Cal Culture
From Sociology to Supply Chains: How Amrita Bhasin ’23 Is Rewriting Retail’s Waste Story
By Urja UpadhyayaAfter witnessing textile waste in India as a child, Amrita Bhasin ’23 began questioning the systems behind overproduction. At Berkeley, she expanded on her experience through sociology and entrepreneurship. Today, she builds circular solutions that help retailers rethink excess and reduce waste at scale.
From the Court to the Cause: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s Lifelong Stand for Justice
By Marquis ChambersFor Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, justice has never been a sideline pursuit. In this intimate interview with UC Berkeley journalism student Marquis Chambers ’26, the basketball legend traces a throughline from the civil rights era to today’s fight for democracy, urging young people to stay in the work for the long haul.
Introducing CAA’s New Executive Director and CEO
By Laura SmithJohn Clamme joins the Cal Alumni Association as its next executive director and CEO, bringing decades of experience across higher education, alum relations and engagement, athletics, and campus partnership.
Nia Novella Jones is working to be the change and build environmental leaders.
By Nia CoatsEnvironmental advocacy became a major part of Jones’ career when she recognized the disparities in retention of Black environmentalists in her field. She saw it as her duty to be the change she wanted to see.
Berkeley Forward Recap: Democratizing AI Through Platforms
By Urja UpadhyayaDemocratizing AI begins with people, not just platforms. Through stories of open access, invention, and dedication, the Berkeley Forward panel explored how technology grows stronger when more voices can shape it.
Carrying the Roots Forward: How Daniela Bazán Shapes Napa Valley’s Future Through Heritage, Community, and the Cal Lens
By Urja UpadhyayaAs a first-generation Cal alum, Daniela Bazán ’09 returned to Napa with a renewed sense of purpose, bridging her family’s Oaxacan legacy, sustainable land stewardship, and deep advocacy for farmworkers. Her story traces how Berkeley shaped the values she now carries into the heart of Napa Valley’s wine community.
Marlene Watson: Building Futures, Honoring Roots, and Reshaping Pathways in STEM
By Urja UpadhyayaRaised in Oakland and influenced by relatives on the Navajo Nation, Marlene Watson turned an eight-year-old’s promise into a life of engineering leadership and service. From navigating unequal math access to shaping Tribal infrastructure, her path reflects resilience, cultural strength, and a dedication to uplifting Native communities through STEM.
Rewriting the Money Rules: Gen Z Alum Lillian Zhang ’22 Returns to Campus
By Urja UpadhyayaCal alum and author Lillian Zhang ’22 returned to Alumni House to unpack the personal journey and Gen Z-driven insights behind her book, The New Money Rules. The evening brought students and alums together for candid conversations on money, community, and building financial confidence.
2025 Cal Gift Guide: Give With Heart, Spirit, and Berkeley Pride
By Urja UpadhyayaThis year’s Cal Gift Guide highlights gifts that give back, supporting student well-being, campus programs, and everyday Berkeley spirit through thoughtful picks and purposeful contributions.
Professor Latinx: Frederick Luis Aldama on Story, Justice, and the Worlds We Build
By Urja UpadhyayaFor Frederick Luis Aldama ’92, storytelling is more than art, it’s architecture for visibility and cultural reclamation. From his Berkeley roots to directing the Latinx Pop Lab at UT Austin, the acclaimed author and scholar known as Professor Latinx has spent his career expanding representation across comics, film, and media, mentoring the next generation of creators to tell their stories.
From Campus to Capital: When Bears Back Bold Ideas
By Urja UpadhyayaBears Hunt Unicorns: Venture Capital at Cal brought together Berkeley investors, founders, and students for a conversation on building purposeful, enduring companies. Panelists shared how Cal’s entrepreneurial ecosystem supports founders from their first idea to global impact.
Arthur Sze’s Berkeley: Attention, Translation, and the Joy of Making
By Urja UpadhyayaArthur Sze ’72 returns to Berkeley memory, Josephine Miles’s courtyard, an IBM typewriter by an open window, a creek, to trace a life in poems. In this interview, the Poet Laureate maps how translation, science, and disciplined attention shape his work and teaching, and why his enduring advice to young Cal writers is simple: write, and don’t stop.
