When local river guide-turned small-town investigative reporter Sam Karas discovers that the Trump administration has been quietly waiving environmental regulations to expedite the building of a new border wall, she knows that they’ll be coming for the Big Bend soon. This remote corner of West Texas is widely beloved for its rugged beauty, dark skies, and unique wildlife, and now, locals are coming together across party lines to protect the way of life they know and love along the Rio Grande. 

Special thanks to Colt Wayne Keeney for providing the perfect tunes, Big Bend Sentinel and Marfa Public Radio for the awesome reporting, and No Big Bend Wall for the hard work on the ground.

Thin Green Line Chandra Brown, river guide and writing coach, led a 5 day retreat canoeing the Rio Grande. On their final night, Mother Nature erupted. (2023)