This week on Fronteras:
· Protests over the high price of gasoline continue in Mexico.
· In Fort Worth, the police chief is under scrutiny after the video of a white Fort Worth police officer arresting a black woman and her daughters went viral.
· The Dallas Public Library warms up its policy regarding the homeless.
· A Houston internship program connects teenagers with real world skills.
Protests Follow Mexico’s Gas Price Deregulation
Two weeks after the Mexican government raised gas prices, demonstrations continue. When President Enrique Peña Nieto deregulated gasoline prices January 1st, they instantly rose as much as 20-percent. Protestors came out in large numbers and other citizens blocked the government’s trucks from delivering fuel. Jean Guerrero of KPBS reports from the border city of San Yisidro.
For more context on what’s happening in Mexico, The Texas Standard’s David Brown checked in with KUT’s Joy Diaz on assignment in Chihuahua.
Viral Arrest Video Tests Fort Worth Police Chief
Last month, a video went viral showing a Fort Worth police officer arresting a black mother and her daughters after she called police to complain that her neighbor assaulted her son. The incident sparked protests and demands the officer be fired. This week he received a 10-day suspension. KERA’s Christopher Connelly explains how the incident has put city’s first African American police chief in the spotlight.
Dallas Library Becomes Haven For The Homeless
In Dallas, a major public institution has turned around the way it deals with its most marginalized visitors. KERA’s Courtney Collins explains how the Dallas Public Library has committed to not just tolerating—but welcoming—every homeless person who walks through the door.
Houston Mentor Program Gives Students Real World Skills
Educators across Texas want to make students prepared for jobs. One program called Genesys Works, connects disadvantaged teenagers with real work experience. Houston Public Media’s Laura Isensee brings us this conversation between high school senior Eloisa Cortinas and her mentor Maria Carlota Palacios, a Williams company manager.