Amexica

Volume 1

Mario C. López

July 11, 2021 New York City

I am spending a few days in New York City and I can’t help but think that this is the current capital of western civilization. The story of NYC in the 20th Century is a true testament to failure and success. New York City was in a deep crisis back in the mid-1970s with an unpayable municipal debt, crime, and decaying municipal services that almost pushed the City to bankruptcy. The City eventually came back on its feet and the past two decades has taken advantage of its mix of different cultures, creeds, backgrounds, races, and religions to show the world how they can live and even thrive together. Manhattan’s exiguous 22 square miles have become a mecca for the world’s people, and I believe its success is driven by three defining aspects: migration, diversity, and creativity.

I can’t help but wonder how many people in the San Diego-Tijuana region are now celebrating the 132nd anniversary of the foundation of both cities. Few people on either side know that 1889 was the year of the adoption of both San Diego’s city charter and Tijuana’s urban plan, the Plan de Zaragoza. Tijuana’s Zaragoza Plan, with its diagonal shape, is the underprint for today’s downtown AKA el Centro. The City of Tijuana traditionally organizes many events in July to celebrate its anniversary, whereas the City of San Diego lacks even a single activity. Imagine how eloquent a joint binational celebration with events on both sides could be. Spanish conquistadores founded the Californias (Alta—upper—California and Baja—lower—California) with the support of the different religious orders that established the missions and the long north-south Camino Real to sustain their presence. The three centuries of presence laid the legal, urban, and political groundwork for what are now three states and the two border cities of San Diego and Tijuana, divided by the international boundary. This is the key to the future success of the “SD-TJ” region.

Imagine how eloquent a joint binational celebration with events on both sides could be.

Migration and diversity will continue to propel the region to become more diverse, more creative and to allow the wonders of immigration to yield a constant and renewed workforce for decades to come. A region that does not have net positive immigration will stagnate. One of the best vision/ policy documents ever compiled on the region was published in the nineteen seventies: A Temporary Paradise?, an inspiring essay developed by world-renowned urbanist, Kevin Lynch, and his colleague, the landscape architect Donald Appleyard. More to come on this wonderful binational vision document.

Hasta la próxima . . .

Mario López

@MarioCLpez #Fronterizo #Borderlander reporting from the first and last #Frontier: #SanDiego #Tijuana capital of #CaliBaja.