Griffen Rogers’ (sophomore) hot start to the season has made an impact on the Occidental baseball team, earning him Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) Pitcher of the Week and D3baseball.com’s Team of the Week honors. In the baseball team’s first series of the year against Centenary College (Louisiana) Feb. 6–7, Rogers made his first pitching appearance of his college career, closing out both games with two scoreless innings, striking out five and earning two saves. More recently, in a series win against Lewis and Clark Feb. 14–15, Rogers accumulated four strikeouts and earned his third save.
Despite this being Rogers’ first time taking the mound for Occidental, he said he had a calm mindset under pressure.
“I hadn’t pitched in a game since high school, but I tried to go out there and finish the game [with] a calm approach and have fun,” Rogers said. “Pitching with pressure [is] my favorite, being able to do that again is so much fun.”
Rogers hits, pitches and plays first base as well as right field. He said he likes the advantages that being a two-way player offers.
“I [flush out] what’s happened earlier in the game and [focus] on what I need to do next,” Rogers said. “I always tell my teammates being a two-way [player] is awesome because if you’re having a rough day at the plate or on the mound, you get the opportunity to make up for it on the other side of the ball.”
Right fielder Tyler Kubo (junior) said he can depend on Rogers to be calm in an intense environment.
“When I’m meeting up with him in the outfield during pitching changes and before games, he’s always cracking jokes,” Kubo said. “In times where I was nervous or too amped up, he was always a steady rock [that] anchored us down in the outfield.”
Kubo said Rogers’ range and speed in the outfield is shockingly impressive.
“A ball will get hit, and my first thought is, ‘That’s in the gap, no one’s gonna get there,’” Kubo said. “And then he comes out of nowhere, flies through and just lays out headfirst. It happens more times than you would think, but every time it gets me.”
According to head coach Luke Wetmore, Rogers’ dynamic ability is rooted in his experience with other sports.
“He’s very physically gifted, not just from a baseball standpoint, [but] from a physicality standpoint,” Wetmore said. “His background in skiing leads to physical strength in areas that not a lot of baseball players have. In terms of quick twitch, he’s got it. That can take you a long way in baseball.”
Wetmore said Rogers is excelling on the mound and is not surprised by his recent successes.
“He has outlier movement patterns on his fastball that make it hard to hit [and] has the ability to command the ball [inside] to a right-handed hitter, which not a lot of guys can do, especially from the left side,” Wetmore said. “It was rewarding to see [Griffen as SCIAC pitcher of the week] because he’s put in the work and earned the opportunity to be successful.”
The baseball team is now 4-2, with wins in both its opening series of the season. Starting pitcher Lincoln Lyons (sophomore) said the team has something to prove this year with how hard they have been working.
“We have high hopes,” Lyons said. “A lot of the guys, a lot of returners, know that we’ve put in the work. We didn’t have as good a year last year. [We have] a chip on [our] shoulder and it’s helped us build towards where we want to be.”
Jordan Lebsock
Courtesy of Oxy Athletics
Jordan Lebsock (senior) made a diving catch against Stevens College Feb. 15. The softball team fell to Stevens in a 0-2 series their opening weekend, but Lebsock racked up three RBIs, hitting .385 while recording zero passed balls.
Lebsock said when she was making the catch it was all muscle memory kicking in.
“Once the ball went up, I just instinctively went for it and dove,” Lebsock said. “I knew [it] was a tight game and that we needed to make as many plays as we possibly could.”
Lebsock said she knows her presence matters the most to the team as a senior catcher.
“On defense, I know that my role is less about my performance and more about my presence on the field,” Lebsock said. “I care less about stats and making those guiding plays, [and] more about checking in with my pitchers, especially since our bullpen is primarily freshman this year.”
Second baseman Sophia Siu (senior) said Lebsock’s veteran presence is key to helping the team stay competitive in conference games.
“She’s very experienced — freshman year she played almost every single game,” Siu said. “She’s calling plays and knows what the team should look like and how we should play against [them].”
Molly Houtkooper (junior) said Lebsock’s reaction to her diving save proves how humble she is.
“[Lebsock] just put her hair back up, threw the ball away [and] got back behind the plate,” Houtkooper said. “She didn’t make it a big deal. In moments like that, there can be a lot of show-boating, but she was very humble.”
Courtesy of Oxy Athletics
Houtkooper said Lebsock is hardworking and always looking to improve.
“[Lebsock] takes no days off — it’s really admirable,” Houtkooper said. “No matter what, she always shows up. She shows up to practice even when we don’t have practice.”
With only one series down, Houtkooper said the team is still figuring out their connection but is confident in the rest of their season.
“You can tell that we’re a little new, [and] even though we started with three tough losses, they were still quality games,” Houtkooper said. “We’re figuring out who we are as a team […] There are a lot of positives that have come out of the past few days of [the] season starting.”
The Occidental men’s basketball team notched a critical victory over Redlands University in their senior night game. This victory secured the team a spot in the upcoming SCIAC conference tournament as the fourth seed. For the Tigers’ current roster, the tournament will be the first time any of them have entered postseason play. The Tigers hold a strong 18-7 overall record with the tournament set to begin Feb. 25th against fifth seed California Lutheran University.
Nicky Clotfelter (senior) said their recent victory over Redlands was a long time coming.
“[Our win] was after seven straight losses to Redlands in my career,” Clotfelter said. “This was something we’ve been working for across multiple seasons — figuring out how to beat their system.”
Clotfelter said the game itself was exceptional, with the Tigers scoring several times in the first couple minutes.
“I think [scoring early] just gave everyone confidence that we could do it,” Clotfelter said. “It was an insane game, to put it lightly. I think it was probably our biggest program win in half a decade.”
Courtesy of Sam Leigh. Credit: Sam Leigh, Sam’s Photo Services
Assistant coach Dominic Maynes said Redlands plays at an extremely fast pace that requires intense focus.
“Redlands creates 40 minutes of pressure,” Maynes said. “Just as much as you need to be physically engaged, you need to be mentally engaged […] The pressure is not going to change no matter what, and it’s really on us to survive it and turn it into opportunities.”
Maynes said the team’s performance thus far has him confident going into the SCIAC tournament.
“I’m absolutely optimistic in terms of what we’re going to be able to do,” Maynes said. “This is the first time in [several] years that we’ve been to the SCIAC tournament, and everybody is excited to be playing that extra game you’re not guaranteed [at the start of the season].”
Alex McCleery Brown (sophomore) said the team’s camaraderie has played a large part in their success this season. McCleery Brown earned SCIAC Defensive Athlete of the Week and a spot on D3hoops.com Team of the Week Feb. 16.
“Even if you’re down in a game, there’s always someone to pick you up and be there for you,” McCleery Brown said. “It builds a special bond.”
According to McCleery Brown, everyone on the team is important to their success.
“You could have the most skilled player on the court, but if you don’t have teammates getting him the ball, it’s not going to work out,” McCleery Brown said. “It’s not just one person. It’s everybody.”
Peter Noble (sophomore) said the team is prepared for the challenges ahead.
“We know what to expect,” Noble said. “We’re very well prepared for every game we play […] Everyone is so unbelievably bought in.”
Noble also said he was optimistic about the team’s chances from the start.
“We have an extremely talented team,” Noble said. “I just knew from when I was recruited that we had so much talent and we were going to be good […] I think we can beat anyone.”
Courtesy of Sam Leigh. Credit: Sam Leigh, Sam’s Photo Services
Entering the SCIAC tournament also means playing away games against teams like Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, whom the Tigers have yet to win against this season.
According to Maynes, such games present a unique opportunity.
“It’s going to take all 16 players and all five coaches to really come together as one on the road,” Maynes said. “The playoffs, whether it’s home or away, are about understanding that wherever it is we’re going to play, we’ve played there before. The lights aren’t any brighter.”
Maynes also said the team has spent a lot of time preparing for these difficult games.
“We’ve had areas of success against everybody,” Maynes said. “I look forward to the chess game of it […] Everybody’s making adjustments, and everybody’s looking for ways to exploit the other team.”
McCleery Brown said the preparation has paid off, and that he feels confident about the rematches.
“[Our preparation] showed against Redlands, and we were able to get it done,” McCleery Brown said. “CMS, they’re a top ten team in the country, and we were right there with them […] They have a distinct style of play, but if you just calm down and play your game, it’s definitely possible to beat them.”
Clotfelter said any success in the SCIAC tournament is owed to the whole team.
“If and when we go on the run that we want to go on, it’s not going to be because of one or two people,” Clotfelter said. “It’s going to be because of everyone, because of how prepared we are and because of how much belief we have in one another.”
Huddled in circles on the Academic Quad, groups of students kick around hacky sacks, which according to Jojo McCabe (sophomore), are small woven balls filled with beans. Their group aims to hold a sack session at least once a day, McCabe said, but as often as possible is ideal.
“Hacky sack is a game where you stand in a circle and kick around a little beanbag,” McCabe said. “It is so dumb, but it’s exhilarating. It brings me a lot of joy and love for my community.”
The goal of the game, Maxine Wray (sophomore) said, is simple: keep the sack in the air for as long as possible without using your hands. Wray said other than that, there is little to no strategy — just made-up rules.
“The main [rule] is that you try not to use your hands, but then we’ve added [more],” Wray said. “You’re not allowed to say ‘sorry’ in the circle, and also every time you hit your feet with someone else, you have to grab them by the elbow and shake elbows.”
Since there are few real rules, Caidan Mann (sophomore) said it is easy for anyone to hop in the circle and join. In fact, according to Mann, many members had not played hacky sack before attending Occidental.
“I love watching people get better,” Mann said. “People join and do not know exactly what to do and then they build skills. It’s so much fun when everybody’s into it, everybody wants to get better and try new stuff and it is really welcoming.”
Mann said a lot of the game is just trying to get your friends to do cool tricks. One of her favorite ones, she said, is a trick named by their hacky sack group called “The Jester.”
“The Jester is when you lift both legs and you take your right leg and you make a square,” Mann said. “You flick your right leg behind the left leg and you do a little jump in the air and then you hit it with your back leg, the one that’s crossed behind.”
Simpler tricks that involve the whole group are more common, according to McCabe.
“A hack is if everyone in the circle hits [the hacky sack] once, and then a hacky is if everyone hits it twice, and then hacky sack because everyone hits it three times,” McCabe said.
Magdalene Selin-Williams (sophomore) inside Swan Hall at Occidental College in Los Angeles, CA. Feb. 16, 2026. Nora Youngelson/The Occidental
Even with the tricks involved, Magdalene Selin-Williams* (sophomore) said the activity remains inclusive and inviting.
“It is an active thing without being too focused on your specific athletic ability,” Selin-Williams said. “I like that anyone can just come up and kick a hacky sack around for 30 seconds, or a few minutes, or half an hour. I like the way that it brings people together and I like how supportive everyone is, even if you miss it.”
According to Wray, community is an essential aspect of why the group keeps coming together to play.
“I think the community is a big part of it,” Wray said. “Just having a moment with all of your friends where you can take a break and decompress as a group and just play around and have fun brings that childlike wonder. It has a tendency to bring people closer rather than split them up […] you’re all one big group with a common goal and I think that that’s a beautiful thing.”
While many of the group members are friends, Selin-Williams said people often join, allowing everyone to meet new people. McCabe said opportunities to meet new people is exactly what makes hacky sacking so special.
“People aren’t embarrassed to be bad at it,” McCabe said. “I feel like it’s not competitive, like there’s no scoring, so you’re just sort of kicking it around. But I also like that it provides an opportunity for conversation with people you don’t know, but it’s not awkward if you’re not talking.”
Mann said she remembers one particularly special hacky sack session from last spring.
“There was one circle at the end of last semester that was magical, there was something in the air,” Mann said. “It was finals week, everyone was stressed out and we were outside the library and the circle got really big at some point, and then people left and then a high schooler joined, and then one of my old professors joined.”
Maxine Wray (sophomore) and Caidan Mann (sophomore) playing hacky sack inside Swan Hall at Occidental College in Los Angeles, CA. Feb. 16, 2026. Nora Youngelson/The Occidental
According to Mann, hacky sacking can be seen as a quintessential snapshot of college life, and that it is for good reason.
“We meet as often as we can, or whenever we think about it: after class, before class, during work, on the quad, or anywhere you are, honestly,” Mann said. “I know [hacky sackying] is so cliche, but then when you’re doing it, it doesn’t feel like that, it feels like it is this novel thing, like no one’s ever done it before.”
After one of the first sack sessions, Wray said she quickly ordered a sack for herself, and although the group hit the limit for members in their hacky sack iMessage chat, they are always eager to welcome new people.
“It is something that anyone can join, and I am always happy to see the community it creates,” Wray said. “So, if you’re interested, come join us.”
*Magdelene Selin-Williams is the Business Manager for The Occidental.
Right after Norwegian biathlete Sturla Holm Lægreid crossed the finish line at the 2026 Milan Cortina Games, the spotlight shifted from athletic achievement to something far more intimate. Instead of celebrating his bronze medal in the 20k race, he confessed tearfully on live television that he had cheated on his ex-girlfriend and regretted it, in hopes of winning her back, a moment that quickly went viral.
Holm Lægreid said: “Six months ago, I met the love of my life and the most beautiful and kindest person in the world […] Three months ago, I made my biggest mistake and cheated on her, and I told her about a week ago.”
What might have felt like a sincere act of remorse also raised an uncomfortable question: When someone apologizes in front of millions, is it truly about repairing harm, or about professing guilt and reshaping self-image? Do these apologies heal relationships or further harm them?
Public apologies occupy a strange ethical gray zone. On one hand, they can model accountability in a culture that often avoids responsibility, especially in today’s polarizing political climate. On the other hand, they risk turning private pain into a public performance, especially when the harmed person never consented to being part of the story. Holm Lægreid seemed to recognize this tension when he later expressed that he “deeply regrets” sharing such a personal detail on live television, apologizing to his ex-girlfriend for exposing her to unwanted media attention. Her response, saying it was “hard to forgive” and that she had not asked to be put in that position, supports his sentiment.
According to Harvard Health, a meaningful apology generally includes acknowledging the offense, explaining what happened, expressing genuine remorse and offering some form of amends. In Holm Lægreid’s case, he clearly acknowledged his wrongdoing and expressed regret. Explaining what happened, however, becomes complicated when another person’s privacy is involved; what may feel like honesty to one person can unintentionally expose someone else to public scrutiny.
Notably, he never explicitly stated that the behavior would not happen again.Instead, he framed his confession as an act of total transparency and one last plea of forgiveness, saying his “only path to the finish line” was to put everything on the table and hope she would still love him. While this suggests a desire for reconciliation, it also highlights why apologies of this nature are often better suited for private settings. Ethical repair usually requires space to gauge the other person’s feelings, allow for validation and adjust the apology in response to their emotional needs, something that becomes nearly impossible when the apology unfolds in front of a global audience.
From a psychological perspective, public confessions can complicate already fragile relationship dynamics post infidelity. Psychotherapist and author Esther Perel in her book “The State of Affairs, Rethinking Infidelity” describes infidelity as a rupture that forces couples into different paths. Some become “sufferers,” trapped in cycles of resentment; others become “builders,” attempting to repair what was broken; and a few become “explorers,” using the crisis as a catalyst for growth. Healing in any of these scenarios usually requires boundaries, privacyand a lot of intentional communication from both parties. When a confession becomes a viral moment, however, the healing process risks being overshadowed by public commentary.
The apology may have felt authentic to Holm Lægreid, but he unintentionally positioned his ex-girlfriend in a no-win situation. By declaring that he had “nothing to lose” publicly, he overlooked how much she might have at stake. If she chooses to forgive him, she risks public judgment for accepting infidelity; if she decides not to reconcile, she may be framed as cold or unwilling to recognize his vulnerability. Either outcome becomes subject to commentary from strangers who feel entitled to weigh in on a relationship they were never part of.
At the same time, there is cultural value in normalizing remorse, especially when it challenges toxic ideas about masculinityor vulnerability. A public confession can encourage conversations about relationships and accountability. But an apology that centers the confessor’s emotional relief rather than the harmed person’s autonomy risks shifting the focus away from genuine repair.
In romantic movies like “Ten Things I Hate About You,” sweeping declarations made in front of crowds are framed as brave, heartfelt gestures. The music swells, the audience cheers and vulnerability leads to happy endings. Reality, however, rarely offers such clean resolutions. In high-stakes emotional moments, especially on a global stage like the Olympics, it’s possible that Holm Lægreid wasn’t fully considering the ripple effects his words might have beyond his own relief.
In anotherpress conference, Holm Lægreid said, “I hope I don’t make anything worse for her. I hope there is a happy ending in the end.” The sentiment may reflect genuine care, but true accountability sometimes requires carrying grief privately. Public confessions may feel cinematic, but unlike the movies, real people must carry the weight of what was said long after the moment fades.
Who knows if his ex-girlfriend will truly forgive him or take him back? In her words,“It is hard to forgive, even after such a public declaration of love in front of the whole world.”
Occidental’s Pre-Law Advising encourages students to engage in extracurricular activities that build communication, leadership, and critical thinking skills. They promote the Occidental Law Society club, or Oxy Law Society, which hosts events and speakers and offers hands-on experiences like internships for students to gain insight into legal careers. According to Raymond Arias (senior), co-president of Oxy Law Society, the Society utilizes a system that allows students to practice and gain real-world legal experience in many different forms.
Arias said the club operates under a branch model, encapsulating Mock Trial, Moot Court and Law Review. Beyond these three sections, the club also facilitates LSAT prep. In order to keep competitions and materials accessible to club members, Arias said the club has taken to fundraising on the Academic Quad.
“Recently, we’ve been trying to get a little more creative, [and] trying to adopt a seasonal approach [to fundraising],” Arias said. “In the fall, that looked like doing a couple of hot chocolates, [and since] midterms […] are coming up, we’re gonna do one fundraiser where we get to pie members of the law society e-board.”
Arias said that through past events, he was able to connect with alumni and get exposure to practicing lawyers. Arias said Occidental draws people who are especially excited to talk and to guide students along the way.
“It’s such a small school, small environment. I feel like the alums go into it knowing that,” Arias said. “I feel like they’re especially eager to help.”
Occidental College welcomed U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor for a ‘Fireside Chat‘ Feb. 6, and Pre-Law students from the Law Society were invited to attend.
Co-president Max Goldman (senior) said he felt like he learned a lot at the Fireside Chat, which focused on three Latino judges in high-ranking positions. Goldman said it was cool to see how they were each different and to learn about all of their backgrounds and their jobs.
“We just got very lucky that they invited us,” Goldman said.
Mock trial member Kenna Bradley (sophomore) said she attends many of the events the Law Society hosts. According to Bradley, she attended both an internship event for the Youth Justice Alliance and the Fireside Chat.
“I’m so forever grateful that the Law Society allowed me to [experience that],” Bradley said. “Getting to see Sonia Sotomayor was one of the coolest experiences ever.”
Arias said the Law Society uses events and other activities to get members thinking and writing critically and to foster an understanding of the American justice system.
“Exposure is the number one goal of our organization,” Arias said.
Co-presidents Max Goldman (senior), Raymond Arias (senior), and treasurer Anna Kim (sophomore) in Brown Lab inside the Mary Norton Clapp Library at Occidental College in Los Angeles, CA. Feb. 20, 2026. Maile Brucklacher/The Occidental
Arias said Mock Trial and Moot Court can be very valuable for members to hone their communication and speaking skills, which can be important in any industry or career, and the Law Review expands on this work by emphasizing the critical thinking aspect.
“An Oxy education emphasizes [critical thinking],” Arias said. “We just want to carry that out by engaging students in discussing specific issues that they’re interested in.”
According to Arias, from international policy to fashion law, students can write about whatever they are interested in.
“I wanted to give that platform to students,” Arias said.
According to Arias, when he started at Occidental as a first year, it seemed like the Oxy Law Society did not exist.
“In my understanding, a lot of the clubs during […] the pandemic naturally died off, and Law Society was one of them,” Arias said.
According to Arias, building up the club over his first and second years with other club members was a lot of hard work, but they have been able to develop a solid infrastructure that will continue to help Occidental law students.
“[Goldman] and I are hoping that after we graduate, [e-board] will be able to keep building on [the club] and make sure that it’s as efficient and as helpful as possible for the students who wanna participate in law society,” Arias said.
Bradley said over the last year, she has seen significant improvement in the club.
“Everyone is so dedicated to [the club] and everyone puts in so much time and effort,” Bradley said.
According to Arias, the Law Society has been a highlight of his college career, working with students who are interested in similar issues alongside those who are interested in different ones.
“It’s been very eye-opening, it’s a great community,” Arias said.
Music is always a place I turn to when the world feels unstable, a space where I can feel grounded in someone else’s story. I find myself drawn not just to melodies but to the earths albums conjure, the neighborhoods, the histories and the lived experiences of the artists themselves. Across genres, albums deploy narratives of authenticity as responses to social instability and desire for grounding.
These narratives are double-edged: authenticity functions both as emotional truth and economic commodity. What feels intimate — pain, struggle, joy — is also marketed and sold, sustaining artist branding and fan identification. “Realness” becomes a product that validates both the artist’s work and the listener’s attachment to it. Music exists in tension between genuine self-expression and capitalist circulation, revealing the complexity of being “authentic” in contemporary culture.
We can dismiss authenticity as a marketing ploy, but the notion of authenticity builds the relationship between artist and audience. J. Cole’s album “The Fall Off” is not so much a longing for Fayetteville as it is an effort to use place as a defense against the industry’s tendency to flatten difference. Cole’s focus on local roots and his refusal to conform to commercial pressures are about preserving a sense of self that the industry constantly threatens to dissolve.
Jill Scott’s album “To Whom This May Concern” sees authenticity as emerging between personal vulnerability and collective memory. Scott’s voice does not confess but invites, pulling listeners into a shared space of Black cultural experience where the line between self and community becomes porous. The album’s neo-soul ambiance acts as a living archive, audibly affirming both Scott’s narrative and the listener’s.
August Ponthier’s album “Everywhere Isn’t Texas” emphasizes authenticity through regional specificity and identity. Place serves as a narrative anchor, and the tension between origin and displacement informs the emotional texture and the album’s narrative structure. Ponthier offers listeners a sense of geographic and cultural grounding, while the music simultaneously reflects the complexities of belonging and mobility.
Hemlocke Springs’ album “the apple tree under the sea” presents a model of authenticity rooted in individuality and indie aesthetics. Imperfections and idiosyncrasies are embraced rather than polished away, producing an authenticity that resists commercial mediation and celebrates personal expression.
These albums show that authenticity is not a single quality but operates across emotional, spatial, communal and stylistic registers. For Cole, it is bound up with hometown loyalty and professional integrity; for Scott, with lived experience and the weight of cultural memory; for Ponthier, with the push and pull of place and displacement; for Springs, with individuality and a refusal to smooth out rough edges. Despite their differences, each album frames ‘realness’ as both an artistic tactic and a contract with listeners, affirming the artist’s identity while offering audiences a sense of recognition and belonging in a world marked by instability and mediated narratives.
In a country characterized by political polarization, economic precarity and growing digital fragmentation, the concept of authenticity has become a stabilizing psychic and social anchor. Authenticity offers grounding, belonging and personal coherence, allowing individuals to imagine rootedness amid cultural displacement and the instability of the nation. Celebrities and influencers, as transitional objects, provide parasocial intimacy that reassures audiences as they negotiate uncertainty. Social media platforms amplify this dynamic. Engagement-driven visibility and algorithmic reward structures incentivize relatability, making the “personal narrative” a market advantage. Authenticity becomes structurally reinforced, a commodity and a fantasy simultaneously. The appeal of the “real” lies less in inherent truth than in its capacity to offer psychic stability, social cohesion and imagined continuity in a world of constant epistemic and cultural disruption.
The music industry performs and markets authenticity simultaneously, transforming listeners’ emotional investments in an identity into a quantitative statistic. Furthermore, the attachment to authenticity is not about the object of attachment but the sustained fantasy of the uniformed community, or identification with a coherently realized and expressible self. This duality places authenticity in a liminal space within the music industry, as lived experiences and as monetized performance. The affective power of the “authentic” endures even when sold, thanks to this duality; it fulfills a need for recognition, connection and identification.
The question of authenticity is not its sincerity, but how authenticity circulates emotions about others and ourselves. I feel safe with lyrics over drum and bass, and I can only stand to hear a story in the key of survival because of who I am. Other people feel this way, and we bond. The music industry mixes and masters these emotional connections, which can flatten the nuances of community or exaggerate these experiences into monolithic stereotypes.
I think the only way to reclaim authenticity is to listen to music that truly makes you feel, and then talk about that feeling with others. The next time you listen to music, ask yourself why: Is it to block out the white noise of the constant crumbling of everything we hate, but the only thing we know? Or, is it to find a sense of belonging, even though no one can ever truly belong? Listen closely, and let that music teach you how to connect, feel and exist alongside others without erasing the complexity of either.
According to a Dec. 4, 2025 email from the Dean of Students, Stacy Spell became the Director of Campus Safety after serving as the Associate Director.
Prior to his arrival at Occidental, Spellspent 29 years with the Los Angeles Police Dept. He served as a police captain and LAPD’s Public Information Director. Spell holds a bachelor’s degree in behavioral science from the University of La Verne and a master’s degree in emergency services administration from California State University, Long Beach.
Spell said he worked as a gang cop, narcotics lieutenant, captain, Deputy Chief and assistant director of the Office of Operations during his time with the LAPD. Spell said he worked as the LAPD Public Information Director for two years.
“We had a public information director that was the civilian equivalent [of] a commander,” Spell said.
Spell said before he joined the LAPD, he joined the military when he was 17 years old.
“I was already considered a combat veteran by the time I was 20,” Spell said. “I served in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia during [Operation] Desert Storm, and then […] joined the police department at a really young age. I was really fortunate that I seized opportunities when they arose to work specialized assignments.”
Spell also said he was a graduate of the FBI National Academy. Spell said the training he went through there has influenced his approach to conflict resolution.
“I was in Quantico for 10 weeks and did some classes accredited through the University of Virginia,” Spell said. “My approach […] is heavily geared towards de-escalation, but I also try to find middle ground. That kind of education has overlapped with my experience and helped guide my decision making.”
The interior of the Campus Safety office at Occidental College in Los Angeles, CA. Feb. 23, 2026. Abigail Montopoli/The Occidental
Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students Vivian Santiago said Spell served capably as Interim Director last fall. Santiago said Spell strengthened departmental cohesion, training and strategic leadership despite vacancies within the Campus Safety leadership team.
“His strong performance led us to invite him to serve as Director,” Santiago said via email. “His prior experience with the LAPD brings valuable expertise as we continue strengthening campus-wide emergency preparedness and response efforts, and his collaborative leadership style has earned the respect of colleagues across campus.”
Spell said he was drawn to Occidental because he wanted an opportunity that would provide him with a better work-life balance. Spell also said he values the role of higher learning and educational institutions.
“There’s […] a genuine sincerity [here],” Spell said. “I enjoy being in an environment where I can make a difference.”
Spell said his vision for the Campus Safety Department going forward includes data-focused safety, analysis of industry standards, increased collaboration and engagement with Project SAFE as well as Emmons Wellness Center, officer wellbeing, brand management and development of training programs.
“You can’t really analyze performance unless you know, for example, how many calls per service [we are] responding to each month,” Spell said. “I want to look at what Claremont or Chapman or Redlands [are] doing…[I am] making sure that we’re scheduling, we’re staffing properly, that we have adequate training fleet […] I want us to be the kind of department where people say, […] ‘Occidental campusis […] the industry standard.’”
Brittany Garcia, JC Villatoro, Stacy Spell and William Lozier outside the Campus Safety office at Occidental College in Los Angeles, CA. Feb. 23, 2026. Abigail Montopoli/The Occidental
Sergeant for Campus SafetyElarryo Bolden said it is not unusual for colleges like Occidental to look for experienced professionals when hiring for their respective campus safety departments.
“[Spell fits] that category as an […] individual who has experience in the upper ranks of public safety, so it seemed like a natural fit,” Bolden said. “He also brings a breadth of experience which I think all the officers can learn from.”
Bolden said individuals like Spell are able to stay calm in the face of dangerous circumstances.
“When very serious things happen in this world, you want people who have experienced enough to know that even though there may be a crisis [at hand], the leaders themselves don’t have to add to that crisis,” Bolden said. “A calm demeanor de-escalates a lot of things […] [which helps] in chaotic situations.”
Spell said his work with law enforcement in the past gives him a clear vision as to what he wants to accomplish with the Campus Safety at Occidental.
“Rome wasn’t built in a day, but the fact that I come [here] with the level of experience that I have […] helps me [with] the implementation of those ideas and those visions,” Spell said. “[I am able to] talk to my officers and say, ‘OK, this is what we need to do to make this happen.’”
Nestled on Baer Road between Thorne Hall and the McKinnon Family Tennis Center lies Occidental’s Central Chiller Plant. Despite its nondescript exterior, the plant provides an essential service: cooling buildings across campus.According to Louie Avalos, who leads Occidental’s Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) team, the Central Chiller Plant cools the majority of academic buildings across campus as well as some dorms.
According to Avalos, in addition to a control center, the plant consists of centrifugal chillers, pumps, fans, cooling towers and heat exchangers. The centrifugal chillers use the vapor compression cycle to chill water, sending collected heat to cooling towers. Heat exchangers are responsible for distributing the cold water produced to the rest of campus.
According to the Occidental website, the facility was built in 1998 and revamped in 2015. Avalos said updates to the plant improved sustainability, with the system now using drives — electronic power controllers — to manage fan speed for energy conservation.
“This is as green as it gets,” Avalos said.
HVAC Technician Shane Allen said the plant produces ice overnight, which is then used to cool campus throughout the day. Ice is preserved in the plant in five massive storage tanks. Allen said he inspects the system daily, monitoring water treatment and conductivity as well as ice production.
According to Allen, keeping the plant clean and efficient is important in order to operate at maximum capacity.
“If [the plant] doesn’t build ice [overnight], it costs a lot of money and electricity to run those chillers to keep the water [temperature] down,” Allen said.
HVAC Technician Shane Allen inside Central Chiller Plant at Occidental College in Los Angeles, CA. Feb. 20, 2026. Anthony Cordova/The Occidental
Avalos said Allen’s daily maintenance is responsible for the regular operation of the plant.
“[Allen]’s going to catch [any issues] first thing in the morning,” Avalos said. “Before anybody knows, he’s gonna catch it and we’re gonna take care of it.”
