The ADA turns 32: Remembering Its Legacy
One thing Juan Carlos Lopez remembers about growing up during the ’80s in McAllen, Texas, was the lack of ramps. Lopez uses a wheelchair and recalls that many of his childhood experiences were limited by the inaccessible built environment of public spaces such as parks.
Pop Up’s Pop Off; Vendors Against McAllen Crackdown on Markets
Open air markets gained popularity because of the COVID-19 restrictions placed on indoors spaces. They became a lifeline for many but now the City of McAllen is cracking down on these temporary events. Read more on how vendors are organizing to have their voices heard.
The Trans Crisis: South Texas Transgender Community Hopes for a Better Future
The transgender community has been oppressed by society for decades and even in 2022, the challenges they face seem unrelenting. At just the start of the year in February, Texas governor Gregg Abbott ordered that families and providers of children seeking gender-affirming care be criminalized and investigated, which was then followed by 15 other states with similar agendas.
Give Transphobia the Boot, Protect Trans Youth
Trucha in support and collaboration with GENTex, RGV Trans Closet, and South Texas Equality Project (STEP) launched a campaign to “Give Transphobia the Boot and Protect Trans Youth!” Read more about the campaign and how to support!
“Smart” but Harmful: The Risks and Implications of Surveillance Technologies in the U.S.-Mexico Border
For the past 16 years, federal border authorities have deployed surveillance and policing technologies along the U.S.-Mexico border in an attempt to “strengthen” border security. Nicknamed the “smart wall”, this digital barrier is composed of a variety of experimental tools including robot dogs, aerial drones, sensors, surveillance towers…
ART AND HEALING; ON AQUI DESCANSABA BY JESSIE BURCIAGA
Share on facebook Facebook Share on twitter Twitter Share on linkedin LinkedIn Words by Josue Rawmirez In Aqui Descansaba, on display at the San Benito Cultural Heritage Museum, artist Jessie Burciaga uses art to speak on the disappearances of individuals along the frontera and to heal from his personal experience with the subject. Aqui Descansaba […]
MURAL MADNESS REDUX
Half a year since the City of Brownsville announced the SpaceX funded mural program a local Rio Grande Valley artist has yet to be named. It begs the question, “How long does it take to find a “worthy” artist in the RGV to paint the last mural funded by Elon Musk?”
COMMENTARY: DELIVER MELISSA LUCIO FROM DEATH
Most of us know the bible story: an innocent person sentenced to death by the state and crucified for crimes that didn’t occur. Melissa Lucio, an innocent Harlingen mother, will be executed by the state in 10 days– even with lots of questions about her open case.
SEVEN MONTHS IN, THIS IS HOW SB8 IS AFFECTING THE RGV
SB8 has been in effect since Sept. 1, which is a six-week abortion ban in Texas. Before the bill, it was difficult to get an abortion in the state but not impossible. After the ban, more and more uncertainty followed those who sought one.
COMMENTARY: IGNORING THE ELEPHANT, IMPERIALISM AND IMMIGRATION
One of the ugliest images of 2021 was the Border Patrol horsemen attack against dark skin Haitian immigrants in the river near Del Rio. Evoking painful parallels to centuries of state violence against Black and brown bodies in this part of the country and elsewhere.