Blurred Borders is intended to highlight critical issues and solutions in an effort to increase the level of cross border civic participation in the San Diego-Tijuana border region during the coming decade. The report has also sought to emphasize the growing inter-dependencies between San Diego and Tijuana as we share the same air, water, children and a common destiny. As the report has highlighted, numerous collaborative efforts are now underway, and many organizations in the private, public and non-governmental sector are actively engaged in working to strengthen the ties that bind San Diego and Tijuana. Still more must be done to strengthen the social capital in our binational region. There are many ways that one can get involved.

• Invest in binational social change: Contribute to local non profits and charitable causes in the San Diego-Tijuana region addressing migrant needs as well as greater cross-border collaboration in the areas of education, health, human services, urban planning, the environment and arts and culture. For donors wishing to support charitable causes in Tijuana and Baja California, the International Community Foundation is positioned to help.

• Invest in future binational leaders and the region’s cross-cultural connectors: Support binational leadership programs aimed at shaping the region’s future leaders as well as making existing civic leaders more sensitive to the importance of the border and trans-boundary issues.

• Learn about the border and migrant issues: Take a border tour, learn about the region’s emerging issues. Learn about the growing challenges of migrant workers and their families particularly in the areas of health and education. Support research that will contribute to expanded knowledge about the border region in which we live. Get involved with the San Diego-Tijuana Sister City Society.

• Look beyond the immediate border: Assist migrant sending regions with ties to San Diego as a way to mitigate education, health and community development related issues here locally.

• Help expand cross-border non-profit collaboration: Support conferences, dialogues and collaborative exchanges between non-profits in San Diego and Tijuana as well as charities in Mexico’s migrant sending regions with the strongest ties to San Diego-Tijuana, such as Oaxaca and Jalisco.

• Increase the level of attention of our elected officials on border related issues: Write letters and visit with your elected officials on border-related issues such as urban and regional planning, education, health, human services and the environment.

• Expand the level of elder and youth engagement in border related issues. Our elders have collective wisdom and now are now living longer. They have much expertise to offer non profits on both sides of the border. Similarly, our youth are our future. More can be done to invest in youth opportunities that will promote greater cross-border learning and cultural exchange between students of the region.

• Visit Tijuana: Tijuana and the surrounding communities of Baja California offers San Diego many strategic assets including a competitive workforce, world-class manufacturing operations, cultural and tourist attractions, a convenient airport for many Latin destinations, a rich biodiversity of binational importance and, for a growing number of San Diegans, affordable housing and health care options.