Maquiladoras of Tijuana

In class, I talked about my experiences visiting the places where the maquiladora workers live in Tijuana, Mexico. Neverthless, I want to write about it on the blog as well.

In the summer of 2008, I visited and volunteered the border zone between the United States and Mexico. I was volunteering and building schools there, but we also took advantage of the experience to learn about topics of migration and immigration and about the maquiladoras.

A group of women activists from the organization Colectivo Chilpancingo (Pro Justicia Ambiental) showed us around and explained the reality of the maquilas. This group of women, fight for the rights of the workers and for the enviromental conditions in the place where they live. These women showed us one area of shanty towns located at the bottom of a hill. On the top of the hill is the maquila, where many of the shanty town residents work.

In these two photos you can see the maquila and the shanty town.

The women explained, that when it rains this electronics maquila took advantage of the situation to release the toxic chemicals from the factory. The problem is that this toxic water comes running down the hill contaminating the water and the neighborhood where these people live. The residents of the shanty have no rights and the police do not stop the situation because of corruption and bribes. The police protect the interests of the maquilas.

This is the hill which leads to the shanty town.









And here you can see the contaminated water and shanty where the maquila workers live.

If you want to know more about this situation or want to help you can visit Colectivo Chilpancingo (Pro Justicia Ambiental)'s website at http://www.environmentalhealth.org/BorderEHC/BorderCommActnTm2Hist.html

You can also watch this documentary called "Maquilopolis". This was made with the help from the women who I met. It's very interesting and it's mostly in Spanish. This way you can share it with your family and friends.