2026

✳︎

El Paso's Transformation begins

✳︎

2026 ✳︎ El Paso's Transformation begins ✳︎

Who is el paso?

A documentary about El Paso’s most pivotal year to date: 2026; the year the City defines itself, on its terms.

People walking outside the illuminated El Paso Plaza theater at night with a marquee sign advertising a film festival event at Texas Cult House.

documenting el paso’s transformation

  • Dedicated cinematographer focusing on Primary Subjects:

    • Data Centers and the Future of Energy

    • Rule of Law

    • Neighborhoods

    • Representation in the Media

    • Public Arts and Festivals

    Public portal to share images, videos, music and other media

    Short film releases throughout 2026

    Feature film release early 2027

    Partial online Repository

    Full repository to be entrusted to local university

  • 2026 is going to be a transformative year for El Paso and the nation as a variety of factors converge:

    • 2 planned Data Centers

    • 2026 Midterm Elections

    • Immigration Enforcement

    • Anti-Government Radicalism

    • Anti-Semitism and the Faith

    • Public Arts and Entertainment

  • There is a tremendous disconnect between the people of El Paso and the people who govern El Paso.

    El Pasoans are pretty set in their ways; the people who govern El Paso are set in changing everything about the city.

    Change is inevitable; but El Pasoans must have a seat at the table.

  • Are data centers usually placed near each other?

    Are the project owners good corporate citizens?

    Compare incentives between the Meta project and Project Jupiter

    How do the Meta Project and Project Jupiter deals compare to each other?

    How do each of the data center owners plan to contribute to the future of the region?

    Risk vs. Benefit Analysis per deal.

  • Why Me?

    I am good candidate to make to do this work because:

    • I am a border native and UTEP graduate.

    • I am a certified, former economic development professional.

    • I have successfully delivered over 500 videos over the course of my career.

    • I have over 15 years of experience as:

      • Journalist

      • Filmmaker

    • I have spent over 15 years honing my craft as a:

      • Producer

      • Director

      • Editor

    • I have lived in major cities and visited most states in the nation

    • I have a taste for the obscure, the dilapidated, and the underdog.

    • I have never been a beneficiary of access, popularity, or power; but I have been in the room with it and know exactly how to handle myself, in order to be best compliment it.

    • As a storyteller, I know how to craft stories long and brief.

    • As a documentarian, I know how to disappear and let action flow naturally before me.

    • ⁃ As a journalist, I understand the need for accuracy and the extreme avoidance to partiality.

  • Potential Interviewees for Documentary on El Paso and Regional Data CentersProject Leaders and Company Representatives

    • Brad Davis- Director of Data Center Community and Economic Development, Meta Platforms
      Relevance: Leads Meta's El Paso outreach; can discuss AI optimization, job creation, and community partnerships.

    • Rachel Peterson- VP of Data Center Strategy, Meta Platforms
      Relevance: Oversees Meta's AI infrastructure, including El Paso's scalable 1 GW site; perspectives on sustainable design.

    • Lanham Napier - Chairman and Co-Founder, BorderPlex Digital Assets
      Relevance: Driving Project Jupiter's $165B investment; details on hyperscalers like OpenAI/Oracle and regional tech clustering.

    • Miguel Fernandez- CEO, Flo Networks; Leadership in BorderPlex Digital Assets
      Relevance: Local telecom exec involved in Jupiter's infrastructure; cross-border connectivity and economic multipliers.

    Government Officials

    • Renard Johnson- Mayor, City of El Paso
      Relevance: Oversees city incentives for Meta; views on economic transformation and resource balance.

    • Ricardo Samaniego- County Judge, El Paso County
      Relevance: Highlighted Meta in State of the County address; aerospace/tech synergies and county impacts.

    • Michelle Lujan Grisham -Governor, New Mexico
      Relevance: Announced Jupiter partnership; state-level vision for AI hubs and renewable energy.

    • Susanna Chaparro- Vice Chair, Doña Ana County Board of Commissioners
      Relevance: Voted against Jupiter advancement; critical perspective on water concerns and oversight.

    • Shannon Reynolds- Commissioner (District 3), Doña Ana County
      Relevance: Supported Jupiter; pro-growth stance on jobs and infrastructure revenue.

    Utility Executives

    • John Balliew- President and CEO, El Paso Water
      Relevance: Leads water supply for Meta; expert on usage limits and supply challenges.

    • James Schichtl- VP of Customer and Regulatory Solutions, El Paso Electric
      Relevance: Developed rates for Meta and Jupiter; insights on grid upgrades and renewables.

    • Courtney Hjaltman- Commissioner, Public Utility Commission of Texas
      Relevance: Raised concerns about customer subsidies for large power users.

    Critics and Environmentalists

    • Bill Addington- Rancher and West Texas Environmental Organizer
      Relevance: Opposed Meta; grassroots concerns on desert sustainability.

    • Daisy Maldonado- Director, Empowerment Congress of Doña Ana County
      Relevance: Protested Jupiter; advocacy on equity and utility failures.

    • Andy Vargas- Founder, No Border Ventures
      Relevance: Criticized Meta's subsidies; economic critique on job quality vs. public costs.

    Economic Boosters and Community Leaders

    • Jon Barela- CEO, Borderplex Alliance
      Relevance: Supported Meta and regional clustering; economic strategy overview.

    • Davin Lopez- President and CEO, Mesilla Valley Development Alliance
      Relevance: Urged Jupiter approval; local perspective on high-wage opportunities.

    • Mark Roper- Acting Secretary, New Mexico Economic Development Department
      Relevance: Cited growth from similar projects; comparative success stories.

    Experts and Journalists

    • Andrew Chien- Professor of Computer Science, University of Chicago
      Relevance: Data center expert; technical breakdown of AI resource impacts.

