Friendship Park has been growing since 1971 after First Lady Pat Nixon stated her intention to promote and inaugurate an international friendship park in the Tijuana-San Diego border region in Kumeyaay land. Over the years, and after a critical collective struggle to unite families, this arid zone flourished and brought hope to the people who lived on both sides of the border who unfortunately were not able to have physical contact with their loved ones. Through the narrowed border fence openings, family members who were separated were able to touch each other with their fingertips.
The region flourishes. However, President Joe Biden plans to finish what Donald Trump dictated during his administration: the construction of a 30-feet or 9.15-meter-high wall. The consequences of this new wall will be devastating for families. First, it will fulfill Trump’s discriminatory and racist political promise that catapulted him to the presidency. Second, since February 2020, San Diego Border Patrol (SDBP) has blocked any physical contact between family members residing on both sides of the border by closing the entrance to Friendship Park with the intentions of closing the park permanently. In addition to the lack of physical contact after the closure of the park, the height of the wall will provide no visibility of the natural scenery of the Pacific Ocean that so many people enjoy every day.
Friendship Park hosts a binational garden with native plants in Kumeyaay territory characterized by its immense biodiversity. In February 2020, SDBP bulldozed 120 plants from the garden and destroyed any signs that directed people into the park. So far, San Diego Border Patrol has not fulfilled its promises to restore the protected area and compensate for the destruction of the garden.
Friendship Park also hosts the Border Church where people congregate for religious mass. The purpose of this congregation is to encourage unity in the face of division and damage caused by the division and militarization of the border. On both sides, the Fandango Fronterizo brings the community together through music to ease the pressure of militarization of the border and to raise awareness of the magnitude and force that communities have when they work together.
It is to this day that San Diego Border Patrol has elaborated every single excuse to create major obstacles for people who are eager to visit Friendship Park despite the tireless demands from the community, activists, and organizations to keep the region’s natural area open.
October 29 marks the 1000th day that the park has been closed. It marks the day that families cannot physically connect. It is the 1000th day that the park’s nature continues to be abandoned and destroyed, and as much as Mother Nature grants us those fruits, racist immigration policies and their actors par excellence take them away from us. With each day passing, they destroy the bridges that communities have created for peaceful union and solidarity. October 29 marks the 1000th day that SDBP has closed the gates of Friendship Park, but it will never diminish the hopes, momentum, and strength that the community demonstrates every day through their advocacy. Let’s demand that San Diego Border Patrol opens the doors to Friendship Park and demilitarize the area. Demand peace and justice for the border towns and for the Kumeyaay territory.
The fight to reopen this park of unity and solidarity continues and will not stop. Support the BUILD THAT PARK! cause by following our social media on Instagram @friendshipparkusmx, on Facebook at facebook.com/FofPark and on Twitter @FofPark.
