Dear Arizona citizen,

            As a student I have the opportunity to learn many subjects in a classroom, but this semester I had the unique opportunity of participating in a field lab class. During our short sevens weeks my classmates and I discovered Phoenix, Arizona as a transnational site. Every week we explored a different location, culture and issue. Through interviews, first hand experience and meetings I have come to realize Phoenix's global influence beyond border issues. I have explored many cultures and their influence in the city I live in.

            I am an Arizona native, but I am from Tucson not Phoenix. While growing up I was always aware of the Mexican influence, but did not understand the depth until I was older. When I was a child I focused on the food influence and when I was older conversations focused on border issues. During this class I did not learn that nationalities other than Mexican influenced Arizona, I already knew that, but I did gain a better understanding to the city I live in. I am writing to you, as a world citizen, because I think it is important for everyone to realize the international world in his or her own backyard. This international world is right outside our door step, and by not being aware of it's influence we are ignorant of many international influences that direct us directly, and are not just what we see on the news.

            In this course we experienced issues I was aware of, such as the Arizona- Mexico border, and we experienced issues I was not aware of, such as the Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ). The border, an obvious important issue, is often portrayed differently in the media. It is vital for us, as citizens of Arizona, to research not only the U.S. standpoint but also the viewpoints of Mexican- Americans. When I saw Mexican- Americans I am not only talking about U.S. citizens. It is important to include illegal immigrants as well because they still contribute to society. They work, pay taxes on fake security cards, and are part of our neighborhoods and communities. These immigrants have stories and rights to be treated equally. By discriminating against them we are creating a greater divide and not giving them the opportunity to contribute even more to our society. They did not come to make Arizona a Mexican territory; they came to give themselves and their children a better life. I know if I were a mother I would do anything to give my child the best life possible. This is not just a Mexican trait. We are more alike than most Arizonans realize.

            The issue I knew least about before this course was the FTZ. The FTZ is a zone that all Americans should know but do not. It is a controversial program that is highly under publicized. This zone influences Arizonans because although it creates jobs it also gives large companies more benefits; allowing them to grow and take business away from smaller businesses. I can see the positives and negatives of the program, but I think it is a problem more people are unaware of what is happening in our own state. The program started as a response to companies moving abroad, but I question if it fulfilled its goal of keeping jobs in America. A large Japanese plant had less than 400 employees but saved billions of dollars a year by not paying taxes, and they still had larger factories abroad.

            I understand not all of us in Arizona are interested in political issues. I think everyone should be aware of these issues, but I understand not being interested in particular topics. In this course we did not only explore political issues but also fun aspects, such as food. Every week we explored a separate ethnic restaurant. By going to these restaurants we became even more aware of the international influence in Arizona along with great food.

Next time you are out I urge you to ask how am I influenced by globalization? Is it the food I eat, where I work, or where I buy my everyday products? You would be surprised how the international community influences many aspects of your life.

Sincerely,

Fellow Arizonan