    • Vic Kolenc- Business Reporter, El Paso Times
      Relevance: Covered housing expansions and water debates; journalistic overview.

    • Andy Morgan- Anchorman, KTSM9News
      Relevance: Reported on rate hikes and public reactions; media lens on utility strains.

  • Faith on the Border

    • Creed and Belief

    • Responses to challenges of the day

    Midterm Elections

    • ICE raids in El Paso

    • Border Security

    Tourism: Arts and Culture

    • Events

    • Galleries

    • Concerts

    • Music venues

    Historical Sites

    Visual mapping of:

    • Government buildings

    • Churches

Current documentary: closure

One man’s mission to stop Civil War 2.0 - one conversation at a time, Closure, is an in-depth look at radicalization on both sides of the American political spectrum.

Spanning the timeframe between 2016 and now, the film looks at effects of mass migration, the election of Donald Trump, Antifa, J6, and No Kings protests turned riots.

Previous Documentary Work : Tijuana (2021)

Tijuana is a short documentary film about mass migration and human trafficking in the immediate aftermath of former President of the United States Joe Biden’s order for migrants to “immediately surge the border.”

Filmed in late January of 2021, the film shows the shocking reality of the migrant situation: migration is no longer organic, but the result of organized efforts.

Previous documentary work: la teachers strike (2019)

Teachers with the Los Angeles Unified School Districts united to strike; demanding lower class sizes, higher wages and more support staff to help primary teachers.

A tall building with a sign that reads 'PALAZA' on top, featuring arched windows and ornate architectural details, seen from a low angle against a blue sky.
Cityscape featuring buildings and a colorful mural reading 'Sunset Heights Historic District ALICE' with a sunset sky background, street signs, and traffic lights in the foreground.
Wide shot of a cityscape with buildings and mountains in the background, viewed from a highway with traffic and a pedestrian bridge.
Colorful mural of a detailed human heart with a crown of thorns around it on an exterior wall of a building, with vibrant geometric patterns radiating outward.
Front view of a vintage white GMC truck with chrome grille and decorative details on the hood, parked outdoors on a sunny day.
A large billboard at The University of Texas at El Paso featuring the UTEP logo and the slogan "Home of the Miners" with surrounding buildings, hills, and a cloudy sky in the background.
Close-up of a modern glass building with an arched window and flags on top, against a cloudy sky.
Graffiti on a brick wall featuring a colorful cityscape with mountains and a star, with the word 'ALBUQUERQUE' in stylized blue and yellow letters, with 'Made in' and 'Lopez 915' written nearby.
Three men dressed as Mexican drug lords, wearing black suits with chains and feathered hats, walking at an outdoor car show.
A religious mural depicting Our Lady of Guadalupe on a white stucco building with barred windows, blue sky, and a sign indicating no soliciting, loitering, or trespassing.
Mural on pink wall depicting various black and white images of musicians, singers, and performers, including a large portrait of a woman singing into a microphone, with cars parked in front and a woman in black standing nearby.
Cute brown dog lying on concrete sidewalk, wearing a blue harness, with tongue out and smiling.
Colorful mural of a native face painted on the side of a brick building, with the words "Segundo Barrio" written above.
A painted mural on a white wall featuring a bald eagle with a fierce expression clutching a green and brown object, with the words 'Segundo Barrio Futbol Club' in black and green lettering. There is a chain-link fence in the foreground and an urban s
A rocky desert landscape featuring a hillside with sparse desert vegetation and a tall, red stadium light pole on the left. The sky is mostly clear with some scattered clouds.
People walking in front of the El Paso Plaza Theatre at dusk, with illuminated marquee advertising a film festival and concert event.
View of a cityscape with mountains in the background, framed by rocks and trees in the foreground, including a parking lot with cars.
A cityscape with mountainous terrain in the background, highway with moving cars, and a building with a colorful emblem on its wall in the foreground.
Highway signs indicating directions to Juárez, Mexico, and US routes 54 and 375, with clear blue sky and clouds in the background.
A round sign with a beer mug with foam on top, against a blue sky with power lines and wooden utility poles.
A desert landscape at sunset with mountains in the background and a sky filled with pink, purple, and blue clouds.
Mountains with a city at their base, under a sky with pink and purple clouds, and desert terrain with bushes in the foreground.
A desert landscape at dusk with a single leafless tree in the foreground, mountains in the background, and a sky with pink and purple clouds.
Dark clouds over a sunset with silhouetted trees in the foreground.
View of a city with mountain in the background, seen through a rocky cave opening, with desert plants in the foreground.
Person holding a yellow flag, dressed in black with a patch that reads 'LA CAUSA,' wearing sunglasses, a face covering, and a badge, standing under an overpass with parked cars and people in the background.
Two dogs at an outdoor market, one wearing sunglasses sitting on the sidewalk and the other facing away, with people walking by and market stalls with clothing in the background.
A row of black motorcycles parked inside a garage or workshop with a sign that reads 'Authorized Personnel Only' in the background.
A vintage motorcycle with a brown leather seat and gold fuel tank in a garage, surrounded by other bikes and equipment.
Cityscape with multiple tall buildings under an overcast sky, including a brown brick building with a green-roofed tower and a sign that says 'PLAZA' on top.
City street scene at dusk with tall buildings, including Wells Fargo and Home signs, parked cars, streetlamp, and cloudy sky.
A tall, historic building with multiple windows, named 'Anson Mills,' on a cloudy evening in an urban setting.
A black and white photo of a motorcycle in a garage, with another motorcycle on a trailer in the background.

want to help?

This is a major project proposal, requiring input from community residents and leaders.

if you are interested in helping, please fill out the form and we’ll be in contact shortly.