Cinco Puntos Press

Biodiversity depends on multiculturalism. Preserving diverse cultures for the sake of biodiversity (and vice versa) is what Gary Nabhan is telling us. Uprooting indigenous peoples and putting them on reservations, for example, is just bad environmental policy not to mention being egregiously immoral and unjust. Respecting the integrity and the beauty of different cultures is so very important for the survival of all of us. After all, indigenous human cultures are vital, evolutionary products and crucial components of ecosystems. We uproot them - we uproot much more.

That is why we are so fortunate in El Paso to have the publishing company, Cinco Puntos Press, a publisher of multicutural books. As a matter of fact, Cinco Puntos has published a children's book by Nabhan - Efraín of the Sonoran Desert - a story told to Nabhan by a Seri Elder. As a scientist Dr. Nabhan asked, "Why do lizards, that are endangered elsewhere, continue to thrive in the Seri homeland?" The answer comes in the form of a story - a story that reveals that the protection of a species depends on a particular native culture.

Begun in 1985 by authors, Lee and Bobby Byrd, Cinco Puntos strives to publish "great books which make a difference in the way you see the world." They excel in bilingual and multicultural books. They find the most creative story tellers and the best illustrators on the frontera. You can read more about their publishing company here. Cinco Puntos has a blog that you can follow and an email list for valuable updates. Poet, Bobby Byrd, has his own blog.

If you want to help to preserve and promote the biodiversity of our borderland, you have a friend in Cinco Puntos Press and their love for the beautiful cultural diversity that enriches and energizes all of our lives.

Cinco Puntos offers online ordering although I love to visit their friendly store and office at 701 Texas Avenue.

Above photo published with permission from Carolyn Rhea Drapes aka Chacal la Chaise.