Student Voices Beyond Fronteras

“My History, Mi Comunidad” – Santa Cruz County Youth Gallery

During summer-fall 2024, young people across Santa Cruz County in Grades 6-12 shared their feelings and hopes about our community through Beyond Fronteras’s special “MY HISTORY, MI COMUNIDAD” initiative. Students who participated in “My History, Mi Comunidad” (My History, My Community) represent the voices living in Nogales, Rio Rico, Patagonia, Sonoita, and the rest of Santa Cruz County.

We hope our youths’ sharing of their life experiences – their concerns, hopes – can influence us and our community leaders to create a better space that more fully nurtures the aspirations of our young people and their families. Reflecting our binational, multicultural community’s composition, our youths’ artistic submissions are in English, Spanish, and Spanglish. Our young people’s pride, concerns, and hope are essential in reminding us of why we must protect and preserve our community’s past and future.

The Santa Cruz County School Superintendent’s Office is profoundly grateful for the interest and energy shown by the youth from Pierson, Nogales, and Rio Rico High Schools who submitted their perspectives to our “My History, Mi Comunidad” initiative.

These student voices, including pieces by youth at Mexicayotl Academy of Excellence in Nogales, Arizona, are on display at the “Beyond Fronteras” museum exhibition at the Historic 1904 County Courthouse.

To get the full Beyond Fronteras experience you must visit us in Downtown Nogales, Arizona, but our virtual exhibition highlights the work of Santa Cruz County youth, artists, and local residents in creating this special celebration of this Arizona Border Community’s Past and Future.

The “Beyond Fronteras” exhibition and multimedia project was curated and coordinated by Carlos Francisco Parra, Assistant Professor of History at the University of Arizona and a born-and-raised native of Ambos (both) Nogales.