Roxana Velásquez
Beautiful Horror: Artists and Frontiers
Within chaos, contradiction and opposite ideas, creativity and innovation flourish. Ms. Velásquez explores how two opposites – the beauty of art representing the horror of conflict–once combined, provoke change and stimulate greatness. It’s by juxtaposing diametrically different ideas where great thought or pursuit thrive. Referencing four master works of art, Ms. Velásquez demonstrates that it’s the artist who goes beyond the physical & metaphorical lines to reflect, and perhaps encourage, new frontiers of the human experience.
Larry Herzog
Building a 21st Century
Transfrontier Metropolis
Tijuana-San Diego represents one of the great urban experiments on our planet — in an era of globalization and shared cross-cultural ecosystems. This “Transfrontier Metropolis” is a living, working transcultural city that straddles the international border. In the future, daily urban flows — commuters, shoppers, the movement of goods and services — could be managed via high tech infrastructure — bus rapid transit, light trains, jitneys, trams, or solar-powered people movers — connecting people and economies, within a more resilient, sustainable region.
Gabriela Posada del Real & Jorge Sánchez “Jofras”
Citizen Participation and
Urban Transformation
Gabriela Posada del Real and Jorge Sánchez “Jofras” recreate the process of citizen awakening on the verge of a public safety crisis in 2010. The situation of unrest caused by the wave of urban violence during the Mexican Drug War generated an effect of social paralysis and fear; Images, phrases and actions produced by Tijuana ReAcciona Movement and other collaborators articulated a sense of hope for the city inhabitants.
Rick Najera
A Shared Border Makes Us Stronger
Born in the shadow of the Mexican-American border Rick Najera takes us on a personal exploration of a cross-border culture that’s been influenced by decades of migration from Mexico to the U.S. While borders and walls are a reality for around the world, Rick’s view is that the essence of being a good neighbor involves mutual understanding, mutual respect, as well as mutual love, and those qualities aptly describe the relationship between the citizens of San Diego and Tijuana. A border is something we should share, not something that should separate us, as a shared border makes us stronger.
Patricia Valdés Flores
The Challenges of Education
in the CaliBaja MegaRegion
The CaliBaja MegaRegion represents a geographic location with great economic potential, not only for Baja California and California, but for Mexico, the United States and the World.
This is why it warrants a serious reflection on the dynamics that affect both sides of the border, including the impact of education, as the development of high-quality technology, requires high-quality education.
Jose Larroque
Cross-Border Civic Engagement
Jose Larroque discusses the importance of cross-border civic engagement from both historical and present day perspectives. Resolving issues related to transportation, education, healthcare, infrastructure and politics requires the dedication of civic leaders from both Tijuana and San Diego to serve as catalysts for change.
Such civic engagement is vital to fostering bi-national philanthropy, as well as ongoing efforts to develop a “smart border” which will strengthen both communities.
Adriana Eguia
CaliBaja’s New Manifesto
for Entrepreneurship
Collaboration has always been key for organizations, governments and institutions for success. Based on her work with the startup community on both sides of the border Adriana Eguia provides a fresh perspective on the potential of collaborative work between entrepreneurs in the CaliBaja region. Binational startups are beginning to thrive and it’s important to address what, how, where and why they’re doing it!
Rick Van Schoik
The Future of Our Transborder
Natural System
The Tijuana River watershed is shared by both San Diego and Tijuana, and can serve as a metaphor for cross-border relationships, as the water flows without regard for country of origin or ultimate destination, remaining a common resource throughout its journey.
Protecting this transborder natural system is critical to furthering our mutual interests, and moving forward we can anticipate positive cascading effects if our governments and citizens continue to cooperate as we often have in the past.
Orquestas Comunitarias
Redes 2025
Changing Lives Through Music
Redes 2025 is a social intervention program that operates in high-risk communities in the cities of Tijuana, Ensenada, and Mexicali, in Baja California.
This after school program aims to promote the training and professionalization of musicians on short and medium terms, contribute to the cultural development of the region, and strengthen its communities.
Marco Antonio
Wine and Gastronomy,
Pairing Without Borders
The cultural ties and friendship between California and Baja California runs deep and includes the sharing, and pairing, of food and wine from both states. In this talk Marco Antonio invites people from both sides of the border to enjoy the blending of these two cultures, their respective wine regions, and unique gastronomy.
He reminds us that the enjoyment of food and wine is not limited by the physical border that exists between San Diego and Tijuana.