{"id":11,"date":"2022-11-02T18:17:51","date_gmt":"2022-11-02T18:17:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/rooted\/?page_id=11"},"modified":"2026-02-06T11:17:51","modified_gmt":"2026-02-06T19:17:51","slug":"content","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/rooted\/","title":{"rendered":"Home"},"content":{"rendered":"  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--intro-text \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--intro-text\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n          \n<div class=\"f--field f--section-title\">\n\n    \n  <h2>\n          Student Stories of Sustainability\n      <\/h2>\n\n\n<\/div>\n  \n          \n<div class=\"f--field f--description\">\n\n    \n  <p>Welcome to Rooted, a collection of USC student narratives on sustainability efforts on and around our campus and throughout their lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n  \n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--spotlight \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--spotlight\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n<div class=\"text-image-container\">\n  <div class=\"text-container\">\n\n              \n<div class=\"f--field f--eyebrow\">\n\n    \n  <span>Beneath the Surface in Catalina<\/span>\n\n\n<\/div>\n    \n              \n<div class=\"f--field f--description\">\n\n    \n  <p>&#8220;Somewhere across the San Pedro Channel, the Coliseum was roaring to life with cheers that rattled the chests of everyone in the stands. I thought I would miss the noise, the chaos of a game day, but instead I found myself feeling quietly content in the gentle rhythm of the ocean. With my mind unrecognizably quiet, I began exploring the coves and reefs that surrounded the Wrigley Institute on Catalina Island.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n    \n              \n<div class=\"f--field f--link\">\n\n    \n    \n  \n<a \n  class=\"link\"\n  href= https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/rooted\/2026\/01\/08\/beneath-the-surface-in-catalina\/\n    aria-label=\"Read more about Read the full story\"  \n>\n    Read the full story \n  <svg version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" x=\"0px\" y=\"0px\" viewBox=\"0 0 35 35\" enable-background=\"new 0 0 35 35\" width=\"25\" height=\"25\" xml:space=\"preserve\"><polygon fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" fill=\"#000\" points=\"19.3,27.5 29.3,17.5,19.3,7.5 16.3,10.4 21.4,15.4 6.7,15.4 6.7,19.6 21.4,19.6 16.3,24.6 \"\/><\/svg>\n<\/a>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n      <\/div>\n\n      <div class=\"image-container\">\n          \n<div class=\"f--field f--image\">\n\n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n              \n      <img\n                            data-src=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/rooted\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/487\/2026\/01\/USC_WIES_Dornisfe_Field_Trip_to_WMSC_20250913_07-768x768.jpg\"\n          data-srcset=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/rooted\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/487\/2026\/01\/USC_WIES_Dornisfe_Field_Trip_to_WMSC_20250913_07-1280x1280.jpg 1280w,https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/rooted\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/487\/2026\/01\/USC_WIES_Dornisfe_Field_Trip_to_WMSC_20250913_07-768x768.jpg 768w\"          data-sizes=\"(min-width:1024px) 50vw, (min-width:768px) 100vw, 100vw\"          class=\"lazyload\"\n        \n                  role=\"none\"\n        \n        \n                                      \/>\n\n    \n    \n  \n  \n\n<\/div>\n    <\/div>\n  \n<\/div>\n\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n                                                                                                                \n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--articles-carousel \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--articles-carousel\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n<div class=\"inner-wrapper\">\n\n      <div class=\"header-container\">\n\n                  \n<div class=\"f--field f--section-title\">\n\n    \n  <h2>\n          More Articles\n      <\/h2>\n\n\n<\/div>\n                <\/div>\n  \n\n\n  \n  <div class=\"articles-carousel-wrapper\">\n\n  <div class=\"title-controls-container\">\n          <h3> <\/h3>\n    \n    <div class=\"controls-container\">\n      <button class=\"button-prev\" aria-label=\"Previous Article\">\n        <svg version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\"\n        x=\"0px\" y=\"0px\" viewBox=\"0 0 35 35\" enable-background=\"new 0 0 35 35\" xml:space=\"preserve\" width=\"25\" height=\"25\">\n        <polygon fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" fill=\"#000\" points=\"15.7,27.5 5.7,17.5\n        15.7,7.5 18.7,10.4 13.6,15.4 28.3,15.4 28.3,19.6 13.6,19.6 18.7,24.6 \"\/>\n        <\/svg>\n      <\/button>\n      <button class=\"button-next\" aria-label=\"Next Article\">\n        <svg version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\"\nx=\"0px\" y=\"0px\" viewBox=\"0 0 35 35\" enable-background=\"new 0 0 35 35\" xml:space=\"preserve\" width=\"25\" height=\"25\"><polygon fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" fill=\"#000\" points=\"19.3,27.5 29.3,17.5\n19.3,7.5 16.3,10.4 21.4,15.4 6.7,15.4 6.7,19.6 21.4,19.6 16.3,24.6 \"\/>\n<\/svg>\n\n      <\/button>\n    <\/div>\n\n    <\/div>\n\n\n    <div class=\"swiper\">\n      <div class=\"swiper-wrapper\">\n        \n        \n          <article class=\"swiper-slide card\">\n            <div class=\"card-inner\">\n\n                                        \n                  \n<div class=\"f--field f--image\">\n\n    \n        <a href=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/rooted\/2026\/03\/10\/learning-los-angeles-environmental-justice\/\"  aria-label=\"Learning Los Angeles: Environmental Justice\">\n  \n    \n    \n    \n    \n              \n      <img decoding=\"async\"\n                            src=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/rooted\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/487\/2026\/01\/USC_OoS_PeaceGardenParty_042525_1-768x432.png\"\n          srcset=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/rooted\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/487\/2026\/01\/USC_OoS_PeaceGardenParty_042525_1-768x432.png 768w\"          sizes=\"(min-width:1024px) 23vw, (min-width:768px) 39vw, 83vw\"\n        \n                  alt=\"People and a cat enjoy the