Port of Entry

By KPBS

These are cross-border stories that connect us. Border people often inhabit this in-between place. From KPBS “Port of Entry” tells personal stories from this place — stories of love, hope, struggle, a... more

· Society & Culture

4.7

102102 ratings

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FAQs about Port of Entry:

How many episodes does Port of Entry have?

The podcast currently has 223 episodes available.

Port of Entry episodes:

September 25, 2026 Rewriting the Quest: How tabletop role-playing games took on a life of their own south of the border
You’ve probably heard of Dungeons & Dragons, right? You know… the popular tabletop role-playing game (TTRPG) where players create characters, build stories, and work together to navigate a fantasy world.
Well, in this episode, the Port of Entry team ventures into the world of tabletop role-playing games on a quest to find out why people love these games so much.
KPBS web producer Leslie Gonzalez prepares the team by introducing them to the basics of D&D through a short campaign before sending them off.
But their quest goes beyond dragons and sorcerers: How did these games make their way into the Spanish-speaking world? And what happens when players reshape fantasy worlds to reflect their own?
The team meets Nahual creator Miguel Espinoza, game writers and editors Mike Balles and Claudia Sánchez, and Dungeon Masters Amaury de Leon and Doriam Couto.
They learn about efforts to create more space for different voices and how players have adapted TTRPGs to reflect their own stories and experiences.
Mentioned in this episode:
Critical Role
Maztica
Edgar Clément - “Operación Bolívar”
Guillermo del Toro - Guillermo del Toro Praises Edgar Clement
Tweet of Clement requesting Guillermo del Toro to reshare
(Producers note: We couldn't find the actual tweet of Guillermo del Toro sharing Nahual Kickstarter)
Special Thanks to Jorge and Danielle Campos for opening their doors and sharing their story, we couldn't feature them in this episode. Hopefully we can share the incredible story of Inkara in another episode.
About Season 6
Port of Entry has a fresh new season for you, with richer stories of our border region.
This season spotlights shapers and visionaries of the borderlands — people impacting the region, and in some cases the world, with their work and research.
From urbanism and architecture to education, and politics, to art and robotics, these stories explore the region’s most innovative voices.
Listen in and join us!
Social media and contact
From KPBS, Port of Entry tells cross-border stories that connect us. More stories at www.portofentrypod.org
Facebook: www.facebook.com/portofentrypodcast
Instagram: 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 [email protected].
Text or call the Port of Entry team at 619-500-3197 anytime with questions or comments about the show, or email us at [email protected].
Credits
Hosts: Alan Lilienthal and Natalie González
Writer/Producer: Natalie González
Technical Producer/Sound Designer: Adrian Villalobos
Editor: Chrissy Nguyen and Julio C. Ortiz-Franco
Episodes translated by: Natalie González and Julio C. Ortíz Franco
...more
37min
September 04, 2026 Escribiendo la frontera: el poeta Adolfo Guzmán-López sobre Tijuana, San Diego y California Southern
¿Cómo convertimos las experiencias y memorias que nos han marcado en arte?
En este episodio, grabado en vivo durante el San Diego Book Festival de KPBS, platicamos con Adolfo Guzmán-López sobre lo que significó crecer entre Tijuana y San Diego y cómo esas experiencias terminaron encontrando un lugar en su escritura.
Adolfo creció siendo testigo de dos mundos muy distintos: los vecindarios de clase trabajadora de la Tijuana de los años 70 y los vecindarios de clase media y alta de Pacific Beach, a donde acompañaba a su mamá mientras ella trabajaba limpiando casas.
Con el tiempo, Adolfo se mudó a National City y creció en Estados Unidos. Sus experiencias en ambos lados de la frontera lo llevaron a convertirse en periodista, escritor y poeta.
En su obra más reciente, California Southern: Writing from the Road, 1992–2025, Adolfo recorre distintas etapas de su vida y les da voz a las personas, los lugares y las experiencias que lo ayudaron a convertirse en quien es.
Redes sociales y contacto
De KPBS, Port of Entry cuenta historias que cruzan fronteras. Para escuchar más historias visita www.portofentrypod.org
Facebook: www.facebook.com/portofentrypodcast
Instagram: www.instagram.com/portofentrypod
Puedes apoyar nuestro podcast en www.kpbs.org/donate, escribe en la sección de regalos (gift section) “Port of Entry” y como agradecimiento podrás recibir un regalo.
Si tu empresa u organización sin fines de lucro desea patrocinar nuestro podcast, envía un correo a [email protected]
Nos encantaría recibir tu retroalimentación, envíanos un mensaje al 619-500-3197 o un correo a [email protected] con tus comentarios y/o preguntas sobre nuestro podcast.
Créditos
Hosts: Alan Lilienthal and Natalie González
Escritor/Productor: Julio C. Ortiz Franco
Productor Técnico/Diseñador Sonoro: Adrian Villalobos
Editora: Chrissy Nguyen
Episodios traducidos por: Natalie González and Julio C. Ortíz Franco
Directora de Programación de Audio y Operaciones: Lisa Morrisette
...more
35min
August 28, 2026 Writing the border: Poet Adolfo Guzman-Lopez on Tijuana, San Diego and ‘California Southern’
How do we turn the experiences and memories that shaped us into art?
In this episode, recorded live at the KPBS San Diego Book Festival, we talk with Adolfo Guzman-Lopez about growing up between Tijuana and San Diego and how those experiences found their way into his writing.
