Mexican American and U.S. Latino Research Center

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The MALRC Border Research Initiative – Why the U.S. Mexico Border?

MALRC_BRI.ppt

To gain greatest advantage, an organization benefits from taking advantage of its existing assets – organizational networks, capital (human, economic, political, cultural) and institutional infrastructure. MALRC is doing this in its Border Research Initiative (BRI). The BRI assets are:

• The network of contacts and partners already existing. First there are the border universities with whom you can develop collaborations/partnerships. (Click on Slide 1, BRI Power Point) Three Research Centers are also potential partners (Click on Slide 2) In addition the Texas A&M Colonias Program has an extensive network of Community Resource Centers (CRCs) from Brownsville to El Paso. (Click Slide 3) Each of these CRCs has its own regional staff, making possible many partnership connections with Texas-Mexico border organizations and institutional infrastructure. Examples of what has been done, or is possible to do, are indicated in the accompanying BRI power point. (Click on Slides 4 – 7)
• A second asset for the BRI is the MALRC mission itself, i.e. to conduct research focused exclusively on Mexican American and U.S. Latino populations. The U.S.-Mexico border constitutes the largest and most concentrated Mexican American population in the U.S. The U.S.-Mexico border is unique among the varied geographical, political, social and economic settings in which Mexican Americans live in the U.S.
• A third asset for the BRI is that federal funding agencies – particularly in the areas of health, economic development, environmental conditions, and bi-national studies – focus a great deal of attention on the U.S. Mexico border.
• To assist in you in initiating, or enhancing existing research, and to get the Border Research Initiative off to a strong start, the MALRC will sponsor a Border Research Initiative 4-day trip to the Texas-Mexico border. Faculty will have the opportunity to meet potential collaborating partners in research during this trip. The Center will cover the cost of transportation and housing for any faculty person who participates. (See “Border Research Opportunities Trip.”)