Borderzine

29/12/2024

💙 Thank you to everyone who has supported our annual fundraiser so far! We have only a few days left to meet our Dec. 31 deadline to receive matching funds from NewsMatch to help with program costs. There’s still time to help develop future journalists. Join us and DONATE HERE: https://pickaproject.utep.edu/project/45147
In 2024 the Borderzine / UTEP MMJ program:
✅ Provided stipend support for 3 students to intern at the Dallas Morning News, KERA radio in Dallas and El Paso Inc.
✅ Gave stipends to 2 student city editors to gain leadership experience.
✅ Participated in two reporting collaboratives to help fill gaps in local community coverage. The latest, a Solutions Journalism collaboration exploring food insecurity in El Paso, is about to publish.
✅ Partnered with local and national groups on 2024 election coverage. Our Borderzine reporters interviewed El Paso voters for news spots that aired on KTEP-FM. Student journalism election coverage of the Borderland also ran on the National Community News Wire as part of the Elections & Democracy Reporting Initiative.
✅ Saw recent graduates land jobs with The Dallas Morning News, El Paso Inc., El Paso Matters, KFOX-TV, Univision, and KOKH Fox 25 Oklahoma.
✅ Launched a Drone Photography program that has trained more than 40 students so far
✅ Prepped our new multipurpose innovation studio for opening in spring 2025.

There’s still time to help develop future journalists. Join us: Donate here: https://pickaproject.utep.edu/project/45147

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26/12/2024

"With the tense political environment in the United States, educators in El Paso also report experiencing uneasiness in addressing socially tense topics in the classroom."

Forty percent of public K-12 teachers in the U.S. say debates over race and sexual orientation have a negative impact on their ability to teach and do their job, according to a 2024 study by the Pew Research Center. Only 4% said these conversations have a positive impact. With the tense political en...

20/12/2024

While you're wrapping presents, consider one more gift that will make a huge impact on the future of journalism. 📉 The industry is facing unprecedented challenges, with newsrooms shrinking and diverse voices disappearing.

Now more than ever, we need to invest developing emerging journalists from underserved communities— who bring fresh perspectives and critical stories to light.

Your support fuels scholarships, training, recruitment and opportunities for multimedia journalism students on the U.S., Mexico border.
💻 Your donation today will be matched by the national NewsMatch campaign. Give now to keep the pipeline strong: https://pickaproject.utep.edu/project/45147

17/12/2024

An El Paso food bank program that brings groceries to the doors of some of the community’s most vulnerable members faces an uncertain future because a key grant is about to expire.

An El Paso food bank program that brings groceries to the doors of some of the community's most vulnerable members faces an uncertain future because a key grant is about to expire.

15/12/2024

For many El Paso families, the tamale season is a time for gathering, where relatives and friends coming together for tamaladas—tamale-making parties. The preparation process is a tradition in itself.

Tamales are more than just holiday treats in El Paso. They’re a tasty part of the city’s cultural fabric. This year, the City of El Paso and the El Paso County Commissioners declared Oct. 31 through Feb. 2 as the "official tamale season." For many El Paso families, the tamale season is a time fo...

15/12/2024

That's a wrap on the Fall 2024 semester with the fabulous staff of Borderzine reporters. Special thanks to Veronique Masterson for serving as guest editor / mentor. This session was fast-paced with election coverage, special projects and a lot of cool enterprise story ideas.

06/11/2024

Borderziners on Election Night duty with El Paso Matters. UTEP MMJ grads Angela Saavedra and Brandy Ruiz on the audience engagement team with current student Avery Escamilla-Wendell, helping out on El Paso city races. But first, pizza!

05/11/2024

In El Paso, your age might determine not just how you vote, but what you see about the election online. That’s what a UTEP political science class discovered when students compared their social media feeds to that of their older relatives.

In El Paso, your age might determine not just how you vote, but what you see about the election online. That’s what a UTEP political science class discovered when students compared their social media feeds to that of their older relatives. To get an idea of how the El Paso social media ecosystem l...

20/10/2024

Early voting starts tomorrow. Are you ready?Have a plan, check out the voters guide

29/05/2024

What's happened at the zoo? A look at how we lost two groups of prairie dogs and what's next

The El Paso Zoo is done with prairie dogs. A colony of 12 black-tailed prairie dogs went missing almost immediately after being introduced to their specially designed El Paso Zoo habitat in August. A previous group of 14 prairie dogs mysteriously disappeared after being introduced in Sept. 2021. Acc...

21/04/2024

From elegant homes to thriving businesses, the Montana Avenue District in El Paso has seen it all! 🏠💼 Learn about the fascinating journey of this historic area.

When Elizabeth Pimentel was growing up on Montana Avenue in the late 1960’s, the street was filled with family homes and neighbors knew each other. “I remember taking care of the elderly people’s dog across the street,” Pimentel said. That house is now an acupuncture studio. The stately home...

17/02/2024

In a majority Hispanic city, Black El Pasoans often don't feel seen. Here's a look at how a long-running beauty pageant made a difference and is missed.

I never imagined myself as the type of girl to compete in beauty pageants. I never really liked being in the spotlight. However, from an early age, my mother just knew that one day I would be a contestant in the Miss Black El Paso pageant, walk across the stage, accepting my crown and sash. […]

02/01/2024

We beat our year-end NewsMatch campaign goal! Thank you to everyone who supported us. Stay tuned to see what growing journalism education in the Borderland looks like in 2024. We're planning to soar!

30/12/2023

Here’s a fun video about renewal as we pivot into a new year. Nice work Brandy Ruiz!

This city in the West Texas desert on the eastern edge of El Paso County. was once planned to be the city of tomorrow, with a population of 1. 5 million people. Designed by a famous Brazilian architect, the idea was to build up an upscale retirement community like Sun City in Arizona. But today, Hor...

29/12/2023

We need $2,025 more to meet our goal and unlock $10,000 in matching funds, but time is running out! Borderzine offers reporting by young borderland journalists worth your investment. Donate now to help keep us moving forward. https://pickaproject.utep.edu/project/40187