The world is a lot right now. Between the headlines and the collective burnout, we all need a second to just pause and breathe.

In the first of this two-episode special of the“Chill-Out Chronicles” edition of the pod, I’m joined by my good friend and resident pop culture nerd Anjali Misra. We are temporarily stepping away from the doomscrolling to get into a rabbit hole on another topic: What is Randy’s favorite songs of the 2000s? (I decided not to rank them in order).

From my exploration into Indie Rock like Foster the People, MGMT to pop icons like Janet Jackson and Britney Spears to the emerging days of KPop like Brown Eyed Girls and 2NE1, we do a deep dive into the legacy and impact of these songs, and from the artist(s) who created them.

Spoiler Alert:

Songs discussed on this episode (Pt. 1):

Rock With U —Janet Jackson

Zero–Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Hung Up—Madonna

Cut to the Feeling—Carly Rae Jepsen

Electric Feel—MGMT

Toxic–Britney Spears

Tears Dry on Their Own–Amy Winehouse

Espresso–Sabrina Carpenter

Love At First Sight—Kylie Minogue

Helena Beat—Foster the People

Game of Love–Michelle Branch & Santana

All Night–Beyonce

Treasure–Bruno Mars

Abracadabra—Brown Eyed Girls

Fire–2NE1

Be Sweet—Japanese Breakfast

Lady Marmalade—Christina Aguilera, P!nk, Mya, Lil’ Kim, and Missy Elliott

We know everyone has that one song they’re ready to fight for. After you listen, drop a comment below: What is the one 2000s track we definitely missed?

Trigger/Content Warning: Kala and Randy discussing examples of state-sanctioned v*olence from ICE, law enforcement, and government agents

Episode recorded on Tuesday, March 24th, 2026; 3:30 pm US Central Time

In this emergency episode, I connect with Kala (He/They) aka “Your Protest Safety Kuya” to address the current wave of ICE raids happening at U.S. airports. He dives deep into the changing landscape for travelers—whether local, domestic, or international—and provides essential strategies for protecting yourself and advocating for others in the face of state-sanctioned v*olence.

Key Discussion Points

* The Current Landscape: Understanding the deployment of ICE and CBP agents at airports and what to expect in the coming weeks.

* Know Your Rights While Traveling: Practical “dos and don’ts” when ICE is in the vicinity, including how to handle searches of smartphones, laptops, and GPS trackers.

* Advocacy in Action: How to safely support and document (via photo/video) if you witness someone being searched or harmed by law enforcement.

* Responsible Tech Use: Navigating face-recognition features and social media safety while participating in movement work.

* Inclusive Safety: Specific considerations for travelers who are undocumented, neurodivergent, or living with disabilities.

* Movement Security: Preparing emergency contacts, legal counsel, and paperwork for those publicly outspoken against government actions.

Collective Community Effort

This conversation emphasizes that safety is not just an individual task but a collective community effort. By staying informed without being alarmist, we can provide the nuance and context needed to protect each other and build a more resilient movement.

Bio:

Kalaya’an Mendoza (He/They) is a Frontline Safety and Security specialist, human rights defender and direct action trainer with over 25 years of on-the-ground experience. He is the co-founder of Across Frontlines, a grassroots collective that works alongside frontline communities around the world from Aotearoa (Ah-o-teya-rho-a) to Turtle Island in their struggle for justice and self determination.

Accompanying Links:

Digital Security Checklists for Activists: https://activistchecklist.org/

Protest Safety Resources: https://linktr.ee/kalamendoza

Resources:

* https://activistchecklist.org/travel/

* https://www.nilc.org/resources/community-alert-immigration-arrests-at-airports/

* https://immigrantsrising.org/resource/guide-for-undocumented-individuals-traveling-in-the-u-s/

Tools:

* https://activistchecklist.org/travel/

Also check out previous episode of the podcast with Jung Han on Protest/Civilian Safety:

• Full episode: https://substack.com/@banhmibites/p-175159957
• Minisode: https://substack.com/@banhmibites/p-175678613

Bánh Mì Bites is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

TW/CW: Mentions of child ab*se, ICE v*olence, and other state-sanctioned v*olence. There was a brief mention of the late union-leader, Cesar Chavez during the recording of the episode on (3/10) before the recent allegations of s*xual assa*lt against Chavez came to light.

A great honor to bring in Joon “J.S.” Park to the podcast. J.S. is a Korean American based in Tampa, FL, and currently serves as a hospital chaplain. He’s a published author behind recent books such as 2024’s “As Long As You Need: Permission to Grieve” and 2026’s “We Are Made of Us.” He runs his IG account under @ JSPark3000 where he shares his knowledge and experience on grief and loss, as well as unlearning toxic masculinity and intergenerational trauma. We discuss these intimate experiences and how this is tied into his work as a chaplain and his deeper involvement in social justice causes. J.S. talks about why it was important for him to memorialize civilians k*lled in Gaza, under ICE custody, and other state-sanctioned violence through his social media.

J.S. Park is a hospital chaplain, published author, and online educator. For nearly eleven years he has been an interfaith chaplain at a 1000+ bed hospital that is designated a Level 1 Trauma Center. His role includes grief support, attending every death, trauma, and Code Blue, and end-of-life care.

J.S. has been interviewed by CNN, NPR, CBS News, Good Morning America, The Today Show, Bay News 9, and FOX13 Tampa Bay, among others, for his work in death and dying. He is the author of As Long as You Need: Permission to Grieve, published by W Publishing of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, and an upcoming book on contending with our family-of-origin and family dynamics, published by Tarcher Books of Penguin Random House.

J.S. served for three years as a chaplain at one of the largest nonprofit charities for the homeless on the east coast. J.S. is a board certified chaplain and has a MDiv completed in 2010 and a BA in Psychology. He also has a sixth-degree black belt.

J.S. currently lives in Tampa, Florida with his wife, a nurse practitioner, and their daughter and son.

Instagram: jspark3000

Bio: