I read nods to undocumented immigrants and asylum seekers.

It has come a long way from the TOS days when their episode on racial discrimination was aliens with literal half black and half white faces, warring parties divided by which color was on which side of their bodies.

LD and SNW are fine places to start.

I started with Voyager because that’s what I saw on TV when I was a kid and the nostalgia was strong. If LD and SNW are catching your attention for whatever reason, go for it. IMO, the benefits to watching Trek series in any particular order is marginal unless you are going to become super into the lore.

Gasp. Even with a courtroom episode whose outcome could alter the Federation as we know it?

Edit: lol, timely posting of a relevant meme in the Risa community: https://discuss.tchncs.de/post/334726