The Bordertown Memories: Never Killed Anyone, Never Had Anyone Killed

Description: This is a true account of my life during the span of more than a decade in the '60s and '70s when I was lured into the life of a drug dealer. As a poor young boy from a barrio in the small border town of San Ysidro I wanted to make something of myself and the promise of big money and everything that came along with it was too attractive an offer to pass up. It was during this time that marijuana and cocaine deals were making way for the major Mexican and Latin American gangs and notorious drug cartels that were to come. Cash from the drug sales flowed back into Mexico to pay off drug dealers. What grew into the largest border crossing in the world by 2011 was once the playground for my friends and I, exploring in the once deserted hills and fields that later became a "no man's land," according to Joseph Wambaugh in his book "Lines and Shadows. "In his book Mr. Wambaugh writes about an original task force put together to fight the lawlessness occurring along the hills of the boder, also known as "the imaginary line" between San Ysidro and Tijuana, I discuss it in this memoir. Education and political activism would become a large influence in my life but only after it was almost too late. But luck was on my side and I somehow was able to escape the fate of many like me who either ended up incarcerated or dead. This is my story. Juan Medina retired from Mental Health Systems Inc. in June 2016 following more than 25 years in job development and employment support. During his career Medina was sought out by mental health providers for his expertise in employment-related services, specifically teaching about how employment can lead to a person's recovery from mental illness and other related disorders. A few of Medina's commitments during his career include chair of the Job Developer's Network, member of the Behavioral Health Adult and Housing councils in the area of employment, member of San Diego Workforce Partnership's "Working Well" Committee, member of the Mental Health Services Act Workforce, Education and Training taskforce, and advisory member for the county probation department training officers on domestic violence. Medina was voted the "Vocational Support Person of the Year" in 2015 at the 29th annual San Diego Behavioral Health Recognition dinner. In addition, he was selected for inclusion in the 2013 edition of The Latino American Who's Who, a New York-based biographical publication. In addition, Medina promoted awareness on disabilities and helped erase the stigma surrounding mental illness through employment. He now lives in San Diego with his wife, son and two grandchildren.

Price: 21.21 AUD

Location: Hillsdale, NSW

End Time: 2024-12-05T01:45:56.000Z

Shipping Cost: 32.47 AUD