Picture this: It’s 1975... I’m working with a state prison system. I’ve been called by the headquarters training officer to defuse what I’ve been told is an escalating, near riot situation - not among inmates - but among staff. I’m told that it’s due to racial tensions stemming … [Read more...] about Border People In Organizations: Tapping Current Staff To Bridge Cultures

So sad the Border See-Saws were only able to be installed for one day.
AND, what an instructive cross-boundary event it was anyway! Only a few actually participated in it and many only for a few seconds. Yet, that day and long after on the Internet, many reacted to it with glee. The joy and laughter elicited support this serious effort to show not tell the effect a … [Read more...] about So sad the Border See-Saws were only able to be installed for one day.
THIRD CULTURE KIDS: THE IMPACT OF GROWING UP IN A GLOBALIZED WORLD
Ruth Van Reken shares her insight on the griefs and gains of being the Third Culture Kid. Third Culture Kids are those children who grow up in a culture that is different from their parents’ culture. The number of TCKs has increased as never before in History, and this is not without … [Read more...] about THIRD CULTURE KIDS: THE IMPACT OF GROWING UP IN A GLOBALIZED WORLD

Border People
Border people grow up having a great deal of life experience crossing back and forth across borders. Those who grow up habitually crossing back and forth between countries, languages, cultures, races, ethnicities, social classes, ages, genders, belief systems, interests, work functions, etc. … [Read more...] about Border People

A new U.S.-Mexico border? At the Venice Biennale, imagining a binational region called MEXUS
Hard to believe, in the US 2018 social political environment that the US - Mexico border made it into theVenice Biennale. It is featured in the U.S. Pavilion’s official exhibition, “Dimensions of Citizenship,” at this year’s Venice Architecture Biennale, May 26, 2018 – Nov 25, … [Read more...] about A new U.S.-Mexico border? At the Venice Biennale, imagining a binational region called MEXUS
A Living Breathing Border Person: El Paso’s Mayor Dee Margo
In my work I define a border perspective as one that has these three main characteristics: Comfort with ambiguity Passion for synergy Accepting of multiple worldviews During a recent interview (link at end of this blog) El Paso Mayor Dee Margo perfectly exemplified the unique … [Read more...] about A Living Breathing Border Person: El Paso’s Mayor Dee Margo
Borderless Music? Listen to Toot Ard
As a border person I’m always intrigued by everything about borders, including the music created by this borderless group. “TootArd (Arabic for strawberries) is a “mountain rock reggae” band from the majestic mountainside (Mount Hermon) village of Majdal Shams in the occupied Syrian Golan Heights. … [Read more...] about Borderless Music? Listen to Toot Ard

Women Forge Peace along the Kyrgyz and Tajik Border
Women Forge Peace along the Kyrgyz and Tajik Border Even though this is a relatively new border, it is an open border where people easily maintain connections. I have heard border people the world over express these same sentiments: “We are very close friends,” says Avezova. “When I need … [Read more...] about Women Forge Peace along the Kyrgyz and Tajik Border