Trades Manager Joe Hernandez said the chiller plant provides cooling for most of campus, an essential service. Hernandez said his team’s maintenance work often goes unrecognized, yet students and staff reap the benefits of their labor everyday.
“Without [us] classes wouldn’t be able to be taught, especially in the summer — it gets really hot [here],” Hernandez said.
Avalos said his team’s work goes down behind the scenes.
“The only time you think about us is when you’re sitting there and going, ‘Oh shoot man, my air conditioning doesn’t work,’” Avalos said.
Avalos said much of the Central Chiller Plant’s operations across campus are managed from the plant itself via control software, in order to maximize efficiency. Avalos said the software allows his team to troubleshoot from afar before conducting on-site maintenance. According to Avalos, sensors provide detailed information about every room cooled by the system.
Allen said he can control how much chilled water is distributed to each space on campus and monitor specific information all from the computer room.
“You can see supply temperatures, and the valve positions for heating and cooling, and whether they’re on or off, and what speed they’re running at,” Allen said.
Avalos said tunnels underneath campus contain the piping used to transport cooled water.
“You’ve heard of the tunnels right? Under the campus?” Avalos said. “[All the pipes] go into the tunnels, and then the tunnel runs right across the quad, and as it is going out it is hitting these buildings.”
Cooling systems inside Central Chiller Plant at Occidental College in Los Angeles, CA. Feb. 20, 2026. Anthony Cordova/The Occidental
Avalos saidhis team occasionally has toenter the tunnels to inspect operations and identify issues.
“We’re in the tunnels when we have to be,” Avalos said. “We’re not down there all the time.”
Hernandez said going into the tunnels takes a lot of work and is always a team effort, necessitating radio communication.
“There’s a lot down there, [and] we’re working little by little on bringing it up to standard,” Hernandez said. “This is an old campus with a lot of old buildings, so it takes a lot to keep it going.”
In the midst of ICE raids continuing to sweep LA in 2026, and stricter requirements to receive SNAP food benefits that started Feb. 1, Angelenos are coming together to help fellow community members survive through mutual aid, the voluntary exchange of resources between people for mutual benefit. Mutual aid is a more horizontally structured system than charity work, which tends to consist of people giving to causes or communities that they are not members of. With mutual aid, people who participate know that their community is stronger when more people are cared for and remember that someday they might need help too.
Los Angeles has been through tough times before, and despite its sprawling landscape, it has held together and pushed through. There is something unique about LA’s ability to coalesce and to strengthen its bonds when it matters most. While students can get involved in mutual aid on campus through the Occidental Mutual Aid Club (OMAC), branching out in local communities can help you feel grounded and connected to LA. In the spirit of uplifting the work being done by Angelenos all over the city to protect and sustain their neighbors, I’d like to give some recognition to a few community members who are going above and beyond to do their part, and who are offering a blueprint for how someone interested can become involved.
Highland Park Community Defense Corner on Avenue 55 and Figueroa Street in Los Angeles, CA. Feb. 6, 2026. Marty Valdez/The Occidental
Helping 1 Vendor At A Time
Alex Romero started Helping 1 Vendor At A Time in July 2025 over the Fourth of July weekend. Romero, who works in the mental health sector in South Central, said that after seeinga street vendor working on the corner in an area that was a hotspot for ICE raids, she gave him all the money in her wallet so that he could go home.
Romero said this experience led her to reach out to a friend in Highland Park who knows many of the street vendors.
“I want to sell on the street corner for a vendor who can’t, who is on survival mode, who’s afraid to leave their home,” Romero said.
Romero’s friend connected her with a longtime couple from Highland Park who are both street vendors, and on that Sunday of the same weekend, Romero and her partner sold for those vendors in front of the 7-Eleven on the corner of Avenue 52 and Figueroa Street.
“My friends came out, and we made over 3,000 dollars for him,” Romero said. “I thought, ‘I need to keep doing this.’ This is where I live, this is where I grew up. I love Highland Park and I need to do it.”
Through Helping 1 Vendor at A Time, Romero now gets connected with local vendors who she sells for on street corners in Highland Park.
“I also started finding safe spaces for them to vend, that way they’re in a place for a few hours where they don’t have to have that fear of being caught,” Romero said. “I try to educate them on how to get their permits and licensing, because there’s so many more opportunities that way.”
Romero said she currently vends at least twice a month, sometimes for multiple vendors on the same day, and some of her friends volunteer with her.
“I feel like right now so many of our street vendors […] they’re really having a hard time making ends meet, even putting food on their table,” Romero said. “I wish I could do it every weekend, but I have commitments, so it’s hard.”
Romero said a lot of organizations are reaching out to Helping 1 Vendor At A Time to find ways to help show up for the community.
“The inner child in me takes me back to my grandmother, and how she was a street vendor too,” Romero said. “Having those memories of my sister and I going with her on the weekends to sell […] I think that’s why it was so important for me to do something.”
The Eagle Rock Community Fridge and goods on Yosemite Drive in Eagle Rock, CA. Feb. 4, 2026. Marty Valdez/The Occidental
LA Community Fridges
Julie Haire is a volunteer with LA Community Fridges, as is everyone who is a part of the organization, which is not a nonprofit and has no leadership structure. LA Community fridges is a network of independent refrigerators where people can drop off and pick up food and other on-food donations like personal hygiene items and items like ice packs or takeout utensils.Haire said she has been volunteering with LA Community Fridges for four years.
“We’re all in this together,” Haire said. “Everybody identifies a problem and everybody works to solve it.”
Haire said that every single person who uses one of the fridges, whether to donate food or to pick up food, is asked to feel responsible for the upkeep of the fridge and have a more personal stake in the cause.
“People will say, ‘Why isn’t there one in my neighborhood?’ and it’s because we need someone like you to start it,” Haire said. “That’s what it’s all about, is somebody stepping up.”
Haire said social media is one of the organization’sbiggest tools to publicize the locations of their fridges, how to maintain and clean them, what kind of donations to drop off and how you can stop by local businesses to pick up food to bring to the fridge.
“The purpose of the fridges is two-pronged. It’s about food rescue, saving food that might otherwise go to the landfill,” Haire said. “We have so many people who are food insecure and don’t have extra money to spend on food, especially with the high grocery store prices in LA.”
