Alumni gathering unites Trojan Family months post L.A. wildfires

The second week of January this year transformed the lives of many individuals within the Trojan Family who endured the Palisades and Eaton wildfires. Months later, many continue to recover. They have invested extensive hours interacting with insurers and managing remediation, searching for alternative housing, or strategizing to rebuild.

The USC Alumni Association provided fire survivors with a much-needed respite and a chance to reconnect with the Trojan Family at a special luncheon tailored for them. The Alumni Association assisted some individuals in replacing diplomas that were lost in the fires, as well as hosted food trucks for lunch and ice cream, and presented chances to win new merchandise through prize wheels or a raffle.

Cassie Kam, a 1996 graduate of the USC Leventhal School of Accounting, mentioned that she and her spouse, Joel Kam, lost everything they owned — two homes, including their daughter’s, and all their possessions. Among the debris were three decades’ worth of Trojan merchandise, said Kam, who met her spouse while attending USC.

The alumni gathering was a chance for her and her husband to acquire some new USC merchandise, but more significantly, she expressed that it was comforting to realize the Trojan Family stood by her.

“Emotionally, it is relieving to know that USC provides us with strength and community,” stated Kam, who was among over 100 alumni and their families present at the event on June 14.

USC and the L.A. wildfires: An immediate response

Erika Jordan, leader of the USC Alumni Association, noted that alumni and the association Board of Governors promptly mobilized to aid members of the organization who lost their homes and belongings after the fires ravaged the Los Angeles area. They raised contributions both in the aftermath and during the Alumni Day of SCervice in March.

The Trojan Family has supported in various ways since the fires occurred. In January, USC President Carol Folt initiated the Trojan Family L.A. Wildfire Relief Fund initiative. The USC community rallied behind it and provided support, including donations for relief grants and assistance with fundamental needs, that have aided hundreds of students, faculty, and staff whose lives were disrupted by the fires.

Having endured such a large-scale tragedy, some survivors have forged even stronger connections with each other within the Alumni Association, Jordan remarked. They also are assisting the
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board discover new methods to assist families through fire recovery.

“They simply need support,” Jordan stated.

Throughout January and February, board members concurred that the victims’ immediate necessities were so pressing — financial aid, a new temporary or permanent residence, support in locating and replacing lost belongings — that the association could not envision hosting an event amidst the turmoil, Jordan noted. Board members decided to hold the event months later instead. As June arrived, the timing appeared auspicious.

“Honestly, this is merely a day of community,” Jordan remarked as she observed families congregating at Pardee Lawn next to the Widney Alumni House on the USC University Park Campus.

‘Trojans never back down’

Beong-Soo Kim, senior vice president and legal counsel who is soon to assume the role of USC’s interim president, reflected on the families’ common bonds as Trojans and their collective experience of enduring the fires.

“People frequently discuss the Trojan Family. It truly embodies what makes USC unique,” Kim expressed. “Trojans never give up. They possess faith. They demonstrate bravery. It is a community that genuinely cares for one another.”

For G. Anthony Watson, who graduated from USC Bovard College last year, the event provided a welcome chance to reconnect with the Trojan Family.

Watson, an audiovisual engineer for USC ITS, effectively repelled the fire, saving his family’s Altadena residence with a garden hose. He was able to return to his home with loved ones, though reminders of the fire linger around them. His house is among the few still standing.

Watson, who has been with USC for over a decade, embraced the opportunity to bring his family to an alumni event for a refreshing change.

“It’s a great event to have right now,” Watson said while seated with his two young daughters, enjoying small cups of ice cream. “It’s a signal that we’re progressing.”