CRONICAS DE HEROES on New Terrain

For the past seven months the Center for Civic Media has advised on a campaign of positive thinking in Cd. Juárez, Mexico: CRÓNICAS DE HÉROES.

The blog post “Cd. Juárez, Mex, CRONICAS DE HEROES OTRA CARA, OTRA HISTORIA”, summarizes to a great extent the development of this initiative in that city. Looking back it has been especially interesting for the CRÓNICAS team to see how a web-based project has become a mixture of mechanisms, in which social contacts and active procedures have been reflected both online and on daily participation.

Currently, CRÓNICAS DE HÉROES is exploring new terrain, planning on launching bi-national implementations along the U.S-Mexican border, striving to unite sister pair cities in these regions. Thanks to the positive development and base that CRÓNICAS DE HÉROES in Cd. Juárez has given us, now is possible to plan for a new approach.

This new phase of the initiative intends to host opportunities where the different systems and mechanism, organizations, institutions, and everyday citizens from both sides of the border can employ CRÓNICAS DE HÉROES as a tool for civic pride, dialogue and collaboration. The voice of each individual translated in these positive stories through the mixture of media offered by the initiative can positively reframe the image of these border regions both nationally and internationally as well as their citizens’ perspective.

The present conflict in Mexican cities and the disparities between pair cities along the border is a subject that cannot be ignored. However, by only focusing and reporting on the negative happenings in those regions, the everyday perspective of citizens is dragged down and possible positive outcomes obstructed.

There are everyday ordinary heroes who do not sit around waiting for better times, they act, participate and collaborate. Let’s follow their example and grow together as a society for a better present.