The Eagle Rock Community Fridge on Yosemite Drive in Eagle Rock, CA. Feb. 4, 2026. Marty Valdez/The Occidental
According to Haire, food donations don’t always make it into the fridge because there are often people waiting at the fridge locations to pick up food before donations arrive.
“People generally love fruit, any kind of produce,” Haire said. “Not everybody can pick up lettuce and make a salad, but everybody can grab an orange and eat it.”
For Haire, the best thing that mutual aid does for people is changing people’s mindset and reframing how they see themselves in their community.
“A lot of people might feel like ‘Oh, I hate that there’s so much trash on my street. I wish someone would do something about it.’ And then it’s like, ‘Wait, why don’t I do something about it?’” Haire said. “You don’t need to ask permission. You don’t need to go through some sort of big organization to feed people or to make change in your community. You can actually do it yourself.”
According to Haire, becoming involved in mutual aid is the most grassroots way you can help your city.
“Rather than donate money to an organization that gets filtered through many, many layers, you can actually directly impact your community.” Haire said.
NELA Food Distribution table on the corner of Avenue 55 and Figueroa Street in Los Angeles, CA. Feb. 6, 2026. Marty Valdez/The Occidental
NELA Food Distribution
Vanny Arias, founder of NELA Food Distribution,said she has been a community activist for about 25 years. Arias said she works at a bar in Northeast LA (NELA) and has planned fundraisers in the past to help with causes like covering neighbor’s funeral expenses and raising money for the cheer squad. Arias started NELA Food Distribution in April 2025 just by asking some of her coworkers for donations for vulnerable neighbors.
“When our neighbors became vulnerable, these are my actual neighbors, my friends, people that I grew up with, so it was a call to action,” Arias said.
According to Arias, NELA Food Distribution consistently feeds about 450 people every week through a mix of home deliveries and food drives with donations from community members. Arias said some local businesses have donated proceeds and hosted collections for NELA Food Distribution as well.
“There’s definitely been a surge lately, more people staying home, more people not wanting to go out, kids that aren’t going to school,” Arias said.
According to Arias,NELA Food Distribution has a pool of almost 200 volunteers that rotate in and out to help with food distribution.
“It doesn’t take a genius, it doesn’t take money to start something like this,” Arias said. “All you need is somebody who’s willing and very dedicated in their community to pull [it] off.”
Arias said she wants to encourage people to stand up for their neighbors as if they are family members.
“Not everybody has extra money or extra food, but you can lend your ears, you could lend your eyes,” Arias said. “I started off with just me hoping that I can help someone. Now it’s turned into this amazing organization [..] I couldn’t have asked for more.”
Arias said people can drop off bags of food at The Offbeat bar in Highland park during regular business hours as well as Everybody Gym.
Highland Park Community Defense Corner on Avenue 55 and Figueroa Street in Los Angeles, CA. Feb. 6, 2026. Marty Valdez/The Occidental
Siempre Unidos LA
Elizabeth Ramirez said she originallystarted Siempre Unidos LA as an Instagram pageto help guide community members to available city or state funded resources by posting local events and programs.
“If nobody utilizes those resources, […] they just don’t continue to fund those resources because they don’t think that there’s a need,” Ramirez said.
After the ICE raids ramped up in June 2025, Ramirez said she began posting Know Your Rights information and ICE alerts on the Instagram page. From there, Ramirez started a food and box hygiene program. Now, Siempre Unidos is a full-fledged “community-powered nonprofit organization committed to supporting immigrant families torn apart by ICE raids and deportations in Los Angeles,” according to its website.
“We’re home-based in South Central […] which is where I was born and raised,” Ramirez said. “Thanks to community support and volunteer support, we’ve been able to reach so many different communities.”
Siempre Unidos has a program that distributes food called Comida Para Todos, and raises funds to buy out street vendors in areas that are face a high risk of ICE raids, Ramirez said.
“We recently started collecting donations for pre-loved clothing,” Ramirez said. “We work very closely with vulnerable populations like our Home Depot day laborers. If they’re in need of clothing, or they maybe have children who are in need of clothing, we have a team that works with them.”
According to Ramirez, Siempre Unidos also has a rapid response team called Guerreros Communitarios(Community Warriors) who patrol around areas of LA to provide Know Your Rights information and are on alert for ICE presences.
“As a founder, I definitely keep in mind that our organization is really just adapting to whatever the community needs,” Ramirez said.
As a non-profit, Siempre Unidos is 100 percet donation based, Ramirez said.
“We rely on the community support […] local vendors, local businesses, really anybody that wants to donate, whether it’s funds or food items,” Ramirez said.
Ramirez said that since June 2025, she has witnessed more community camaraderie and interpersonal relationships between neighbors that COVID-19 had disrupted.
“It’s the beauty within the struggle of LA really coming together and uniting as one, because now I feel like people [are] really checking in on each other,” Ramirez said. “We’re seeing the unfortunate reality that all of this affects us in one way or another.”
Comida Para Todos
Samantha Ruiz is the program director for Comida Para Todos, a collective program of Siempre Unidos LA that sources groceries and hygiene items for families impacted by the ICE raids and the government shutdown.
“Everything that fuels our program is out of donations,” Ruiz said. “We try to get a little bit of everything because we know that there’s a lot of need out there.”
Ruiz said in June 2025, she started making grocery bags of food to deliver to families having a hard time. After collaborating with Siempre Unidos, Comida Para Todos was born. Since June, the program has helped feed over 2,500 families, according to Ruiz.
“I’m born and raised in East LA. I’ve always known what the struggle looks like,” Ruiz said. “When I saw that families couldn’t go out, people couldn’t do their grocery shopping, the kids couldn’t go to school, it really hurt me.”
Comida Para Todos has transitioned into hosting more food drives than doing home deliveries, Ruiz said, because of how large the list of people who need food has grown. According to Ruiz, there are about ten volunteers at each eventbased on availability.
“It’s important to provide a safe space for the community because a lot of people in general get embarrassed to wait in line at food drives,” Ruiz said. “Anything we do for our community is out of love and the utmost respect for people that we know. We just want to be an added resource that gives them comfortability.”
Ruiz said she has built deeper connections with many of the families that benefit from Comida Para Todos.
