Glasses sit next to an open book. The long sleeves of a tan sweater cover a person's wrists, their hands hold a mug of a warm drink on top of the open pages of the book.

Read, listen, watch: UO alumni works to enjoy this winter

February 10, 2026

Winter is in full swing, but Ducks know how to combat the cold. Migrate inside, snuggle up under a blanket, and warm your spirit with the work of UO alumni! From a biographical perspective on the Jim Crow era to a children’s book exploring disability representation, fascinating podcast episodes featuring fellow Ducks, and social media content centered on clarinet performance, this list includes ten creative works to check out this winter.  

Read

A book cover of a gray background that says Running Against the Wind: A Black Arkansan's Pursuit of His Dreams, author name Collins Hemingway. A photo of a Black man taking off in a race among white runners takes of the center of the cover.

Running Against the Wind: A Black Arkansan’s Pursuit of His Dreams 

By Collins Hemingway, MA ’79 (English literature)  

Hemingway chronicles the life of a high school classmate, William R. (Bill) Brooks, a Black man. The book offers a personalized history, exploring the triumphs of Black businesses and culture in the face of oppression and in the wake of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s. Hemingway explores themes of race, courage, and social justice, while holding his own identity as the descendent of those who inflicted race-related violence.

In an illustrative style, a little girl in a wheelchair points at colorful leaves, wind, and butterflies around her while smiling. The title across the top says Luda and Chairsy Making Friends.

Luda and Chairsy: Making Friends 

By Luda Gogolushko, MS ’21 (advertising & brand responsibility) 

Luda Gogolushko shares a story of understanding and visibility in this children’s book about a little girl, Luda, and her wheelchair, Chairsy, making friends in a new city. After relocating, the two find themselves eager to connect, but when the other kids make fun of Luda for her wheelchair, they question how they will be able to make friends. 

As a current doctoral candidate at the University of Oregon, Gogolushko researches the portrayals and perceptions of disability in media, which inspired her to tell her own story in this debut book. Read the School of Journalism and Communication's feature story on Gogolushko here.

Naturalist Numbers, The Odd Anatomy of Ordinary Animals with a black and white illustration of an octopus on a turquoise background

Naturalist Numbers  

By Michelle E. Walch, BA ’93  (English) 

Perfect for those cold and dreary days inside, Naturalist Numbers invites young readers to explore the natural world through numbers! Discover the unique ways counting shows up in the animal kingdom. From counting the panda’s six fingers to the ten legs on a lobster, read through beautiful illustrations and fun facts that will have you ready to head out on your next adventure. 

On a light pink background, the same image of a Filipina woman wearing a dress and holding a purse is duplicated three times across the cover, the rightmost image filled with an image of a galaxy. In the top left is the title "All the Words I Can Remember Are Poems." The author name below is Michelle Penaloza.

All the Words I Can Remember Are Poems

By Michelle Peñaloza, MFA ’11 (creative writing) 

Award-winning writer Michelle Peñaloza delves into the Phillippines' colonization by the United States, exploring how colonization impacts the ideas of truth and history. She incorporates archival materials, her memories of words and their associations, and her lived experiences as a mother and member of the Filipinx/a/o diaspora to confront historical erasure and craft her own story that stays true to her voice. 

On a paper texture background reads the title in the top center, The Family Snitch. Below is a photo ripped in half that removes the face of a man who is sitting holding a baby in his arms. Below the photo reads A Daughter's Memoir of Truth and Lies. The author name at the bottom is Francesca Fontana.

The Family Snitch: A Daughter’s Memoir of Truth and Lies 

By Francesca Fontana, BA ’17 (journalism, Clark Honors College) 

Relying on the skills she learned in the School of Journalism and Communication, Francesca Fontana uncovers her father’s criminal past and contends with the tension between truth, memory, and loyalty. Leaning on experts in psychology, she examines the impact of family secrets, and how her relentless pursuit of truth, disregarding her family’s wishes, impacted her relationships. 

Fontana is an award-winning reporter for The Wall Street Journal. Read the School of Journalism and Communication's feature story on Fontana here.

