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Faculty up in arms at latest Board of Trustees meeting over contract negotiations

Damien Cortez
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Faculty up in arms at latest Board of Trustees meeting over contract negotiations

The part time and full time faculty displayed their frustration in working without a contract for over 110 days through a protest,  shouting chants like “show us respect” and “let us speak” at the latest board of trustees meeting.

“The (board) president has not responded to my calls, has not responded to my emails. If you are offended, we have to keep moving,” said Suzanne Engelhardt, Long Beach City College Faculty Association president.

Englhardt said they have discussed the matter personally, but did not provide details on the lack of communication between her and Board of Trustee President Herlinda Chico.

Englehardt claimed she received a text saying “bad tactics” the same night from one of the trustees, but did not name the trustee.

LBCCFA President Suzanne Engelhardt gives a passionate speech to faculty who showed up to the protest at the Board of Trustees meeting in the T Building at LBCC LAC on Oct. 18, 2023. The part time and full time faculty have been working without a contract for over 110 days. (Andrea Alonso)

Englehardt discussed how the union’s way of negotiation has changed from a lead negotiator directing the conversation, a single person that discusses all the wants of the union, to negotiations being led by a committee.

 Englehardt explained that she has multiple people doing the research for each point of the new contract, the person doing the research explains their own findings to negotiate, rather than Engelhardt speaking on behalf of the whole union.

Engelhardt claimed that his committee led approach keeps the faculty more engaged and allows different voices to be heard. 

“We do so much for social justice, why not at the negotiation table? The other side is focusing on it. (They ask) questions like ‘who do I talk to?’ In my opinion, they made it an obstacle. You are hearing what you want from different voices,” said Engelhardt.

The faculty is currently in negotiations over both the part time contract and full time contract after negotiations had stalled over summer.

LBCCFA President Suzanne Engelhardt speaks at the Board of Trustees meeting in the T Building at LBCC LAC on Oct. 18, 2023. The part time and full time faculty have been working without a contract for over 110 days. (Andrea Alonso)

The contract offered to the LBCCFA (full time faculty union) was a cost of living adjustment (COLA) for the first year, and COLA minus one percent  for the next two years which the union refused to accept. COLA is a number that accounts for inflation for living a certain standard of living.

The college receives the amount of money that COLA accounts for, which has raised to 8.22% according to the California Department of Education, but does not need to use the money for faculty salaries.

The full time faculty’s main points in the new contract are full COLA for all three years. They are asking for lecture and lab parity, meaning a professor who teaches a lab gets paid full salary for the time spent in the lab. 

As of the current contract, they are only paid 90% of the money they make for their lab hours. Lastly, faculty called for increased department head compensation. This pays the department head more for the work they do in that position alongside their regular position.

“The faculty is standing their ground, holding fast to the needs that they have shared. It’s not just salary, it’s working conditions,” said Veronica Alvarez, a member of the negotiation team and faculty development coordinator.

Faculty enters the T Building shouting chants at the Board of Trustees meeting at LBCC LAC on Oct. 18. The part time and full time faculty have been working without a contract for over 110 days. (Andrea Alonso)

The last few years have shown labor forces such as the writers, actors and recently auto workers strike for their needs and receive general public support.

“Other industries have won their labor protest. We want attractive salaries to attract young professors. Los Angeles community colleges had a significant raise and it surprised me we aren’t neck and neck,” said Maragaret Shanon, who’s worked at LBCC for over 23 years.

The faculty were allotted 20 minutes of time to speak on topics that are on the agenda. It was not not enough time for all faculty to give their prepared statements.

Faculty asked for the time for public comments without topic to be moved from the end of the meeting to directly after the topical public comments to allow themselves another 20 minutes to speak. The faculty exited the room booing and continued chanting outside after their request was unmet. Trustee Sunny Zia motioned to vote after they exited, but no one seconded the motion, and the meeting continued.

The faculty reentered the meeting to honor the new faculty hires that were being presented.

“I will say it would have been an easier accumulation if we weren’t still going through negotiations after 110 days,” said Vanna Nauk, newly hired associate ethnic studies professor.

Trustee Uduak-Joe Ntuk declined an interview when asked after the closed session portion of the meeting.

Reports from multiple faculty members followed the introduction of the new faculty members.

