this important group. Tatiana has a master's degree in Leadership for Civil Society Organizations from the University of Pennsylvania with an emphasis on processes and spaces for intersectoral collaboration for social transformation. She has a degree in International Relations from El Colegio de México. She has more than ten years of experience in institutional processes for national and international private and non-profit organizations, as well as in designing, implementing, and evaluating projects. In recent years, she has facilitated intersectoral collaboration processes in Monterrey, and delivered workshops for groups and organizations on topics such as: leadership, group dynamics, fundraising, conflict resolution, planning, project implementation and theory of change.

Imperial Valley Wellness Foundation Hires First Executive Director. Roque Barros Jr., former director of the Ford Institute for Community Building; deep family roots in Imperial Valley. The Imperial Valley Wellness Foundation (IVWF) today announced it has hired Roque Barros, Jr. as its first executive director. Born and raised in Imperial Valley, Barros has had an exemplary career working to improve the lives of people in underserved communities. “We are delighted to bring Roque Barros into our organization as its first executive director,” said local insurance executive Jose Landeros, IVWF’s chair. “Roque knows our community and brings extensive understanding from outside our community in how to address the needs of the most vulnerable.” Barros most recently served as the director for the Ford Institute for Community Building, an arm of the Ford Family Foundation. In that role, he was responsible for the development and coordination of more than 90 local projects serving thousands of individuals across Oregon and Northern California.

Busing, escorting thousands of Mexican workers into California for COVID-19 shots quite an undertaking. For the second day this week, 1,500 workers lined up bright and early and slowly trickled into the U.S. through a gate and under the concertina wire at a California port of entry to get vaccinated at a mobile clinic just north of the border. The goal is to inoculate 10,000 maquiladora workers this week, and if it all works out, continue vaccinating people in the weeks ahead. “Ten thousand employees who work at six United States manufacturing facilities in Baja will be vaccinated,” said San Diego County Supervisor Nathan Fletcher. The state of California is providing “excess vaccines” to the effort. U.S. Customs and Border Protection, UC San Diego Health, the Mexican Consulate in San Diego and business leaders from Baja California are also involved.

Philanthropy Southwest's 73rd Annual Conference: Rebuild Together, Emerge Stronger. Registration is now open. We believe in the power of connecting, collaborating, and convening. As our community continues to be adaptable and responsive, we are excited to gather together for an in-person, socially distanced Annual Conference October 19-22 at the brand-new Omni Oklahoma City Hotel. The Conference is available to PSW members and funders only. Register now and submit a nomination for the Legacy of Leadership Awards that recognize Philanthropy Southwest foundation members and individuals from across the Southwest region, in celebration of their spirit of leadership, legacy, and innovation. Applications close July 31.
Also from Philanthropy Southwest: How Did Philanthropy Respond? June 7

Transtelco to connect El Paso Children’s Museum and Science Center to La Rodadora Interactive Space in Juarez. The El Paso Children’s Museum and Science Center and La Rodadora Interactive Space, the children’s museum in Ciudad Juarez, will share an interactive exhibit that will allow visitors of both museums to engage in shared experiences. Transtelco will provide the crucial high-speed connectivity to make this exhibit a reality. “We are excited. Thanks to Transtelco’s generosity, we will have a shared interactive exhibit with La Rodadora that will erase the border and connect our shared blue sky,” said Stephanie Otero, Interim Director and Vice President of Operations for the El Paso Community Foundation. “We are very grateful for the... (read more)

EPA announces new border plans by 2025. Includes five-year binational, environmental program. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in partnership with Mexico’s Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT, by its acronym in Spanish), is pleased to announce the signing of the U.S.-Mexico Environmental Program: Border 2025. It would advance the two countries' commitments to protect the environment and public health along the our border. "Today, the United States and Mexico memorialized our shared commitment to tackle the urgent environmental issues of our time, and to improve health conditions for underserved and vulnerable communities living along our border region," said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. "Signing this framework will help ensure sustained progress by increasing... (read more)

Living with COVID 19. By Morgan Smith. On Tuesday, May 4, I crossed the border at Santa Teresa for the first time in more than a year. Previously I had made this crossing at least once a month for more than a decade in order to document conditions there and assist several humanitarian groups as well as individual families. Now having been fully vaccinated, I realized that I had to begin these trips once again. Mexico’s President, Andrés Manuel López Obrador (better known as AMLO) is a COVID skeptic, the number of COVID deaths have been dramatically under reported, there is no vaccination program, and he has made little effort to work with President Biden on these issues. In addition, Mexico hasn’t had the kind of stimulus programs that have brought economic salvation to so many in the US. As a result, my expectations were low but I was wrong.

Paso del Norte Community Foundation presents Grant Writing for Grassroots. Join experienced grant writer, Kristen Hernandez- Ortega, to discuss the do's & don'ts of grant writing in this virtual three-part series. May 26t- June 9. Session One: The Basics. Grant writing YOU can do it! Session Two: Grant Planning 101: During this session, we will go over tips to help simplify your grant writing process in Part 1. Session Three: Grant Planning 102: During this session, we will go over tips to help simplify your grant writing process in Part 2. Registration is free and open to nonprofit professionals of all backgrounds & expertise. Space is limited. Register here.

UTEP helped parents from Mexico attend our graduation, but pandemic border-crossing rules remain unfair. For the first time in more than a year my Mexican parents will able to cross the border from Ciudad Juárez using a special waiver to attend my commencement ceremony at University of Texas at El Paso. Since March 2020, crossing the border has been restricted to essential travel including crossing for work, medical or academic reasons in an attempt to stop the spread of Covid-19. Because of that, when UTEP graduating seniors got the news that in-person commencement was happening, I thought I would be alone at the ceremony, walking the stage at the Sun Bowl Stadium while my parents watched a live stream from their home in Juárez. I wrote a letter to University of Texas at El Paso President Heather Wilson in what I described as “a hopeful attempt to make my graduation a memorable one.” In the emailed letter, I explained that my parents are both Mexican citizens living in... (read more)

The Paso del Norte Health Foundation is looking for an Associate Program Officer or Program Officer to join one of the largest foundations on the U.S.-Mexico border. The deadline to submit applications is June 18, 2021. Working collaboratively with other staff and community members, the Associate Program Officer and Program Officer positions have the opportunity to develop strategic plans, lead grantmaking, run special projects, coordinate health communication campaigns, and oversee project evaluation within Board approved priority areas. Both positions offer opportunities to impact health across the region, including far west Texas, Cd. Juarez, and parts of Southern New Mexico.

Con Alma Health Foundation’s Board of Trustees announce new Executive Director. Con Alma Health Foundation’s Board of Trustees announced that Denise Herrera, PhD, MCHES, will take over as its new executive director on June 1. Dolores E. Roybal is retiring after 15 years of service to Con Alma. In that time, she cultivated partnerships to work toward health equity and leveraged millions of dollars to improve health in New Mexico. Con Alma is committed to continuing this path by recruiting an executive director who shares the Foundation’s vision of achieving a more equitable and healthier future for all. “It is our great pleasure to welcome Denise as our new leader,” said Deborah Walker, Chair of Con Alma’s Executive Search Committee and President Emeritus of the Board of Trustees. “We conducted a nationwide search to find the right person who is community-centered with a commitment to deep engagement in diversity, equity and inclusion.” Read the full press release here.

Kino Border Initiative is seeking a Director of Finance and Administration. The Kino Border Initiative is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization located in Nogales, Arizona. It focuses its work on humanitarian assistance, education, research and advocacy as it relates to the phenomenon of migration. Purpose of position: Reporting to the Executive Director, the Director of Finance and Administration is responsible for overseeing the overall financial management and internal controls, managing all human resource functions, and directing general business operations of the organization in a way that will allow all Kino Border Initiative legal entities in the USA and Mexico to effectively fulfill its mission.

'An everywhere problem.' Texas A&M students team up to analyze issues facing border. Students in Texas A&M’s School of Public Health and the Bush School spent the semester analyzing the connection between public health and security in the border region of the United States and Mexico and making recommendations. The topics included food deserts, where healthy food options are not easily accessible; the spread of disease to service members stationed along the border regions; and the lack of health care resources in the region. Alexander Le, who graduated Friday with his masters of public health graduate and will begin medical school next year, said the class has taught him that every issue can be tied back to...(read more)

Plaza Classic Film Festival returns to the Plaza Theatre this summer. After a year’s absence, the El Paso Community Foundation Plaza Classic Film Festival will return to the Plaza Theatre this summer. The 14th annual Plaza Classic Film Festival will be July 29-August 8 in and around the Plaza Theatre in downtown El Paso. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, last year’s Plaza Classic moved outdoors for a series of 11 pop-up drive-ins at various locations around El Paso, and five days of digitally streamed films and interviews. This year’s Plaza Classic will be more traditional, but with COVID safety protocols in place, such as mandatory mask wearing, social distancing, disinfecting, and seating capacity limits, including assigned “pod” seating to ensure physical distancing. “It will... (read more)

Plaza Classic Film Festival returns to the Plaza Theatre this summer. After a year’s absence, the El Paso Community Foundation Plaza Classic Film Festival will return to the Plaza Theatre this summer. The 14th annual Plaza Classic Film Festival will be July 29-August 8 in and around the Plaza Theatre in downtown El Paso. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, last year’s Plaza Classic moved outdoors for a series of 11 pop-up drive-ins at various locations around El Paso, and five days of digitally streamed films and interviews. This year’s Plaza Classic will be more traditional, but with COVID safety protocols in place, such as mandatory mask wearing, social distancing, disinfecting, and seating capacity limits, including assigned “pod” seating to ensure physical distancing. “It will be good to be ‘home’,” said Doug Pullen, the festival’s director and Program Director for the El Paso Community Foundation. “The Plaza Classic Film Festival was inspired by the... (read more)

Catalyst announces new President & CEO. Catalyst of San Diego & Imperial Counties, a nonprofit network of funding organizations and impact investors in the region, today announced that Megan Thomas has been named as president and chief executive officer. Thomas, who has been serving as interim president for the last six months, succeeds Debbie McKeon who stepped down last October. Thomas brings more than 20 years of nonprofit and philanthropy experience to the role, including previously serving as executive director of San Diego Coastkeeper where she built partnerships among the nonprofit, business, and public sectors to advance environmental goals across San Diego County. Thomas has spent the last five years leading Catalyst’s (formerly San Diego Grantmakers) collaborative grantmaking portfolio and... (read more)

Learn more about how AEBI can benefit your nonprofit organization. Is your organization serious about building an endowment and developing a planned giving program? Learn how the Arizona Endowment Building Institute at the Arizona Community Foundation can guide your nonprofit to the next level during an informational session. Before a nonprofit can participate in an AEBI training program, a representative of the organization must attend an information al session. The sessions will cover the same topics, so please register for the date that best fits your schedule. AEBI information session #1: Tuesday, May 18, 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. (Arizona time). AEBI information session #2: Wednesday, June 9, 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. (Arizona time). RSVP for these virtual events.

UTEP study shows pandemic created demand for emergency food assistance in El Paso County. Food insecurity caused by the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in an increased demand for emergency food assistance in El Paso County, particularly in households located in downtown El Paso and in communities outside the city, including San Elizario, Fabens and Tornillo. UTEP, El Pasoans Fighting Hunger (EPFH) Food Bank and the County of El Paso collaborated on a food insecurity study investigating emergency food assistance in El Paso County during the COVID-19. Photo by Laura Trejo, UTEP Communications. UTEP, El Pasoans Fighting Hunger (EPFH) Food Bank and the County of El Paso collaborated on a food insecurity study investigating emergency food assistance in... (read more)

Televisa Univision venture aims for global Spanish streaming service. Television Univision, a newly formed Spanish media venture, will launch its planned streaming platform in the United States and Mexico next year before expanding elsewhere in Latin America and in Europe, its chief executive told Reuters on Wednesday. The service, which will take on established rivals including Netflix Inc and Disney Plus, will be a product of a move to combine the content of Mexican broadcaster Grupo Televisa and U.S. peer Univision, announced on Tuesday. Televisa shares surged by as much as a third before closing with a gain of 22.8% on the day, as investors bet on the growth potential of the venture. Less than 10% of the global population of 600 million Spanish speakers... (read more)

Congratulate Janice Windle on her national arts award. Join the El Paso Community Foundation in congratulating our own Janice Woods Windle for receiving 2020-2021 Women in the Arts Award, a national honor that recognizes excellence in the literary arts by the Texas Daughters of the American Revolution. In her acceptance speech, Janice thanks for the Balcones (Austin) chapter of the Texas DAR as well as her EPCF family. Janice was singled out for the award for her historical novels True Women (made into a CBS mini-series starring Angelina Jolie), Hill Country and Will’s War, and The True Women Cookbook. All four books are used in classrooms and have been printed in eight languages. Janice is a true women’s pioneer. She was the first person hired by... (read more)

Visit the Center for Healthy Nonprofits at the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona. If you've missed one of the webinars or trainings, you can find a recording of it in the Nonprofit Resource Library. Content is continually added to this library and includes topics such as Ask an Expert; COVID support; fundraising help; IDEA and DEI workshops; self-care tips for leaders; and more. The Center for Healthy Nonprofits, a program of the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona, works to strengthen the southern Arizona nonprofit community by offering free and reduced cost capacity building workshops and training for nonprofit professionals and volunteers.

FBI El Paso’s 2020 Director’s Community Leadership Award nominations. Read in Spanish. Luis Quesada, special agent-in-charge of the El Paso Field Office, is pleased to announce the nominations for 2020 FBI’s Director’s Community Leadership Award (DCLA). In year’s past, the FBI has only released the final recipient. This year SAC Quesada felt it was important to share the importance all of these organizations made to the El Paso community during a time when the community needed assistance. Following the tragic events of August 3, 2019, at the Walmart in El Paso, Texas, in which 23 people were killed and hundreds physically and emotionally injured, The El Paso Community Foundation rose up to this significant challenge and assisted with donation management of the financial contributions that immediately poured in from individuals, businesses, and organizations across the nation wanting to help those affected. In doing so, the One Fund El Paso emerged and developed in partnership with... (read more)

Arizona Community Foundation welcomes new board officers. Robbin Coulon begins term as Board Chair. A member of the Arizona Community Foundation Board of Directors since 2013, Coulon served as vice chair, chaired the Philanthropic Services and Compensation committees, and was previously a member of the Nominating and Governance Committee. Robbin brings ample experience to this new role. In addition to electing Coulon as chair, the Board also named its slate of officers. Leezie Kim, Esq., Chief Legal Officer for Fox Restaurant Concepts LLC, will become the vice chair; Heidi Jannenga, Co-Founder and Chief Clinical Officer at WebPT, will serve as secretary; and Rufus Glasper, President and CEO of the League for Innovation in the Community College, will continue to serve as... (read more)

Humanity in Deming and Palomas. By Morgan Smith. It’s 47 degrees and the sun is pushing through clouds after a night of heavy rain as I cross the border to Palomas, Mexico (pop. 4,600). The Mexican customs officials wave me right through as groups of soldiers watch. Fortunately, no one pays attention to the bags of beans and rice and boxes of Oreos in the back of my car. I’ve been visiting the border at least once a month for over a decade, mostly Palomas and Juárez. I help different humanitarian groups as well as several families and document conditions here. My goal has been to bring attention to the heroic people who serve the needy. For reasons I still don’t understand, this will be one of my most painful trips. Earlier I had visited the armory in Deming where...(read more)

Foundation establishes 3 new funds for Chaves County. Three new funds through the Community Foundation of Southern New Mexico will benefit Chaves County. The foundation, based in Las Cruces, manages more than 300 funds in 10 counties and expanded into Chaves County after the onset of the pandemic, Terra Winter, president and chief executive officer, said. Last March, the foundation began working with the governor’s office and other community foundations in the state in the All Together New Mexico Fund, established for COVID-19 relief and recovery. Lincoln and Otero counties were among those the foundation had been working in, so it added Chaves County. “We started... (read more)

The Arizona We Want: The Decade Ahead. Join the Center for the Future of Arizona for the release of The Arizona We Want: The Decade Ahead report, revealing data and insights from our second decennial 2020 Gallup Arizona Survey. The voices of Arizonans are more important than ever in shaping the future of our state. Learn where we agree on important issues like jobs, education, health, civic participation and governance, and community life. Hear from leaders across the state about opportunities for change and growth, and enjoy a panel discussion moderated by Lisa Urias, Arizona Community Foundation's Chief Program & Community Engagement Officer. Register here.

Kino Border Initiative is hiring for two positions. The Kino Border Initiative is looking for a Director of Communications and Director of Education and Advocacy. The Director of Communications is responsible for humanizing the realities of migration and encouraging engagement from individuals and communities through various communication tools, including a bilingual, content-rich and interactive social media presence, a monthly newsletter, connections with traditional media, and the KBI annual report. The Director of Education and Advocacy is the primary coordinator of the educational and advocacy programs offered by the KBI, which includes the development and realization of an advocacy plan that leverages the resources and network of KBI to promote humane and just migration policy as well as the development and delivery of... (read more)

Con Alma Health Foundation 2021 grant cycles are now open. Con Alma Health Foundation and Northern New Mexico Health Grants Group’s 2021 Grant Cycles will close Friday, April 30, 2021 at midnight. Con Alma awards grants annually to nonprofits throughout New Mexico that work toward sustainable solutions to their communities’ health challenges. Sign-up for ‘Grant Cycle Information’ updates by texting GRANTCYCLES to 22828. For more grant cycle information and how to apply, please visit our “For Grant Seekers” page. Join Con Alma Health Foundation for a review of their 2021 grant cycle and online proposal process. Click here to see the online pre-proposal workshop dates.

