Border Community Alliance's mission is dedicated to bridging the border and fostering community through education, collaboration and cultural exchange. |
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Hi all,
My name is Sophia Zarafshani and I was born and raised in Austin, Texas. After graduating high school in 2018, I moved to Tucson to go to the University of Arizona. I am a current junior majoring in Latin American Studies and minoring in Spanish and Pre-Law. What drew me to the UofA was their extensive border studies program. The opportunities to study the border region and take specialized classes was an opportunity I wanted to take even being away from home. In the future I hope to pursue a career in immigration law to aid those in need of citizenship specifically from Mexico or Latin America.
Initially, I heard about BCA through my Latin American Studies program. Once I saw the email regarding the internship position at BCA, I immediately did a quick google search. I was super impressed and the mission statement of wanting to bridge the border and end the stereotyping of the border region drew me right away. Being new to Tucson and Arizona in general I wasn’t very familiar with all the different nonprofits and organizations. However, being from Texas and Texas being a border state it's easy to recognize how grazed over border cities can become. As a Latin American Studies student and someone who would like to pursue a career in the border region and work with the people in these border communities, BCA felt like a crucial way to gain first-hand experience into this world outside the classroom.
Currently, I am the Development intern at BCA. This means that I research grants to find additional funding opportunities to support BCA’s mission. I have also gotten the chance to do some grant write-ups and analyses. In addition, I have been working with other BCA staff to look into fundraising strategies and create materials to support these fundraisers. This has been a way to be creative through brainstorming and finding ways to advocate for BCA’s vision on social media platforms.
Since interning with BCA, I have learned how important an organization such as BCA is in the border region. More specifically, BCA is the only non-profit in Arizona that has created this particular binational relationship with FESAC in Nogales, Sonora. Having this relationship with FESAC across the border prohibits a ‘pass-through’ of donations. This makes it possible for BCA to support NGOs on the other side of the border, which may otherwise not be possible. BCA is so vital in creating an accurate narrative when it comes to Mexico, which is something I have been able to experience directly. Programs generated by BCA such as ‘Let’s Speak Spanish’ and the Borderlands Literature and Film Circle allow people on the US side of the border to expand their knowledge and connect to the other side of the border.
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Sophia Zarafshani
BCA Intern
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Interns will reflect on and share what they have learned throughout their internship journey.
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When: Dec. 4 @ 5pm
Where: Zoom
Zoom Code: 810 620 25106
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To read the full Social Investment Profile interview with Lorenia Zamora of Taller de Costura, Centro Comunitario Guadalupano , click here.
Interview and Social Investment Profile by: Ashley Avila, BCA intern.
To make a Social Investment towards the Nogales Sewing Workshop: Centro Comunitario Guadalupano, please click here.
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US Postal Service Address for checks:
Border Community Alliance
P.O. Box 1863
Tubac, AZ 85646
Giving Tuesday is a global generosity movement unleashing the power of people and organizations to transform their communities and the world.
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December Borderlands Forum Virtual Programming
BCA has three special programs lined up for you in December. We invite you to register, participate and make a donation towards the nonprofit to support our cultural programming!
If you need help registering for these events or if you've never done an online class before and want a little coaching, please call Suzy at
520-398-3229
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Cross-Border Bird & Habitat Conservation in the Borderlands
by Jennie Duberstein, Ph.D.
Join Jennie Duberstein of the Sonoran Joint Venture for this special presentation highlighting her work across borders to conserve birds and habitats in the southwestern U.S. and northwestern Mexico. This Zoom presentation, where the fundamental crossborder nature of this important work will be outlined, will also be followed by a live Q&A for all participants.
Virtual Presentation / Q&A Session on
(With RSVP, link to Zoom meeting provided via email the day prior to the event)
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Padre Kino Speaks Truth To Power In Defense of The O'odham People
by Mark O'Hare
This year marks 325th anniversary of decisive events in the life of Padre Eusebio Francisco Kino, the pioneer Jesuit missionary and explorer of Northwest New Spain. In 1695, after restoring peace between O'odham insurgents and Spanish colonists, Kino rides on horseback 1,500 miles in 53 days to Mexico City to speak truth to power. There in the capital of New Spain, Kino secures his uneasy peace with his defense of the O'odham people and continues his decade-long lobbying effort to revive the Spanish settlement of the Californias.
Mark O'Hare presents the remarkable story of how Padre Kino worked in today's Borderlands of Sonora and Arizona keeping peace on the Spanish frontier while influencing decisions being made in the halls of power in Mexico City, Madrid and Rome. Mark is a community historian and a graduate of the Department of Anthropology at the University of Arizona. He is editor of the Padre Kino website at www.padrekino.com
Virtual Conversation / Q&A session on
(With RSVP, link to Zoom meeting provided via email the day prior to the event)
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Ask any Nogalense (citizen of Nogales, Sonora) for a symbol representative of the city's identity, and they will likely acknowledge the border community's tall statue of a man spearing a creature at its feet which is directly behind another statue of the nineteenth century Mexican president, Benito Juarez. This 'monument to reason' as it is known has a fascinating story and symbolism behind its imagery which will be discussed in this Zoom forum on the iconic 'Mono Bichi' statue with Tucson architect and professor Robert Vint who consulted on its precarious yet successful transfer to its present location in 2009.
Virtual Conversation / Q&A session on
(With RSVP, link to Zoom meeting provided via email the day prior to the event)
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Interview by Dar Goatley
What inspired you to get engaged with BCA?