Listen

A green background with the shadows of trees with the text This Is Oregon Podcast in the top right. In the center, a black and white headshot of a man is next to the text Before the Emergency: How the Oregon Hazards Lab helps Oregonians prepare. Below the photo reads Leland O'Driscoll, Director of the Oregon Hazards Lab next to a small graphic of a microphone.

This Is Oregon Podcast: Before the Emergency 

Featuring Leland O’Driscoll, PhD ’12 (geological sciences)

Leland O’Driscoll, Director of the Oregon Hazards Lab, or OHAZ, at the UO, sat down on the This Is Oregon podcast to talk about the research and monitoring of natural hazards that helps keep Oregon communities safe. From wildfire spotting cameras to earthquake alert systems like ShakeAlert, this introduction to the efforts of faculty, staff, and student workers at OHAZ offers a unique perspective on disaster readiness.  

On a green background is a young Black woman with long braids in a blue suit jacket. Text above her to the left says "Episode sixteen: Polly Irungu Creative chagnemaker & pro photo-J Alum ’17. To the right above her head is a speech bubble outline that says "One Cool Story." Along the side in yellow text reads Tales from the SOJC.

One Cool Story: Polly Irungu, Creative Changemaker & Pro Photo-J Alum ’17 

Featuring Polly Irungu, BA ’17 (journalism) 

The School of Journalism and Communication’s class of 2025 got to hear Polly Irungu speak at their graduation ceremony, and now so can you! The founder of Black Women Photographers, a photographer for Governor Wes Moore of Maryland, and former photo editor for Vice President Kamala Harris, Irungu knows what it takes to make it as a photographer and communicator. In a conversation with current fourth-year public relations student Symone Moore, Irungu shares how she turned passion into a profession, and the One Cool Story about a brush with fame at the Grammys. 

A young Black woman in a UO tumbling and acrobatics uniform stands on the left inside a yellow rectangle outline. In yellow text next to her reads Beyond the Flock Episode 22 Out Now Selah Bell.

Beyond the Flock: Selah Bell 

Featuring Selah Bell, class of 2027 

The student-led Daily Emerald has expanded from newsstands to earbuds. In this interview led by fourth-year journalism student Russell Taber, member of the acrobatics and tumbling team Selah Bell shares her passion for acrobatics and beyond, diving into what keeps her going outside her sport. This conversation from current students is sure to bring the energy on a slow, winter day. 

 

Watch

Screens on a TV show set say COMICS UNLEASHED WITH BYRON ALLEN. A white woman in a black dress with long brown hair is displayed on monitoring screens while she smiles.

COMICS UNLEASHED with BYRON ALLEN 

Featuring Laurie Douglas, BA ’13 (journalism) 

If you’re looking for laughs this winter, watch University of Oregon alumna and stand-up comedienne Laurie Douglas’s appearance on the December 18 episode of CBS’s COMICS UNLEASHED with BYRON ALLEN. Douglas got her start at the UO as a journalism major, but now performs around the world as a world-class comedienne, from the Netflix Is A Joke Festival in the US to the Dubai and Abu Dhabi Comedy Festivals in the United Arab Emirates. Alongside other episode guests Zac Townsend, Guy Torry, and Andy Kozel, Douglas brings laughter and light into the dark cold of winter. Watch now on Paramount+.  

Michael Almich, BMus ’05 (music performance)

Whether you’re looking for jazz or contemporary pop covers, Michael Almich and his clarinet have you covered. Almich began posting TikTok videos in 2019 as a way to process the loss of his first clarinet mentor and has since amassed over 220,000 followers and more than 11 million likes on his videos. From his start as a child learning to play clarinet to a music performance major at the UO, Almich’s journey as a performer has been filled with ups and downs. Get to know him, his performances, and more about his passion for the instrument through watching his TikToks while you wait for the ground to thaw.

 

@clarinetouttacontext I can’t get ENOUGH of this song! @SIENNA SPIRO #siennaspiro #dieonthishill #solo ♬ original sound - Michael