UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN DIEGO Break Down Borders: Translocal Intimacies in Contemporary San Diego///Tijuana Border Activisms A dissertation submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy in Ethnic Studies by Leslie Quintanilla Committee in charge: Professor Fatima El-Tayeb, Chair Professor Kirstie Dorr Professor Yen Le Espiritu Professor Jillian Hernandez Professor Bradley Werner Professor K. Wayne Yang 2019 Copyright Leslie Quintanilla, 2019 All rights reserved. The Dissertation of Leslie Quintanilla is approved, and it is acceptable in quality and form for publication on microfilm and electronically: _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ Chair University of California San Diego 2019 iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Signature Page……………………………………….……….………..…….………….……..…………………………..iii Table of Contents………………………………………….…………..………..…….…………..……………………….iv List of Figures…………………………………………………………………………………….…………………………vi Acknowledgements…………….…………………………………………….…………….……..……………………...vii Curriculum Vitae………………………………………………………….…….……..………..……………………….….x Abstract of the Dissertation…………………………………………….……..……….……………………………...xv Introduction…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...1 Chapter 1 The Border & Decolonization: Autonomy in San Diego’s Enero Zapatista…...........22 My Story……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….22 Chapter Sections…………………………………………………………………………………………………….……..29 Abajo y a la Izquierda (From the Bottom and to the Left) ………………………………….……………30 Enero Zapatista Shift: Kumeyaay Land ………………………………….………..………………………………….…35 Music and Land/Love and Community ………………………………….………………………………………39 Deep Organizing Diaspora ………………………………….…………………………………….…………………………...42 Performances at Enero Zapatista: Pow Wow, Spoken Word, Bomba, Dabke ……………………...46 Deep Organizing in Rhythmic Rhizomes in Land/Water………………………………….………………… 51 Conclusion ………………………………….…………………………………….…………………………………….……61 Chapter 2 Somos Sur: Feminist Artivism at the Borders ………………………………...……...............63 Breath: (D)Re-Member(ance) ……………………………..……………………………………..………………………….63 Introduction ……………………………..……………………………………..……………………………………..………………65 The Encounter ……………………………..……………………………………..……………………………………..…………...70 Crossing/Crumbling ……………………………..……………………………………..……………………………….74 Erotic South ……………………………..……………………………………..……………………………………..…….77 Chemistry ……………………………..……………………………………..……………………………………..………..79 Land that Trembles ……………………………..……………………………………..………………………………...84 Todxs, Todxs, Todxs ……………………………..……………………………………..………………………………...88 Somos Sur ……………………………..……………………………………..………………………………………………92 Breathing: Ep(he)mr(a)li(t)y Lingers ……………………………..………………………………………..……92 5 Points for Reflection……………………………..……………………………………..……………………...…….. 93 Chapter 3 The Violence of Border Toxicity: Science and Activism…………………..…………..…...96 Introduction ……………………………..……………………………………..……………………………………..……96 The Gaps and Feminist Interventions in Data Gathering ……………………………..………………..102 On Science, Funding, and Dynamical Models of the Border Region ……………………………….104 iv Migrant Women of Color as Community Scientists ……………………………..………………………..110 Land Testimonios: Cultural Production and Documentary “El Impacto de la Frontera”….. 115 Chapter 4 Protecting Water: Transborder to Transborder Relations……………………………..124 Introduction ……………………………..……………………………………..…………………………………………124 Against “Green” Solutions ……………………………..……………………………………..……………………..133 The Tesla Effect ……………………………..……………………………………..……………………………………135 Extractivism ……………………………..……………………………………..…………………………………………137 Center for Interdisciplinary Environmental Justice ……………………………..……………………….142 Lithium Mining is Groundwater Mining ……………………………..………………………………………..144 Chile/Argentina in Struggle ……………………………..……………………………………..…………………..146 Transborder Connections for Resistance……………………………..……………………………………… 147 Epilogue Reflections on Organizing/Politics of Enchantment………………………………..………153 Endnotes…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….156 Bibliography……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….166 v LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1. Map showing 3 borders in San Diego///Tijuana………………………………………...………6 Figure 2. Map showing 4 border fences in San Diego////Tijuana…………...…………………………7 Figure 3. Enero Zapatista flyer 2011………………………………………………………………………………32 Figure 4. Enero Zapatista flyer Closing Event 2018………………………………………...………………35 Figure 5. Enero Zapatista Closing Event flyer 2019…………………………………………...……………36 Figure 6. Soaring Eagles and Red Warrior Drummers at Enero Zapatista………..…….…………46 Figure 7. DJ Kuttin Kandi sharing her Spoken Word at Enero Zapatista……...