In January 12, 2010 a devastating earthquake hit Haiti that caused a massive exodus of Haitian nationals to look for a better future in other parts of the world. Elena and Petiane are two Haitian refugees who left their home country for South America to find work. They eventually made it to Tijuana as they set their sights on getting to the US, but after a turn of events they decided to make Tijuana their new home. @portofentrypod ************** Port of Entry is back after a long hiatus and is excited to share a whole new set of stories with you, this time centered around food and migration. This season we share several stories about how food has changed cities in the borderlands, including episodes on folks who have made Valle de Guadalupe, the famous wine region of northern Baja, their home. Follow hosts Natali Gonzalez and Alan Lilienthal as they sit down with these fascinating people and share their personal and family stories. Listen in and join us! If you like this episode, show us some love @portofentrypod ************** From KPBS, PRX, and California Humanities, “Port of Entry” tells cross-border stories that connect us. More stories at www.portofentrypod.org Find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/portofentrypodcast Find us on Instagram or at www.instagram.com/portofentrypod Support our show at www.kpbs.org/donate. Search “Port of Entry” in the gifts section to get our sling bag as a thank-you gift. If your business or nonprofit wants to sponsor our show, email corporatesupport@kpbs.org. Feedback is a gift. Text or call the "Port of Entry" team at 619-500-3197 anytime with questions or comments about the show. Email us at podcasts@kpbs.org. “Port of Entry'' is written, produced and directed by Julio C. Ortiz Franco. Luca Vega is our Technical Producer and Sound Designer. Alisa Barba is our editor. Episodes are translated by Julio C. Ortiz Franco and Natali Gonzales. Elma Gonzalez and M.G. Perez are our Spanish Editors. Lisa Morrisette-Zapp is Director of Audio Programming and Operations and John Decker is the Director of Content Development. This program is made possible, in part, by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people.

Hola Amigos! We are back after a long hiatus ready and super excited to share a whole new set of stories with you. This March 15 we kick off Season 4! And this season we will be showcasing stories of newcomers to the borderlands who have impacted the culinary Landscape of Baja. We also have two important announcements we want to share with you: New team members join the Port of Entry family: Julio C. Ortiz Franco will be our new Producer/Editor and Luca Vega will take over as Technical Producer/Sound Designer. Season 4 will be featuring Episodes in Spanish. Eso! We hope you enjoy what we have in store for you, so don't forget to tune in on March 15 through your favorite platforms. Nos vemos pronto!

In this episode we profile a bilingual theater experience called The Frontera Project. It is a company of Mexican and US artists that use theater, music, movement and play to actively engage the audience in conversation about life along the US/Mexico Border. Their mission is to encourage audiences to recognize each other across differences and to spark a dialogue about what divides us and what we share. Port of Entry is back, this time with a series of stories on how the border can change minds.

Thousands of people cross the U.S.-Mexico border every year to take a psychedelic known as ibogaine. But this isn’t for pleasure, this drug spins most people into a terrifying psychotic trip…but it’s a trip that may help some kick opiate addiction. We follow one man with an addiction issue as he takes this trip, and meet others that are trying to overcome their own drug habits. Port of Entry is back, this time with a series of stories on how the border can change minds.

Cannabis advocates in Tijuana work with the legalized scene in California and get themselves ready for a future where adult-use cannabis is finally legal in Mexico. Not only are they working to get the laws changed in Mexico, they also have to find ways to change the perception of cannabis at the border, which has long been associated with Mexican drug cartels. Port of Entry is back, this time with a series of stories on how the border can change minds.

Cannabis on the border is nothing new – for decades, weed moved north from Mexico into the U.S., an illegal trade that fueled drug cartels and drug violence. But with the legalization of recreational and medicinal cannabis in California and other U.S. states, all of that has changed. In Episode 1 of a new series from Port of Entry, we profile a Tijuana politician and activist who is pushing for the legalization of cannabis in Baja California. Port of Entry is back, this time with a series of stories on how the border can change minds.

When COVID-19 rules prevented certain people from crossing the border, “Port of Entry” cohost Alan Lilienthal’s binational, bilingual band Tulengua got separated by the wall.

Border artist Michelle Guerrero struggled with addiction for years, but a surprise pregnancy helped her straighten out her life. Eventually, she taught herself how to paint large-scale murals, in part, by painting murals on the actual border fence. These days, she goes by Mr B Baby, and she travels the West Coast and Mexico, painting huge Mexican-inspired murals in a style that is her own.

Big news: we have a new cohost! In our recurring “Tour Guide” bonus episodes, we ask transborder people to take us on a tour of a special place in the borderlands: a place that means a lot to them. Today, our new fronteriza cohost Natalie Gonzalez, along with our longtime fronterizo host Alan Lilienthal, take us on a tour of two of their favorite places in Tijuana and tell us more about their life on la línea. Today’s episode continues our new season of "Port of Entry" focused on crossborder artists and musicians who’ve turned pain into superpowers.

Victor Lebowski, better known as the artist Tijuanauta, captures the beauty of the borderlands in his art. His detailed ink drawings are often a mishmash of U.S.-Mexico icons, like Star Wars characters and taco carts, or astronauts eating carne asada. But for a long time, Tijuanauta refused to sell his art or make art his day job. Instead, he hid behind the safety of his office job and stayed inside a cubicle for a decade. But recently, Tijuanauta took the plunge. He became a full-time artist and had his first-ever art show in Tijuana over the summer. The artist is gaining traction fast, but his biggest battle is inside his own brain. A mix of lifelong anxiety and self-doubt has long stopped Tijuanauta from being the artist he's destined to be. But he’s finally fighting back.