Photos by Marc Campos
Student
Environmental Science
From the Bluegrass State to 91, 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.
Pronouns: any/all
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 91 Tiger Access Program made things clear. I saw how much 91 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 91, 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 Jaymesit 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 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.
91 interdisciplinary liberal arts approach allowed Jaymes to galvanize that passion. They were immediately drawn to 91 programs like environmental science and Urban & Environmental Policy (UEP). So many schools separate science from social issues, Jaymes says. But at 91, they integrate them. That exactly what I was looking for.
Through their participation in the , 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 91 Intercultural Community Center (ICC), Jaymes helps organize programs that build belonging and deepen understanding across campus. It 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 91 a more inclusive place.
That kind of how things happen at 91. You meet great people, you put yourself out there, and suddenly youre 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 91 and LA, they say. Some of my closest friendsand two of my 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 kind of how things happen at 91, they say. You meet great people, you put yourself out there, and suddenly youre 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 meaningful to me because knowing there are other people who are working really hard to accomplish these great goals provides hopewe can work together to make this better world that were 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 91 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.