……………………48 Figure 8. Bomba Liberté at Enero Zapatista……………………………………………………………………56 Figure 9. Aljuthoor of the Arab Shatat ……………………………………………….……………..……………60 Figure 10. CalEnviroScreen 3.0 2018 Screenshot………………………………………….………………107 Figure 11. Oily Lemons displayed at The Front Art Gallery……………………………………………120 Figure 12. Screenshot of Google Search "Elon Musk Patents"…………………..……………………136 vi ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This dissertation would not have come to existence without the support, love, and commitment of countless people in my life. First and foremost, I would like to thank my committee, especially my committee chair, mentor, and friend, Fatima El-Tayeb, whose heart of gold and dedication has allowed this dissertation to be a true reflection of my commitments to my communities. K. Wayne Yang, for his trust in me to do work that matters and for teaching me everything I know, how to know, and how to show up. Brad Werner, for bringing me into a new world of possibilities, and showing me what it means to be grounded in community first. Kirstie Dorr, for supporting me and uplifting me since day one, always showing up with love and care in the moments of deep struggle. Yến Lê Espiritu, who has shown me what it means to build and carry on the movement for Ethnic Studies. Jillian Hernandez, for your unapologetic fierceness and creative light, throwing down for the people and the arts. I would not be where I am today without the unconditional love, support, and labor that UCSD’s Cross-Cultural Center staff gives to their students. Thank you to Edwina Welch, who I admire as an emblem of generosity, groundedness, and truth. Nancy Magpusao, for teaching me everything I know about being a social justice educator. Violeta Gonzales, for your dedication to us all, pushing me to be a J and for forgiving us when we’re messy. Victor Betts, for your light and energy that grounded us all. To Joseph Allen Ruanto-Ramirez, for being the most consistent person I know, showing up for students’ needs and knowing all the ways possible around UCSD. To the community centers, both pre and post-Compton Cookout, thank you for the work you do. Thank you to OASIS Summer Bridge for making vii me the person I am, especially Cecilia Ubilla for showing me the importance of always keeping faith in the struggle to make change. I have had the privilege of learning from so many professors, all of whom have had an important role in this dissertation. I would like to extend my gratitude to Pasquale Verdicchio, who from the very beginning of my life at UCSD, supported my passions and desires to pursue connections across the world. Dennis Childs, who will always be my comrade and came through to everything we organized. Zeinabu Davis, who showed me what social justice praxis can be through film and how to utilize my resources for community. Ross Frank, who came to recruit me back to UCSD. Luis Martin-Cabrera, for always being down and extending your relations for movement work. To the UCHRI group, Kalindi Vora, Saiba Varma, Lilly Irani, Salvador Zarate, and Christoph Hanssmann, for igniting a special spark in me to write. The work of many faculty during my years as an undergraduate, both at my time at UCSD and in the University of Bologna, have influenced my work as a graduate student. Thank you to: Lisa Lowe, Denise Da Silva, Gaia Giuliani, Gigi Roggero (and Colettivo Migranti), and Sandro Mezzadra. When I was an undergraduate, I had the privilege of organizing with, creating relations with, and being in community with many graduate students who showed me the way, many of whom still show me the way: Mirna Carrillo, Jaqueline Munguía, Justin Zullo, Brendan Thornton, Long Bui, Rashné Limki, Josen Diaz, Jason Magabo Perez, Anthony Kim, Megan Strom, Jose Fusté, Jade Power-Sotomayor, Eduardo Caro. This project would not have been written if a community of loving support was not all around me, every day. I have found my chosen family in San Diego with a wonderful viii crew of people dedicated to enchantment, revolutionary love, and a constant search for meaning in life. Thank you for keeping me grounded in happiness, music, dancing, food, and art in the movement: Cassandra Castillo, Magdalena Ramirez, Mireya Pinell-Cruz, Gabriela Kovatz-Sanchez, Carolina Martinez. In particular, thank you to Diana Cervera, for being the most creative and inspirational, fierce woman that you are- amiga para siempre. To those who are graduate students too and helped me get through this, I owe everything to you: Jennifer Mogannam, Alborz Ghandehari, Amrah Salomón J., Maria Celleri, Janin Guzman- Morales, Mellissa-Linton Villafranco, Alexis Meza, Marlene