“We are only paid to teach, we are not compensated for office hours, grading or any non- instructional hours. We do not have health care benefits even though the state is providing funds for said health care benefits, it will cost the district nothing to implement them,” Crystal Huckabee, Certificated Hourly Instructors union president and part time faculty said.

“We insist on a living wage for part timers for all the work that they do, not just instructional work, all of the work. We ask that you show us that we belong on campus. We ask that you give us a living wage, pay us for the work that we do, provide us with health care benefits and I’ll have to insist that we receive respect,” said Huckabee.

The faculty exited the room shortly after the announcements.

The Bistro provides an affordable three-course meal for patrons

Damien Cortez
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The Bistro provides an affordable three-course meal for patrons

The Long Beach City College Bistro has finally opened for all students, faculty, and the public to give the food a try.

It took some time to open because the head chef thought it was a good idea to refresh all the students’ memories and train them a bit before they officially open.

“The main reason that the bistro does not open on the first day of the semester is because (head chef) Chef Haley wanted to use the first few weeks to train the students and refresh our memories on the very core basics of culinary arts so she can see the level at which we are at,” says culinary art students Mateo Peregrina.

Students Laura Watson and Joseph Oliveras make centerpieces inside the Long Beach City College Bistro on Oct. 4, 2023. The Bistro is open Tuesday and Thursdays from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. (Matthew Gregory)

The class goes over the fundamentals of front of house service, and back of house procedures, so that they are able to move efficiently in the kitchen, once that is established, the bistro opens for the public.

Students can now make reservations by sending an email to bistro@lbcc.edu with a date and time slot from 11:30-1pm. Students need to make reservations 2 weeks in advance.

“No-shows do happen, and we are encouraged to take walk-ins when they do. I recommend checking around 12:30, as both 11:30 and 12 time slots are usually filled in by then,” says culinary arts student Laura Watson.

The LBCC Bistro serves fish tagine at Long Beach City College Liberal Arts Campus on Oct. 4, 2023. The Bistro is open Tuesday and Thursdays from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. (Matthew Gregory)

The menu changes on a weekly basis, however the region the menu is based on is on a biweekly schedule.

“The bistro students can shoot out any ideas or recommendations to Chef Haley about the menu and we are given creative freedom to ensure that everyone creates a menu that we are all on board with,” says Peregrina.

Students are encouraged to come through and check out the bistro to see what these students have to offer.

“We’d love for students to come in and eat. Not only do we get a wider demographic of customers, they also get a three course meal for less than 20 bucks. We also hand out comment cards for the guests to fill out to help us improve, and we go over them at the end of service,” said Watson.

The LBCC Bistro serves spinach and feta spanakopita at Long Beach City College Liberal Arts Campus on Oct. 4, 2023. The Bistro is open Tuesday and Thursdays from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. (Matthew Gregory)

Students also receive a discount of five dollars from the original $20 price coming out to $15 for a three course meal.

Most of these students have a purpose of getting into the Culinary Arts program, it’s a big passion of theirs to move forward with the industry.

“I have always loved cooking as a kid. I feel like food is one of those few things that can bring people together and truly just sit down and enjoy each other’s company. As I have taken this course, I have grown as a person, and as a cook,” said Peregrina.

“Cooking is something I had always been interested in, despite not doing a whole ton of it, but it made me happy watching my friends enjoy the food I worked so hard for them so that is why I gave culinary school a shot.” said Watson.

The bistro is open on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. with reservations and walk-ins welcome.

Local vinyl club celebrates the work of MF DOOM

Damien Cortez
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Hip-hop heads and vinyl lovers danced and sang along to MF DOOM’s “Madvillainy” album at a listening party, presented by Good Luck Vinyl Club with guest DJ Gaslamp Killer at The Social List Oct. 17.

“This is an opportunity for people to meet other like-minded individuals and experience the album,” said Isaak Navarro, founder of Good Luck Vinyl Club, a Long Beach-based social club for music lovers.

The album “Madvillainy”, is a notable collaboration between producer Madlib and rapper MF DOOM.

What started as a group of strangers became a group of people playing dominos together and trading stories at Good Luck Vinyl Club’s listening party for MF DOOM’s “Madvillainy” on Oct. 17, 2023. (Lolita Mojica)

MF DOOM is well-known in the hip hop and vinyl community for his profound use of samples and poignant lyrics, in addition to the metal mask he wore, inspired by the film Gladiator.

