The US–Mexico borderlands, one of the most biologically diverse places in North America, traverse six eco-regions and provide home to 1,506 native terrestrial and freshwater animal and plant species, including 62 species listed as Critically Endangered, Endangered, or Vulnerable by the Inter- national Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. The proposed expansion of the “Wall” threatens not only human communities but also the incredible diversity of life and bi- national investment in conservation. This event begins with a poetry performance by León De la Rosa, PhD, professor in the Departamento de Arte at IADA and UACJ and is followed by a panel discussion on the history and ecological vitality of the borderlands and the threats facing the region, featuring:Michael P. Berman, exhibition artist; Robert Peters, PhD, Defenders of Wildlife and author of In The Shadow of the Wall, on how the border wall will affect wildlife; Ma. Eugenia Hernández, PhD, professor, UACJ in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico; and Sam Truett, PhD, borderlands historian and UNM Professor of History.

LOCATION: 516 ARTS
516 Central Ave. SW, Albuquerque, NM 505-242-1445 • 516arts.org • Free