USC Peace Garden\"\n        \n        \n                                      \/>\n\n    \n    \n  \n      <\/a>\n  \n\n<\/div>\n            \n            <div class=\"text-container\">\n                                <h4>\n                                          <a href=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/rooted\/2026\/03\/10\/learning-los-angeles-environmental-justice\/\" >\n                    \n                      Learning Los Angeles: Environmental Justice\n\n                                          <\/a>\n                                      <\/h4>\n              \n              <div class=\"read-more\">\n                                      \n<div class=\"f--field f--description\">\n\n    \n  <p>When one thinks of Los Angeles and sustainability, a common mental image usually involves the physical environment: air quality, drought, urban heat, wildfires, and loss of green space. However, this perspective captures only the surface of what sustainability truly means in this great city. What I\u2019ve come to understand is that the environmental realities of LA are layered on top of a wealth of history of migration, segregation, displacement, and cultural survival. The land of Los Angeles is so much more than just dirt and trees: it is also about the people who live here. To understand sustainability in LA, one must understand the people who live on this land, the stories they carry, and the vulnerabilities that shaped their history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n                \n                                      \n<div class=\"f--field f--link\">\n\n    \n    \n  \n<a \n  class=\"link\"\n  href= https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/rooted\/2026\/03\/10\/learning-los-angeles-environmental-justice\/\n    aria-label=\"Read Story about Learning Los Angeles: Environmental Justice\"  \n>\n    Read Story \n  \n<\/a>\n\n\n<\/div>\n                \n              <\/div>\n\n            <\/div> <!-- .text-container -->\n\n            <div class=\"expand-collapse-controls\">\n              <button class=\"expand-collapse swiper-no-swiping\" aria-label=\"Expand\/Collapse Description\">\n                <svg class=\"expand\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" x=\"0px\" y=\"0px\" viewBox=\"0 0 35 35\" enable-background=\"new 0 0 35 35\" xml:space=\"preserve\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" fill=\"#000000\" d=\"M28,7v7.9h-2.6l0-3.4l-4.3,4.3c-0.3,0.3-0.6,0.4-0.9,0.4s-0.7-0.1-0.9-0.4c-0.5-0.5-0.5-1.3,0-1.9l4.3-4.3h-3.4V7H28z M7,28v-7.9h2.6v3.4l4.3-4.3c0.5-0.5,1.3-0.5,1.9,0c0.5,0.5,0.5,1.3,0,1.9l-4.3,4.3h3.4V28H7z\"\/><\/svg>\n\n                <svg class=\"collapse\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" x=\"0px\" y=\"0px\"\n   viewBox=\"0 0 35 35\" enable-background=\"new 0 0 35 35\" xml:space=\"preserve\">\n  <polygon fill=\"#000\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" points=\"26,10.4 24.6,9 17.5,16.1 10.4,9 9,10.4 16.1,17.5\n  9,24.6 10.4,26 17.5,18.9 24.6,26 26,24.6 18.9,17.5 \"\/>\n  <\/svg>\n\n              <\/button>\n            <\/div> <!-- .expand-collapse-controls -->\n\n            <\/div>\n\n          <\/article>\n\n                  \n        \n          <article class=\"swiper-slide card\">\n            <div class=\"card-inner\">\n\n                                        \n                  \n<div class=\"f--field f--image\">\n\n    \n        <a href=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/rooted\/2026\/03\/10\/sustainability-needs-entrepreneurs-lessons-from-las-cleantech-ecosystem\/\"  aria-label=\"Sustainability Needs Entrepreneurs: Lessons from LA&#8217;s Cleantech Ecosystem\">\n  \n    \n    \n    \n    \n              \n      <img decoding=\"async\"\n                            src=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/rooted\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/487\/2026\/01\/USC_UCOM_Zero_Waste_Zone_Signage_20230412_03-768x432.jpg\"\n          srcset=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/rooted\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/487\/2026\/01\/USC_UCOM_Zero_Waste_Zone_Signage_20230412_03-1280x720.jpg 1280w,https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/rooted\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/487\/2026\/01\/USC_UCOM_Zero_Waste_Zone_Signage_20230412_03-768x432.jpg 768w\"          sizes=\"(min-width:1024px) 23vw, (min-width:768px) 39vw, 83vw\"\n        \n                  role=\"none\"\n        \n        \n                                      \/>\n\n    \n    \n  \n      <\/a>\n  \n\n<\/div>\n            \n            <div class=\"text-container\">\n                                <h4>\n                                          <a href=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/rooted\/2026\/03\/10\/sustainability-needs-entrepreneurs-lessons-from-las-cleantech-ecosystem\/\" >\n                    \n                      Sustainability Needs Entrepreneurs: Lessons from LA&#8217;s Cleantech Ecosystem\n\n                                          <\/a>\n                                      <\/h4>\n              \n              <div class=\"read-more\">\n                                      \n<div class=\"f--field f--description\">\n\n    \n  <p>I walked into the LA Cleantech Incubator thinking sustainability meant paper straws and beach cleanups. Two hours later, I realized I\u2019d been thinking way too small.<\/p>\n<p>The founder showcase at the La Kretz Innovation Campus featured seven startups, but none of them resembled the \u201ceco-friendly\u201d projects I had expected. No one was pitching reusable water bottle campaigns or compostable packaging. Instead, the room filled with bright projector screens, prototype displays, and founders discussing systems problems I didn\u2019t even know existed: AI that detects contamination inside recycling trucks, modular direct-air-capture machines built for cities, and shoes made from California algae. Every pitch aimed at a failure point in our infrastructure\u2014problems individual actions could never solve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n                \n                                      \n<div class=\"f--field f--link\">\n\n    \n    \n  \n<a \n  class=\"link\"\n  href= https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/rooted\/2026\/03\/10\/sustainability-needs-entrepreneurs-lessons-from-las-cleantech-ecosystem\/\n    aria-label=\"Read Story about Sustainability Needs Entrepreneurs: Lessons from LA&#8217;s Cleantech Ecosystem\"  \n>\n    Read Story \n  \n<\/a>\n\n\n<\/div>\n                \n              <\/div>\n\n            <\/div> <!-- .text-container -->\n\n            <div class=\"expand-collapse-controls\">\n              <button class=\"expand-collapse swiper-no-swiping\" aria-label=\"Expand\/Collapse Description\">\n                <svg class=\"expand\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" x=\"0px\" y=\"0px\" viewBox=\"0 0 35 35\" enable-background=\"new 0 0 35 35\" xml:space=\"preserve\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" fill=\"#000000\" d=\"M28,7v7.9h-2.6l0-3.4l-4.3,4.3c-0.3,0.3-0.6,0.4-0.9,0.4s-0.7-0.1-0.9-0.4c-0.5-0.5-0.5-1.3,0-1.9l4.3-4.3h-3.4V7H28z M7,28v-7.9h2.6v3.4l4.3-4.3c0.5-0.5,1.3-0.5,1.9,0c0.5,0.5,0.5,1.3,0,1.9l-4.3,4.3h3.4V28H7z\"\/><\/svg>\n\n                <svg class=\"collapse\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" x=\"0px\" y=\"0px\"\n   viewBox=\"0 0 35 35\" enable-background=\"new 0 0 35 35\" xml:space=\"preserve\">\n  <polygon fill=\"#000\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" points=\"26,10.4 24.6,9 17.5,16.1 10.4,9 9,10.4 16.1,17.5\n  9,24.6 10.4,26 17.5,18.9 24.6,26 26,24.6 18.9,17.5 \"\/>\n  <\/svg>\n\n              <\/button>\n            <\/div> <!-- .expand-collapse-controls -->\n\n            <\/div>\n\n          <\/article>\n\n                  \n        \n          <article class=\"swiper-slide card\">\n            <div class=\"card-inner\">\n\n                                        \n                  \n<div class=\"f--field f--image\">\n\n    \n        <a href=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/rooted\/2026\/03\/10\/in-defense-of-the-deserts-tallest-overachievers\/\"  aria-label=\"In Defense of the Desert&#8217;s Tallest Overachievers\">\n  \n    \n    \n    \n    \n              \n      <img decoding=\"async\"\n                            src=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/rooted\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/487\/2026\/01\/USC_WEIS_ENST320bAvalonTrip_20240718_8-768x432.jpg\"\n          srcset=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/rooted\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/487\/2026\/01\/USC_WEIS_ENST320bAvalonTrip_20240718_8-1280x720.jpg 1280w,https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/rooted\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/487\/2026\/01\/USC_WEIS_ENST320bAvalonTrip_20240718_8-768x432.jpg 768w\"          sizes=\"(min-width:1024px) 23vw, (min-width:768px) 39vw, 83vw\"\n        \n                  role=\"none\"\n        \n        \n                                      \/>\n\n    \n    \n  \n      <\/a>\n  \n\n<\/div>\n            \n            <div class=\"text-container\">\n                                <h4>\n                                          <a href=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/rooted\/2026\/03\/10\/in-defense-of-the-deserts-tallest-overachievers\/\" >\n                    \n                      In Defense of the Desert&#8217;s Tallest Overachievers\n\n                                          <\/a>\n                                      <\/h4>\n              \n              <div class=\"read-more\">\n                                      \n<div class=\"f--field f--description\">\n\n    \n  <p>It\u2019s time for the truth about windmills. Yeah sure, they generate lots of electricity and make renewable energy and all that jazzy stuff. They are also an eyesore that interrupts the beautiful, pure, and peaceful places that are California highways. And like yeah temperatures rising and ice melting and climate change matter\u2026 but what about my property value?\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n                \n                                      \n<div class=\"f--field f--link\">\n\n    \n    \n  \n<a \n  class=\"link\"\n  href= https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/rooted\/2026\/03\/10\/in-defense-of-the-deserts-tallest-overachievers\/\n    aria-label=\"Read Story about In Defense of the Desert&#8217;s Tallest Overachievers\"  \n>\n    Read Story \n  \n<\/a>\n\n\n<\/div>\n                \n              <\/div>\n\n            <\/div> <!-- .text-container -->\n\n            <div class=\"expand-collapse-controls\">\n              <button class=\"expand-collapse swiper-no-swiping\" aria-label=\"Expand\/Collapse Description\">\n                <svg class=\"expand\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" x=\"0px\" y=\"0px\" viewBox=\"0 0 35 35\" enable-background=\"new 0 0 35 35\" xml:space=\"preserve\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" fill=\"#000000\" d=\"M28,7v7.9h-2.6l0-3.4l-4.3,4.3c-0.3,0.3-0.6,0.4-0.9,0.4s-0.7-0.1-0.9-0.4c-0.5-0.5-0.5-1.3,0-1.9l4.3-4.3h-3.4V7H28z M7,28v-7.9h2.6v3.4l4.3-4.3c0.5-0.5,1.3-0.5,1.9,0c0.5,0.5,0.5,1.3,0,1.9l-4.3,4.3h3.4V28H7z\"\/><\/svg>\n\n                <svg class=\"collapse\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" x=\"0px\" y=\"0px\"\n   viewBox=\"0 0 35 35\" enable-background=\"new 0 0 35 35\" xml:space=\"preserve\">\n  <polygon fill=\"#000\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" points=\"26,10.4 24.6,9 17.5,16.1 10.4,9 9,10.4 16.1,17.5\n  9,24.6 10.4,26 17.5,18.9 24.6,26 26,24.6 18.9,17.5 \"\/>\n  <\/svg>\n\n              <\/button>\n            <\/div> <!-- .expand-collapse-controls -->\n\n            <\/div>\n\n          <\/article>\n\n                  \n        \n          <article class=\"swiper-slide card\">\n            <div class=\"card-inner\">\n\n                                        \n                  \n<div class=\"f--field f--image\">\n\n    \n        <a href=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/rooted\/2026\/03\/10\/rooted-in-sustainable-food\/\"  aria-label=\"Rooted in Sustainable Food\">\n  \n    \n    \n    \n    \n              \n      <img decoding=\"async\"\n                            src=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/rooted\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/487\/2026\/01\/USC_MSB_BET_Summit_20250930_012-768x432.png\"\n          srcset=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/rooted\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/487\/2026\/01\/USC_MSB_BET_Summit_20250930_012-768x432.png 768w\"          sizes=\"(min-width:1024px) 23vw, (min-width:768px) 39vw, 83vw\"\n        \n                  alt=\"A platter of cut fruit\"\n        \n        \n                                      \/>\n\n    \n    \n  \n      <\/a>\n  \n\n<\/div>\n            \n            <div class=\"text-container\">\n                                <h4>\n                                          <a href=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/rooted\/2026\/03\/10\/rooted-in-sustainable-food\/\" >\n                    \n                      Rooted in Sustainable Food\n\n                                          <\/a>\n                                      <\/h4>\n              \n              <div class=\"read-more\">\n                                      \n<div class=\"f--field f--description\">\n\n    \n  <p>When I first arrived at USC, I did not think much about how sustainability showed up in my everyday routine. I grabbed lunch between classes at the Village, picked up groceries at Trader Joe\u2019s, and mindlessly ate the plant-based options in the dining halls. I always knew food was important for sustainability. However, I did not realize the multitude of systems in play when it comes to food choice. Listening to \u201cThe Food Fight\u201d podcast this semester reinforced the significance of food and deepened my understanding of how the food one eats is impacted by more than just mere personal choice. Here at the University of Southern California, students on the meal plan do not choose their food. Their food choices are shaped by USC and the systems of Los Angeles. These choices have impacts. More plant-based diets are better for the environment; more meat-heavy diets are more harmful for sustainability. The choices of the individual are small and have no real impact. However, when combined, these small impacts result in a larger impact, whether for the better or for worse. Many, including me in the past, do not realize the impact of food choices. Something as simple as choosing a meal on USC campus is connected to a much larger story about sustainability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n                \n                                      \n<div class=\"f--field f--link\">\n\n    \n    \n  \n<a \n  class=\"link\"\n  href= https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/rooted\/2026\/03\/10\/rooted-in-sustainable-food\/\n    aria-label=\"Read Story about Rooted in Sustainable Food\"  \n>\n    Read Story \n  \n<\/a>\n\n\n<\/div>\n                \n              <\/div>\n\n            <\/div> <!-- .text-container -->\n\n            <div class=\"expand-collapse-controls\">\n              <button class=\"expand-collapse swiper-no-swiping\" aria-label=\"Expand\/Collapse Description\">\n                <svg class=\"expand\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" x=\"0px\" y=\"0px\" viewBox=\"0 0 35 35\" enable-background=\"new 0 0 35 35\" xml:space=\"preserve\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" fill=\"#000000\" d=\"M28,7v7.9h-2.6l0-3.4l-4.3,4.3c-0.3,0.3-0.6,0.4-0.9,0.4s-0.7-0.1-0.9-0.4c-0.5-0.5-0.5-1.3,0-1.9l4.3-4.3h-3.4V7H28z M7,28v-7.9h2.6v3.4l4.3-4.3c0.5-0.5,1.3-0.5,1.9,0c0.5,0.5,0.5,1.3,0,1.9l-4.3,4.3h3.4V28H7z\"\/><\/svg>\n\n                <svg class=\"collapse\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" x=\"0px\" y=\"0px\"\n   viewBox=\"0 0 35 35\" enable-background=\"new 0 0 35 35\" xml:space=\"preserve\">\n  <polygon fill=\"#000\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" points=\"26,10.4 24.6,9 17.5,16.1 10.4,9 9,10.4 16.1,17.5\n  9,24.6 10.4,26 17.5,18.9 24.6,26 26,24.6 18.9,17.5 \"\/>\n  <\/svg>\n\n              <\/button>\n            <\/div> <!-- .expand-collapse-controls -->\n\n            <\/div>\n\n          <\/article>\n\n                  \n        \n          <article class=\"swiper-slide card\">\n            <div class=\"card-inner\">\n\n                                        \n                  \n<div class=\"f--field f--image\">\n\n    \n        <a href=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/rooted\/2026\/03\/10\/sustainability-and-sequins\/\"  aria-label=\"Sustainability and Sequins\">\n  \n    \n    \n    \n    \n              \n      <img decoding=\"async\"\n                            src=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/rooted\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/487\/2026\/01\/GR52939-768x432.jpg\"\n          srcset=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/rooted\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/487\/2026\/01\/GR52939-1280x720.jpg 1280w,https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/rooted\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/487\/2026\/01\/GR52939-768x432.jpg 768w\"          sizes=\"(min-width:1024px) 23vw, (min-width:768px) 39vw, 83vw\"\n        \n                  role=\"none\"\n        \n        \n                                      \/>\n\n    \n    \n  \n      <\/a>\n  \n\n<\/div>\n            \n            <div class=\"text-container\">\n                                <h4>\n                                          <a href=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/rooted\/2026\/03\/10\/sustainability-and-sequins\/\" >\n                    \n                      Sustainability and Sequins\n\n                                          <\/a>\n                                      <\/h4>\n              \n              <div class=\"read-more\">\n                                      \n<div class=\"f--field f--description\">\n\n    \n  <p>The stage lights dim, the curtains close, and the hundreds of polyester costumes head straight to the landfill. Seeing how quickly dance costumes can become waste made me think about my own role in addressing sustainability. I feel connected to sustainability on campus through my dance club, Xpressions Dance Company. We host a showcase every semester, featuring approximately 15 different dances, each requiring unique costumes for its performance. These costumes are often bought from fast fashion manufacturers, such as Shein, due to affordability concerns. They are typically worn only once on stage and then are thrown away or donated. During last year\u2019s rehearsal, as I handed out costumes, I noticed the huge box filled with an overwhelming number of individually plastic-wrapped clothing items and realized just how much waste our club was generating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n                \n                                      \n<div class=\"f--field f--link\">\n\n    \n    \n  \n<a \n  class=\"link\"\n  href= https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/rooted\/2026\/03\/10\/sustainability-and-sequins\/\n    aria-label=\"Read Story about Sustainability and Sequins\"  \n>\n    Read Story \n  \n<\/a>\n\n\n<\/div>\n                \n              <\/div>\n\n            <\/div> <!