Life is all about perspective. KalikoVision will help give you a new one. A podcast devoted to helping you see clearly in a seemingly post-fact era of smoke and mirrors.
We’ll be interviewing people from all walks of life, each with a unique vision for the future. Now more than ever it is critical for each of us to harness our strengths and our skillsets to take control of our collective destiny.
KalikoVision will inspire you to take action; whether it's helping to strengthen our democracy through civic engagement and community organizing or pursuing your personal and professional dreams.
In this urgent return to KalikoVision, host Kaliko Castille breaks down the political plot twist shaking the cannabis world: Donald Trump has signed an executive order to reschedule cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III. But is this really progress—or just another move in the Empire’s playbook?
Joining Kaliko is longtime friend and fellow movement strategist Jason Ortiz (Last Prisoner Project) for a wide-ranging convo on what this means for the industry, the grassroots, and the communities most harmed by prohibition. They dissect the fine print—tax relief, CBD and Medicare, pharmaceutical influence—and ask the big question: did the Democrats just get outflanked on their own issue?
With Star Wars analogies, policy clarity, and some hard-hitting truth about political power and missed chances, this episode is for anyone who cares about justice, not just headlines. The cannabis reform movement may be entering its Empire Strikes Back moment—but the Jedi are regrouping.
Show Notes:
0:00 - Intro
1:31 - Welcome to Jason Ortiz
2:19 - How are drugs classified?
4:20 - What does Schedule III mean for cannabis?
9:32 - Medicare x CBD
15:25 - How is the E.O. different then what Biden did?
18:28 - Did the Democrats gaslight cannabis advocates?
24:57 - Farm Bill was Republican legalization
25:45 - Will corruption and crony capitalism kill legalization?
33:56 - What will the 2026 midterms mean for cannabis reform?
39:20 - Can the cannabis movement still coalesce?
44:05 - MSO’s need to fund continued momentum
46:25 - Justice by geography
50:30 - Wrap up
14 Aug 2025
EP. 3 - Hawai'i was NEVER annexed and the U.S. knows it. Interview w/ Dr. Keanu Sai
Everything you learned about Hawai‘i’s “annexation” was wrong. In this fascinating interview, Dr. Keanu Sai — political scientist, historian, and international law expert — lays out the irrefutable legal proof that the United States never lawfully annexed Hawai‘i.
Under international law, the Hawaiian Kingdom still exists, making this the longest ongoing illegal occupation in modern history. From the University of Hawai‘i classrooms to the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, Dr. Sai has spent decades documenting the truth and putting the world on notice.
In this episode, we explore:
How U.S. history books erased Hawai‘i’s true legal status
The difference between U.S. domestic law and international law
The landmark Permanent Court of Arbitration case on Hawai‘i
Why the U.S. government has quietly admitted the occupation
What forcing compliance around the laws of occupation could mean for the future
00:00 - Cold Open02:26 - Episode Intro03:42 - Are we living through authoritarianism?17:59 - Israel murders Al Jazeera journalists, including Anas Al-Sharif30:49 - Interview preview33:32 - Interview w/ Dr. Keanu Sai36:32 - Uncovering Hawai‘i’s Hidden History51:53 - Proving Illegal Occupation: From UH to The Hague1:01:49 - Statehood: International Law vs. U.S. Domestic Law1:05:38 - Unconquered States & Global Context1:11:25 - The U.S. Admits the Occupation1:17:32 - Putting the World on Notice1:24:02 - The Hawaiian Constitution as a Pacific Model1:28:22 - Enforcing the Laws of Occupation1:40:32 - Life After Occupation + The Hawaiian Kingdom’s Political Economy1:46:57 - The Chief of War ConnectionArticles/Resources: ✅ Project 2025 Tracker: http://bit.ly/4lv6aoF✅ ICE has more money than federal prisons: http://bit.ly/47A7Mdc✅ ICE has more money than most world militaries: http://bit.ly/47vDlVz✅ Trump SCOTUS Immunity Ruling: http://bit.ly/47urabD✅ Trump BLS pick wants to scrap jobs report: http://bit.ly/41BvKkv✅ Final will of Anas Al Sharif of Al Jazeera: http://bit.ly/3HbUxVH✅ Australia to recognize Palestine as a State: http://bit.ly/4mg7yN5✅ Gaza Food Aid Whistleblower Interview: http://bit.ly/41BvQbR✅ Two Israeli Human Rights Group Declare Genocide: http://bit.ly/46Sbejj✅ Disintegration of International Law: http://bit.ly/4mf1Bjh✅ Hawaiian Kingdom Blog: http://bit.ly/4mr8NZG✅ Unconquered States: Non European Powers in the Imperial Age: http://bit.ly/4mecnpY✅ Blount Report + Primary Source Documents: http://bit.ly/4mecstM✅ Royal Commission of Inquiry (War Crimes): http://bit.ly/45OaSZQ
4 Aug 2025
Ep 2 - Welcome back to KalikoVision + MPP's Executive Director Adam Smith on the future of state level cannabis reform in the Trump era.
In this relaunch of KalikoVision, host Kaliko Castille returns with a powerful solo segment on why he won’t be running for Congress in 2026—and why that doesn’t mean stepping back from the fight.
Kaliko shares updates on his political journey, life as a father and organizer, and his vision for the podcast as a space for truth-telling, strategic resistance, and movement-building.
Then, in our first guest interview of the season, Kaliko sits down with longtime friend and newly appointed Executive Director of the Marijuana Policy Project, Adam Smith.
They dive deep into the current state of the cannabis movement under a second Trump administration, the lack of coordination slowing federal reform, and what it will take to build a cannabis future rooted in justice—not just profit.
Topics include:
Why every Democrat should be primaried
MPP’s evolving role in a fractured cannabis landscape
What is my KalikoVision?
Plus: a must-watch Hawaiian language series Chief of War premieres on Apple TV, Kaliko’s take on Rep. Janelle Bynum, and a preview of next week’s guest, Dr. Keanu Sai, on Hawaiian sovereignty.
Links:
KalikoVision Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/KalikoVision
Instagram: @KalikoVisionPod
Learn more about Marijuana Policy Project and their work ending marijuana prohibition: http://mpp.org/
17 May 2020
Ep. 1 - Social Equity in the cannabis industry & progressive organizing, w/ Jason Ortiz from MCBA.
On the first official episode of KalikoVision, we are joined by Jason Ortiz, President of Minority Cannabis Business Association (https://minoritycannabis.org/) (MCBA).
We learn about his story of getting arrested in high school for simple marijuana possession and how he channeled that experience into a life of activism after getting involved with Students for Sensible Drug Policy (https://ssdp.org/) (SSDP) in college. He also talks about the lessons he has learned from his experience organizing for progressive issues and candidates from Occupy Wall Street to the Trump era.
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
YouTube views
5,027
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
1 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
1 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 40 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
53
Social presence
0
YouTube
68
Engagement
0
Contact KalikoVision
Guest appearances
Books guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
Host of KalikoVision?
Claim your podcast to manage its listing and keep your show details accurate.
Pod Engine is an independent podcast discovery and analytics service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by this podcast. Artwork and show content belong to their owners. Full legal notice.
Explore this show Podcast research with Pod Engine