México Próspero – A Presentation by Tatiana Clouthier, Mexico’s Secretary of Economy. Join the Institute of the Americas on April 14 for a keynote presentation and discussion with Mexico’s Secretary of Economy Tatiana Clouthier as part of the Institute of the Americas’ Hemisphere in Transition Webinar Series. The event will be moderated by Richard Kiy, President of the Institute of the Americas (IOA) and Jeffrey Davidow, Member of the IOA’s Hemispheric Advisory Board and former US ambassador to Mexico. Tatiana Clouthier assumed her position as Secretary of Economy on December 8, 2020. The webinar and presentation will explore economic perspectives for Mexico, the country’s energy sector outlook, work force development and local content.

Arizona Community Foundation announces Elisa de la Vara retirement; Lisa Urias to take helm as Chief Program and Community Engagement Officer. Today the Arizona Community Foundation has announced that Elisa de la Vara officially retires as of March 31, 2021 after a long and distinguished career in finance, politics, and philanthropy. Elisa leads the affordable housing initiative, impact investing program and the grants management division. She is also responsible for the leadership of staff, volunteers and consultants that guide the Community Foundation's Latinos Unidos Initiative, Black Philanthropy Initiative, and the Asian American Women's Giving Circle. Elisa officially joined the BPP Board in 2016 and currently serves as Board Chair. Elisa will continue in this role until her term expires in January 2022. Lisa Urias has a long history of community leadership and success in the business sector leading two communications related businesses. Lisa comes from Urias Communications, a national recognized multicultural marketing and communications agency and CoNecs North America where she served as Managing Partner. Additionally, Lisa Urias served on the Board of Directors at ACF for 8 years and as Chair of the Board's Public Policy Committee. Congratulations to Elisa de la Vara and Lisa Urias.

Working with local nonprofits to create greater equity in San Diego. Pamela Gray Payton is chief impact and partnerships officer and vice president of community impact for The San Diego Foundation, a community foundation and public charity that pools donations from individuals, families and businesses to support local nonprofit organizations. Pamela Gray Payton is interested in building bridges - the kinds of bridges that allow people to help each other improve their lives and create greater equity. As chief impact and partnerships officer and vice president of community impact for The San Diego Foundation, she's working with her colleagues to come up with new ways to support local nonprofits and give opportunities to local philanthropists who believe in equity. "Throughout my professional career, I've had the honor of working with phenomenal nonprofit organizations," says Gray Payton, who's worked with the University of San Diego, RISE San Diego, the Kim Center for Social Balance and others. "Whether the organization was working to introduce children to new cultural and... (read more)

Humanity at the border. By Morgan Smith. We left Santa Fe at 8 AM, my wife, Sherry and I with our two tiny dogs huddled in blankets in the back seat and a bag of sandwiches, apples, nut, brownies plus a cooler with drinks. The temperature was a bitter 11 degrees. It's about 325 miles to the border wall west of El Paso and Juárez and between Sunland Park, New Mexico and Anapra, Mexico where we hoped to interview and photograph the Mexican soldiers who have been stationed there to keep migrants from crossing. For a decade, I crossed the border at least once a month to document conditions in the Juárez area as well as tiny Palomas to the west but I have only crossed once since the pandemic began; this border wall idea was to be a substitute. It was 46 degrees when we reached the wall area at mid afternoon and we waited while a lengthy train passed. A Border Patrol officer was parked near the tracks and told us he had been working in this area for ten years and loved his work. He said that migrants were still crossing, over the wall with ladders or to the west where the wall ends at the beginning of the...(read more)

The San Diego Women's Foundation officially opens their cycle 21 Fellowship Program application. The SDWF is looking for emerging leaders who are employees of nonprofits located in San Diego County to participate in a two-year SDWF Fellowship program. Application requirements: Applicants must be currently employed by a San Diego nonprofit organization that has 501(c)(3) status; nonprofit professionals at any stage in their career may apply, but note that this program is typically most valuable for the emerging leaders in your organization; applicants should have sufficient flexibility or autonomy of their schedule to attend weekday events and meetings. Please see program expectations and requirements. If you're interested in this one of a kind opportunity to connect with other women in nonprofit organizations and input your expertise, please apply here.

March 30, Bank of America Program on Volunteerism. The Center for Nonprofits and Philanthropy at the Bush School of Government & Public Service cordially invites you to the 19th Annual Bank of America Program on Volunteerism on Tuesday, March 30, 2021, at 4:30 p.m. The event will be managed on Zoom. The 19th Annual Bank of America program will address "The Role of Nonprofits & Philanthropy in Fostering Equity For All." This year's program will focus on the role nonprofits and philanthropy have in fostering equity for all in a moderated panel discussion that offers perspectives from the philanthropic and corporate sectors. Panelists for this event are: Dr. Ruth Simmons, President of Prairie View A&M University, Mr. Rick Jaramillo, Houston Market Executive at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, and the Honorable Margaret Spellings, President and CEO of Texas 2036 and Former US Secretary of Education. Dr. Robbie Robichau, Assistant Professor, Bush School of Government & Public Service, will moderate the discussion on the importance of equity and how organizations can work towards providing opportunities for all. A brief question and answer session will following the panel discussion.

UC San Diego's U.S.-Mexico Forum 2025 taps into potential of cross-border collaboration. The Forum provides the Biden and López Obrador administrations with policy recommendations on trade and economy, energy and sustainability, strategic diplomacy, migration, and security and public health. Recent world events, including the election of President Joe Biden, the global COVID-19 pandemic and more, have many wondering, "What's next on the world stage?" Researchers at the Center for U.S.-Mexican Studies (USMEX) at the University of California San Diego took the opportunity at this pivotal juncture to rethink the relationship between Mexico and the U.S. The team, housed in the UC San Diego School of Global Policy and Strategy, worked to create the U.S.-Mexico Forum 2025, comprised of a group of USMEX researchers, Mexican and U.S. scholars, practitioners and experts. The Forum's report proposes a course for bilateral U.S.-Mexico relations during the four years (2021-2025) when Biden and Mexico's Andrés Manuel López Obrador will... (read more)

Become a non-residential Border Fellows program at the Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice. The University of San Diego recently launched a call for letters of interest for the non-residential Border Fellows program at the Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice. The program is designed for individuals in Southern California and Baja California working in academia, civil society, or the public sector to make the border region more peaceful and inclusive. The program is 12 months, during which time Fellows will receive an $850/month fellowship & $5K grant to support their work. The full details of the call are online and the deadline to apply is Feb. 22.

UTEP awarded $1M NNSA grant, will help prepare students for nuclear energy industry jobs. Students from The University of Texas at El Paso will have more opportunities to train for competitive jobs in the energy industry through a $1 million grant from the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). "This is a great, multifaceted opportunity for our students to expand their horizons and obtain training in an important national topic: energy," said Patricia Nava, Ph.D., dean of UTEP's College of Engineering. "Access to the national labs will facilitate research growth, in addition to expanding student employment opportunities. This project is an invaluable asset to our growing pipeline of students, providing entry to the professional workforce. This award will also enable us to fulfill the goal of creating technical expertise, as well as reinforcing our college's status of being a top provider of diverse engineering talent to the... (read more)

NADB, EPA, and SEPROA focus on reducing transboundary flows of sewage into New River. A virtual ceremony to announce the groundbreaking of wastewater rehabilitation works of the binational sanitation program for Mexicali, Baja California was held by the North American Development Bank (NADB), the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Mexican Section of the International Border Water Commission, the Baja California Watershed Division of Mexico´s National Water Commission (CONAGUA), and the Water Management, Treatment and Protection Agency for the State of Baja California (SEPROA). Within the framework of the program, the institutions have been collaborating over nine months to support the development and financing of two projects, totaling US $10.6 million, that address the rehabilitation of sewage lines and lift stations. The first project, Wastewater Collection System Improvements (Phase I) and... (read more)

Kino Border Initiative announces new Executive Director. The Kino Border Initiative (KBI) has announced that Joanna Williams will become its next executive director. On March 1st, 2021, she will replace Fr. Sean Carroll, S.J. who has been serving in this role for the past twelve years. Williams has served as the KBI's director of education and advocacy for nearly 6 years and in that time has designed and led programs critical to KBI's mission. Williams is deeply committed to binational and regional collaboration, including through her leadership role in the advocacy work of the Jesuit Migration Network of Central America and North America, of which the Ignatian Solidarity Network is also a member. She first joined the KBI community a decade ago as a full-time volunteer for several months. After that experience, she accompanied migrants in a variety of capacities including through Fulbright research on the reintegration of returned and deported migrants in the Mexican States of Jalisco and Puebla and work on the ACLU of Arizona's border rights program. She is a graduate of Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service and holds a master's degree in public policy from... (read more)

Become a non-residential Border Fellows program at the Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice. The University of San Diego recently launched a call for letters of interest for the non-residential Border Fellows program at the Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice. The program is designed for individuals in Southern California and Baja California working in academia, civil society, or the public sector to make the border region more peaceful and inclusive. The program is 12 months, during which time Fellows will receive an $850/month fellowship & $5K grant to support their work. Register for the Feb. 11 info session to learn more. The full details of the call are online and the deadline to apply is Feb. 22.