“The appreciation the community shows back to us feels a lot greater than what it used to be before because I don’t think a lot of us have ever lived in a time like this,” Ruiz said.
Comida Para Todos is always looking for people to help hand out groceries and pack the bags, Ruiz said.
“If you have the ability, the capacity, and you want to do it, I highly recommend it,” Ruiz said, “The smallest things can contribute to your community.”
Much to the chagrin of the other 29 Major League Baseball teams, the Los Angeles Dodgers are at it again this offseason — just as we’ve predicted in past columns. With all eyes returning to MLB after the Seahawks dominated Super Bowl LX, tensions are already running high in offices throughout the league.
Among myriad smaller roster decisions, the Dodgers landed two more big fish this offseason. The team got started early, as they handed out a three-year $69 million deal to star closer Edwin Díaz in early December. Díaz opted out of his remaining two years with the New York Mets to join Los Angeles where he will earn considerably more per year. The Díaz deal set a record for highest annual value given to a reliever, as the closer will earn an average of $23 million during his time with the club.
What really sent MLB fans and owners alike into a frenzy was the signing of four-time All-Star and World Series champion Kyle Tucker, who signed the dotted line on a record-breaking 4-year $240 million deal. Tucker is now the highest-paid player in MLB, making $60 million on average per year. This beats out the previous record holder Juan Soto, who makes an average salary of $51 million. No matter the outcome of the deal, Tucker is laughing all the way to the bank.
If the Dodgers wanted, they could hand out “bad” contracts until the cows came home. They’ve essentially created their very own infinite money glitch. Despite carrying a payroll of around $400 million (around $60 million more than the second place Mets), money is simply no object.
Perhaps the biggest engine behind the Dodgers money printing machine is their cornering of nearly the entire Japanese baseball market. Shohei Ohtani is to Japan what Taylor Swift is (or was?) to the United States. Coupled with Shohei, the supporting cast of Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki is enough to turn the heads and gather the spending money of an entire country. Between brand deals and sponsorships, merchandise sales, television deals and tourism the Dodgers have already made back the $700 million given to Ohtani just one year later. This machine is not expected to stop churning any time soon, allowing the Dodgers to operate with biblical greed.
When adding players, the Dodgers rarely weaken their farm or remove players from their MLB roster. The last blockbuster trade they made was for Mookie Betts, who signed a massive extension with the team during the 2020 season. Even then, the outgoing talent of Connor Wong, Alex Verdugo and Jeter Downs hasn’t exactly scorned them. Their aggressive free agent spending nearly every offseason actually keeps the longevity of the franchise afloat.
Of course, no amount of gesturing towards ethical tactics will erase the elephant-sized piggy bank in the room. Following this offseason, the Dodgers have incurred over $1 billion in deferred money. Deferrals have long been a part of MLB’s financial fabric and are historically considered to be beneficial for the sport, but the Dodgers have malformed the practice of deferring contracts to such an extent that they’re the only squad capable of carrying the financial burden. Other teams can emulate this strategy if they like, but when the chickens come home to roost, the Dodgers are the only team that could take a financial hit of that size due to their unprecedented money engine. Ohtani is the goose that laid the golden egg, even if every team had a chance to sign him.
Also responsible for LA’s financial supremacy is the team’s TV deal, an $8 billion behemoth signed in 2014. The deal bears a massively inflated value as part of a compromise between MLB and former Dodgers owner Frank McCourt, who was given a figure on his terms in exchange for his immediate sale of the team afterwards. For those not familiar with economic intricacies, McCourt was essentially paid untold sums of money to go away.
Thanks to McCourt running the Dodgers into bankruptcy in 2011, MLB permitted them to evade revenue sharing over the course of the 25-year long TV deal. This means that LA gets to ignore a yearly $66 million tax that every other large market team is forced to pay, placing that cash directly into their pockets.
If you’ve kept up with the column over the years, you’ll know that MLB spending is currently subject to one of the largest disparities in all of sports. For every high-rolling team like the Dodgers, another 10 teams fail to muster even a third of LA’s spending prowess, and their minuscule payrolls are often reflected in their miserable on-field performance.
The desire to curb this losing tradition may be what’s inspiring numerous owners —namely Dick Monfort of Colorado Rockies fame — to call for the league to implement a salary cap in the next collective bargaining agreement. And while Monfort is right that his club lacks the colossal revenue stream of a big market team, his complaints overshadow a major factor: lots of teams spend money wrong.
Take a glance at MLB’s cellar dwellers and you’re bound to see a multitude of ill-fated contracts. Two of the league’s top spenders — Atlanta and the New York Mets — didn’t even make the playoffs this past season due to a combination of injuries, underperformance and bad luck. Let us not forget the Los Angeles Angels, whose disastrous signing of Anthony Rendon might be the epitome of legalized bank robbing.
Another forgotten but equally important aspect of this recent Dodger dominance is its potential benefit to the sporting world. It’s easy to decry the Dodgers on the basis of the team sullying league parity, but this indomitability has worked wonders for MLB’s ratings. The Dodgers’ 2024 World Series run saw TV ratings surge by 6 million viewers compared to 2023, and 50 million fans worldwide watched Game 7 of this past year’s Fall Classic.
The reason for this ratings explosion is simple — sports fans love having a supervillain to root against. The dynasty-era New England Patriotsset records for Super Bowl viewership in 2015, and the NBA finals ratings took a nosedive following the collapse of the Golden State Warriors empire. As it turns out, the same fans who complain of dynastic sports runs tune in with even more frequency.
Even the most ardent Dodgers defender cannot deny that there are obvious flaws with the current state of MLB. Revenue streams are lopsided, parity often feels nonexistent and the league’s top spenders are essentially set in stone on a yearly basis.
Despite these problems, it’s apparent that a salary cap won’t be an instant fix. Baseball’s richest teams will still have an edge in terms of resources and analytics, and no amount of financial guardrails can prevent clueless general managers from ruining their teams.
It might not be the news that most baseball fans want to hear, and it’s certainly not the news we — as lifelong Red Sox fans — want to deliver. Unfortunately for fans of 29 MLB franchises, the stats don’t lie, and they say that the best way to beat the Dodgers is to simply be smarter.
Contact Ben Petteruti at petteruti@oxy.edu and Mac Ribner at ribner@oxy.edu
