The long journey ahead Top, left; Alex Lee bikes on his journey across the continental United States as a political activist. Above, right; Lee rides across the United States to bring awareness about the political situation in Hong Kong and China. Bottom, left; Lee’s Roadmaster bicycle shown on a bridge near Tabernash. Lee and his bike have traveled many miles together all in the name of hope. PHOTOS COURTESY OF ALEX LEE[/caption]

On February 16, 2020, a Chinese immigrant named Alex Lee flew from Tokyo, Japan, to Dallas, Texas. He is currently traveling across the continental United States on a bicycle, raising awareness of the political situation in China and Hong Kong along the way.

In order to support the 2019 Hong Kong protests, Lee dropped out of his sociology program in Tokyo. These protests were against an extradition amendment that allowed Hong Kong to transfer fugitives to China, hinting at a more direct and controlling government involvement of the Communist Party of China.

Lee felt that it was incredibly important to involve himself personally with those fighting to prevent a possible erosion of the “one country, two system” principle that kept Hong Kong as a separate government entity.

However, recognizing the dangers of travelling to Hong Kong, Lee returned to his hometown of Milan, China. He stayed there for three months to consider his options, ultimately deciding to travel to Hong Kong in October 2019.

The day after his arrival, he was attacked by a man who opposed the protests and attempted to fight back, an altercation that resulted in both of their arrests. After getting out on bail, Lee was required to stay in the country for an additional three months. During his first two months, Lee participated in the protests as anonymously. During the third, he started contacting rally organizers to deliver short speeches at the rallies.

As papers started to interview him, his name reached a wider audience, and he and his fellow Hong Kong protestors worried that he would be arrested if he returned to China. After much struggle, he arrived in Dallas with a plan to travel a large majority of the continental United States.

He initially wanted to walk from Los Angeles, California, to Barstow, California. However, after injuring his leg during the attempt, he decided to buy a $100 Roadmaster bicycle and travel on it from San Francisco, California, to Boston, Massachusetts. So far, he has stopped in towns throughout California, Utah, and Colorado, occasionally finding free shelter from Warmshowers.org. During the week of August 8, 2021, he arrived in Black Hawk, with locals and Warmshower members Dave Walker and Gussie Walter hosting him.

All the while, he has been speaking as a voice of the people participating in the Hong Kong protests and those who are working to preserve the two things he believes most in -- democracy and freedom.

He has seen what a controlling government can do to its people. In June 2021, the Communist Party shut down the last pro-democracy paper in China, Apple Daily. According to Lee, free press is being suppressed in the country and it is almost impossible for anyone to even speak their opinions safely.

He believes in the freedoms of everyone to express themselves and make their own choices. His expedition across the United States serves as a way for him to express himself through the country’s free press.

Unforgettable travels with a message Top; Alex Lee experiences a relatively quiet moment heading up the north side of Berthoud Pass during the I-70 detour around Glenwood Canyon. Bottom; Warmshowers hosts donate Alex’s new road bike in exchange for his mountain bike after crossing the Mojave Desert in 120 degree heat.[/caption]

He encourages those feeling helpless because of circumstances out of their control to keep a little bit of hope to get them through. In particular, he encourages the idea of Hong Kong focusing less on getting help from the United States and Great Britain and more on finding their own courage as individuals and as a country.

Lee recognizes it is a challenging and (for some) terrifying time in the world right now, but he hopes that the people he talks to can understand that a little hope can go a long way.

If you’re interested in learning more about the Warmshower program, visit warmshowers.org.

To read more about Alex Lee and his interest in democracy, read an article written by Allison Haney for Voices of America at https://www.voanews.com/student-union/protester-faces- uphill-battle-promote-hong-kong- awareness.