At Las Brisas apartment complex in San Luis, high school students from San Luis High play lotería, plant, share meals and swap stories with elders as part of “Together Across Generations,” a yearlong program coordinated locally by Campesinos Sin Fronteras and evaluated by The University of Arizona.
“We gather with them, we tell them about us and they tell us about them, they’re full of joy,” said Lucia Espinoza, a six-month member of the program.
Chloe Ruiz, program coordinator at Campesinos Sin Fronteras, said activities range from board games to teaching basic tech skills so elders can reconnect with distant family members. “We share a lot of traditions from our culture, and I think it’s been a great experience in collaboration with the University of Arizona,” Ruiz said.
The program aims to measure whether small, steady interactions can reduce social isolation and improve well-being. Students benefit, too: recent graduate Carolina Hernandez said the visits strengthened her ties to family abroad. “My grandma lives in Zacatecas, so I don’t see her much. This program makes me miss her and call her more often,” she said.
Organizers say exchanging stories, songs and recipes helps preserve cultural connections while addressing loneliness with straightforward, sustainable interventions.