He is often referred to as “your favorite rapper’s favorite rapper” for the way that he has inspired many of the acts that came after him. 

His untimely 2020 death sent shockwaves through the community and his legacy continues to echo throughout hip hop and in the hearts of vinyl record collectors. 

The reverence that fans have for DOOM was evident in the way that many of them showed up well before the doors opened to snag one of the free replica DOOM masks being offered to the first couple of attendees.

As attendees filed into the space which was decked out for Halloween, they were greeted with complimentary cocktails, both with and without alcohol. 

In addition to keeping ticket prices low, Navarro said the decision to offer a welcome cocktail was to add to the approachability of the event, which was open to everyone over the age of 18.

As the needle dropped on side one of the album, a respectful hush fell upon the crowd.

Attendees were gifted replica masks like the one shown, handmade by Navarro’s mother for Good Luck Vinyl Club’s listening party for MF DOOM’s Madvillainy on Oct. 17, 2023. (Lolita Mojica)

Some sang along, others donned their masks and took photos and others reminisced on where they were upon their first time listening to “Madvillainy.”

Once the album was finished, Gaslamp Killer took over for an all vinyl set. 

“I combed through about a thousand albums and had to narrow it down to only about 200 for tonight,” Gaslamp Killer said.

Having been a fan of Long Beach for most of his life, he was eager to be a part of something so intimate, during which he was able to play things that tied in with MF DOOM’s sampling style and the general spooky atmosphere. 

Gaslamp Killer also looked back fondly on his early memories of listening to MF DOOM and said that his rhyme style appealed to him because of his universal references stemming from things like sci-fi cartoons and comics.

In passing, a few attendees murmured about how sitting amongst such an enthused audience made it feel as though they were listening to “Madvillainy” for the first time. 

Sharing the commonality of their love for MF DOOM, attendees who arrived alone unabashedly mingled with others, adding to the atmosphere of community building through the trading of stories and some even engaging in a game of dominos.

Listening parties with different themes and guest DJs are something that Good Luck Vinyl Club plans to continue with their next event celebrating one of the albums of The Cocteau Twins. 

“For those who weren’t into this one, maybe the next event will appeal to them,” said Navarro. “The idea is that there will be something for everyone.”

Attendees mingled and danced vinyl at Good Luck Vinyl Club’s listening party for MF DOOM’s “Madvillainy” on Oct. 17, 2023. they were gifted replica masks, as pictured. (Lolita Mojica)

Long Beach’s largest free run club takes on the Long Beach Marathon

Damien Cortez
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Long Beach’s largest free run club takes on the Long Beach Marathon

Correction: The initial version of this story incorrectly referred to the Long Beach Running Club as the Long Beach Run Club twice. It has since been corrected.

Long Beach’s largest free run club gathered in numbers at the 39th annual Long Beach marathon during which participants ran 26.2 miles through the scenic downtown area on Sunday.

Bildad Bildad, a member of the club who has been running with the club for five years says that mental preparation is just as important as the physical. 

“Self-talk is important”, Bildad said. “I say things like ‘You’re capable. You’re here.’”

Like many of the other members of the Long Beach Running Club, Bildad has his sights set for larger marathons to come, such as the Boston marathon in Spring 2024 for which he would need a time of 3:10.00 to qualify. 

Bildad finished the Long Beach Marathon at 3:24.00, close to his goal of 3:20.00 and not too far off from where he needs to be to qualify for the Boston marathon. 

Aside from pushing their physical endurance, runners seek out the run club because of the sense of community. 

“It is my hobby now but running with these guys is also pretty cool,” said Eric Santos, another member.

Long Beach Running Club member runs at the Long Beach Marathon on Oct. 15. Long Beach held it’s annual Long Beach Marathon that stretched 26.2 miles across the scenic Long Beach area. (Lolita Mojica)

Originally a solo runner, he sought out the club for the sense of accountability he has gained from his peers and the joy of  being surrounded by like- minded individuals. Santos has been running with the club for about eight years now. 

Santos, who is training for an ultra marathon (50 miles) had a slightly more lax approach to the marathon. He kept a steady pace to avoid injury, stopping to take salt tablets for cramps and biofreeze for his knees when needed, ultimately letting his body guide him toward the finish line. 

