The Best Place to Start!

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Monday, September 22, 2014 Administrative Services Center, 9050 Viscount Blvd.

6:30—6:50 Visual and Performing Arts presentation

7:00—7:05 Welcome

7:05—7:15 Introductions: Angela Kocherga, Belo

KHOU 11, News Border Bureau Chief

Hon. Veronica Escobar, County Judge

Benjamine “Carry” Huffman, Deputy

Chief Patrol Agent, El Paso Sector

Carlos Spector, Attorney at Law

7:15—8:15 Discussion on Border Immigration Issues

8:15—8:30 Questions and Answers

8:30—9:00 Reception

Veronica Escobar was sworn in as El Paso County

Judge on January 1, 2011. She works on issues

related to healthcare, border policy, government

consolidation, nature tourism, and economic

development.

Judge Escobar has been active addressing issues

important to border communities. She has testified

The Visual and Performing Arts Exhibit highlights the history of the

Americas starting from Pre-Columbian times to the Present. The display

features collaborative student work from the Arts, Mass Communication,

and Theatre disciplines. The exhibit will encompass different historical

periods utilizing a combination of visual art, video, and staged readings by

actors in full costume Performers: Destiny Garcia, Ricardo J imenez,

Hannah McFarling, Ean Nava, and Monica Torres.

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before the U.S. Senate’s Committee on Homeland Security and

Governmental Affairs and before several Texas state legislative

committees. She has also addressed state-wide and local

organizations about border policy and immigration. During her

tenure, Judge Escobar has focused on internal reforms in county

government that have helped make El Paso County a more

effective, efficient and transparent organization.

Judge Escobar received a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1991 from

the University of Texas at El Paso, and a Master of Arts degree

from New York University in 1993. She has spent her

professional and civic life working for non-profits, in education,

and more recently in local government (she served as

Communications Director for Mayor Raymond C. Caballero from

2001-2003 and as Precinct 2 County Commissioner from 2007-

2010).

Benjamine C. Huffman is the Deputy Chief Patrol

Agent for El Paso Sector headquartered in El Paso,

Texas. He is second in command and responsible

for oversight of more than 125,500 square miles of

territory which consists of the entire State of New

Mexico, El Paso County, and portions of Hudspeth

County, Texas.

Deputy Chief Patrol Agent Huffman entered on duty with the

U.S. Border Patrol on February 3, 1985, as a member of Class

173. His first duty assignment as a Border Patrol agent was at the

Imperial Beach Station in the San Diego Sector. In July 1996, he

was promoted to Assistant Chief of the Office of Intelligence at

U.S. Border Patrol Headquarters in Washington, DC. He was

instrumental in the development of the Lead Intelligence Agent

position to recruit and retain high-quality intelligence agents,

assisted in the development of a comprehensive five-year

strategic plan for the intelligence program, and was a key

participant in the development of a “top-to-bottom” intelligence

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training program for officers, supervisors and managers. In May

2000, he was promoted to Patrol Agent in Charge of the Marfa

Station in the Big Bend Sector, where he established Big Bend

Sector’s first Forward Operating Base in Candelaria, Texas, and

developed a land navigation system for the Marfa Station that is

currently used by the Joint Task Force North as a model for other

sectors. In February 2004, he was promoted to Assistant Chief

Patrol Agent at Big Bend Sector Headquarters where he was

responsible for several Border Patrol stations and had oversight

of the Special Operation Unit, Intelligence Unit, and the Training

Unit. He also had oversight over firearms, High Intensity Drug

Trafficking Area, recruiting, and was the Immigration and

Customs Enforcement liaison. He was promoted to Deputy Chief

Patrol Agent in May 2007. Deputy Chief Huffman assumed his

current position with El Paso Sector on January 27, 2014.

Throughout his nearly 29 year career, Deputy Chief Huffman has

had numerous temporary duty assignments. Most recently, he

served as the Acting Director, State, Local and Tribal Liaison

under the office of the Commissioner. He was the Acting

Director of the Special Operations Group (SOG). SOG was the

global response team for CPB and consisted of Border Patrol

Tactical Unit (BORTAC) and Border Patrol Search, Trauma and

Rescue Units. In 1987 he became a member of BORTAC and

has served on various missions in the Western Hemisphere

including; Operation Green Blanket, operations in South Africa,

and Operation Snowcap in Bolivia.

Deputy Chief Huffman earned an Associate of Arts Degree in

Criminal Justice at South Plains Junior College in Levelland,

Texas; and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in General Studies from

Sul Ross State University in Alpine, Texas.

