Spiral Fit

This weekend, my Dad accepted a Congressional Gold Medal on behalf of my grandfather, Wah Chin (after whom I am named). Congress awarded these medals to Chinese American veterans (and their next of kin) for their willingness to defend America, even at a time when the Chinese Exclusion Act prevented them from becoming citizens. My grandpa was undocumented; on his enlistment papers, it just says “unknown” for his social security number. He was a rifleman, deployed to the front lines with the Chinese army. He was trained to speak Japanese at Fort Snelling Minnesota, a language school primarily for Japanese Americans who would otherwise be interned. So I just need to say this about “border security.” America does not need to be “protected” from regular people. In that sense our border is and always has been “secure.” No one looking for a better life for them and their families is a threat to our country. In fact, time and again, immigrants—with papers and without—are called on to defend us from the real threats we face. So let’s skip the part where we deny people their rights until we embarrassingly realize that our society simply can’t work without them. Let’s go right to the part where we honor them for their essential work. Thank you, Grandpa, for all that you sacrificed. I hope that the rest of us who have benefited from your courage can make this the country and world worthy of your devotion.

Belated picture of an important tradition! Love my teammates, especially , .fisher_ and the one and only person who I would ever do five minutes straight of mutual bicep slicers to where neither of us would tap, .

Thank you and for an awesome class this morning! Come on up to when you are in Maine!

Had an amazing time getting my ass beat this am by everyone at ! Everyone was super kind and welcoming and skilled and deadly! :-) Thank you professor for a great class, learned so much!

fam- Ya’all are the best. Grateful.

Two hours of frustration for three generations (one of whom is a real engineer).

Thank you and for an awesome class today! No better way to spend your 6 AM than with these monsters!

Thanks again to for letting me train this week, and great seeing you again ! Got some great details on mount escapes!

Powder House Hill trails. Ye old well!

Awesome night training at ! So hospitable, great details on guard recovery, lots of explosive athletes. Also, this entrance to the gym is awesome. It symbolizes something hilarious, humble, and hard core about the spirit of BJJ! Hope to see you all in maine at some time!

Nothings cooler than Dads in helmets.

When your teammate makes you swallow your own contact lens—but he still doesn’t pass your guard. And then you drive home…

What did Anju want to do on her 7 yo daddy trip? See the Statue of Liberty and family in NYC! It’s been a crazy few weeks, with work trips to NYC and DC, thinking lots about immigration. Didn’t hit me til I got here how it all connects. Leave it to the amazing people at the National Park service to choke you up. I leave it to Emily Lazarus to say the rest, in words as common sense and unifying as they are unrealized and still a challenge for today:

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she
With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

Life doesn’t get any better... Biked the Lisbon rail trail, leg lock seminar from the world class (with the in full cauliflower form and all the other animals at ), then playground, ice cream, roller derby gear for kids, and pizza.

Sunday sundaes! Special 10 ingredients. Recipe enclosed. One for each day they waited…

First family bike ride today! Thank you for all four beautiful two-wheelers!!!

Anju Daddy day: Tumbledown mountain!

Mt Pisgah - Rajan Daddy Day!