CASA’s Crossing Borders Project is based on a multicultural curriculum developed in-house by CASA in collaboration with the Center for Community Change and the Fair Immigration Reform Movement, and with funding from the Montgomery County Department of Housing and Community Affairs.  The curriculum discusses recent demographic shifts among African Americans and Latino immigrants, the historical antecedents to existing tensions between African Americans and Latino immigrants, the interplay between jobs, race and immigration, and the process for moving from dialogue to action.  The workbook contains the following sections:

• Demographic Shifts among African Americans and Immigrants – As its title suggests, this unit provides data on demographic changes in African American and immigrant communities over the past 20 years.
• The History of Domination and the Pursuit of Opportunity – This unit explores issues confronting African Americans and immigrants from a historical perspective.  It also includes a timeline of African American and immigrant history.
• Five Dimensions of the African American and Immigrant Tension – This unit explores the root of the existing tensions between the two communities.
• Jobs, Race, and Immigration – This unit examines the economic predicaments facing African Americans and immigrants.
• Additional Resources – This unit includes resources that African American and immigrant groups can use to move from dialogue to action, including how to run an effective meeting, how to conduct a “relational meeting,” as well as a reading and resource list.

Following the development of this curriculum, CASA began its Crossing Borders Project in August 2008 with support from the Maryland Mediation and Conflict Resolution Office and the Ford Foundation.  This project is primarily aimed at improving relationships between Latino immigrants and African Americans in Baltimore City and Prince George’s County.  CASA’s experience has shown that these two geographic areas can benefit the most from this type of cultural awareness training, which will work to dispel misperceptions and replace them with a sense of common struggle and understanding to create the foundation for strong, vibrant, diverse communities.

CASA has convened a CASA formed a Steering Committee of prominent leaders, including elected officials and “grasstops” leaders in both the Latino and African American community, to lead the project.  Committee members include:

State Senator David Harrington

Maryland District 47

Delegate Ana Sol Gutierrez

Maryland District 18

Delegate Joseline Pena-Melnyk

Maryland District 21

Rosa Amo

Prince George's Community College

Nora Eidelman

Deputy Director, Community Legal Services of Prince George’s County

Beatriz Otero

Executive Director, CentroNía

Rosa Acosta-Bonilla

Maryland Site Director, CentroNía

Gustavo Torres

Executive Director, CASA de Maryland

Mickie Harris

Civil Rights Organizer, United Food and Commercial Workers Local 400

Karina Lopez

Representative, United Food and Commercial Workers Local 400

Alonzo Washington

Community Liaison for Prince George’s Councilman Will Campos

CASA has held a series of trainings for leaders and community members, including its Crossing Borders Steering Committee and members of CASA’s Committee of Women Seeking Justice, community leaders in Baltimore City, and organizations such as CentroNía and Identity.   Additionally, as part of this project, CASA has participated in discussions of racism and cultural awareness at the local, state and national level, and shared the curriculum with numerous partner organizations.   Following its initial trainings, CASA is working with partner organizations to convene a statewide Crossing Borders Teach-In in late summer 2009.  This five-day conference is aimed at establishing a core group of Crossing Borders trainers who will implement the training in their communities.

If your organization is interested in participating in a Crossing Borders training or attending the Crossing Borders Teach-In, please contact David Thurston, CASA’s Anti-Racism Educator, at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

To access a copy of the curricula please click here.  To order a printed copy of our Crossing Borders curricula in English or Spanish please contact Maria Samaniego at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .