Transfronterizx Optics: Storytellers of the San Diego–Tijuana Borderlands: Participatory Filmmaking Documentary

• In Event: Transfronterizx Optics: Storytellers of the San Diego–Tijuana Borderlands: Participatory Filmmaking Documentary

Abstract

● Synopsis: This documentary is focused on illustrating the stories of six Transfronterizx youth living in the San Diego-Tijuana borderlands through participatory filmmaking. Crossing the border is a common way of life for many people who reside near the U.S.-Mexico International Border (Velez-Ibanez, 2010). Particularly, the international border between the cities of San Diego, CA and Tijuana, Mexico is the most frequently crossed border in the world, with 90,000 northbound crossings each day (San Ysidro Land Port of Entry Project Facts, 2020). In this region, youth live in both nations, by crossing the U.S.-Mexico International Border everyday (Falcón Orta & Orta Falcón, 2018).

● Story, issues, and characters: In this project, six Transfronterizx youth are empowered through participatory filmmaking to document their transborder day-to-day trajectories, challenges, virtues, aspirations for the future and highlights about the intersections of their multiple identities (race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, gender expression...) as transborder people. It is timely that the stories of Transfronterizx youth from the San Diego-Tijuana borderlands are highlighted to serve as counter narratives to the hostile political climate fueled by racism at the U.S.-Mexico borders, perpetuated by the presidency of Donald Trump. Transfronterizx youth have great skills to culturally and linguistically navigate both nations and demonstrate a passion for civic engagement in both—San Diego and Tijuana. Transfronterizx youth are also an immense asset for the improvement of communities and institutions along the U.S.-Mexico borderlands. As a result, it is paramount for our future that we contribute to fostering their learning and development by documenting their stories through their lens for this population to see themselves represented in the media through a positive light.

● San Diego-Tijuana Borderlands: Our goal is to enhance the understanding of life at the San Diego-Tijuana borderlands by documenting the cultures, identities and day-to-day trajectories of Transfronterizx youth living in the border towns of San Diego, CA and Tijuana, Mexico. This project is a critically conscious effort to deconstruct the microaggressions of criminalizing life at the U.S.-Mexico borderlands perpetuated by the mainstream media. The vision of this project is to depict the lives of Transfronterizx youth living in the San Diego-Tijuana borderlands through participatory filmmaking and provide the audiences an accurate illustrations of life at the U.S.-Mexico borderlands through the lenses of the people living in this region. In the process of providing a documentary about Transfronterizx youth living in the San Diego-Tijuana borderlands we hope to deconstruct stereotypes about life at the U.S.-Mexico border regions and enhance the cultural competencies of audiences.

● Status: This project is currently in the initial phase of production stage. In this initial production phase of the documentary, we have developed a pilot/work in progress of the participatory filmmaking story of six Transfronterizx youth from the San Diego-Tijuana border region.

● Goal of Exhibition: The goal of this exhibition is to provide the AERA audience an accurate illustration of life at the San Diego-Tijuana borderlands through the lenses of the Transfronterizx youth living in this region.

Authors

• Vannessa Falcón Orta, San Diego State University

• Julio Cesar Ortiz-Franco