Dualistic Existence: A Border Story

Mexicali’s destitute grapple with poor.

I found a shanty town in Mexicali and a woman living in a rudimentary shack. Todd Kranin took a picture of her that got it on the front page. The picture ended up reuniting a brother and sister that haven’t seen each other in ten years.

Man recognizes long lost sister in story.

At first I thought Jesus Trejo may have been mistaken, a retired guy with nothing to do but listen to his “oldies” wanting some attention. I scrutinized him like a Calexico councilman. I talked to his 21-year old son who confirmed the story. And then I requested to see a picture of Lupita. I was convinced I had a story.

Brother reunites with sister in Mexicali

I was almost not going to cover the reunion. But Todd Kranin had convinced me. I wrote this story like I saw it and considering the comments it got on the website, it appeared to touch people. But on a deeper level, the story is just one example of the duality that life at the border is, two states of nationalism, qaulities of life, language, even tacos.