Grant will help improve health, education in Juarez: Tracy J. Yellen and Alfonso Marquez. COVID-19 has had a devastating impact on the residents of Ciudad Juárez. Over 30,000 residents are known to have contracted the disease and 2,500 more have died. Even more, Juarenses have been affected by the pandemic's economic impact, with thousands struggling to meet basic needs, as some lost employment as their workplaces closed, and others struggled to stay healthy and safe while continuing to work to provide for their families. Moments like these demonstrate the importance of local organizations with the relationships, skill and knowledge to collect and coordinate aid - organizations like Fundacion Paso del Norte, a sister foundation and fund of the Paso del Norte Community Foundation. Shortly after the pandemic shut down life along the border, the Fundacion Paso del Norte partnered with local nonprofits, business and philanthropic leaders to invest in personal protection equipment for health workers and medical supplies for hospitals and clinics designated to treat COVID cases. The Fundación also launched the campaign Unidos Podemos, in partnership... (read more)

New Bush School speaker series to explore border issues. The Mosbacher Institute's Border & Migration Lab is pleased to announce a new speaker series organized by Bush School of Government and Public Policy Assistant Professor Aileen Teague-The Other Side of the Border: Ties That Bind and Issues That Divide. The series will host two events this spring with practitioners working on the Border and in Mexico and Latin America. On February 16 at 6:00 p.m. Central Time, Mr. Alan Bersin will join us for a talk titled "U.S.-Mexico Border under President Biden." Mr. Bersin is the Inaugural Fellow of the Homeland Security Project at Harvard University's Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs. He served as Assistant Secretary for Policy & International Affairs and Chief Diplomatic Officer in the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS), as Vice President of INTERPOL for the Americas Region, and as Commissioner of US Customs and Border Protection. The next event will be on April 13 at 6:00 p.m., when Ms. Ginger Jacobs, an immigration attorney from San Diego and national speaker on the topic, will join us for her talk "Myth-Busting around Immigration and Asylum."

2020 was deadliest year for migrants crossing unlawfully into US via Arizona. Remains of 227 migrants found last year, said Humane Borders, while at least 7,000 have died along US-Mexico border since 1998. When the remains of two undocumented migrants were found in the desert of south-western Arizona last July, one body lay next to an arrow drawn in the sand, pointing north, with the word "HELP" written beneath. The men had perished while attempting to cross into the US from Mexico, according to border patrol. Out of a group of three, one survived and told the federal agents their human smuggler had left the other two behind in the remote wilderness area. "These people are not just numbers," said Tony Banegas, executive director of the Colibri Center for Human Rights, an organization in Tucson working to identify migrant remains and helps families find missing loved ones. "These are human beings with families and aspirations. They went to great lengths to make the journey, [only] to become... (read more)

California group wants to tear down portions of border wall to build binational park. Border wall construction officially came to a halt on Wednesday after an executive order from President Joe Biden. Now, a group in San Diego wants to take it a step further asking for portions of the barrier to be removed altogether. The idea is to take down the fencing and create a binational gathering place at what is now Border Field State Park on the southwestermost corner of the continental United States. This is an area known for sections of the wall extending into the surf in the Pacific Ocean. The park was first dedicated in 1971 by then First Lady Pat Nixon. "On that occasion, she said, 'I hope this is the first phase of what will become an international friendship park,'" said John Fanestil with Via International, a non-profit based in San Diego that claims to work across borders, engaging leaders to promote sustainable development in under resourced... (read more)

The Odd Couple: Joe Biden and Andrés Manuel López Obrador. By Morgan Smith. Imagine if someone called your people, "drug dealers, criminals and rapists." Imagine someone repeatedly claiming that you would pay for the wall between your two countries. Imagine someone dumping thousands of migrants on your border and expecting you to care for them. Imagine someone waiting until a prominent citizen of yours (Salvador Cienfuegos, ex-defense Minister) stepped off a plane in their country and then arresting that person without a word of warning to you? Despite all these insults, Mexico's President, Andrés Manuel López Obrador *(better known as AMLO) remained a Trump supporter. Although claiming to be fiercely independent, he seemed totally subservient to Trump. Even after the US elections results were repeatedly verified, he has struggled to reach out and congratulate the winner, Joe Biden. What does this mean for our two countries, two countries with so much in common and so in need of a strong working relationship between its leaders? Here is a list of some of the issues that need to be addressed. 1. On July 1, 2020... (read more)

Re-building a complex partnership: The outlook for U.S.-Mexico relations under the Biden administration. Fulfilling North America's Promise, by Earl Anthony Wayne, Career Ambassador (ret). North America must be a high priority for the new Biden Administration. President Biden understands well the issues, having devoted considerable time to the region as Vice President. However, sadly, given the Trump administration's approach, mutual trust has suffered badly with both neighbors. President Joe Biden, Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, known as AMLO, should take full advantage of Biden's arrival to rebuild confidence and establish cooperative work agendas on key economic and security issues. Looming challenges posed by Central American migrants heading north and Mexico's decision to undermine cooperation against drug trafficking only make the case stronger for focused attention. The Biden team should re-organize structures to take full advantage of the opportunities from North American cooperation as well as to... (read more)

Charter Oak hosting 'Uncaged Art,' an exhibit of detained migrant children's art. When immigrant children are detained in jails on the border, not knowing where their families are, what do they think of all day, while waiting to find out what will become of them? That is the focus of a virtual exhibit opening Jan. 26 at Charter Oak Cultural Center in Hartford, and the title of the exhibit tells it all. "Uncaged Art: Tornillo Children's Detention Center" features dozens of artworks created by children in a now-closed tent city concentration camp just south of El Paso, Texas. A recurring theme in the artworks: They want to escape the cages, see something or someone familiar, go to church and play with friends. "In the center, the kids played soccer one hour a day. It was the only time they got to be outside," said Dr. Yolanda Leyva, a history professor at University of Texas at El Paso, who curated the exhibit. "It was the part of the day they looked forward to the most." One of the artworks is a recreation of a soccer field made with old boxes and... (read more)

The Laredo Area Community Foundation Board of Directors awarded $50,000 to 10 different non-profit organizations in December 2020. The outreach grants were established for operating funds to those area non-profits impacted by the Covid-19 crisis. Applications were made available to all area charitable organizations in the fields of arts & culture, education, environment, health and social services. The Laredo Area Community Foundation acts as a driving force to develop a permanent endowment, to assess and to respond to emerging and changing community needs, to provide a vehicle and service for donors with varied interest and levels of giving, and to serve as a resource catalyst for charitable activities in the community.

Con Alma Health Foundation: Health equity and COVID relief. Q&A with Dolores E. Roybal, executive director of Con Alma Health Foundation. The first of four articles in the series During Pandemic, Rural Health Foundations Provide Financial Support, Technical Assistance, and Other Services. What is your foundation doing to support rural communities during the pandemic? Con Alma's mission is very much aligned in being aware of and addressing health rights and needs of the culturally and demographically diverse peoples and communities of New Mexico. What that means is that we have a focus on rural areas and communities of color from a health equity framework. As a health equity foundation, we are a statewide funder and have a big interest in working with underserved populations and helping to address gaps in services and needs. When COVID-19 hit our state and country and the world, because we're a private foundation we were able to pivot very quickly in terms of... ((read more)

The Bush School of Government & Public Service launches inaugural classes in Washington, DC. Texas A&M University's Bush School of Government & Public Service is launching its first classes at its new Washington, DC, teaching site. More than a dozen students have enrolled in classes in the Master of International Policy (MIP) degree program. Student orientation for the inaugural class takes place on Thursday, January 14, 2021, at 6 p.m. at the Bush School in Washington, DC. Classes begin on Tuesday, January 19, 2021. Due to current COVID-19 public health concerns, classrooms have been modified to promote social distancing during in-person learning. Students will be required to wear a face mask. Installation of protective shields will enable faculty to teach in-person classes while practicing current Centers for Disease Control COVID-19 health and... (read more)

Meet Melissa Floca, the Kroc IPJ's New Program Officer for Cross-Border Initiatives. In December 2020, Melissa Floca joined the Kroc School's Institute for Peace and Justice (Kroc IPJ) as Program Officer for Cross-Border Initiatives. In her role at the Kroc IPJ, Melissa will develop a portfolio of research and programming focused on creating a peaceful and inclusive U.S.-Mexico border region. To help the community get to know her better, Melissa answered the following questions about her career and life, and the path that led her to the Kroc School. What are the highlights of your career that led you to the Kroc School? After graduating from college, I decided to go to Mexico for six weeks to volunteer and take Spanish classes. That decision, over 16 years ago, set me on the path that brought me here. Before moving to San Diego, I spent a number of years in Mexico working in the private sector. As a consultant at McKinsey & Co. in Mexico City, I had the opportunity to work with clients in government and at... (read more)

Antidote to the COVID-19 Blues in Tijuana. It was a spectacle of sights, sounds and beeping horns on December 6 as Tijuana's cultural arts organization, Promotora de las Bellas Artes, staged the city's first drive-in, COVID-safe concert to bring some much needed joy during this unusual holiday season. The concert was a festive blend of South African, Mexican, Cuban and Christmas music featuring Sharon Katz & The Peace Train band, vocalist Samantha Garcia, and one of the youth choirs of Promotora's community outreach program. After only seeing one another and practicing via Zoom since March, it was a cheerful, but masked and socially-distant reunion, for the young singers who are trained by the Cuban conductor, Daria Abreu Feraud. This concert was graciously hosted by El Trompo Interactive Museum in its parking lot. Promotora de las Bellas Artes has been providing empowering arts programs in vulnerable areas of Tijuana for over 28 years.