Santos finished with a time of 4:35.00.

In addition to participants running the marathon, Long Beach Running Club’s supporters showed up in full force for a cheerleading station at Ocean and Junipero  at mile mark 23. 

The strong sense of support and community is what keeps the club’s founder, Gus Esparza, motivated to continue facilitating meetings. 

Esparza no longer runs due to an injury he sustained in 2019, just before the pandemic. 

With run clubs no longer meeting at the height of 2020, Esparza took up cycling and hasn’t looked back. 

His main motivator for continuing with the run club is seeing their LBRC logo on t-shirts all over the world. 

Runner shows emotion while running the Long Marathon on Oct. 15. Long Beach held it’s annual Long Beach Marathon that stretched 26.2 miles across the scenic Long Beach area. (Lolita Mojica)

LBRC runners have traveled as far as Japan, Boston, Berlin, and New York representing the brand. 

“It’s a little more than social for us,” Esparza said. “We meet at Home Depot, not a bar, and that’s on purpose. We’re here to run.”

The sentiment of pushing oneself was palpable among the thousands of runners who showed up to Sunday’s race. 

Jason Yang, of Los Angeles, was the first to finish the marathon with a time of 2:27:04, just 27 minutes short of the world record of 2:00.00 recently broken by Kenyan Kelvin Kiptum in Chicago the weekend prior. 

As the Long Beach Running Club continues to grow and inspire, it’s clear that their story is far from reaching the final chapter.

Latinx poets encourage others to write more poetry

Damien Cortez
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Latinx poets encourage others to write more poetry

A Latinx Poetry Night was held for students to come together to enjoy guest performances and highlight poetry at LAC on Thursday.

The event gave people the chance to listen to three poets and hear poems from recently published author Donato Martinez’s book, “Touch the sky.” Attendees were also allowed to ask questions if they had any at the end of the night.

Students are encouraged to go to events like these on campus, whether they enjoy poetry or not, to hear the encouraging words from the powerful poets.

“The big thing is feeling seen, heard and loved and their identity being validated,” director of student equity Eric Becerra said. “Relating to these events that are happening on campus, and bringing all of what they are from many different aspects because that’s what makes them special, those are their strengths.” 

The consensus from the poets there was that poetry can be done by anyone, it’s known to be another sense of therapy, reflection and vulnerability.

“I think when people read poetry, there’s this solid message in these poems that are saying something to you and it’s another way of expression, very therapeutic, but also shows a sense of vulnerability that we don’t see in other kinds of art,” says author Donato Martinez.

It can be a way to express someone’s culture, trauma, and identity to either go through some things in their own comfortability or just telling your story.

“I think that with poems it doesn’t have to have a structure, you should just write about your feelings and what you want to do because it’s about you to release about what you’re feeling, which you don’t have to necessarily perform it to anybody” said poet David Alvarado.

Poetry can be helpful in things and can turn into something more creative and encouraging for the writer according to these poets.

“I say write, especially when there’s a lot of pressure on you, whether it’s in school or outside of school, it’s just a way to get your feelings out and there’s no right or wrong,” said poet and Cal State LA alumni Cecilia Sanchez.

Cecilia Sanchez reads a poem at Latinx poetry night. The event took place at LBCC Liberal Arts Campus on Oct. 12. (Matthew Gregory)

Becerra believes students that involve themselves in campus activities can benefit them academically.

“If students are connected to their campus, rather than coming to class and leaving, they tend to stay in school longer and end up doing better because of what they took out of the experience,” said Becerra.

More events like poetry night will continue to happen throughout this semester.

Transitioning from punk band to clothing brand

Damien Cortez
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Correction: An initial version of this story stated the brand was started between both Tomas Irigoyen and his brother, but Irigoyen started the brand by himself. It has been corrected.

Former local punk band member transitioned from playing the guitar to sole proprietor of the Stay Anchored LB clothing brand; he now has a stamp as the only clothing store in the LBX Hangar.

“I never intended to start a clothing brand. My brother and I were 50-50 partners and my brother was no longer interested in pursuing it due to the location and not enough foot traffic,” Tomas “Fish” Irigoyen said.