Adolfo grew up witnessing two very different worlds: the working-class neighborhoods of 1970s Tijuana and the middle- and upper-class neighborhoods of Pacific Beach, where he accompanied his mother as she cleaned houses.
Eventually, Adolfo moved to National City and grew up in the United States. His experiences on both sides of the border led him to become a journalist, writer, and poet. In his latest work, “California Southern: Writing from the Road, 1994–2025,” Adolfo captures different stages of his life and gives voice to the people, places, and experiences that shaped him.
About Season 6
Port of Entry has a fresh new season for you, with richer stories of our border region.
This season spotlights shapers and visionaries of the borderlands — people impacting the region, and in some cases the world, with their work and research.
From urbanism and architecture to education, and politics, to art and robotics, these stories explore the region’s most innovative voices.
Listen in and join us!
Social media and contact
From KPBS, Port of Entry tells cross-border stories that connect us. More stories at www.portofentrypod.org
Facebook: www.facebook.com/portofentrypodcast
Instagram: 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 [email protected].
Text or call the Port of Entry team at 619-500-3197 anytime with questions or comments about the show, or email us at [email protected].
Credits
Hosts: Alan Lilienthal and Natalie González
Writer/Producer: Natalie González
Technical Producer/Sound Designer: Adrian Villalobos
Editor: Chrissy Nguyen and Julio C. Ortiz-Franco
Episodes translated by: Natalie González and Julio C. Ortíz Franco
Director of Audio Programming and Operations: Lisa Morrisette
...more
39min
August 10, 2026 Best of KPBS Podcasts - Port of Entry & The Finest
Best of KPBS Podcasts brings the best of KPBS storytelling to our listeners. Each episode features curated highlights from across the KPBS podcast lineup, paired with conversations with the people who bring these stories to life. This episode features the podcasts Port of Entry & The Finest
...more
53min
August 07, 2026 The art of protest: Cómo la comedia desafía fronteras
La protesta no siempre se ve como la imaginamos. A veces toma la forma de una canción, una pintura o una marcha. Y otras veces, de un chiste.
En este episodio de Port of Entry, grabado ante un público en vivo durante el evento KPBS Podcasts Live: The Art of Protest (el arte de protestar), conversamos con Lourdes Ayón, tijuanense, comediante, activista y cabildera.
Creciendo en Tijuana, Lourdes encontró inspiración en la comedia tanto en inglés como en español. Con el tiempo descubrió que el humor podía ser muchas cosas: una forma de expresarse, de sobrellevar los momentos más difíciles de la vida y de cuestionar el status quo. En esta conversación nos cuenta cómo la comedia puede abrir diálogos, cambiar perspectivas y convertirse en una poderosa forma de protesta.
Redes sociales y contacto
De KPBS, Port of Entry cuenta historias que cruzan fronteras. Para escuchar más historias visita www.portofentrypod.org
Facebook: www.facebook.com/portofentrypodcast
Instagram: www.instagram.com/portofentrypod
Puedes apoyar nuestro podcast en www.kpbs.org/donate, escribe en la sección de regalos (gift section) “Port of Entry” y como agradecimiento podrás recibir un regalo.
Si tu empresa u organización sin fines de lucro desea patrocinar nuestro podcast, envía un correo a [email protected]
Nos encantaría recibir tu retroalimentación, envíanos un mensaje al 619-500-3197 o un correo a [email protected] con tus comentarios y/o preguntas sobre nuestro podcast.
Créditos
Hosts: Alan Lilienthal and Natalie González
Escritor/Productor: Julio C. Ortiz Franco
Productor Técnico/Diseñador Sonoro: Adrian Villalobos
Editora: Chrissy Nguyen
Episodios traducidos por: Natalie González and Julio C. Ortíz Franco
Directora de Programación de Audio y Operaciones: Lisa Morrisette
...more
35min
July 31, 2026 The art of protest: How comedy challenges borders
Protest doesn’t always look the way we expect. Sometimes it’s a song, a painting, or a march. And sometimes, it’s comedy.
In this episode of Port of Entry, recorded before a live audience at KPBS Podcasts Live: The Art of Protest, we talk with Lourdes Ayon, a Tijuana native, comedian, advocate and lobbyist.
Growing up in Tijuana, Lourdes watched comedy in both English and Spanish. Over time, she discovered that humor could be many things: a way to express herself, navigate life’s toughest moments and challenge the status quo. In our conversation, she shares how comedy can spark conversations, shift perspectives and become a powerful form of protest.
About Season 6
Port of Entry has a fresh new season for you, with richer stories of our border region.
This season spotlights shapers and visionaries of the borderlands — people impacting the region, and in some cases the world, with their work and research.
From urbanism and architecture to education, and politics, to art and robotics, these stories explore the region’s most innovative voices.
Listen in and join us!
Social media and contact
From KPBS, Port of Entry tells cross-border stories that connect us. More stories at www.portofentrypod.org
Facebook: www.facebook.com/portofentrypodcast
Instagram: 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 [email protected].
Text or call the Port of Entry team at 619-500-3197 anytime with questions or comments about the show, or email us at [email protected].
Credits
Hosts: Alan Lilienthal and Natalie González
Writer/Producer: Natalie González
Technical Producer/Sound Designer: Adrian Villalobos
Editor: Chrissy Nguyen and Julio C. Ortiz-Franco
Episodes translated by: Natalie González and Julio C. Ortíz Franco
Director of Audio Programming and Operations: Lisa Morrisette

