Lauren Villagran

Cosechadora de cuentos, aficionada del burrito, the self-proclaimed preguntona, arrived to our frontera 20 years ago, dreaming of becoming a journalist. The ebbs and flows of life took her to different parts of the country and world, but ultimately the romance she feels deeply for the land of Juanga, twilight scenic views when the border blurs, drew her home. 

Home is where she loves, where she mothers, where she works, where she partners.

Lauren is committed to reporting on immigration on the U.S. border, now as reporter for USA TODAY. She writes con pulso, conciencia y respeto. To tell the stories of la frontera often entails the risk of secondary trauma, but also the feeling of collective resilience.  

Mujer de triple lengua, thank you for your perspective, for your courage to chase tragedy, to chase beauty, and tell the story.

Nube Intention As I blew the glass “cloud,” I thought about how our sister cities of the Borderland share the same sky, how we breathe the same air, how the clouds pass unimpeded. My prayer is for the crossing to be gentle, as a cloud in a stormless sky.