Stay Anchored is an urban clothing line that was created and designed in 2014 from a simple sketch. Their products include everything from hat pins, beanies, snapback/bucket hats, shirts to duffle bags pricing from $20 to at most $75. 

Wall of Stay Anchored snapback hats on display inside the Stay Anchored LB store. The Stay Anchored store is located at the Long Beach Hangar. (Keith Lewis)

Fish was determined to make this work even if he had no prior experience.

“I did not want to give up on the idea, I did not go to school for this so I had to focus and really put myself out there,” Fish said.

Fish used to play in punk bands and understood the importance of building a brand.

“I know how important it is for musicians to sell merchandise, I just applied that mentality to Stay Anchored,” Fish said.

During the pandemic, like many others, Fish had to figure out a way to keep Stay Anchored afloat.

His approach to continue to put his brand out there was all based on the social media campaigns he handled. That and the fact that he hand delivered his product to his customers gave him a boost in recognition throughout Long Beach.

“I never went to school for business. It was more learning from my mistakes as I went along,” Fish said.

After the pandemic, Stay Anchored has found a permanent home at the LBX Hangar.  It is the only clothing store that is actually inside the Hangar itself.

“I would definitely rock this brand. Great styles that represent our city,” local patron Steven Davis who was shopping at the Hangar stated.

Fish offered advice to those interested in starting a small business.

“You have to have thick skin in any business, but I would definitely say if you have a dream, chase it. Do not get comfortable. Network and remember to always learn from your mistakes,” Fish said.

The “Capitan of Long Beach” snapback hat on display in Stay Anchored store. The Stay Anchored store is located at the Long Beach Hangar. (Keith Lewis)

“Frankenstein 1930” puts a spin on a horror classic

Damien Cortez
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“Frankenstein 1930” puts a spin on a horror classic

“Frankenstein 1930” turns the classic novel on its head giving a twist to “Frankenstein” that has remained a horror staple for over two centuries.

The play, which is running at the historic Long Beach Playhouse through Oct. 21, aims to present the 1931 film in a new light. 

The interior of the Long Beach Playhouse reflects the theater’s 94 year history, with art deco decor and vintage photos lining the walls.

The Mainstage creates an intimate experience that immerses the audience in the play, with a small center stage and actors entering and exiting through the aisles.

Special effects including fog, colorful lighting, and simulated lightning and electricity puts the audience directly inside Frankenstein’s laboratory.

The play is full of humor and wit while still staying true to its gothic roots. 

At the heart of the production, however, is the well-developed cast of characters that are anything but stereotypes.

A man checks out a display at the front of the stage during intermission. The play is running at Long Beach Playhouse through Oct. 21. (Ryenne Jolliff)

“Doctor Frankenstein is challenging because he can so easily be cliched”, said David Vaillancourt, who plays Victor Frankenstein. 

“I tried to give Dr. Frankenstein heart. I didn’t try to play him manic, I didn’t try to play him menacing. I just thought ‘he’s a guy who had this passion to create life’”. 

Vaillancourt offered a different perspective behind Victor’s motivations for creating his monster. 

“Because of some past loss, because his father has passed by the time the events of the play occur, is there a way to stop people from losing anymore?”

Adriana Catanzarite who played Elizabeth also felt the character needed a twist.

“She’s a very typical damsel in distress and I didn’t want to play her like that. I wanted to give her more depth, make her a little more interesting,” Catanzarite said.

Catanzarite wanted to understand why her character chose to stay with her fiance, Victor Frankenstein, instead of being with the couple’s close friend Henry Lovitz. 

“The real struggle was trying to figure out why she’s staying with Victor, and it’s kind of clear that the relationship is not what she wants it to be. And trying to figure out her motivations and why she’s pushing Henry away,” Catanzarite said.

One of the more complex characters in the play was the creature himself, played by Charlie Spencer. The character has no spoken lines, Spencer relied on physical movements to bring life to the creature.

“It was a challenge trying to convey emotion and convey meaning without having any dialogue … it’s all in the character’s head. What I’m feeling and what I’m thinking and what I want to say I can’t actually say,” Spencer said.

Daniel Hastey compared his character, Henry Lovitz, to Ryan Gosling’s Ken from the recent “Barbie” movie. 

“I brought all the Kenergy I could to this piece. I Kenned as hard as I could,” Hastey said.

