This was a live presentation that I gave to CDT SOBO Trail Daze in Leadville, Colorado to a group of hikers on September 11th, 2026. In it I talk about being given away for adoption when I was eight years old, identity, my experience as a Chinese-American immigrant, and the treasures that thru-hikers have experienced and can take back with them to their communities.

Emergency episode with former Army Ranger and analyst Greg Stoker about the ICE attempted murder of Wilber Rafael Perez in Austin, Texas. I share the latest updates from Wilber's attorney, Kate Lincoln-Golfinch then Greg's on the ground coverage of the immediate aftermath. We talk about what this incident reveals about immigration enforcement, state violence, surveillance, and the broader war on terror coming home. We discuss why political leaders may not be enough to stop these abuses, and why local communities need to organize and defend themselves.

• 00:00 — Introducing Greg Stoker and the Austin ICE shooting
• 01:29 — What happened during the shooting
• 03:03 — Questions about the ICE officer’s use of force
• 04:53 — Perez’s treatment after the shooting
• 05:52 — Spontaneous protests in Austin
• 08:10 — Political leaders respond from a distance
• 11:17 — Lessons from Minneapolis community resistance
• 14:04 — The global war on terror coming home
• 15:05 — Who state violence targets, and why
• 18:31 — The limits of political promises and official action
• 20:51 — Martial law, military force, and crowd control
• 21:39 — Predictive policing, AI surveillance, and psychological warfare
• 24:31 — Community organizing and overcoming political complacency
• 27:07 — The Laken Riley Act and detention without due process
• 29:52 — The “imperial boomerang” and domestic repression
• 31:29 — Agitation, education, and organizing in Austin
• 33:05 — Closing thoughts and where to learn more

Laiken brings updates on the ongoing destruction of Big Bend National Park in Texas, the temporary pause in construction, the unified coalition fighting to save the land, the skepticism around the pause, the insane wall grift, and the impact on public lands. We then delve into the corruption and political theater so prevalent in the Trump regime. The latter half we explore Laiken's cynicism and the struggle to maintain joy and touch on how DHS/CBP is violating sovereign tribal nation land and environmental protection laws.

Takeaways

• Temporary pause in construction
• Broad coalition united by love for the land
• Corruption and political theater
• Impact on public lands
• Struggle to maintain joy amidst the rising tide of fascism
• Impact on tribal nations and environmental laws

Chapters

• 00:00 Destruction of Big Bend National Park
• 03:23 The Unifying Love for the Land
• 05:30 Skepticism Around the Pause
• 12:11 Exorbitant Cost of Wall Construction
• 23:09 Corruption and Political Theater
• 26:10 Struggle to Maintain Joy Amidst Challenges
• 28:21 The Significance of Big Bend
• 30:08 Tribal Nations and Environmental Impact
• 36:09 Challenges Faced by the National Park Service
• 39:37 The Fight Against Federal Overreach
• 42:22 Community of Nature Enthusiasts