The Border Innovation Challenge 2020 Competition Summary. The Border Innovation Challenge focuses on bringing to the spotlight promising solutions and technologies to meet the efficiency and security challenges of the regions ports of entry. The competition is led by UC San Diego's Rady School of Management with support from the Jacobs School of Engineering's Institute for the Global Entrepreneur and is sponsored by the Smart Border Coalition. The competition was open to students faculty, staff and recent alum (within 5 years of graduation) from colleges and universities along the US/Mexico border. The final event on December 1st was hosted by Alan Lilienthal, host of the KPBS podcast "Port of Entry" and included judges from outside organizations that were selected by Rady, IGE and SBC. Judges evaluated each presentation on technology/product, market opportunity, and impact on border issues/security efficiency. In addition, the audience chose their favorite. The winners were: Grand Prize ($7,000) - Luna Diagnostic, a rapid and affordable COVID-19 diagnostic at the border. Runner Up ($3,500) - Smart... (read more)

UTEP study forecasts favorable economic conditions for El Paso in next 30 years. The University of Texas at El Paso released its projections on El Paso's economy for the next 30 years. According to UTEP's Border Region Modeling Project (BRMP), projections are favorable for the border region in the coming years, despite seeing broad economic hardships during the pandemic. "Although the Borderplex regional economy is currently being battered by the unexpected global COVID-19 recession, long-run prospects for the region remain favorable," reads the report. "Historically, complete recoveries from severe downturns such as the current lockdown recession require five years." The new report is the first long-run economic forecast published by UTEP since 2010. It is co-authored by UTEP economics professor Tom Fullerton and BRMP associate director and staff economist Steven Fullerton. The report includes the region's... (read more)

Kids, Families and COVID-19: Pandemic Pain Points and the Urgent Need to Respond. This KIDS COUNT policy report examines how households with children are faring during the pandemic. Its findings are primarily based on surveys conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused widespread economic damage and isolated families in unprecedented ways. Parents have had to juggle both educating and caring for their children and millions of Americans have lost not just their jobs, but their sense stability, source of income and health care. To succeed now and after the pandemic, families must have good health, both physical and mental, and the health care to maintain it. They must also have food and the money to buy it; safe, stable housing and communities; education and the means to access it; and quality child care so that parents can work. Child well-being was slowly but steadily improving right after the Great Recession. Yet, troubling signs - indicating a halt or reversal of progress - were evident even before the coronavirus crisis took hold in the United States. One example: The share of children without health insurance ticked up from 5% in 2018 to... (read more)

The Paso del Norte Health Foundation announces call for proposals for Community Outreach Worker (promotora outreach) programs designed to address the dynamic COVID-19 pandemic. The Health Foundation has a 25-year history of thought leadership, collaboration and grantmaking to promote health and prevent disease in the Paso del Norte region. As modern lifestyle chronic diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer are leading causes death and disability, the Health Foundation's focus over this time has been on lifestyle behaviors, such as smoking, exercise, and nutrition that prevent or precipitate these diseases. Today, we face a communicable and infectious threat with the emergence of COVID-19. Non-profit agencies and units of government, including universities, that have demonstrated experience with promotora outreach and are within the Paso del Norte region are eligible to apply. The proposal must be submitted through the Paso del Norte Health Foundation online application system by noon on January 4, 2021.

ICF announces new Mexico Giving Guide 2021. In this new publication, the International Community Foundation (ICF) provides a list of organizations that have been vetted by our due diligence and program teams. These organizations represent the "best of the best." you will be impressed by the dedication and impact of these organizations! ICF's Mexico Giving Guide is very interactive, so feel free to click on any of the links which will direct you to our "Friends of" Funds and other important material, such as simple ways to give and legacy giving. During this time, the International Community Foundation has been committed to supporting the communities they serve through rapid response grants, program assistance, and organizational capacity-building. In FY2020, ICF provided 243 grants to 110 organizations in Mexico, totaling over $10.4 million. This grant total reflects our ICF's collective impact in education, health, human services, environmental protection, arts and culture, and community improvements that help improve the daily lives of people from urban to rural areas of Mexico.

Rapid migrant expulsions strain Mexican border community. This year U.S. Border Patrol agents have used a CDC public health order to rapidly expel thousands of migrants into Mexican border towns with little consideration for their countries of origin or their fears of persecution. And while humanitarian aid organizations are collaborating to help support stranded migrants, the resources available to them in some border communities are still extremely limited. "We do what we can, but it's never enough," said Jaret Ornelas, an education coordinator with the Kino Border Initiative in Nogales, Sonora. "Part of it is because civil society is picking up the cost of what the governments of both the U.S. and Mexico should be doing." From March 21, when the CDC announced the public health order, until October, almost 60,000 people were expelled across the Southwest border under Title 42 - a CDC health order that allows U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents to immediately expel migrants into their country of last transit without processing them. The Trump administration has claimed the order was implemented to prevent... (read more)

Grant opportunity for reducing marine litter at Mexico-U.S. or Canada-U.S. Borders. $5 million grant opportunity announced by NOAA. The United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has announced a grant opportunity with their Marine Debris Program (MDP), whose mission is to investigate and prevent the adverse impacts of marine debris. The North America Marine Debris Prevention and Removal Projects' grant opportunity will award up to $5 million in 2021 to fund projects that address marine debris issues in the U.S.-Mexico and U.S.-Canada border areas. The grant competition will prioritize: Projects that prevent or reduce the occurrence of marine debris; projects that remove marine debris from the environment; and projects that include collaboration between the United States with Mexico and/or Canada. If your organization is interested in submitting a proposal, these are due on January 29, 2021, 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time.

Elenita Porras, By Morgan Smith. Morgan Smith writes frequently on border issues and can be reached at Morgan-smith@comcast.net. "I go to all the most dangerous places," this calm but determined woman said to me as she maneuvered her old grey van through the streets of Juárez. It was July 28, 2010, my first trip to Juárez and I was scared. Then Elenita Porras stopped the van and pointed up a narrow alley. I could see a sign that said Hotel Rio Escondido and took a picture with a telephoto lens. "We're going in now. You have to see where I find all the young women who come to my program." She was referring to Reto a la Juventud, a program that she had started for young women with problems with drugs and prostitution. Nervously I followed. We entered a dark hallway and started up the stairs. At the first landing, she stopped and said, "This is where I found Esmeralda. She was dying." Elenita then explained that she had seen Esmeralda lying on the landing and had then... (read more)

Public Allies Arizona graduates inaugural Tucson cohort and celebrates Allies' resilience in 2020. "This road has not been an easy one," Marsha Brogden said. "Coming from a small town across the U.S. with everything I could fit in my car was a big test of bravery for me. I told myself if I could at least get here, I could do anything. With no family, very minimal friends, and no job lined up, I didn't know what was in store for me ... I knew I wanted to do something of value." Enter Public Allies Arizona, where this year Brogden and seven other emerging leaders became the first class of Allies in Tucson. As they near their program graduation, the cohort is ready to celebrate the program milestone and reflect on the success that has furthered their futures and that of the program. The ASU Lodestar Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Innovationâ€™s Public Allies Arizona program has changed the face and practice of leadership throughout Phoenix-area communities since 2006. In 2020 the program expanded to Pima County with a... (read more)

UTEP professor researches Mexico's immigration enforcement with help from grant. Jeremy Slack, associate professor of geography at UTEP, was awarded a $39,500 grant this past summer by Mexico's Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (CONACYT) and the University of Texas System for research on Mexico's immigration enforcement. Slack's project was one of the few social science projects that got funded this year. His research primarily focuses on analyzing Mexico's immigration enforcement practices, in order to understand how the country's government is stopping people from coming through the country and how it relates to people wanting to stay in Mexico or not. A caravan of Central American migrants has been making its way through Mexico to reach the United States. According to BBC News, in late 2018 the Enrique Peña Nieto administration offered temporary work permits to migrants who registered for asylum. But to qualify... (read more)

Mark Stuart: Nonprofits helped San Diegans during the pandemic. Let's help them at Thanksgiving. As someone who lived in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, for seven years, on every Nov. 19, I pause to remember President Abraham Lincoln's shortest and arguably most profound speech: his address memorializing the deadliest battle of the Civil War. While seven score and 17 years have passed since Lincoln delivered his remarks, I cannot help but reflect on his poignant words. And while the circumstances are vastly different, that president's call for action remains relevant in this moment. There is still a "great task remaining before us," and we must all come together to get through this. As our country faces a worsening pandemic and greater racial and cultural divide, it is important that we remember that we are stronger together and will only heal when we do so as one. That's why I find hope and encouragement in the work of our nonprofit community this holiday season. Nonprofit organizations are... (read more)

The Center for Nonprofits & Philanthropy (CNP) at The Bush School of Government and Public Service is pleased to announce the launch of the Certificate in Nonprofit Leadership (CNL). This Certificate has been curated for current nonprofit professionals, on-the-ground volunteers within the sector, current or prospective board members, or those considering a transition to the sector. Current CNL courses cover topics including nonprofit leadership, strategic management, board governance, and performance management. The Certificate is earned by completing five Continuing & Professional Education courses, which are exclusively offered online and take only three weeks at a time to complete. Participants may also take courses individually, based on their interests. All courses are designed for practitioners and are self-paced within a module structure. Continuing Education Units (CEUs) are available with every completed course through the CNP's partnership with Texas A&M University's office of Continuing & Professional Education.

