Mosher 1

Drawing on twelve years of ethnographic research, Garth examines what motivates people from more affluent, majority-white areas of the city to intervene in South Central Los Angeles.

Ron Finley is a catalyst for change.

Having grown up in the South Central Los Angeles food prison, a geographic location where access to healthy food options are extremely limited or nonexistent, Ron is familiar with the area’s lack of fresh produce.

What if one way to reduce poverty involved doing the opposite of what orthodox economics recommends? What if, instead of scaling up enterprises to achieve economies of scale, we supported the small and the localized? Instead of chasing high-tech production for its own sake, we embraced traditional and lower-tech approaches? Instead of urbanizing rapidly, we invested in the vitality of small-scale towns and rural communities? Instead of measuring success through aggregate growth or accumulation, we asked whether everyone had enough? 

Prof. Balskus is a leader in the use of chemical tools to investigate microbial metabolism and the microbiome. The vast majority of life on Earth is microbial, and the survival of these organisms in diverse habitats and complex communities requires chemical innovation. Understanding microbial metabolism at the molecular level is essential, as the metabolic functions of these organisms shape the environment, influence human health, and provide us with medicinally and industrially useful molecules.

Jeff Weiss' journalistic work has appeared in The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, Pitchfork, The FADER, and many other outlets. A former columnist for LA Weekly, he is the cofounder of The LAnd magazine and the founder of the pioneering hip-hop blog Passion of the Weiss, along with its record label, POW Recordings. He was born and raised in Los Angeles.

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In Falling in Love with Nature, Amanda J. Baugh tells the story of American environmentalism through a focus on Spanish-speaking Catholics, shedding light on environmental actors who have been hidden in plain sight. While dominant narratives about environmental activism include minorities, primarily in the realm of environmental racism and injustice, Baugh demonstrates that minority communities are not merely victims of environmental problems. They can be active agents who express love for nature based on inherited family traditions and close relationships with the land.

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Meeting ID: 890 2679 2404
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LLAS Majors:

Eliana Davila: The Effect of United States Imperialism on Honduran Democratic Decline

Stephanie Cruz: Authenticating Oaxaca’s Guelaguetza through YouTube On-line Commentary: 1990-2024

LLAS Minor:

In August of 2024, Khumbu in northeastern Nepal suffered a devastating glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) that destroyed one of the oldest Sherpa settlements and damaged several houses downstream. Multiple families lost their land and livelihood. A month later, heavy rain flooding further damaged houses, trails, and bridges with continual impact to the lives of the people in the region. As a result of unpredictable weather patterns, the arrival of thousands of seasonal tourists in October was disrupted, disseminating the tourism industry on which the region heavily relies.

Every two years, Occidental students immerse themselves in political campaigns around the country through Campaign Semester—the only program in the nation where you can earn full academic credit for hands-on work on the frontlines. This year's participants will offer their post-election insights and discuss their time working in battleground states.

It’s time to celebrate Patt Morrison ’74, longtime LA Times journalist, Occidental alumna, Emmy winner, Golden Mike winner, and now Society of Professionals Journalists Greater Los Angeles chapter Distinguished Journalist. Larry Mantle, host of AirTalk on LAist (formerly KPCC) since 1985, will lead the conversation about Patt’s iconic career.