Some conversations on The Daily Whatever Show land right in the middle of the cultural storm. Today’s show with
from the did exactly that.Just as the news broke that Trump was sending troops into Portland, we found ourselves talking with someone who has built her life and work around a profound question: when do you decide it’s time to leave the United States?
Elizabeth is the founder of Conscientious Emigration, a practice that helps values-driven Americans navigate leaving the U.S. with intention. Her approach is not about escapism or opportunism. It’s about resisting the “ugly American” mindset, avoiding colonial behaviors abroad, and showing up with respect for the communities you enter. With a background in law, anthropology, and decades of work in environmental conservation and equity, Elizabeth brings both intellectual rigor and lived experience to this work.
Her own story is compelling. Growing up in New York in a community shaped by immigration, raising a child in an interracial family, navigating U.S. immigration systems through two marriages, and finally leaving with her husband Wes in 2022—Elizabeth has lived the questions she now helps others answer. What line pushed her to act? Trump’s election was the first rupture. COVID denialism in Florida, rising Confederate flags, and her Black husband being harassed by police made it undeniable. When the forest sanctuary outside their home was bulldozed and the rent hiked beyond reason, they took the leap. Seven weeks later, they were residents of Mexico.
Read about her personal story with Wes here:
What makes Elizabeth’s voice so vital is her insistence that leaving isn’t simple or neutral. She reminded us that American dollars can turn the working class into economic elites abroad, that family ties often dictate what’s possible, and that the hardest part can be cultural—facing communities back home who insist “things will get better.” She doesn’t indulge that kind of wishful thinking.
Instead, Elizabeth models clarity and courage. For her, conscientious emigration is about aligning values with action, choosing safety and dignity without exporting harm, and refusing to wait until the line has already been crossed. In a moment when Portland is painted as a war zone and the ground feels shaky under our feet, her perspective offered not panic, but purpose.
Thank you for joining me and
this morning, —and thank you for bringing us hope for true love, and for building a life in which you and your love can feel safe.Love you! Mean it!
~Lawrence & Dana
Thank you
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