-- .text-container -->\n\n            <div class=\"expand-collapse-controls\">\n              <button class=\"expand-collapse swiper-no-swiping\" aria-label=\"Expand\/Collapse Description\">\n                <svg class=\"expand\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" x=\"0px\" y=\"0px\" viewBox=\"0 0 35 35\" enable-background=\"new 0 0 35 35\" xml:space=\"preserve\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" fill=\"#000000\" d=\"M28,7v7.9h-2.6l0-3.4l-4.3,4.3c-0.3,0.3-0.6,0.4-0.9,0.4s-0.7-0.1-0.9-0.4c-0.5-0.5-0.5-1.3,0-1.9l4.3-4.3h-3.4V7H28z M7,28v-7.9h2.6v3.4l4.3-4.3c0.5-0.5,1.3-0.5,1.9,0c0.5,0.5,0.5,1.3,0,1.9l-4.3,4.3h3.4V28H7z\"\/><\/svg>\n\n                <svg class=\"collapse\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" x=\"0px\" y=\"0px\"\n   viewBox=\"0 0 35 35\" enable-background=\"new 0 0 35 35\" xml:space=\"preserve\">\n  <polygon fill=\"#000\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" points=\"26,10.4 24.6,9 17.5,16.1 10.4,9 9,10.4 16.1,17.5\n  9,24.6 10.4,26 17.5,18.9 24.6,26 26,24.6 18.9,17.5 \"\/>\n  <\/svg>\n\n              <\/button>\n            <\/div> <!-- .expand-collapse-controls -->\n\n            <\/div>\n\n          <\/article>\n\n                  \n        \n          <article class=\"swiper-slide card\">\n            <div class=\"card-inner\">\n\n                                        \n                  \n<div class=\"f--field f--image\">\n\n    \n        <a href=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/rooted\/2026\/03\/10\/lost-items-and-new-stories\/\"  aria-label=\"Lost Items and New Stories\">\n  \n    \n    \n    \n    \n              \n      <img decoding=\"async\"\n                            src=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/rooted\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/487\/2026\/01\/Aliyah-Duan-Image-412x432.png\"\n                    sizes=\"(min-width:1024px) 23vw, (min-width:768px) 39vw, 83vw\"\n        \n                  alt=\"Image of glasses and other items available at a recent FreeSCycle Friday event\"\n        \n        \n                                      \/>\n\n    \n    \n  \n      <\/a>\n  \n\n<\/div>\n            \n            <div class=\"text-container\">\n                                <h4>\n                                          <a href=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/rooted\/2026\/03\/10\/lost-items-and-new-stories\/\" >\n                    \n                      Lost Items and New Stories\n\n                                          <\/a>\n                                      <\/h4>\n              \n              <div class=\"read-more\">\n                                      \n<div class=\"f--field f--description\">\n\n    \n  <p>On the morning of September 19th, I entered the Sustainability Hub at STU 101 for FreeSCycle Friday, expecting a simple event. Instead, it was like walking into a small, temporary ecosystem constructed entirely around reuse. Rows of tables were placed across the room, stacked with things that had been forgotten, from AirPods, tablets, e-readers, to glasses, mugs, and desk lamps. What surprised me the most was not the variety but the abundance. Dozens of AirPods and glasses were sitting neatly in rows, reminding me how quickly valuable things slip out of our lives and are left unused.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n                \n                                      \n<div class=\"f--field f--link\">\n\n    \n    \n  \n<a \n  class=\"link\"\n  href= https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/rooted\/2026\/03\/10\/lost-items-and-new-stories\/\n    aria-label=\"Read Story about Lost Items and New Stories\"  \n>\n    Read Story \n  \n<\/a>\n\n\n<\/div>\n                \n              <\/div>\n\n            <\/div> <!-- .text-container -->\n\n            <div class=\"expand-collapse-controls\">\n              <button class=\"expand-collapse swiper-no-swiping\" aria-label=\"Expand\/Collapse Description\">\n                <svg class=\"expand\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" x=\"0px\" y=\"0px\" viewBox=\"0 0 35 35\" enable-background=\"new 0 0 35 35\" xml:space=\"preserve\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" fill=\"#000000\" d=\"M28,7v7.9h-2.6l0-3.4l-4.3,4.3c-0.3,0.3-0.6,0.4-0.9,0.4s-0.7-0.1-0.9-0.4c-0.5-0.5-0.5-1.3,0-1.9l4.3-4.3h-3.4V7H28z M7,28v-7.9h2.6v3.4l4.3-4.3c0.5-0.5,1.3-0.5,1.9,0c0.5,0.5,0.5,1.3,0,1.9l-4.3,4.3h3.4V28H7z\"\/><\/svg>\n\n                <svg class=\"collapse\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" x=\"0px\" y=\"0px\"\n   viewBox=\"0 0 35 35\" enable-background=\"new 0 0 35 35\" xml:space=\"preserve\">\n  <polygon fill=\"#000\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" points=\"26,10.4 24.6,9 17.5,16.1 10.4,9 9,10.4 16.1,17.5\n  9,24.6 10.4,26 17.5,18.9 24.6,26 26,24.6 18.9,17.5 \"\/>\n  <\/svg>\n\n              <\/button>\n            <\/div> <!-- .expand-collapse-controls -->\n\n            <\/div>\n\n          <\/article>\n\n                  \n        \n          <article class=\"swiper-slide card\">\n            <div class=\"card-inner\">\n\n                                        \n                  \n<div class=\"f--field f--image\">\n\n    \n        <a href=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/rooted\/2026\/03\/10\/campus-traditions-versus-sustainability-initiatives\/\"  aria-label=\"Campus Traditions Versus Sustainability Initiatives\">\n  \n    \n    \n    \n    \n              \n      <img decoding=\"async\"\n                            src=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/rooted\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/487\/2026\/01\/Arushi-Mundergi-Image-460x432.png\"\n                    sizes=\"(min-width:1024px) 23vw, (min-width:768px) 39vw, 83vw\"\n        \n                  alt=\"Image of fireworks at the USC Coliseum\"\n        \n        \n                                      \/>\n\n    \n    \n  \n      <\/a>\n  \n\n<\/div>\n            \n            <div class=\"text-container\">\n                                <h4>\n                                          <a href=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/rooted\/2026\/03\/10\/campus-traditions-versus-sustainability-initiatives\/\" >\n                    \n                      Campus Traditions Versus Sustainability Initiatives\n\n                                          <\/a>\n                                      <\/h4>\n              \n              <div class=\"read-more\">\n                                      \n<div class=\"f--field f--description\">\n\n    \n  <p>The roar of the crowd, the marching band\u2019s opening note, and then, BOOM!<\/p>\n<p>The Coliseum lights up with fireworks as the Trojans race on to the field, the night sky sparkling with gold and cherry red. My friends had always shown me videos, and I\u2019d always heard people in my classes talk about it, but attending my first night game at USC and witnessing the fireworks burst above me was somehow something so much more alive than anything I had expected. For a moment, I wasn\u2019t thinking about anything except how incredible it felt to be a part of that immense energy. But once the excitement settled, I found myself noticing something else that I\u2019d always overlooked, the smoke.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n                \n                                      \n<div class=\"f--field f--link\">\n\n    \n    \n  \n<a \n  class=\"link\"\n  href= https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/rooted\/2026\/03\/10\/campus-traditions-versus-sustainability-initiatives\/\n    aria-label=\"Read Story about Campus Traditions Versus Sustainability Initiatives\"  \n>\n    Read Story \n  \n<\/a>\n\n\n<\/div>\n                \n              <\/div>\n\n            <\/div> <!-- .text-container -->\n\n            <div class=\"expand-collapse-controls\">\n              <button class=\"expand-collapse swiper-no-swiping\" aria-label=\"Expand\/Collapse Description\">\n                <svg class=\"expand\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" x=\"0px\" y=\"0px\" viewBox=\"0 0 35 35\" enable-background=\"new 0 0 35 35\" xml:space=\"preserve\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" fill=\"#000000\" d=\"M28,7v7.9h-2.6l0-3.4l-4.3,4.3c-0.3,0.3-0.6,0.4-0.9,0.4s-0.7-0.1-0.9-0.4c-0.5-0.5-0.5-1.3,0-1.9l4.3-4.3h-3.4V7H28z M7,28v-7.9h2.6v3.4l4.3-4.3c0.5-0.5,1.3-0.5,1.9,0c0.5,0.5,0.5,1.3,0,1.9l-4.3,4.3h3.4V28H7z\"\/><\/svg>\n\n                <svg class=\"collapse\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" x=\"0px\" y=\"0px\"\n   viewBox=\"0 0 35 35\" enable-background=\"new 0 0 35 35\" xml:space=\"preserve\">\n  <polygon fill=\"#000\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" points=\"26,10.4 24.6,9 17.5,16.1 10.4,9 9,10.4 16.1,17.5\n  9,24.6 10.4,26 17.5,18.9 24.6,26 26,24.6 18.9,17.5 \"\/>\n  <\/svg>\n\n              <\/button>\n            <\/div> <!-- .expand-collapse-controls -->\n\n            <\/div>\n\n          <\/article>\n\n                  \n        \n          <article class=\"swiper-slide card\">\n            <div class=\"card-inner\">\n\n                                        \n                  \n<div class=\"f--field f--image\">\n\n    \n        <a href=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/rooted\/2026\/03\/10\/unsustainability-for-sustainability-in-environmental-research\/\"  aria-label=\"Unsustainability for Sustainability in Environmental Research\">\n  \n    \n    \n    \n    \n              \n      <img decoding=\"async\"\n                            src=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/rooted\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/487\/2026\/01\/USC_WIES_Summer_Fellow_Maria_Ruggeri_20220809_03-768x432.jpg\"\n          srcset=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/rooted\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/487\/2026\/01\/USC_WIES_Summer_Fellow_Maria_Ruggeri_20220809_03-1280x720.jpg 1280w,https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/rooted\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/487\/2026\/01\/USC_WIES_Summer_Fellow_Maria_Ruggeri_20220809_03-768x432.jpg 768w\"          sizes=\"(min-width:1024px) 23vw, (min-width:768px) 39vw, 83vw\"\n        \n                  role=\"none\"\n        \n        \n                                      \/>\n\n    \n    \n  \n      <\/a>\n  \n\n<\/div>\n            \n            <div class=\"text-container\">\n                                <h4>\n                                          <a href=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/rooted\/2026\/03\/10\/unsustainability-for-sustainability-in-environmental-research\/\" >\n                    \n                      Unsustainability for Sustainability in Environmental Research\n\n                                          <\/a>\n                                      <\/h4>\n              \n              <div class=\"read-more\">\n                                      \n<div class=\"f--field f--description\">\n\n    \n  <p>\u201cDilution Protocol: 20 treatment groups. Treatment 1: 1200 microliters of unsonicated biostimulant combined with 298.8 milliliters of water.\u201d I am researching how the concentration of different biostimulants helps plants grow better. 1200 microliters means I need to pipet twice. Either I set the p1000 to six hundred microliters twice, or I set one p1000 to one thousand microliters and one p200 to two hundred microliters. Either way I have to pipet twice and use a new pipet each time. I decide to do the latter and first pipet one thousand microliters with the p1000 using the larger pipet tip, and then pipet two hundred microliters with the p200 with the smaller pipet tip. For my water, I need eight hundred microliters pipetted with the p1000. Three pipet tips thrown into the biohazard bin. Next treatment group. \u201cTreatment 2: 1200 microliters of positive control biostimulant combined with 298.8 milliliters of water.\u201d Another three pipet tips thrown into the biohazard bin. And another. And another. And another. And finally, when I get through all twenty treatment groups, the biohazard bin is overflowing. Filled to the brim with these single-use pipet tips covered in the various biostimulant treatments used in my experiment. And I have to do this all over again next week\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n                \n                                      \n<div class=\"f--field f--link\">\n\n    \n    \n  \n<a \n  class=\"link\"\n  href= https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/rooted\/2026\/03\/10\/unsustainability-for-sustainability-in-environmental-research\/\n    aria-label=\"Read Story about Unsustainability for Sustainability in Environmental Research\"  \n>\n    Read Story \n  \n<\/a>\n\n\n<\/div>\n                \n              <\/div>\n\n            <\/div> <!