Produced by Kent Paterson with Mercedes Mejia, this half-hour documentary examines historic and contemporary environmental and public health issues confronting the people of two southern New Mexico communities straddling the Mexican border: Sunland Park and Santa Teresa. Amid tremendous growth fueled by a burgeoning cross-border economy, residents grapple with drinking water quality, traffic issues and long-running concerns over a huge regional landfill.
Part One of a series on pending environmental justice issues on the southern New Mexico border, this program features rare recordings of watershed moments in the economic development and socio-environmental history of the region, as well the contemporary voices of residents, officials and activists who are defining the present and future. This documentary was made possible in part by support from the Fund for Investigative Journalism and the McCune Charitable Foundation. Thanks also to the Raices Collective of KUNM.