EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — The border, the Star on the Mountain and the Plaza Hotel are just a few of the things people tend to associate with El Paso, Texas, especially people who are not all that familiar with the Borderland.
The city is always bringing attention from both Mexico’s side and the United States’ side, sometimes getting caught in the middle, but what is El Paso really known for on its own?
Searching online, there are several articles dedicated to sharing some facts about the city, along with activities people can do whenever they get to visit the Borderland. An article by thetravel.com claims that the main reason why travelers should plan their trip to the city is so they can experience a different side of Texas, mentioning that the city is nothing like other Texas cities like Dallas or Houston.
A different article by planetware.com argues that seeing the views from Scenic Drive is a must-do activity for visitors to the Sun City, as well as visiting the El Paso Zoo and watching a live performance at the Plaza Theater.
The list goes on and on, but the same question remains, what is El Paso really known for?
El Pasoan local and resident, Nathalia Dominguez, has spent 20 years of her life living in the Borderland. She describes her time in El Paso as “the best thing that ever happened to her.”
“I feel like I’ve been living in El Paso my entire life, even though my family comes from Juarez. I always felt like my place was being here,” Dominguez said.
She mentioned how her favorite thing about the Borderland is not only the diversity in culture, but the way the city is shaped and infused with two countries coming together as one.
“I would say that El Paso is, or at least should be best known for the richness in diversity and culture. If you look at it that way, you can really tell that there’s something so special about embracing two countries in just one city,” Dominguez said. “I feel like by having both the Mexican and American culture, people have new opportunities to learn from each other and open their minds to new possibilities.”
Dominguez commented how the city is not known for a specific place, restaurant, or even historic event, but for the uniqueness of people helping, embracing, and accepting each other.
“I’m not only saying this from my own perspective, no, I know for sure El Pasoans feel the same way. El Paso is a representation of diversity and coming together as a united community. Family values, culture, and society collaboration is what El Paso represents to me,” Dominguez added.