Overall, “Frankenstein 1930” is an excellent way to celebrate spooky season. 

“It just gets you in the Halloween spirit,”  said Vaillancourt. “It is a family friendly show and it is frighteningly fun.”

The play is running at the Long Beach Playhouse through Oct. 21.

ASB election results posted after three weeks

Andrea Alonso
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ASB election results posted after three weeks

Results were posted after three weeks of silence and only 100 students out of 26,000 voted for the Fall 2023 ASB Special Election and Interclub Council Election.

Regarding the position of ASB president, Emma Manetta received a total of 58 votes accounting for .252144 % of the total student body vote while runner-up Auburn Marriott garnered 42 votes accounting for .182609% of total student body vote. 99.6% of the student body did not vote..

The ASB Special Election received a turnout of 100 voters while the Interclub Council Election consisted of 31 club representatives.

G Gonzalez ran unopposed for the position of LAC vice president and collected a total of 95 votes.

For PCC vice president, Otniel Serrano ran unopposed and secured 91 votes.

Joanna Albarado acquired the position of ICC President with 31 votes in the Fall 2023 Interclub Council Election. 

Kennedy Netto who ran unopposed and received a total of 31 votes for the position of ICC Secretary.

When asked to comment on the results of the election, ASB treasurer Ash Cardona informed reporters that an interview must be organized through ASB advisor Kim Hamon in order to speak to the candidates.

In a text thread, Cardona notified Hamon of the Viking’s interest in conducting an interview, by which Hamon responded, “Please ask them the questions they would like to ask those who ran and forward those to Coco Dobard.”

After reaching out to Hamon per request for an interview, she replied, “Per the ASB Constitution, ‘any conversations with the media or outside agencies will be solely handled by the president or a representative appointment by the president in absence of availability. Please feel free to reach out to the ASB President, Coco Dobard.’”

The officers of the ASB election are decline to speak to reporters without counsel from Hamon and Dobard.

Artist’s exhibition at LBCC’s art gallery commemorates their past masculine self

Matthew Gregory
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Artist’s exhibition at LBCC’s art gallery commemorates their past masculine self

The featured artist of LBCC’s newest art exhibit aims to lay to rest toxic masculinity in a show the artist likens to the act of an “exorcism” and “ejaculation.”

MUXXXE, hailing from Tijuana, Mexico, is the faceless, nonbinary visual artist and performer behind “Sementario ” running at LBCC’s art gallery through Nov. 18.

“This is a eulogy to the person I once was and it’s also like an exorcism…a release of all the things that no longer serve me. Think about semen, ejaculation. That’s like the biggest release there is.” MUXXXE said while making a suggestive hand motion. 

“Yea, like a release and also like f*** you. This is who I am.”

Cementerio means cemetery in Spanish. The choice to spell the word with an S was deliberate, insinuating the word semen into the title, to further accentuate the allegory of death to the violent heteronormative behaviors plaguing queer people in Mexico. 

Gender violence, especially toward queer people and women, is rampant in Mexico given the country’s long standing history with machismo ideals which views these individuals as disposable.

Sementerio seeks to eradicate that notion.

“Machismo and violence is too common in Mexico. It’s accepted and has become almost like a way of life, affecting the way we interact and communicate with each other.”, said MUXXXE, before donning their Zentai suit, a garment which completely covers their body from head to toe. 

MUXXXE was born in 2016 out of a desire to perform in front of audiences and explore sound while shedding the image of their former self. 

The word muxe is a word used by the indigenous Zapotec people of Mexico which means “third gender”. 

“MUXXXE is the skin I wear that separates me from myself,” the artist said. 

They went on to explain that under the veil of MUXXE, they are emboldened to push boundaries and explore themselves in ways they might not otherwise do through music and fashion.

The theme of laying rest to their former self was best expressed by a wall of tombstones with varying epitaphs in Spanish saying  things like, “In memory of the time I lost on you” and “In memory of all that once was.”

In addition to the mixed media displays within the gallery featuring MUXXXE straddling a coffin, there was also a  performance planned for the later part of the evening. 

Attendees mingled with excitement as anticipation for the artist’s set built. 

“I like the macabre,”  said Fatima Aguilera, an art student at LBCC. “ This is also something I have been researching on my own; the themes around machismo culture in Mexico and the femicide of indigenous women.”

