Pete Moye’
News Button
Discussion about the deaths, corruption, drug cartels and the controversy of the Mexican-American were discussed in a presentation that was sponsored by the Global Studies Club.
The struggle to live the horrid days in present day in Cuidad Juárez, Mexico, Cerritos College students took it as a personal relation that have lived through these kind of situations in some way.
The controversy covered was given by Dr. Sharon Allen, who has stayed and researched in Cuidad Juárez where death tolls are rising. Alongside her was History Instructor Dr. John Haas.
Presidemt of the Global Studies Club Erik Acosta said, “Allen was a great source of firsthand accounts. Not just because she had lived in Juarez but also because she has been trained on how to conduct the research.”
The number one killer for pregnant women in Juárez is homicide, men are out of work, people lead into drugs and alcoholism, and children have no one to care for them except baby sitters who charge at a high rate.
With the rate of femicide rising in Juárez, women are kidnapped, raped, and killed.
People are being shot and killed in daylight; this seems normal for people who live in this city in Mexico.
“It’s amazing that El Paso, Texas is the safest city in the United States when it’s neighbor Juárez is the most dangerous city in Mexico,” Allen said during the discussion.
Students had the opportunity to share any experiences that they had in any relations or similarities to what is happening in Juárez and ask Dr. Sharon Allen any questions about this sensitive subject.
“I think the presentation went well. So many have stories about Juarez, Mexico, and of families that they can partake and share,” Haas said.
He also think that’s why it students clicked that day because people identified with what they were going through.
Art major Alba Bermudez couldn’t help holding back tears as she shared her story about her aunt from El Salvador crying over the phone calling her family if anyone can help in sending money to her to give to protect a family member from being killed by local gangsters.
“It’s very hard when I’m studying and I hear that,” she said, “I try to do what I can do to help.”
With the crime rate still aiming high in El Salvador, Mexico, and other places, civilians are afraid of going outside and many had businesses that were shut down because they did not meet the standards of demands of paying gangsters or mobsters money.
The Global Studies Club will have cover different events that will educate students on what is going on globally.
“Our main focus is conflicts and other issues that the world faces in a daily bases, and speak to individuals who had experienced them or have some expertise and share the experience with other colleges’ nationwide,” Acosta said.