Lidia S. Martinez recognized among Business Women of the Year. The San Diego Business Journal recognizes dynamic women business leaders who have contributed significantly to San Diego's workplaces and communities. Lifetime Achievement Award Honoree: Lidia S. Martinez. Lidia started her flight with Southweston July 16, 1990 - 30 years of great LUV! Her proud legacy she leaves behind is helping launch the National Multicultural Community Affairs department in 2003. Lidia was one of five individuals who successfully created the outreach platform for Southwest to invest and engage in communities of color. Their award-winning work opened a new opportunity to help create and launch the outreach efforts for all of the communities they now serve. Lidia helped her company set the standard for outreach and corporate social responsibility. In addition to Lifetime Achievement, winners will be announced for the following categories: Large Company, Medium Company, Small Company and... (read more)

Cuellar: North American Development Bank is changing lives along border. U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar has praised the work of the North American Development Bank. At a virtual board meeting of the bank, Cuellar said: "You have been changing lives on the U.S. side and on the Mexican side. That is why I am so supportive of NADBank, because of all the work you have been doing." Cuellar made his remarks from Mission, Texas, while the bank was holding its meeting in San Antonio. He connected with the board via Zoom. Cuellar noted how the reauthorization of NADB had occurred through the inclusion of language in the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement. At the same time, more capital was added, allowing the bank to fund more infrastructure projects along the U.S.-Mexico border. Cuellar said his only request, as the reauthorization took place, was that NADB streamline the process by which projects and funding are approved. "We got it done," Cuellar told the bank's board of directors. "We needed to up the money on capitalization. I always had money there but without the... (read more)

Tracy J. Yellen Recognized by Texas CEO Magazine. Tracy J. Yellen, CEO for the Paso del Norte Community Foundation and the Paso del Norte Health Foundation, was recognized by Texas CEO Magazine for her leadership responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. Ms. Yellen was among 25 Texas-based CEOs - and two El Pasoans - recognized by the magazine for rising to the challenges brought on by the pandemic - shifting business priorities and responding to community needs. Ms. Yellen led the Paso del Norte Community Foundation and Paso del Norte Health Foundation in their work providing health information, establishing funds to support the most vulnerable in the community, and providing grants to nonprofit organizations working on the frontlines. The Paso del Norte Health Foundation is celebrating 25 years of improving health and preventing disease in the Paso del Norte region. The Paso del Norte Community Foundation is a trusted partner for your charitable giving and a growing community of philanthropy. The foundation works with individuals, families, corporations, foundations and nonprofit organizations to improve health, education, social services, economic development and quality of life in the binational, tri-state region.

Please join EPA and Border 2020 program partners at various upcoming meetings in the border region. All meetings during this time are virtual due to COVID-19 challenges. See the Border 2020 calendar for more information and meeting updates. United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) Meeting, November 20, 2020 via Microsoft Teams, 10am to 11:30pm PT. For questions, reach out to Gabriela Baeza-Castañeda, baeza-castaneda.gabriela@epa.gov; San Diego - Tijuana Air Quality Task Force Meeting, December 16 2020, 10am to 12pm PT via Zoom Video Communications. Simultaneous interpretation will be available. For questions, reach out to Ryan Atencio, Ryan.Atencio@arb.ca.gov. Arizona- Sonora Waste and Enforcement Task Force Meeting, December 9, 2020, 10:30am to 12pm PT- via TBD. Simultaneous interpretation will be available. For questions, reach out to Emily Pimentel, pimentel.emily@epa.gov

Sempra to build LNG export facility in Baja. Sempra Energy is getting its much-desired liquefied natural gas export facility on the Pacific Coast of Mexico. The San Diego-based energy giant announced Tuesday a pair of its subsidiaries will build an export component to an already existing liquefied natural gas, or LNG, facility on the Pacific Coast of Baja California. When construction is completed, the Energía Costa Azul terminal near Ensenada will send natural gas by cargo ships to energy-hungry markets in Asia. Justin Bird, the CEO of Sempra LNG, said the announcement comes just one day after the company received the final permit needed from the Mexican government, which took about one year to obtain. "I'm ecstatic to get it done," Bird said. Last week Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador told reporters the permit from the country's Secretariat of Energy would be granted to Sempra, provided the company helps the government take excess gas off its hands. Bird said the permit did not come with conditions to buy gas or develop other... (read more)

Searching for innovative solutions in the region we share. SDSU's annual binational RE:BORDER Conference promotes collaboration and open dialogue to address challenges in the California-Baja California transborder region. Less than 22 miles from the San Diego State University campus is the San Ysidro Land Port of Entry at the U.S.-Mexico border. It is the busiest land port of entry in the Western Hemisphere with about 70,000 vehicles and 20,000 pedestrians crossing into the U.S. each day - including SDSU students. Though the physical border represents the physical separation of two sovereign nations, the daily exchange of economic and cultural activity through thriving bilateral trade and cross-border travel signifies that the transborder region of California and Baja California remains closely connected. Both are connected by their economies, societies and culture. Still, evolving challenges related to education, politics, public health, migration and innovation face the... (read more)

Carl Nettleton honored with top awards for journalism. San Diego's finest reporters, writers, artists, photographers, videographers and public relations professionals were honored Tuesday, Oct. 27, with the region's top awards in journalism and public relations communications at the San Diego Press Club's 47th annual Excellence in Journalism Awards. More than 500 awards in 130 categories and 10 divisions were announced. The online awards program streamed live from the San Diego Automotive Museum in Balboa Park on Facebook and Twitter. "The San Diego Press Club Excellence in Journalism Awards celebrates professionals whose research, writing, reporting and visual skills shed light on newsworthy topics that matter to us all," said Albert Fulcher, 2020 Press Club president. Carl Nettleton received two awards in the San Diego Press Club Excellence in Journalism competition last night. First place in the category Online and Daily Newspapers: Environment for the Triple Pundit Story "Is a Climate Pandemic the Future Reality?" and an Honorable Mention in the category PR, PIO, and Trade Publications: Newsletter for "The Nett Report."

San Diego Grantmakers to host Build Better Summit on 11/17. San Diego Grantmakers is joining forces with the San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation to bring together leaders from across sectors for a first of its kind virtual summit built to challenge thinking and inspire action. Join San Diego Grantmakers for a day-long exploration of the systems, strategies and resources it takes to build an economy rooted in equity for the San Diego region. Summit speakers will outline a clear vision of an equitable economy, and the policies and approaches to move us there, sharing the values they stand for, the issues and communities they stand with, and the systems they stand up to. Hear from experts on the foundational elements of an inclusive, equitable economy about the building blocks it takes to achieve. Learn from inspiring leaders of cross-sector collaborations that are changing systems towards an equitable economy, and be inspired by artistic performances from community members who will illuminate other dimensions of need they are witnessing. Leave with a clear understanding of practical solutions you can implement immediately towards resourcing an equitable economy, and a healthy dose of inspiration from the talented leaders that will bring these ideas to life.

9th annual U.S.-Mexico Border Mayors Summit. This year the San Diego-Tijuana megaregion is once again excited to host this important event with mayors from both sides of the border. The summit, co-chaired by the cities of San Diego and Tijuana, will focus on COVID-19, the response of border cities and the economic impact for the border region. Here is a tentative agenda of the summit activities (all times PST). Presenters and keynote speakers include: Denice Garcia, Deputy Director, Department of Government Affairs, City of San Diego; Rafael Fernandez de Castro, Director, Center for U.S.-Mexican Studies, UC San Diego; and Jaime Sepulveda, Haile T. Debas Distinguished Professor of Global Health and Executive Director of Institute for Global Health Sciences, UC San Francisco. The Border Mayors Panel on COVID Response include Panel Co-Chairs Consul Generals Sue Saarnio of Tijuana and Carlos Gonzalez Gutierrez of San Diego, Mayor Armando Cabada, City of Ciudad Juarez, Mayor Kevin Faulconer, City of San Diego, Mayor Dee Margo, City of El Paso, Mayor Trey Mendez, City of Brownsville, and Mayor Karla Ruiz McFarland, City of Tijuana. 27 oct 2020 10:00 AM (PST).

