Meet Alex La Pierre | Director of Borderlandia & Public Historian

We had the good fortune of connecting with Alex La Pierre and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Alex, every day, we about how much execution matters, but we think ideas matter as well. How did you come up with the idea for your business?
The idea for our business came from a desire to share the good news about our neighbor Mexico and its wonderful people. Over the last decades, the American news media has been laser-focused on sharing only the negative aspects. As they say in the industry, if it bleeds, it leads and this has led to the tragedy of Americans with very skewed perceptions of the country and being fearful of visiting our neighbor to the south.

We offer opportunities to visit, explore, and get to know the land and the people through meaningful experiences, where guests can get to know Mexico first-hand rather than relying on mass media sensationalism. We see this work of cultural exchange tours as citizen-level diplomacy.

When we visit another country, we become representatives of the United States to people who may never have the chance to know our country. In every interaction, we embody the “face of the United States.” Diplomacy—building good relationships between international neighbors—is not solely the responsibility of high-ranking government officials. It is a shared duty of all global citizens who travel to other countries.

Often, we are asked about the name of our binational organization and its significance. As residents of the borderlands—a transitional frontier between neighbors—are we truly from one place or the other, or do we embody and reside in what could be considered a “third country”?

The name *Borderlandia* represents this hypothetical state—a place where hazy cultural borders give rise to a third identity. This identity does not fully belong to either neighboring culture but is shaped by a natural hybridity that incorporates elements of both. This third nationality’s country is Borderlandia.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Borderlandia is a bi-national organization committed to building public understanding of the borderlands. Founded by a husband-and-wife team (Alex & Rocio La Pierre), we create meaningful experiences that showcase the rich history and culture of Mexico and Arizona. As a small travel agency, we are committed to breaking down myths about the borderlands and sharing its unique wonders.

Our journey began in July 2019 as a creative effort to spread positive information about the border region between Mexico and the United States. Through graphics and designs shared on social media, we sought to highlight the stories and facts that make this area so special.

In 2021, we expanded our cultural offerings to include tours, public speaking engagements, and immersive experiences that deepen understanding of the borderlands we call home. We firmly believe that public education is the key to combating racism and ignorance, which drives the work we do every day.

We got into this line of work after working for the National Park Service and Mexico’s National Institute for Anthropology and History as well as in the nonprofit sector in Nogales, These prior professional experiences prepared us for this organization we founded.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
For Tucson and southern Arizona:

1. San Xavier de Bac, an 18th-century baroque masterpiece
2. Mission Garden in Tucson, an open-air museum celebrating the ethnobotanical heritage of the region
3. Barrio Viejo in Tucson for its rare Sonoran Row House architecture
4. Exo Coffee for their mole dulce latte or chiltepin roasted coffee
5. De Grazia Gallery
6. Tumacacori National Historical Park, where I worked for the park service in historic preservation, a Sonoran Desert Oasis
7. Abe’s Old Tumacacori Bar, one of the oldest in the state
8. Hike the Santa Cruz River from Tubac to Tumacacori in the cottonwood and willow gallery forest
9. Cocina La Ley in Nogales, AZ for Tacos dorados de camaron and birria
10. Ambos Nogales

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I am very grateful for my experience working for the National Park Service and learning the skill of heritage interpretation, or the art of communication designed to reveal meanings and relationships of cultural and natural heritage to the public, We are also lucky to have wonderful partnerships with organizations like Visit Tucson, Tubac Presidio State Historic Park and our connections in Mexico.

Website: https://www.borderlandia.org

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/borderlandia_az/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/borderlandia/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/borderlandiaAZ

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@borderlandia

Other: email: info@borderlandia.org