“If you don’t go through the bad times, you don’t know what good times are.”

I interviewed my AVID high school teacher and began by asking her about a life changing event, leading to her story and how it affected her and some advice for students on what she’s learned.

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Patricia Garcia and Veronica Perez

Friends and colleagues Patricia Garcia (42) and Veronica Perez (41) discuss the importance of family and their community project Dirt y Girls Compost. Dirt y Girls Compost collects compost in El Paso, Texas and returns the soil for their neighbors...

Jenny and Emma talk about the jumper Jenny’s grandmother made her that she never wanted to wear.

“The jumper had a little bib on it…like overalls, but not like overalls.” When Jenny (on the right) is in middle school, her grandmother, a tailor, makes her an ill-fated jumper. Despite hiding it in the back of her closet,...

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Melissa Landfield and Eileen Greenbaum

Melissa Landfield (34) and her mother, Eileen Greenbaum (69), talk about growing up with art in their lives, the influence of Eileen's mother, Helen Greenbaum, who became a painter later in life, and Eileen becoming a sculptor after she retired...

People of the Rio Grande Valley Border Towns: Mitch

People of the Rio Grande Valley: Mitch. Artist Mitch Darte and I talk about the loss of her Mother and how it propelled her into her flourishing career in painting. Mitch was a high school art teacher, and after losing...

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Erin Miller and Ginny Cady

Erin Miller (42) talks with her mother Ginny Cady (69) about Ginny’s experience losing her mother at seven years old, how that affected her childhood and how she honors her mother through her own mothering style. Ginny recounts memorable moments...

People of the Rio Grande Valley Border Towns: Anonymous 9

Anonymous 9 tells us about her happiest and scariest moment in her life, about growing up in a Colonia, about who she aspires to get her PHD, and how her and her husband fell in love.

People of the Rio Grande Valley Border Towns: Marisol "When the Dreamer stuff passed it was a like an answered prayer…"

People of the Rio Grande Valley Border Towns: Marisol Roten. Marisol, a Mother of 3, and I have a conversation about her experiences growing up in the Rio Grande Valley. The experience of growing up without her biological father, having...

Never stop believing…

Mother, daughter interview discussing teenage pregnancy, decision making, and the notion of never stop believing in yourself.

Abuela y Sus Experiencias

Vivian Welson is the 86 year old grandma of Isabella O’Brien. She currently lives in England as a first generation immigrant. She grew up speaking Spanish and was forced to move at 10 years old from Argentina to Uruguay because...

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Kate Keenan, Shannon Seaton, and Carl Garcia

Friends Kate Keenan [no age given], Shannon Seaton (49), and Carl Garcia (31) discuss family memories, September 11th, and growing up in a border town.

People of the Rio Grande Valley Border Towns: David "There is a legacy beyond social status."

People of the Rio Grande Valley Border Towns: David. David Withrow is the successful owner of the local cafe, Agrarian Coffee in McAllen, TX. David is a father and husband with a penchant for the refined culinary palette. David speaks...

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Kerry Doyle and Professor León De la Rosa Carrillo

Colleagues Kerry Doyle (53) and Professor León de la Rosa Carrillo (45) discuss how they met, their art that reflects the Ciudad Juarez and El Paso border, and transborder ethics.