Catholic Extension, Kino Border Initiative host virtual event along border. Days after Pope Francis issued his encyclical "Fratelli Tutti" calling for people of goodwill to care for one another as brothers and sisters and not to erect new borders between people and nations, Catholic Extension announced a 2,000-mile act of prayer along the U.S.-Mexico border. Chicago-based Catholic Extension is partnering with the Kino Border Initiative, a ministry funded by Catholic Extension in the Diocese of Tucson, Arizona, to host and livestream "The March of the Children Seeking Asylum". The two organizations invited the public to participate in virtually "joining hands and hearts" in prayer to show unity and support for asylum-seekers. "As Catholics, we affirm the inherent human dignity of every person and the ability of migrants to seek security and safety for themselves and their families in the United States. Catholic Extension respects the right to seek... (read more)

La Luz de la Esperanza. By Morgan Smith. It was a great pleasure to be in Palomas, Mexico again. People were wearing masks and the town looked surprisingly prosperous. Even though the Pink Store had few customers, there were stores open on the main street and even a new restaurant called Mr. Sushi, Estilo Sonora. After a decade of border trips at least once a month, I hadn't been across since February and things can change rapidly. For example, I visited Reina Cisneros and her family, a family I have been helping for years and the boy, Rubén had grown so tall I didn't recognize him. He is the serious one of the family, the student and now is two years from completing high school. Can I find a way whereby he could go to college? His handsome older brother, Enrique dropped out before finishing high school, went to work in a bar and was stabbed in the neck and has barely survived. The key, however, was finding Esperanza Lozoya and her food program, La Luz de la Esperanza. I first learned of Esperanza through her sister, Lupita Otero who ran a food band in Columbus almost ten years ago. Their father, Andrew Sanchez was a humanitarian leader on the border and they obviously inherited his... (read more)

The Nonprofit Institute invites you to the 8th Annual State of Nonprofits and Philanthropy Summit, on October 29th: Together: Stories of Strength, Resilience, and Innovation. This year, in the spirit of our theme: TOGETHER: Stories of Strength, Resilience, and Innovation, The Nonprofit Institute is pleased to present the 2020 State of Nonprofit and Philanthropy Report and the 2020 Equinox Project's San Diego Regional Quality of Life Dashboard Report. We will also be engaging an expert panel of community voices to talk about new ways to track data on the state of urban neighborhoods in order to transform policy for populations that are disproportionately under-resourced. This year we bring together both reports highlighting their interconnections. We also explore opportunities to bring new quality of life data to the forefront with the RISE State of Urban Neighborhoods (SUNRISE) dashboard. Showcasing key trends in our region's quality of life, with a critical focus on issues of equity and the impacts of the pandemic. We will spotlight the roles of nonprofits and philanthropy in the region, and focus on strengthening our communities' response to the current crisis, with stories of strength, resilience and innovation.

Expand student exchange & training opportunities. 100,000 Strong in the Americas uses the principle of leveraged innovation with higher education institutions (HEIs) that demonstrate the greatest commitment and innovation toward increasing study abroad opportunities between the United States and countries in the Western Hemisphere. In applying for the Innovation Fund grants, HEIs will be asked to demonstrate how they will assert leadership in implementing the innovations proposed, how they will address on-campus barriers to student mobility, how they will maintain student engagement, and how they will commit to making concrete changes to expand access to study abroad as sending and/or hosting institutions. The 2020 Mexico-U.S. Innovation Fund Competition is made possible by the Mary Street Jenkins Foundation, the Coca-Cola Mexico Foundation, and Sempra Energy. Click here for eligibility and themes. The intent of the 2020 Mexico-U.S. Innovation Fund Competition is to award up to eleven (11) Innovation Fund Grants of up to $25,000 each to selected proposals. Informational Webinars: Wednesday, October 21, 2020 at 2:00 p.m. ET English - Register here! Thursday, October 22, 2020 at 2:00p.m. ET español - ¡Inscríbase aquí!

UTEP launches inaugural institute to boost career readiness. Career opportunities for students at The University of Texas at El Paso will be enhanced with the introduction of the campus' Employer-led Professional Development Institute (EPDI). The institute will provide students with opportunities to gain valuable professional insights and skills while interacting with more than a dozen global and local employers.The EPDI is one of the initiatives and programs available to UTEP students through funding by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act. A team of faculty and staff led by Laura Uribarri, assistant dean of the College of Business Administration, designed the institute to provide UTEP students an opportunity to develop career readiness for internships and full-time career possibilities during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. "One of the silver linings of this difficult period we are in is that we have everyone much more comfortable with virtual engagements and, as a result, we... (read more)

Announcing Program Director of Education and Opportunity Santa Fe: Sarah Amador-Guzmán. Sarah Amador-Guzmán joins the Santa Fe Community Foundation Team this week as Program Director of Education and Opportunity Santa Fe. Originally from El Paso, TX, Sarah has a Bachelor of Arts in Government and Foreign Languages from New Mexico State University and a Master of Science in Public Policy and Management from Carnegie Mellon University. Sarah lives in Santa Fe with her husband Juan, and two daughters, Valentina and Victoria. Her passion for Education Policy began a decade ago with her work at the New Mexico Legislative Education Study Committee, where she worked as a Fiscal Analyst overseeing the use of state funds in public education. She looks forward to helping Opportunity Santa Fe continue to flourish and navigate the challenges of this pandemic.

A Tribute to Myrna J. Deckert. For the lives she touched, contributions she made, and legacy she leaves. Myrna served as CEO of YWCA El Paso del Norte Region for more than 30 years, growing the organization from an annual budget of $150,000 when she joined in 1970 to over $35 million when she retired in 2002, making it the largest YWCA in the country. However, those numbers do little to actually illustrate the impact Myrna had on YWCA and the El Paso community. She was an incredible leader who is largely responsible for creating the YWCA we all know today. In her time as CEO, Myrna engaged thousands of leaders in supporting YWCA's mission of eliminating racism and empowering women. She built, grew, and improved YWCA programs so the organization could benefit the lives of countless people, including children, women, teens, and seniors. It was during her time that YWCA's Sara McKnight Transitional Living Center was founded. Myrna made it possible for that center to provide hundreds of women with a second chance at life. Myrna was also an incredible friend and role model. She inspired those around her to serve their community and her work impacted and benefited thousands of people. Anyone who has been served or touched by YWCA El Paso in the last 50 years has been impacted by Myrna Deckert. She never stopped loving the organization she served for almost four decades and she will be greatly missed.

Learning from two decades of grantee relationships. By Emily Young, Executive Director, The Nonprofit Institute at the University of San Diego. Decision-makers such as elected officials and institutional funders have historically ignored and underinvested in BIPOC communities. Fed up, those communities are calling on grantmakers to address the disproportionate impacts they are enduring from the COVID-19 pandemic, public health disparities, climate change, and more. Conscientious funders are asking big, long-overdue questions: how do grantmaking policies, practices, and cultures play a role in perpetuating imbalances in power and resource allocation? How can we, as grantmakers, address that? One answer: stronger relationships with grantees. The importance of strong funder-grantee relationships isn't a new concept, of course. For two decades, the Center for Effective Philanthropy (CEP) has worked with funders to assess and improve the strength of their relationships - and most recently advocated for funders to "listen well and listen differently to their grantees" in order to rise to the needs of the current moment. Members of the peer-to-peer initiative Trust-Based Philanthropy encourage funders to proactively work toward "a more equitable... (read more)

Michael Layton appointed to Johnson Center. Michael Layton, Ph.D., joined the Johnson Center on September 1, 2020 as the second holder of the W.K. Kellogg Community Philanthropy Chair. Before he began in this new position, Tory Martin, director of communications and engagement, sat down virtually with Dr. Layton to hear more about his expectations for the role and how he feels philanthropy can be a critical change-maker in communities. Meet Michael Layton. TM: Michael, welcome to the Johnson Center! Tell us a bit about yourself. ML: First, I am truly honored and deeply grateful by my appointment as the W.K. Kellogg Community Philanthropy Chair and to become part of the Johnson Center and Grand Valley State University. Throughout my career, I have moved between nonprofit and philanthropic practice and academia, and this position at this Center is - for me - the best of both worlds. Personally, I have felt warmly welcomed by my colleagues at the Johnson Center, despite the restrictions we face during the current pandemic. I am excited to become part of the Grand Rapids community and get to know Michigan. I know my canine companion, Frankie, is eager to explore the many parks in the area. Share a little about... (read more)

