Photo courtesy Arizona Highways Magazine
Award-winning journalist Terry Greene Sterling has lived in Arizona most of her life, and has long reported on the political brawls and human tragedies that have made Arizona the epicenter for the national immigration debate.
She was born into a cattle-ranching family that owned ranches on both sides of the border, and learned to speak Spanish at the same time she learned English. She has been a journalist for over 25 years, and has been honored with 49 national and regional journalism awards. She was named Virg Hill Journalist of the Year, Arizona’s highest journalism honor, three times. She was a staff writer for Phoenix New Times for 14 years, and then branched out on her own.
She is currently a contributor for The Daily Beast, and Writer-in-Residence at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University. Her work has also appeared in The Washington Post, Newsweek.com, salon.com, The Nieman Narrative Digest, PHOENIX Magazine, The Arizona Republic, Arizona Highways, High Country News, and Preservation Magazine.
She tweets @tgsterling and blogs about immigration in Arizona at terrygreenesterling.com.
Hi,
I discovered you via Twitter and really appreciate your perspective and information you provide (plus great photos that make me homesick).
I am a Latina raised in Tucson and Michigan, and I really really appreciate having a white ally who clearly cares about what is happening to immigrants, esp. on the southwestern border.
As a Latina who grew up in the SW and married an Mexican national, I have experienced racism my whole life. To see a white person openly recognize it….that it exists and is wrong…well it is a balm to the wounds I endure and gives me hope that justice will prevail. I was so surprised to see the content of your site and the twitter posts that I actually had to do a double-take at first. Then I followed you!
Thank you.
i finally got the chance to sit down and read a good hunk of this blog, and not surprisingly, it’s TERRIFIC and IMPORTANT and HONEST. terry is an amazing writer and reporter — you are in good hands, readers!
I’m honored to know you.
Terry –
Really enjoyed your website. Interesting, insightful, well-done. Congrats.
I’m the Gulf Coast Correspondent for USA TODAY, based in New Orleans. I’ve written about immigration issues in the past and I’m interested in doing some more, particularly out of Arizona or Texas.
What would you say are the top issues or stories out there at the moment? Any other people I should connect with?
Feel free to contact me via email: rjervis@usatoday.com.
Thanks in advance. Hope to hear from you.
Rick Jervis
USA TODAY
Your writing is compelling, as usual. Is there a solution to the “drug wars” or “war on drugs”? In the final analysis, do politicians on either side of the border really care? The deaths just become statistics and have become meaningless to other than family members.
I saw the “hate” mail you got. I’ve received similar “comments” when I write blog entries that are not in line with something like S.B. 1070.
It is a battle, as I see it. Hatred v. Compassion. Which will prevail, I cannot say.
I say hatred because just about all anti-immigrant people I have met absolutely refuse to take into account the integral human component. Let’s hope Brewer vetoes.
Thank you so very much for your blog. As a Mesan I and my family are constantly astounded and embarrassed by our ignorant elected monkeys. (Did you catch Cecil Ash on Anderson Cooper?!) We continue to fight against their tyranny. Their absurdity is stunning! Keep speaking out and know our family in Mesa is continuing to do the same. Thanks again so much!
I read the book – I could not put it down. I read it every chance I got – except sleeping, driving, and working. God Bless.
C
Thank you so much!
Hi there,
I found your website through a friend who added your page on Facebook. I am currently writing my dissertation on the “Coyote Statute”, and the social organization of smuggling groups that operate in Maricopa County. I was a criminal investigator for several years and I am relying on court case files and testimonies to provide an alternative analysis of human smuggling. After the news on the incident in Tamaulipas I was saddened and angered by our lack of memory and understanding of the processes involving migration, and the demonizing of smugglers by the states globally who have failed to assume responsibility for their roles in the death of migrants worldwide. While we cannot and should never forget violence occurs, and that it is a reality of migrant life, we must also understand it does not occur in a vacuum. I am convinced part of our discussion on im/migration has to include a better analysis and understanding of the migratory journeys and the social processes they involve. Good luck with your project!
The poll you have on the side bar is too complex to give a yes and no. We have problems in the USA with finances. It is not easy to say an unequivical no to “should the illegal immigrants be able to stay.” We have immigration rules. They allow about 1,000,000 people in a year. Mexico is fixing its problems by exporting its poverty. It is not fair to the USA to have to support people who stay past their visas, or come accross illegally. I believe that if an illegal immigrant wishes to stay here, they need to do what every other immigrant needs to do. I believe in helping the people be safe but they need to go to the end of the line. I have an “adopted” son (not legally) with whom I went to school. He went on and received a PHD in materials physics. He has been here since 1987. He got his PhD and then had to do what is called a “post doc” He was not able to get a green card until he had a “real job”….He worked for one of our National Labrotories (for the government!). A job came up from Sydney Austrailia. He is working with Grenoble France to build and implement a machine that only he can do. He had to move to Sydney and travel a lot to France….do you know that he will have to start all over again when he comes back. It will be 8-10 years again until he gets his citizenship. This man is a nuclear phycisit and has to wait….yes, I think that our illegal immigrants need to start from scratch. But that does not mean we should demean them in anyway. It does not mean we should not help them with food and water if they get into trouble. But they need to comply with the law, or the law needs to be changed for everyone.