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Carlos Spector is a lawyer and an activist for

immigrant rights. He won the first case in the US

for political asylum of a Mexican. Now, he

continues to take most cases as pro bono. As

people fled the violence in 2008, he carefully

chose cases he thought could be successful,

including journalists, human rights and

community activists. He’s done each case pro bono. More than

just representing refugees in court, Spector and his wife Sandra, a

veteran community organizer, have gone a step further, creating

an organization in El Paso called Mexicans in Exile. The

nonprofit, the first of its kind, raises funds for trauma counseling,

housing, and other refugee needs, as well as arranging speaking

tours so that asylum recipients can educate U.S. residents about

the realities of the drug war.

Angela Kocherga covers the Southwest border and

interior of Mexico on air and online for KVIA and

Belo Television’s 20 stations and three regional

cable networks. She is the only U.S. reporter to

regularly report from Juarez, Mexico’s murder

capital. Her work includes coverage of immigration,

trade and border health issues.

Angela has worked with Belo since 1994. In 1999 Belo’s Houston

station KHOU hired Angela to open a Mexico City Bureau. During

that time she also reported from Mexico’s southern border with

Guatemala, Guatemala City and Havana, Cuba.

In 2006, Belo relocated the bureau from Mexico City to the

Southwest border. Angela is now based in El Paso-Juarez, a

midway point for reporting along the border.

She has earned several journalism awards for her work in Mexico

including two Emmys in 2011 for her coverage of the drug war. She

is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin.

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Hispanic Heritage Committee

Pat Acosta

Jaime Aragon

Giselle Aragon

Al Arvizo

Rebekah A. Bell

Aida Black

Kathleen A. Bombach

Elvira Carrizal–Dukes

Liz Chavez

Rene Chavez

Mayela Farah

Doroteo Franco

Gabriel S. Gaytan

Jorge A. Gomez

Maria Gutierrez

James K. Heiney

Alex Hernandez

Rudy Hernandez

Lillie T. Johnson

Castañeda Lorena

Alejandra Nava

Luz M. Roberts

Michael J. Thornton

Alma D. Valadez

Arturo Valdespino

Olga Chavez, Diversity Programs ,District Director

Student Art & Local Artist Display

Administrative Services Center Foyer from September 15 to October 15. Featuring work by El Paso artists Gabriel S. Gaytán and Frank Rosales and student work from the class of EPCC art instructor Michael J. Thornton.

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Upcoming Programs

; Sept. 29, 6:30 - 9:00 PM

Mr. Juan Cabrera, Superintendent, El Paso ISD

Dr. Xavier De La Torre, Superintendent, Ysleta ISD

Dr. José Espinoza, Superintendent, Socorro ISD

Dr. Pedro Galaviz, Superintendent, Canutillo ISD

Dr. William Serrata, President, El Paso Community College

: Carina Ramirez, Ph.D., ESL Dept., EPCC

; Oct. 1, 6:30 - 9:00 PM

Richard E. Dayoub, CEO, EP Chamber of Commerce

Matthew McElroy, City Development Director

Thomas E. Munsey, Colonel, Ft. Bliss Gar r ison Commander

Rolando Pablos, CEO, Borderplex Alliance

: Roberto Tinajero, UTEP, Institute for Policy and Economic Development

;

Ken Miyagishima, Mayor , Las Cruces, New Mexico

Courtney Niland, Mayor Pro Tem, City Rep., Distr ict 8

Enrique Serrano, Mayor , Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico

; Oct. 8, 6:30 - 9:00 PM

Lucy G. Acosta, Founder and developer of Project Amistad

Dr. Lucy Scarbrough, Noted pianist, composer, educator & leader

Honorable Paul C. Moreno, Longest serving Hispanic legislator

Denise Chávez , Author, playwright, stage director, actor & teacher

Mentor’s Dinner tickets are $25.00, seating is limited and tickets will not be sold at the door. Purchase your ticket(s) online at www.epcc.edu/hispanicheritage.

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Sponsors

The El Paso County Community College District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, gender, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, or gender identity.

Special Thanks

William Serrata, Ph.D. EPCC President

Ernst E. Roberts II, Ph.D. EPCC Vice President of Administration & Financial Operations

Olga Chavez, M.A., LPC Diversity Programs District Director

Doroteo Franco, Diversity Program, Assistant Director

Aida Black Administrative Associate

Phone: 915-831-3324

Fax: 915-831-3326

www.epcc.edu/diversityprograms

www.epcc.edu/hispanicheritage