Every other Sunday, The Beach Flea, a now monthly iconic event, welcomes community, style, and expression at Long Beach City College’s Trade Technology and Community Learning campus, which has grown since its start in 2023.

A local market with free entry serves as an easily accessible social hub for LBCC students. At a glance, crowds notice the upbeat beachy music and the flea market’s vibrant colors, with one flea market manager, Nicolas Villegas, noting its increased exposure.

“It started off a little slow, but you know it started picking up a little by little, people started like, giving it a chance,” said Villegas.

^{LBCC student and facilities manager, Nicolas Villegas of The Beach Flea Market, at LBCC’s Trade Technology and Community Learning campus on Sunday, March 10, answering a question from a guest. Villegas started working in the market in 2023. (Keith Lewis)}

With growing recognition and publicity, more vendors from outside of Long Beach itself began seeing The Beach Flea as a site to expand their businesses, grow their communities and all in all be a part of a thriving local marketplace. 

As more crowds attended the flea market, more vendors became a staple of its diversity and contributed to the atmosphere that draws in students, locals, and visitors. 

One vendor, Shannyn Everett, whose love for plants grew into a hands-on succulent bar where attendees are able to purchase and build their own plants, was in attendance at the flea. Her booth was filled with the smell of fresh soil and colorful handmade pots.

“I like plants a lot and I really like creating, so I put the two together and made this,” said Everett.

The Beach Flea is one of many stops Everett makes with her on-the-go succulent bar, she appreciated the market’s diversity.

“A large array of things, like honestly like you get a little bit of everything when you come here. It’s not just clothes, it’s not just handmade stuff,” said Everett.

^{Small business Plantastic Vibes saw lots of business at The Beach Flea Market on March 10 at LBCC’s Trade Technology and Community Learning campus. The booth features low-maintenance plants like succulents and pots that were available to decorate and take home for only $15. (Keith Lewis)}

A space where creativity flows also encourages attendees and vendors to showcase and celebrate their identities through fashion, some use it as a tool to express their cultural style and their roots while also building a community around their designs.

Karenina Covarrubias and Koddy Ortega are co-founders and romantic partners who run their clothing brand, Accepting Something New, a brand that represents their culture, beliefs, and story. 

^{Accepting Something New clothing brand’s featured artist and fashion designer, Karenina Covarrubias, left, and co-designer Koddy Ortega, right, explain the process from creating art and then transferring that art to t-shirts and hoodies at The Beach Flea Market on Sunday, March 10. The girlfriend and boyfriend duo also have a variety of colors of shirts to choose from. (Keith Lewis)}

By attending The Beach Flea, the couple can connect with and build a community that shares their culture, one of their drops, the couple named “Hasta En La Muerte, Hay Amor” to represent love still being adamant even after death.

“We had people that were opening up to us that were getting emotional and sharing their stories, and how they connect to the phrase itself,” Ortega said. 

With clothing pieces whose designs are inspired by traditions and stories, attendees are able to see their own experiences reflected in each piece. 

“La leyenda de los volcanes is one of the most romantic and tragic heartbreak stories in Mexican, or in Aztec culture and we just completely fell in love with that message as well,” Ortega said.

The designs are collaborative art pieces between the pair that allow them to be able to connect with their community and leave an impact on their buyers and browsers at the flea market.

“The reason why we haven’t done it, I guess, is because of that. We don’t feel the connection. It’s so much easier for us to connect in person and I think that’s why flea markets or vendor markets help us so much to be able to tell our story.” Covarrubias said. 

“The Beach Flea” welcomes individuality from everyone, vendor or attendee. With a space where people can interact makes each booth feel relatable and meaningful. 

This is reflected in neighboring booths where one beachy seasonal booth focuses on confidence, bikinis, and expression.

Returning vendor for her first flea of the season and seventh overall, Serena Rodarte’s booth emits a bright beachy vibe. Rodarte uses her booth to encourage confidence and expression among her customers.  

^{Rini’s Bikini’s were on display and available for purchase at The Beach Flea Market on Sunday, March 10, held at LBCC’s main parking lot area. Bikinis were sold for $15 each or two for $20. (Keith Lewis)}

“It’s the best flea market for sure, and I’m not just saying that because we’re here,” Rodarte said.

As people browse pieces, Rodarte encourages customers to embrace confidence and express themselves openly.

Beyond the sales and displays, the flea market makes progress through interactions between vendors and visitors, creating a social hub that thrives on self-expression. 

The Beach Flea will come around again on Sunday, March 29th, offering a vibrant social space where creativity, community and culture come together.

With open minds, empty canvases, paint, brushes and inspiration, Painting with PRIDE offered a much needed brain break for scholars between classes Tuesday, Mar. 10 at Liberal Arts Campus in the Pride Lounge. 

There were many colors to select from as students began to create their own unique color palettes to design unique pieces of art that express their concepts. 

“So we’re just literally just having a good time painting and just building community and being creative and expressing ourselves through that outlet,” said Jon Jon Cossio, Pride Scholars success coach.

^{Jon Jon Cossios, Pride Scholars Student success coach, back, and Chris Garcia, Healthy Vikings coordinator, front, prepare water cups for students who will participate in the Painting with Pride event at the Pride Lounge on March 10 at LAC. The Pride Lounge has planned activities that encourage building community for all students. (Diosa Hippolyta)}

The Pride Lounge opened in November 2025 and now has a regular weekly schedule of Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. at LAC Room B-200 giving students a space to relax and regroup.

“We just wanted to give our students the opportunity to have an activity where they can hang out, chill, work on something creative, and then create something that represents them,” said Chris Garcia, LBCC’s Healthy Vikings coordinator.

For many students, long days on campus can be exhausting, but having an opportunity to shift your brain and thinking process can have wonderful results, like Syd Sierra, a physics major who stopped by the Pride Lounge for the event.

“I’m a physics major. I need, like, a break like this, you know? It’s nice that the school is able to do that for the students. I feel like the students, like, you know, they need, like, a little bit of, um…leisure,” said Sierra. 

Students were exposed and encouraged to use colors that might represent their identities on a blank canvas offering a free space to be creative and explore their imaginations.

The table the participants sat at was called the community table to engage in conversations building bridges, not walls.

A desert scene with silhouettes of cactuses was the idea of Ava Romero, a creative writing major, who participated in the activities.

^{Ava Romero, creative writing major, paints a desert scene at the first Painting with PRIDE event on March 10 at LAC in the Pride Lounge located in B-200. (Diosa Hippolyta)}

“Yeah, between like my classes I have such a long stretch. It’s really nice to come here and just have somewhere to sit with other students,” said Romero.

As students arrived they were offered snacks, beverages, music along with conversations  ranging from school to concerts and just everyday living was buzzing around the room.

As the original blank canvases began to emerge with vibrant colors and images, a finished product emerged as “Calm Before The Storm,” by Sienna.

^{Sid Sienna, a physics major, paints a piece titled “Calm Before The Storm” at the Painting with PRIDE event held in the Pride Lounge at LAC B-200 on March 10. Students had the opportunity to take a brain break and create a unique and personal piece to take home at the end of the day. (Diosa Hippolyta)}

“We’re gonna learn more about LGBTQ+ history and also, like, how to show up as a stronger ally. It’s really encouraging for all people to attend because it’s just, it’s really good to know our history, our LGBTQ history, because the more aware we are, I think the more we can appreciate what we have today and still continue to fight for what we have today,” said Garcia.