There is an ongoing debate on whether mandatory lock downs are hurting the economy, or they are not. Part of those who are advocating for their right to remain open support the idea that Americans are a free people and that government should not interfere with their basic rights. The problem with this thinking is… Read More June is The Pivot Point
By Verónica Carbajal Beginning in March, a number of orders were passed to protect tenants from becoming homeless during the pandemic. Some of those orders have expired. Below is an explanation of the eviction process during the pandemic. Evictions Self-help evictions are not allowed in Texas, even if you only have a verbal agreement to… Read More Evictions: What happens if you have not been able to pay your rent during the pandemic? (Updated)
On Wednesday, May 13, 2020, the El Paso Community College District hosted a Town Hall with President Dr. William Serrata which focused on how the district has responded to teaching and learning during this Covid-19 Pandemic. The one-hour and seven-minute town hall can be seen in its entirety at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUxnlDH4DPc For further information contact James… Read More El Paso Community College District, Dr. William Serrata’s Virtual Town Hall & A Conversation with the Cabinet, May 13, 2020
MEDIA RELEASE, MAY 10, 2020 Contact: Hannah Hollandbyrd, hhollandbyrd@hopeborder.org El Paso advocates, community organizations form coalition and request urgent support from City, County to provide critical relief to those impacted by COVID-19 crisis EL PASO, TX – A coalition of service organizations and community advocates are asking City and County leaders in El Paso to… Read More Media Release: El Paso advocates, community organizations form coalition and request urgent support from City, County to provide critical relief to those impacted by COVID-19 crisis
The national unemployment rate stands officially at 14.7% according to the numbers released by the Labor Department for April 2020. That number both shows an unprecedented economic devastation because it shows the worst job losses in such a short time in recorded history and it also shows that the 14.7% is the worst percentage of… Read More El Paso Unemployment Numbers For April Amid Covid-19: An Economic Catastrophe in the Making
Setu is a bilingual Hindi-English journal published out of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I’m thankful to Setu and to Scott Thomas Outlar, it’s guest editor for the Western Voices issue, for publishing two poems written in collaboration with Lee Ballentine as well as a poem each from us both. My poems in Setu Western Voices issue 2020… Read More Poetry by Donna Snyder and Lee Ballentine published in Setu Western Voices issue 2020
There are several public discussions concerning whether the country should open for business. The debate centers on the dangers of COVID-19 and whether or not people will be safe and not create spikes in cases. El Paso is also having the same debate. The competing issues are the number of unemployed persons versus the COVID-19… Read More By the Numbers: COVID-19 and Unemployment for El Paso
“The deepest problems of modern life derive from the claim of the individual to preserve the autonomy and individuality of his existence in the face of overwhelming social forces, of historical heritage, of external culture, and of the technique of life.” Georg Simmel As it started to dawn on me that the Corona Virus was… Read More Dispatches to El Paso from the Boston Surge: Early Days.
The COVID-19 Pandemic has revealed how corporate influence on our education system has sorely failed our students. Rather than relying on the expertise of educators, who best know the individual needs of our students, district administrators have been scrambling to replace their experimental technology initiatives which have little pedagogical value. (Prior to the outbreak, our… Read More Opinion Editorial: “Parents, students, and teachers must be included in the design of a post-pandemic education system,” by Xavier Miranda
