From the Publisher's Desk July / August 2004

From the Publisher's Desk

Community Center Dream

The Sinaloa Immigration Department published statistics this month which stated there are 7,531 expatriates in Sinaloa with FM3, FM2 or emigrado status. Of those, 3,346 are Americans, and 80% (or 2,640) of those Americans live in Mazatlán and the Teacapan-Esquinapa area. The Canadian Consul estimates that 800 Canadians live Mazatlán and environs, for an approximate total of 3,440 expatriates in our city.

Our foreign community in Mazatlán pales in numbers compared to those in Lake Chapala and San Miquel de Allende. It is estimated that approximately 20,000 Americans, Canadians and a small contingent of Europeans live in the Lake Chapala area. San Miquel de Allende´s total population of 80,000 is composed of at least 10,000 expatriates. Both these towns have a vibrant, involved community spirit based on the principles of sharing, helping, growing and learning.

At the risk of comparing apples to oranges, the Mazatlán foreign community has not yet picked up the gauntlet and learned to coalesce into a homogenous group that works together for the common good. There are two main reasons for this. Firstly, many of our expatriate residents live part-time in Mazatlán, usually November to April. Secondly, and more importantly, unlike the Lake Chapala and San Miquel inhabitants, the Mazatlán foreign community is spread throughout a city of 380,000 people and beyond. This geographic reality naturally leads to pockets of expatriates who form individual groups. The result is we often do not meet and get to know each other.

We believe one way to bring the community together is to establish a permanent meeting place — the type of community center which exists in every town and city in the States and Canada. It would be composed of common areas, rooms for classes in art, Spanish, Yoga, chess etc., meeting rooms, an event room with kitchen facilities, an English language library and media room. It would be a resource for English speaking tourists to ask questions about visiting and living in Mazatlán. It would be professionally managed.

The dream of a community center can become a reality. We have organizational and fundraising skills we haven´t even tapped yet. It will take people with vision and commitment to plan and build a meeting place for our 3,440 Mazatlán expatriates. If the folks in Lake Chapala and San Miquel can do it, so can we.

Michael J. Veselik

Publisher