As a reporter, I’m always looking for good storytellers who can peak my interest. A while back someone turned me on to Borderzine.com. It’s an online news magazine put together by Latino journalism students at the University of Texas at El Paso.
Since they’re on the El Paso/Juarez border they do cover border issues like immigration and drug turf violence, but these student journalists dig deep into stories and come out with reports you don’t see anywhere else.
The Ethics and Excellence in Journalism Foundation has taken notice of the quality work at Borderzine. The foundation has awarded the web magazine with a $25,000 grant. The funds will be used for a reporting project called “Mexodus.”
The team of UTEP student reporters working with experienced bilingual journalists will look into the economic, education and cultural impact of the growing migration from Mexico to El Paso. It’s estimated that close to half a million people have left Mexico in the past three years, and the drug war related murders have multiplied.
Veteran journalist and editor, Ana Lourdes Cardenas says “The goal is to give students the opportunity to obtain real world journalism experience in the classroom while reporting on a difficult issue.”
Bob Ross is the President and CEO of Ethics and Excellence in Journalism Foundation. He adds “We are thrilled the foundation is giving the students and opportunity to produce quality journalism working with professional journalism mentors.”
Borderzine.com plans to publish the “Mexodus” project in spring or summer 2011. If you haven’t bookmarked Borderzine, now is the time to do it.