-- .text-container -->\n\n            <div class=\"expand-collapse-controls\">\n              <button class=\"expand-collapse swiper-no-swiping\" aria-label=\"Expand\/Collapse Description\">\n                <svg class=\"expand\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" x=\"0px\" y=\"0px\" viewBox=\"0 0 35 35\" enable-background=\"new 0 0 35 35\" xml:space=\"preserve\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" fill=\"#000000\" d=\"M28,7v7.9h-2.6l0-3.4l-4.3,4.3c-0.3,0.3-0.6,0.4-0.9,0.4s-0.7-0.1-0.9-0.4c-0.5-0.5-0.5-1.3,0-1.9l4.3-4.3h-3.4V7H28z M7,28v-7.9h2.6v3.4l4.3-4.3c0.5-0.5,1.3-0.5,1.9,0c0.5,0.5,0.5,1.3,0,1.9l-4.3,4.3h3.4V28H7z\"\/><\/svg>\n\n                <svg class=\"collapse\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" x=\"0px\" y=\"0px\"\n   viewBox=\"0 0 35 35\" enable-background=\"new 0 0 35 35\" xml:space=\"preserve\">\n  <polygon fill=\"#000\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" points=\"26,10.4 24.6,9 17.5,16.1 10.4,9 9,10.4 16.1,17.5\n  9,24.6 10.4,26 17.5,18.9 24.6,26 26,24.6 18.9,17.5 \"\/>\n  <\/svg>\n\n              <\/button>\n            <\/div> <!-- .expand-collapse-controls -->\n\n            <\/div>\n\n          <\/article>\n\n                  \n        \n          <article class=\"swiper-slide card\">\n            <div class=\"card-inner\">\n\n                                        \n                  \n<div class=\"f--field f--image\">\n\n    \n        <a href=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/rooted\/2026\/03\/10\/command-f-and-a-change-of-mind\/\"  aria-label=\"Command F and a Change of Mind\">\n  \n    \n    \n    \n    \n              \n      <img decoding=\"async\"\n                            src=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/rooted\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/487\/2026\/01\/USC_DCLAS_20130204_05-768x432.jpg\"\n          srcset=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/rooted\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/487\/2026\/01\/USC_DCLAS_20130204_05-1280x720.jpg 1280w,https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/rooted\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/487\/2026\/01\/USC_DCLAS_20130204_05-768x432.jpg 768w\"          sizes=\"(min-width:1024px) 23vw, (min-width:768px) 39vw, 83vw\"\n        \n                  role=\"none\"\n        \n        \n                                      \/>\n\n    \n    \n  \n      <\/a>\n  \n\n<\/div>\n            \n            <div class=\"text-container\">\n                                <h4>\n                                          <a href=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/rooted\/2026\/03\/10\/command-f-and-a-change-of-mind\/\" >\n                    \n                      Command F and a Change of Mind\n\n                                          <\/a>\n                                      <\/h4>\n              \n              <div class=\"read-more\">\n                                      \n<div class=\"f--field f--description\">\n\n    \n  <p>It was my sophomore year of college with another round of general education requirements to fulfill as I further considered my EJ interests and began a year-long climate lobbying fellowship to support my JD dreams within environmental policy. Deep breath.<\/p>\n<p>I thought, if I\u2019m gonna be about EJ, I\u2019ve got to be all about EJ, not only for fellow Black people. Command F was my best friend when looking through the course catalog for classes, and I found a history course called \u201cThe Latin American Experience.\u201d I faintly stepped into an awkwardly rectangular classroom with a couple of seats towards the door, calling to me in a sea of Latino students. I didn\u2019t blame these students, who crafted time out of their weeks to trace historical narratives that could\u2019ve brought a twinge of resemblance to their personal histories at a PWI.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n                \n                                      \n<div class=\"f--field f--link\">\n\n    \n    \n  \n<a \n  class=\"link\"\n  href= https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/rooted\/2026\/03\/10\/command-f-and-a-change-of-mind\/\n    aria-label=\"Read Story about Command F and a Change of Mind\"  \n>\n    Read Story \n  \n<\/a>\n\n\n<\/div>\n                \n              <\/div>\n\n            <\/div> <!-- .text-container -->\n\n            <div class=\"expand-collapse-controls\">\n              <button class=\"expand-collapse swiper-no-swiping\" aria-label=\"Expand\/Collapse Description\">\n                <svg class=\"expand\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" x=\"0px\" y=\"0px\" viewBox=\"0 0 35 35\" enable-background=\"new 0 0 35 35\" xml:space=\"preserve\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" fill=\"#000000\" d=\"M28,7v7.9h-2.6l0-3.4l-4.3,4.3c-0.3,0.3-0.6,0.4-0.9,0.4s-0.7-0.1-0.9-0.4c-0.5-0.5-0.5-1.3,0-1.9l4.3-4.3h-3.4V7H28z M7,28v-7.9h2.6v3.4l4.3-4.3c0.5-0.5,1.3-0.5,1.9,0c0.5,0.5,0.5,1.3,0,1.9l-4.3,4.3h3.4V28H7z\"\/><\/svg>\n\n                <svg class=\"collapse\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" x=\"0px\" y=\"0px\"\n   viewBox=\"0 0 35 35\" enable-background=\"new 0 0 35 35\" xml:space=\"preserve\">\n  <polygon fill=\"#000\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" points=\"26,10.4 24.6,9 17.5,16.1 10.4,9 9,10.4 16.1,17.5\n  9,24.6 10.4,26 17.5,18.9 24.6,26 26,24.6 18.9,17.5 \"\/>\n  <\/svg>\n\n              <\/button>\n            <\/div> <!-- .expand-collapse-controls -->\n\n            <\/div>\n\n          <\/article>\n\n                  \n        \n          <article class=\"swiper-slide card\">\n            <div class=\"card-inner\">\n\n                                        \n                  \n<div class=\"f--field f--image\">\n\n    \n        <a href=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/rooted\/2026\/03\/10\/a-letter-to-my-future-patients\/\"  aria-label=\"A Letter to My Future Patients\">\n  \n    \n    \n    \n    \n              \n      <img decoding=\"async\"\n                            src=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/rooted\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/487\/2026\/01\/USC_UCOM_LSavitalaDamerla_20220802_1-768x432.webp\"\n          srcset=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/rooted\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/487\/2026\/01\/USC_UCOM_LSavitalaDamerla_20220802_1-768x432.webp 768w\"          sizes=\"(min-width:1024px) 23vw, (min-width:768px) 39vw, 83vw\"\n        \n                  role=\"none\"\n        \n        \n                                      \/>\n\n    \n    \n  \n      <\/a>\n  \n\n<\/div>\n            \n            <div class=\"text-container\">\n                                <h4>\n                                          <a href=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/rooted\/2026\/03\/10\/a-letter-to-my-future-patients\/\" >\n                    \n                      A Letter to My Future Patients\n\n                                          <\/a>\n                                      <\/h4>\n              \n              <div class=\"read-more\">\n                                      \n<div class=\"f--field f--description\">\n\n    \n  <p>I don\u2019t know your name yet. I don\u2019t know the details of your life, whether you are someone who forgets to schedule your annual checkups until the last minute or someone who comes in at the first sign of worry. I don\u2019t know what brings you to my clinic years from now, maybe a tight chest, a racing heartbeat, or a worry you\u2019ve quietly carried. I do know that by the time I become your doctor, the world around us will have changed, and the way we care for your heart will need to adapt with it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n                \n                                      \n<div class=\"f--field f--link\">\n\n    \n    \n  \n<a \n  class=\"link\"\n  href= https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/rooted\/2026\/03\/10\/a-letter-to-my-future-patients\/\n    aria-label=\"Read Story about A Letter to My Future Patients\"  \n>\n    Read Story \n  \n<\/a>\n\n\n<\/div>\n                \n              <\/div>\n\n            <\/div> <!-- .text-container -->\n\n            <div class=\"expand-collapse-controls\">\n              <button class=\"expand-collapse swiper-no-swiping\" aria-label=\"Expand\/Collapse Description\">\n                <svg class=\"expand\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" x=\"0px\" y=\"0px\" viewBox=\"0 0 35 35\" enable-background=\"new 0 0 35 35\" xml:space=\"preserve\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" fill=\"#000000\" d=\"M28,7v7.9h-2.6l0-3.4l-4.3,4.3c-0.3,0.3-0.6,0.4-0.9,0.4s-0.7-0.1-0.9-0.4c-0.5-0.5-0.5-1.3,0-1.9l4.3-4.3h-3.4V7H28z M7,28v-7.9h2.6v3.4l4.3-4.3c0.5-0.5,1.3-0.5,1.9,0c0.5,0.5,0.5,1.3,0,1.9l-4.3,4.3h3.4V28H7z\"\/><\/svg>\n\n                <svg class=\"collapse\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" x=\"0px\" y=\"0px\"\n   viewBox=\"0 0 35 35\" enable-background=\"new 0 0 35 35\" xml:space=\"preserve\">\n  <polygon fill=\"#000\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" points=\"26,10.4 24.6,9 17.5,16.1 10.4,9 9,10.4 16.1,17.5\n  9,24.6 10.4,26 17.5,18.9 24.6,26 26,24.6 18.9,17.5 \"\/>\n  <\/svg>\n\n              <\/button>\n            <\/div> <!-- .expand-collapse-controls -->\n\n            <\/div>\n\n          <\/article>\n\n                  \n        \n          <article class=\"swiper-slide card\">\n            <div class=\"card-inner\">\n\n                                        \n                  \n<div class=\"f--field f--image\">\n\n    \n        <a href=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/rooted\/2026\/03\/10\/why-you-should-actually-touch-some-grass\/\"  aria-label=\"Why You Should ACTUALLY Touch Some Grass\">\n  \n    \n    \n    \n    \n              \n      <img decoding=\"async\"\n                            src=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/rooted\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/487\/2026\/01\/Doreen-Hu-Image-768x432.png\"\n          srcset=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/rooted\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/487\/2026\/01\/Doreen-Hu-Image-768x432.png 768w\"          sizes=\"(min-width:1024px) 23vw, (min-width:768px) 39vw, 83vw\"\n        \n                  alt=\"Picture of tree in Queens Courtyard on USC's campus\"\n        \n        \n                                      \/>\n\n    \n    \n  \n      <\/a>\n  \n\n<\/div>\n            \n            <div class=\"text-container\">\n                                <h4>\n                                          <a href=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/rooted\/2026\/03\/10\/why-you-should-actually-touch-some-grass\/\" >\n                    \n                      Why You Should ACTUALLY Touch Some Grass\n\n                                          <\/a>\n                                      <\/h4>\n              \n              <div class=\"read-more\">\n                                      \n<div class=\"f--field f--description\">\n\n    \n  <p>Peering up at Philippa, I tell her about my nightmare group project I\u2019ve just finished and my looming final exams. Her branches and leaves shine in the sunlight, lightly rustling after I finish my story, seeming to comfort me in my suffering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n                \n                                      \n<div class=\"f--field f--link\">\n\n    \n    \n  \n<a \n  class=\"link\"\n  href= https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/rooted\/2026\/03\/10\/why-you-should-actually-touch-some-grass\/\n    aria-label=\"Read Story about Why You Should ACTUALLY Touch Some Grass\"  \n>\n    Read Story \n  \n<\/a>\n\n\n<\/div>\n                \n              <\/div>\n\n            <\/div> <!-- .text-container -->\n\n            <div class=\"expand-collapse-controls\">\n              <button class=\"expand-collapse swiper-no-swiping\" aria-label=\"Expand\/Collapse Description\">\n                <svg class=\"expand\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" x=\"0px\" y=\"0px\" viewBox=\"0 0 35 35\" enable-background=\"new 0 0 35 35\" xml:space=\"preserve\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" fill=\"#000000\" d=\"M28,7v7.9h-2.6l0-3.4l-4.3,4.3c-0.3,0.3-0.6,0.4-0.9,0.4s-0.7-0.1-0.9-0.4c-0.5-0.5-0.5-1.3,0-1.9l4.3-4.3h-3.4V7H28z M7,28v-7.9h2.6v3.4l4.3-4.3c0.5-0.5,1.3-0.5,1.9,0c0.5,0.5,0.5,1.3,0,1.9l-4.3,4.3h3.4V28H7z\"\/><\/svg>\n\n                <svg class=\"collapse\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" x=\"0px\" y=\"0px\"\n   viewBox=\"0 0 35 35\" enable-background=\"new 0 0 35 35\" xml:space=\"preserve\">\n  <polygon fill=\"#000\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" points=\"26,10.4 24.6,9 17.5,16.1 10.4,9 9,10.4 16.1,17.5\n  9,24.6 10.4,26 17.5,18.9 24.6,26 26,24.6 18.9,17.5 \"\/>\n  <\/svg>\n\n              <\/button>\n            <\/div> <!-- .expand-collapse-controls -->\n\n            <\/div>\n\n          <\/article>\n\n                        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n\n  <\/div>\n  \n<\/div>\n\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":340,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-11","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.1.1 - 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