My familiarity with the Mexican people dated back to when I was growing up in North Dakota, the state I called home for many years. Migrant farm workers came from Mexico and Texas to North Dakota every year to work in the beet fields of the Red River Valley. I recall the hard-working, respectful and friendly people. When my wife and I moved to Green Valley, we felt grateful to now live near our Mexican neighbors and be part of the Sonora-Arizona community.
How did you get involved with BCA?
I heard about BCA from a friend, who had attended the BCA Nogales Tour. I went on the Magdalena tour and I loved Alex, who is encyclopaedia of history! I also attended an educational breakfast. Learning about the borderland awakened an interest in me and I jumped right into volunteering.
How long have you been involved with BCA?
I have been volunteering for BCA since 2015, along with my wife, Sandy Lavoi. We have helped with tour registration, educational forums and represented BCA at community events. I accepted the position as a Board Member in 2020.
What life experiences and skills have you been able to share with BCA?
I worked in the electrical business as a manager. I learned the importance of treating people right. It is the best way to get things done. I also grew-up learning to treat all people well. I believe this is also the philosophy of BCA - to treat all people well.
How does BCA reflect your personal humanitarian values?
First of all, there is no such thing as an illegal person. People should not be labeled and BCA sees people of different cultures and nations as valuable human beings. I also love the rich culture of the Mexican people, including the Day of the Dead and the wonderful food and music of Mexico. BCA celebrates the people and culture of Mexico. Education is an effective way of helping people to question their beliefs and prejudices about others. BCA educates the public by introducing them to the Mexican community so close to us. This allows everyone to make their own conclusions. BCA also invests in the important efforts of social agencies in Sonora, Mexico, such as the Wheelchair Factory and other agencies working to help people in their community. I believe in investing in people, so that they can help themselves, which is what BCA promotes.
How have you been impacted by your involvement with BCA?
BCA has enriched my life. I value being a part of an organization that tries to correct the misinformation about the borderland. I know that we can really make a difference. I love seeing the excitement from others, who learn about the borderland and the people. I have been introduced to the wonderful color, the music, and the food of Mexico!
How would you like to see BCA move into the future?
People getting together and sharing their cultures is the heart of BCA, but unfortunately this is all on hold due to COVID. Once, the world is safe again, I would like to see the continued development of the educational events and cultural tours. I would like to see BCA support the development of similar organizations in other border cities throughout the southwest United States. To meet these objectives, we will need more staff and more volunteers. I would also like to see the nurturing of volunteers within a strong volunteer program in BCA.
I’m waiting for the end of COVID so that we can back to our mission!
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We would like to express our thanks to all of those who participated in BCA's Let's Speak Spanish Program! We are also grateful to the team of faciliators under the leadership by BCA board member Jim Hoff who were able to sucessfully transition this popular Spanish language workshop into the virtual format.
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Let’s Speak Spanish to Grow in 2021!
BCA is pleased to announce that the popular Let’s Speak Spanish program will return in 2021 with several new additions.
Getting Started in Spanish
Based on feedback from previous learners, we will add a special 3-session program to better prepare first-time Spanish learners for Let’s Speak Spanish. This new program will emphasize pronunciation and important aspects of the Spanish language, along with an opportunity to practice many of the key vocabulary words used in Let’s Speak Spanish. The sessions will be held online for three consecutive days (Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday) the third week of January from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM Arizona time. Because the program may be helpful for first-time Spanish learners, it will be offered at no charge to anyone who registers for Let’s Speak Spanish 2021. The online sessions also will be recorded for access by learners who may miss a session.
NOTE: To participate for this course, you must register for Let’s Speak Spanish 2021 (described below).
Let’s Speak Spanish 2021
The 2021 version of Let's Speak Spanish will feature the class materials and exercises used this fall with a few additions and refinements. Starting the fourth week of January, the program will run for seven weeks, with a single 90-minute lesson scheduled each week. Two class sessions will be scheduled, one on Tuesday and one on Wednesday from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM Arizona time. The registration fee for the 2021 program will be $80 for BCA members and $100 for non-members, which will help defray the cost of material development as well as a small honorarium for the facilitators.
NOTE: Registration for Let’s Speak Spanish will open on Monday, January 4, 2021 at the BCA website. Additional information will be provided in the January BCA newsletter.
Moving Ahead in Spanish: Intermediate Conversation and Grammar
For learners who have advanced in their abilities to speak and understand Spanish, BCA will offer a 4-week intermediate program focused on everyday conversation. For each conversational situation, the program will review important language concepts and encourage the learners to incorporate these concepts into one-on-one conversation. The program will run for four weeks, with a single 90-minute session scheduled each week, starting on Tuesday, March 16 and ending on Tuesday, April 6.
NOTE: Additional information for this intermediate program will be announced in the February and March BCA newsletters. The registration fee for the program will be $50 for BCA members and $70 for non-members, which will help defray the cost of material development as well as a small honorarium for the facilitators.
If you have any questions about 2021Let’s Speak Spanish programs, please don’t hesitate to email the program coordinator, Jim Hoff, at jhoff@tegnos.org
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Office Hours:
Office open by appointment only until further notice.
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Physical Address:
I-19 2221 E. Frontage Rd.
Bldg F Suite 201-202
Tubac, AZ 85646
Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 1863
Tubac, AZ 85646
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Membership/Events: 520-398-3229
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