...more
31min
July 24, 2026 The cross-border Comic-Con experience (December 2024)
Hola Friends!

Revisiting this episode from 2024, our host Natalie Gonzalez and sound designer Adrian Villalobos plunge into the heart of the pop culture phenomenon known as Comic-Con, experiencing it through the eyes of its devoted fans in Tijuana who make the annual journey across the border to attend the convention in San Diego. Their experiences highlight how Comic-Con has become a cross-border celebration and an annual tradition for many fans in the Tijuana-San Diego region.

About Season 6
Port of Entry has a fresh new season for you, with richer stories of our border region.
This season spotlights shapers and visionaries of the borderlands — people impacting the region, and in some cases the world, with their work and research.
From urbanism and architecture to education, and politics, to art and robotics, these stories explore the region’s most innovative voices.
Listen in and join us!
Social media and contact
From KPBS, Port of Entry tells cross-border stories that connect us. More stories at www.portofentrypod.org
Facebook: www.facebook.com/portofentrypodcast
Instagram: 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 [email protected].
Text or call the Port of Entry team at 619-500-3197 anytime with questions or comments about the show, or email us at [email protected].
Credits
Hosts: Alan Lilienthal and Natalie González
Writer/Producer: Julio C. Ortiz-Franco
Technical Producer/Sound Designer: Adrian Villalobos
Editor: Chrissy Nguyen
Episodes translated by: Natalie González and Julio C. Ortíz Franco
Director of Audio Programming and Operations: Lisa Morrisette

