From the Bluegrass State to Occidental College, Jaymes Griggs has found community and a path to leadership through science, civic engagement, and the Obama Scholars Program. And amid all this, he still has time for pickleball.
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When Jaymes first discovered Occidental, he was a high school student in Louisville wondering if a self-proclaimed “Kentucky boy” could make it in Los Angeles. But a visit to campus through Oxy’s Tiger Access Program made things clear. “I saw how much Oxy was willing to invest in me, and how many opportunities were here,” he recalls. “I knew I had to come.”
Now an environmental science major at Oxy, Jaymes is making their mark through a combination of scientific pursuit, community activism, and campus leadership. But environmental justice is more than an academic interest for Jaymes—it’s personal. “My passion comes from experiencing environmental injustice for years,” they explain, referring to the urban impacts of climate change and how vulnerable communities are often hit the hardest.
“I became an environmental scientist because I grew up in West Louisville, where a low-income, predominantly Black population still suffers from the effects of redlining,” Jaymes says. The neighborhood is more exposed to the city’s industrial activities, causing health disparities. “We are creating a problem I'm not okay with, and I always knew I wanted to be part of the solution.”
Oxy’s interdisciplinary liberal arts approach allowed Jaymes to galvanize that passion. They were immediately drawn to Oxy programs like environmental science and Urban & Environmental Policy (UEP). “So many schools separate science from social issues,” Jaymes says. “But at Oxy, they integrate them. That’s exactly what I was looking for.”
Through their participation in the Obama Scholars Program, which offers financial and academic support to first-generation and low-income students committed to the public good, Jaymes interned with the Los Angeles Community Action Network. They worked within low-income communities of color affected by environmental injustice issues like the urban heat island effect; a lack of greenspaces and trees; and unsanitary conditions resulting from a lack of public trashcans and restrooms. “It was a chance to connect science with organizing,” they say. “I learned how to lead, how to mobilize, and how to be an advocate.”
As an equity ambassador at Oxy’s Intercultural Community Center (ICC), Jaymes helps organize programs that build belonging and deepen understanding across campus. “It’s probably the most fun job you can have,” he says with a laugh. “We host events that bring people together, but also workshops on topics like microaggressions and being first-gen. It's about making Oxy a more inclusive place.”
That’s kind of how things happen at Oxy. You meet great people, you put yourself out there, and suddenly you’re part of something.
Jaymes first got involved with the ICC through the Multicultural Summer Institute (MSI), a four-week summer bridge program for incoming students. “It was a crash course in college life and a beautiful intro to Oxy and LA,” they say. “Some of my closest friends—and two of my fellow Obama Scholars—are people I met through MSI.”
Building and offering mentorship are recurring themes in Jaymes’ story. As a two-time orientation team leader, they see themself as part of a tradition of mentorship and representation. “My O-Team leader, Amare, was a Black man, and it meant a lot to see someone like me in that role. Now, I get to be that person for someone else.”
In between classes and his job at the ICC, Jaymes still finds time for another passion: pickleball. What started as a summer hobby with friends quickly turned into a favorite campus activity. “That’s kind of how things happen at Oxy,” they say. “You meet great people, you put yourself out there, and suddenly you’re part of something.”
Jaymes finds particular strength in his Obama Scholars community. “It's a tight-knit group of people that share your dreams and push you to grow,” he says. “We talk about leadership, the public good, and how we want to contribute to the world. It’s meaningful to me because knowing there are other people who are working really hard to accomplish these great goals provides hope…we can work together to make this better world that we’re all dreaming of.”
To prospective students considering the Obama Scholars Program, Jaymes is emphatic: “If you care about the public good, go for it. You already have the passion. This program helps you turn that passion into impact.”
Top photo: Jaymes presenting at Oxy’s Summer Research Program Conference. His research paper was titled “The Intersection of Environmental Justice and Science: A Reflection on Community-Driven Change in Skid Row.”