Calexico Arts Council hires Dorantes to write next book on city history » Holtville Tribune

CALEXICO — Jimmy Dorantes is an artist, writer and photographer who grew up on First Street along the border fence. His understanding of Calexico’s rich history is as good as any and deserves to be put to good use.

And now it’s about to happen. On Wednesday morning, June 26, Dorantes was introduced as the author selected by the Calexico Arts Council to write the second installment of a three-part book series on Calexico history, chronicling the city’s progress and growth from 1930 to 1969.

A press conference was held at the Carmen Durazo Cultural Arts Center, where the Arts Council and city officials met to recognize Dorantes and build anticipation for the second volume, which local history buffs will be able to read in about six months.

The nonprofit Arts Council began the project after COVID and published the first book, “Calexico: The Origin or ‘Early Beginnings,’” in 2023, covering the early history of the border town up to 1929.

About the new book, Dorantes said, “I think this is a very important era in Calexico’s history. It will be challenging to write, but also fun.” He wants to find new information about how people lived back then. The main question that drives the book is: What was life like in Calexico during this era?

Carmen Durazo, who is both the project manager and the main editor of the book, said the guidelines for writing the volume include sections in English and Spanish, as well as a separate section for photos and other historical documents. The format of the book will include divisions by category as well as by decade. The four main categories are: arts and culture, municipal administration, education and commerce.

Durazo said this will be a collaborative effort by residents of Dorantes and Calexico to create a compilation of “everyone’s experiences.” She encourages all residents to participate. “We need their stories and their photos.” She emphasized, “This is done from a personal perspective. For our elders, our children and also for our new immigrants.”

“I hope to add interesting and never-before-seen photos,” Dorantes said. “Digging, finding and compiling – that’s my job.” He hopes Calexico residents will participate in community workshops offered, where the public is invited to bring old photos, documents or other artifacts to use in the book.

Over the years, Dorantes’ experiences with border culture have provided vivid memories and material for his books and photographs. He has a keen eye for detail and has witnessed firsthand the development of the border fence and the development and change of the city of Calexico over the years, he said.

His humble beginnings as a photographer began when his mother gave him a camera at age 3 so he could entertain himself and take family photos. Since then, he has become a well-traveled and nationally known photographer and author, having worked for Time Magazine, HBO and many other major book publishers and newspapers.

His first photo book is titled “Life Along the Border” and is a series of images that showcase life and culture on the border. His second solo book, “The Observant Eye,” is also a recent photo book. Dorantes collaborated on the book “Americanos,” a project created in partnership with Edward James Olmos.

Calexico Mayor Javier Moreno and Councilor Victor Legaspi were present to express their support for the book project. Moreno and Legaspi both promised to actively support Dorantes and the Calexico Arts Council in their book project and expressed their confidence in the council’s selection.

“Calexico is unique. On behalf of the city, we support the book,” Moreno said. “I went to high school with Jimmy. I know he will do a great job.”

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Legaspi has also confirmed his participation and encouraged other Calexico residents to share their family heirlooms, photos and personal anecdotes with the Arts Council. He said, “Calexico has a long history. We just need to discover it and share it with each other.”

Although Dorantes has traveled the world and worked on many projects, he is honored to write about his hometown. He thanked the Arts Council board members for choosing him, saying, “Calexico is unique. It has a special meaning for everyone who lives here.”

Proceeds from the book sales will go toward the third installment in the series, which can be purchased through the Calexico Arts Council’s Facebook page. The book will then become a historical archive for the city’s residents to read, learn from, and enjoy.

Calexico residents can attend two separate workshops where they can bring their old photos and have them scanned. The originals will be returned immediately on site.

The workshops will take place on Saturday, July 13th from 10am to 12pm and on Saturday, July 20th from 10am to 12pm. Both events will be held at the Carmen Durazo Cultural Arts Center. The public is welcome to attend. You can also contact the author and project leader by email at [email protected] or [email protected]