...more
31min
July 10, 2026 ¿Qué hace tan especial al rey de los deportes? Un especial sobre el Mundial
¡Hola, amigos! Julio, productor de Port of Entry, es un apasionado aficionado del fútbol y está decidido de convencer a Alan y Nat de por qué este torneo merece su atención, mostrándoles todo lo que lo hace tan especial.
Para empezar, hablamos con Luis Daniel Rodriguez, ex conductor de un pódcast deportivo y ferviente entusiasta del Mundial, justo cuando se prepara para asistir un juego del torneo de este año.
Luego, Julio lleva al equipo a visitar a algunos viejos amigos: Exxe Caivano, chef de Exxe Alta Parrilla, y Moumen Nouri, chef de Kous Kous del Valle. Estos grandes amigos, además de ser reconocidos chefs, son fanáticos empedernidos del fútbol y, por supuesto, de la Copa del Mundo. Juntos recuerdan con cariño momentos especiales, comparten anécdotas y hasta se lanzan bromas futboleras.
Julio también invita al programa a una nueva amiga: Jasmine Garsd, corresponsal de inmigración de NPR, cofundadora de Alt Latino y creadora del exitoso pódcast "La Ultima Copa". Jasmine aporta perspectivas frescas sobre las muchas dimensiones del fútbol que van más allá del juego en sí. Finalmente, el equipo tiene la oportunidad de vivir juntos la emoción de un partido, la manera ideal de cerrar su viaje futbolero. No te pierdas este episodio lleno de pasión y emoción.
P.D. ¡Tenemos un evento en vivo el 12 de julio! Ven a acompañarnos.
Redes sociales y contacto
De KPBS, Port of Entry cuenta historias que cruzan fronteras. Para escuchar más historias visita www.portofentrypod.org
Facebook: www.facebook.com/portofentrypodcast
Instagram: www.instagram.com/portofentrypod
Puedes apoyar nuestro podcast en www.kpbs.org/donate, escribe en la sección de regalos (gift section) “Port of Entry” y como agradecimiento podrás recibir un regalo.
Si tu empresa u organización sin fines de lucro desea patrocinar nuestro podcast, envía un correo a [email protected]
Nos encantaría recibir tu retroalimentación, envíanos un mensaje al 619-500-3197 o un correo a [email protected] con tus comentarios y/o preguntas sobre nuestro podcast.
Créditos
Hosts: Alan Lilienthal and Natalie González
Escritor/Productor: Julio C. Ortiz Franco
Productor Técnico/Diseñador Sonoro: Adrian Villalobos
Editora: Chrissy Nguyen
Episodios traducidos por: Natalie González and Julio C. Ortíz Franco
Directora de Programación de Audio y Operaciones: Lisa Morrisette
...more
40min
June 26, 2026 What makes ‘the beautiful game’ so special? A World Cup episode
Hi, folks!
Port of Entry producer Julio is a passionate fútbol fan (soccer for Americans), and he’s on a mission to convince Alan and Nat why they should care about this tournament by showing them what makes it so special.
First, we talk to Luis Daniel Rodriguez, a former sports podcast host and devout World Cup enthusiast, as he prepares to leave for this year’s tournament.
Then, Julio takes the team to visit some old friends: Exxe Caivano, chef of Alta Parrilla, and Moumen Nouri, chef of Kous Kous del Valle. These close friends, both renowned chefs, are also die-hard fútbol and World Cup fans. Together, they share fond memories, swap stories of special moments, and engage in spirited trash talk.
Julio also invites a new friend of the show, NPR immigration correspondent, Alt Latino co-founder, and creator of the hugely successful podcast The Last Cup, Jasmine Garsd. Jasmine offers fresh insights into the many dimensions of soccer beyond the game itself.
Finally, the team gets the chance to experience a match together — a perfect way to wrap up their fútbol journey.
Don't miss this exciting episode!
P.S. We have a live event on July 12! Come join us.
About Season 6
Port of Entry has a fresh new season for you, with richer stories of our border region.
This season spotlights shapers and visionaries of the borderlands — people impacting the region, and in some cases the world, with their work and research.
From urbanism and architecture to education, and politics, to art and robotics, these stories explore the region’s most innovative voices.
Listen in and join us!
Social media and contact
From KPBS, Port of Entry tells cross-border stories that connect us. More stories at www.portofentrypod.org
Facebook: www.facebook.com/portofentrypodcast
Instagram: 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 [email protected].
Text or call the Port of Entry team at 619-500-3197 anytime with questions or comments about the show, or email us at [email protected].
Credits
Hosts: Alan Lilienthal and Natalie González
Writer/Producer: Julio C. Ortiz-Franco
Technical Producer/Sound Designer: Adrian Villalobos
Editor: Chrissy Nguyen
Episodes translated by: Natalie González and Julio C. Ortíz Franco
Director of Audio Programming and Operations: Lisa Morrisette
...more
35min
June 05, 2026 Building Bridges: Una graduación transfronteriza une a familias
El equipo de Port of Entry investiga los orígenes y el impacto de una ceremonia de graduación muy peculiar; Una ceremonia de una universidad estadounidense celebrada en suelo Méxicano. Este evento fue creado para reunir a familias separadas por las políticas migratorias y brindarles la oportunidad de celebrar juntos un logro importante.
...more
29min

FAQs about Port of Entry:

How many episodes does Port of Entry have?

The podcast currently has 223 episodes available.