BCA OFFICERS ELECTED: At the regular BCA Board of Directors meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 17, a new slate of officers was elected for a two year term. Our President, Cecilia Quade is a retired nurse whose last position was CEO of a hospice in Indianapolis. She and her husband Richard have a home in Rio Rico and love exploring Arizona and Sonora with BCA. (Ask Richard to show you some of his pictures from birdwatching ventures.) Vice-president Marty Bronstein lives in Tubac where he continues to run an online business selling Japanese prints. Marty came to Arizona from Chicago after a career in information technology and banking. Treasurer John James’ career was in administration and technology in higher education, including a stint as librarian at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire. John also volunteers for the Tubac Center for the Arts and the Tubac Historical Society. Graduate Intern Leila Castro will serve as Recording Secretary and Jerry Haas as Secretary. Jerry will also continue as volunteer Executive Director. Other BCA Board members are Bob Reid, Nancy Bennett, Pat Trulock, Larry Mello, Jim Hoff and Diane Brooks. Board member terms are for three years but can be renewed once for a total of six years. Officers serve for two years. BCA was incorporated in December 2013 and received its approval as a charitable non-profit (501 c 3) a year later.    Jerry Haas, Secretary

We are pleased to announce that BCA has established a permanent endowment fund to secure the future of social investment in the border regions of the Santa Cruz River Valley. The mission of this fund is to provide an ongoing source of funding for social investments to promote learning, communication, and cultural exchange within the border region. A significant incentive for starting this fund came in the form of a matching grant from the Greater Green Valley Community Foundation (GGVCF). With this grant, GGVCF matched dollar-for-dollar the first $12,500 contributed by BCA, giving us an initial balance of $25,000. In addition to the matching grant, GGVCF will provide the financial administration of the endowment, with BCA retaining exclusive authority for the selection of grants. This arrangement will help BCA “hit the ground running” with a viable endowment that can start to make an impact almost immediately. Additional funding for the Endowment will be derived primarily from legacy donations and major contributions. Grants funded by the endowment will focus on projects designed to achieve quantifiable and lasting social outcomes consistent with the values of BCA and which cannot adequately be supported using normal BCA operational funding sources. In order to take advantage of the unique matching grant and to get the BCA Endowment started on the road to lasting success, interested members of BCA and the broader Borderlands community are invited to contact the BCA office for more information or to schedule an in-person meeting to discuss the endowment. Jim Hoff, BCA Board member 

Whenever I’ve asked about the best places to go in Mexico, I know that pretty soon I’ll be hearing about Oaxaca. Friends describe this region in southern Mexico with a soft warm glow in their eyes and a wistful sigh. The food, the culture, the people, the fantastic colors and stunning sights all seem beyond description. The Lonely Planet guidebook says this about Oaxaca: “A bastion of indigenous culture, it is home to the country’s most vibrant crafts and art scene, some outstandingly colorful and extroverted festivities, a uniquely savory cuisine and diverse natural riches.” On Tuesday, January 15 BCA will give you a chance to explore this region, thanks to a visit by a well-known cultural interpreter at the West Center in Green Valley. Porfirio Gutiérrez is a Zapotec artist but also a highly respected advocate, researcher and ethnic ambassador for Oaxaca. The story of his art has been told in publications such as the New York Times and through media outlets including PBS, Univision and the Smithsonian Institute’s NMAI. Plan now to attend this FREE event on the morning of January 15 from 9:30 to 11:00 at the West Center. Please register through BCA’s website to assure your seat. Recent article in the NY Times. JerryHass Click here for a recent New York Times Article    

Our October 23 gathering at Canoe Ranch Golf Resort was a huge success with over 90 people registered. We welcomed US Consul General Virginia Staab and Greater Green Valley Community Foundation Executive Director Michelle Phillips, and then heard brief updates on FESAC from Alma Cota de Yanez and Luis Torres. The crowd loved hearing Richard Collins, author of the book Riding Behind the Padre: Horseback Views from Both Sides of the Border, tell stories about riding with others as part of Los Caminos de Kino.  His dry humor and insightful commentary on the current situation kept us all fully engaged, so much so that we have invited him back next year. Copies of his book are available in the BCA office; the $20 donation will go to Kino Border Initiative. 

SPAIN 2019

May 27-June 8

Madrid - Caceres - Merida, - Sevilla - Cadiz - Cordoba - Castilla La Mancha

Extremadura and Andalucia

Secure your spot!

2018 BORDERLAND FORUMS

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For more information on our tour schedule and Borderland Forums

visit us bordercommunityalliance.org

At the beginning of the month on October 2 ^nd and the 3 ^rd Alex LaPierre, Mike Foster, Angela Gervasi and Leila Castro traveled to Magdalena, Sonora to begin preliminary filming for the BCA documentary that is being funded by a National Park Service Grant. We were there for the days leading up to the Fiesta and we got to see multiple groups of people walking and riding horses on their way to pay respects to Saint Francis. Once we arrived to Magdalena the main square was full of street vendors, tents, and people. We had the opportunity to talk to some people about their journeys and to interview them about the overall significance of the tradition. We were able to film various scenes and we are excited for what the future of this documentary will Read more- Magdalena Pilgrimage

BCA BOOK CLUB

If you are interested in reading books about the Borderlands and about border issues, fiction and nonfiction, you may want to sign up. Monthly meetings may be attended in person or virtually. Group size will be kept small, so email me and we’ll get you matched up. There’s so much good stuff to read out there!                                    

  Jerry Haas – jndhaas@gmail.com

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED:

BCA is looking for volunteers to help host various events and receptions, including Borderlands Forum classes, tours and special gatherings. If you are interested, please fill out and return a Volunteer Application or call the office (520-398-3229). Thanks!

Click here for application

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