Alan Lilienthal

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.

From KPBS and PRX, "Port of Entry" tells cross-border stories that connect us. The podcast's latest season is focused on personal stories from cross-border artists and musicians who've gone through a lot to get where they are today.

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.