Julián Cardona, the conscience of Juárez. By Morgan Smith. "Julián, you have friends everywhere," I said to Julián Cardona as he came running over to me. It was May 5, 2012 and we were taking photographs in an area of abandoned houses near downtown Juárez. A truck had pulled up next to Julián and I had watched him talk intently with the driver and a passenger. He grabbed my arm. "No, you don't understand. They're cartel members, telling us we better leave. Let's go." We jumped in his car and raced off. This was Julián, soft spoken, humble but always ready to go to the most dangerous places. Now this extraordinary photographer who documented Juárez in its darkest days is gone, a sudden death at far too early an age. Born in Zacatecas in 1960, Julián came to Juárez at an early age and never left. When the author and colleague, Charles "Chuck" Bowden urged him to move to El Paso during the most dangerous years, he said, "No, this is my city. And the food is better." He grew up with grandparents, never got past the ninth grade, taught himself photography and worked as a photojournalist for El Fronterizo, El Diario and Reuters. He collaborated with Bowden on several books, had...(read more)

Border Innovation Challenge, Second Edition. Application deadline: October 10, 2020. The Border Innovation Challenge, now in its second year, is a business plan competition focused on the challenges presented by the international border. This competition focuses on bringing to the spotlight promising solutions and technologies to meet the efficiency and security challenges of the region's ports of entry among others. Supported by the Smart Border Coalition, the program is presented through a partnership of the Rady School of Management and the Jacobs School of Engineering, and is open to students, faculty, staff, and recent alumni (no more than 5 years post-graduation) from universities along the US/Mexico border region. The competition awards cash prizes totaling $12,500 to support new innovative ideas that meet challenges related to wait times, cargo operations, port management,use of current infrastructure, financial impact, water pollution, and COVID-19 public health related issues that impact border operations. Social innovation ideas and those with or without prototypes are encouraged to apply! What challenges are you looking to solve? Accurate... (read more)

"There Is No Mercy." As the coronavirus descended on the border, the Trump administration escalated its crackdown on asylum. A short walk from the border, in the Mexican city of Nogales, Sonora, sits a modest building packed with long, cafeteria-style tables. The comedor, as it's known locally, is clean and inviting, with space for up to 60 guests. The walls are decorated with hand-painted images of Christ and his apostles, done in the style of a children's book. Tucked away in one corner of the room are medical supplies, stacked and organized in plastic bins. Sister María Engracia Robles Robles, a nun with the Missionary Sisters of the Eucharist, floats from the kitchen into the common area, serving hot breakfast and lunch to anyone who needs it. The comedor was born out of work Robles and two other nuns began in 2006. At the time, Arizona was the epicenter of migration along the border and the site of a major humanitarian crisis. While people headed north were dying in the desert in record numbers, a growing deportation machine was sending... (read more)

Mexican president targets U.S. philanthropy, but it's Mexican civil society that could take the hit. By Michael Layton. On Friday August 28, 2020, four days before I officially became the W.K. Kellogg Chair for Community Philanthropy at the Johnson Center, I knew what the topic of my inaugural blog for this platform would be. That day, Mexico's president, Andrés Manuel Lopez Obrador, or AMLO, as he is known, shared the results of what he termed an "investigation" into the funding of nine non-governmental organizations (NGOs) who have opposed his principal infrastructure project, the Mayan Train (Tren Maya) (Presidency of the Republic, 2020a). AMLO claimed that the organizations had clandestinely received almost $14 million in grants specifically to oppose this project from five U.S. foundations, including Ford, Rockefeller, the National Endowment for Democracy, ClimateWorks, as well as the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. It is important to state upfront that all the recipient organizations vehemently deny his allegations. Given that my chair was endowed jointly by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and the Kellogg Company 25-Year Employees' Fund, and that I have worked over the last two... (read more)

Local pizzeria near border 'struggling' as US-Mexico travel restrictions extended into October. A San Diego-area pizza restaurant manager says revenues are down 80% at his shop located near the U.S.-Mexico border since travel restrictions were put in place this year to limit the spread of the coronavirus. "We're struggling, we're struggling day to day," said Enrique Cortez, manager of Maya's Gourmet Pizza in San Ysidro. The border has been closed for all nonessential travel since mid-March. Closures have been extended each month since as public health officials largely have struggled to get the pandemic under control through much of the spring and summer. Restrictions were scheduled to be lifted early next week until officials Thursday announced they again are being extended, now until Oct. 21. For nearby businesses like Maya's, it's been rough, particularly in a year with plenty of other difficulties for restaurants. "You normally see like a 100 people per minute walking by," Cortez said. "Right now, 10, if we're lucky, so it's pretty hard." But Gustavo De La Fuente, executive director of the San Diego-Tijuana Smart Border Coalition, said that from a public health standpoint, travel restrictions are "valid" to limit the spread of the virus. "It is hard to digest, I guess, in a... (read more)

Philanthropy Southwest 2020 Annual Conference: Roadshow Edition. It's one day. Eight cities. A million ways to impact. For the past 72 years, Philanthropy Southwest has built a legacy of connection and 2020 is no exception. For the first time in their history, Philanthropy Southwest is bringing the 72nd Annual Conference to your doorstep. Gather regionally in one of eight cities across the Southwest to connect in-person with other funders and collectively livestream three general sessions and headline speakers. This year's format has been adapted to fit the needs of PSW members with local in-person and digital streaming options all together on one day: October 21, 2020. Join a small, in-person gathering of regional funders in a city near you: Houston, Denver, Tulsa, Fort Worth, Little Rock, Albuquerque, Midland or Phoenix. Don't forget to register by Sept. 30 for the early bird discount.

Binational showcase highlights street art in pandemic times. Muralists in San Ysidro and Tijuana participate in binational exhibits. The pandemic is preventing people from visiting galleries, so why not bring art to the streets? It was under such a premise that the binational exhibition of urban art Muros/Walls was born, organized by the Front Gallery from Casa Familiar and the Municipal Institute of Art and Culture of Tijuana (IMAC). The collection brings together the talents of San Diegan and Tijuanan muralists. The original idea was for muralists from South County to cross the border to paint on walls in Tijuana and vice versa. However, this exchange was cut short by land travel restrictions imposed by the Mexican and U.S. governments to reduce the spread of COVID-19. In San Ysidro, artists Jorge Mendoza, Juan Carlos Galindo, Fifí Martínez, Michelle Guerrero and Mary Jhun participated. In Tijuana, Ariana Escudero, Paulo Villamil and Javier Farrera joined. On the U.S. side... (read more)

Announcement from Santa Fe Community Foundation Board Chair Lisa Enfield. Dear Santa Fe Community Foundation fundholders, partners, and friends: On behalf of the Santa Fe Community Foundation Board of Directors, I am pleased to announce that Sue Coliton has been appointed Interim President and CEO while the Board conducts a national search for its next CEO. The Foundation has been fortunate to be led by Vice President Christa Coggins, who assumed the role of Acting CEO when Bill Smith stepped down. We owe a debt of gratitude to Christa and the entire management team for filling in during a very critical time to ensure Foundation activities and COVID-19 responses continued without interruption.Sue's experience and capabilities make her an ideal leader during this transition period while the search committee identifies the right person to launch the Foundation into its next 40 years. Sue is a respected philanthropy executive who has had an active career in Seattle. Relocating to Santa Fe, Sue has been a board member of the Santa Fe Community Foundation, serving on... (read more)

EPA announces short-term projects to plug border sewage flow. Emphasizing the "unprecedented" bipartisan cooperation between local and state governments, Border Patrol and the International Boundary & Water Commission, EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler announced short-term projects Wednesday to plug the international sewage flow across the U.S.-Mexico border. The two projects - which will cost $25 million and are funded by the EPA's Border Water Infrastructure Program - will control sewage and wastewater, sediment and trash that flows from the Tijuana River across the U.S.-Mexico border into San Diego, Wheeler said during a press conference Wednesday at the U.S. Coast Guard station in San Diego. They are separate from the $300 million earmarked in the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement for wastewater infrastructure projects along the U.S.-Mexico border. San Diego leaders are lobbying for most of the USMCA funds to be spent to stop the sewage flow from Tijuana, something Wheeler acknowledged Wednesday, saying "most of it will come here." "We are working with Mexico and want to make sure we are... (read more)

Eric S. Cohan appointed as Consul General in Cd. Juarez, Mexico. Eric S. Cohan began his tenure as the Consul General of the United States in Ciudad Juarez in August 2020. He came to Mexico from Islamabad, Pakistan, where he was the Minister Counselor for Consular Affairs. Prior to that, he worked as a senior advisor in the Bureau of Consular Affairs in Washington, and before that, he spent four years as the Deputy Principal Officer / Consular Section Chief in Ciudad Juarez. Mr. Cohan's earlier assignments were in Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Venezuela, the Office of Visa Services, and the Bureau of Legislative Affairs. Before entering the U.S. Foreign Service, Mr. Cohan was an investigator and supervisory investigator with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, taught math and science in Arkansas, and worked as an engineer in Pennsylvania. He holds a bachelor's degree in Engineering from the University of Virginia and a master's degree in National... (read more)

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