Then, a haunting figure adorned in white lace and leather emerged from the rear corner of the gallery. 

MUXXXE, in 6 inch platform boots, towered over attendees as they made their way to the center of the gallery, their long silky wig swaying with every step. 

Standing still, with their lace zentai suit adorned with a white leather bustier, gloves and matching thong, MUXXXE surveyed the crowd. 

A hush fell upon the room while an eerie backing track of synthesized beats hummed, lower and lower until complete silence engulfed the space. 

Slowly, MUXXXE raised the mic to their covered face and trap-like beats infused with reggaeton, blared from the speakers while they rapped in Spanish.  

The energy picked up with each song, propelling MUXXXE to eventually tear off their wig. 

The fluidity with which the artist expresses their feminine and masculine energies was on full display with their “second skin” serving as the canvas for said juxtaposition.

As their performance went on, MUXXXE worked the crowd in a way that seemingly offered attendees permission to join in on the catharsis and release whatever they needed to while taking in the essence of Sementerio, as a whole. 

The gallery took in mixed media pieces such as digital art and images rendered on pieces of metal for the exhibit. 

“These are the first-ever fully commissioned works for LBCC,” said art gallery director, Karla Aguiniga. “Meaning all of these pieces were made specifically for us and have never been shown anywhere else before.”

Aguiniga went on to say that the Sementario exhibit is a peak into the next generation of what the art gallery can be in terms of its ability to host a variety of media.

The gallery runs until November 18 at the LAC Art Gallery

  • MUXXXE performs their song at LBCC’s art gallery at the LAC campus on Oct. 12 (Lolita Mojica)
  • MUXXXE performs their song at LBCC’s art gallery at the LAC campus on Oct. 12 (Lolita Mojica)
  • MUXXXE performs their song at LBCC’s art gallery at the LAC campus on Oct. 12 (Lolita Mojica)
  • MUXXXE performs their song at LBCC’s art gallery at the LAC campus on Oct. 12 (Lolita Mojica)

From Newport Beach to Brazil, LBCC’s women’s water polo coach recounts his journey to the Olympics

Izzy Juarez
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From Newport Beach to Brazil, LBCC’s women’s water polo coach recounts his journey to the Olympics

LBCC women’s water polo coach became the assistant coach of the Team USA Olympic women’s water polo due to his success at the collegiate level and stint in the Olympic team himself.

Chris Oeding managed to get the Vikings to the finals from 2003 to 2010 winning three of those championships and also winning two Olympic finals in both Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020.

Oeding grew up playing most sports, his ultimate goal was soccer, but since he needed a fall sport he followed his brother’s footsteps and pursued waterpolo.

His high school coach at the time made sure that Oeding kept pursuing the sport due to his capabilities, so he played all four years in high school and four years at UC Berkeley, where Oeding committed.

“I enjoyed it, I was at the right place at the right time with a good young upcoming coach who saw something in me that I didn’t see at the time,” said Oeding.

While at UC Berkeley, Oeding studied political studies but didn’t want to pursue law, he knew that he wanted to teach in some aspect so he minored in education.

In 1996 and 2000, Oeding played with the national team for the Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia and Sydney, Australia.

After graduating, Oedeing becomes the freshman coach for UC Berkeley, where he learns more of the ins and outs of coaching.

After moving to SoCal, Oeding joined the coaching staff at his old high school in Newport but realized that isn’t the kind of level he wants to coach. Oeding took a job at Orange Coast College as a part time coach for men’s water polo, where he got a taste of community college coaching.

“After a year, I quickly realized that highschool wasn’t the level I wanted to coach because of parental involvement,” said Oeding.

LBCC in need of a coach then reached out to Oeding. He took the job because according to Oeding this level of coaching comes with student athletes with a purpose.

“There is a reason why they’re here, whether it’s athletics and trying to get to that next level to be able to play at a four year school or its academics and they need a little extra support to be able to go on and get their degree, but whatever it is, there is a quality to that that I really enjoy,” said Oeding.

Currently, with LBCC in the midst of their season and the Olympics coming up for Paris 2024, Oeding juggles preparation for both teams at the same time.

The Olympic team comes over to the LBCC facility to train and practice, where it gives Oeding the chance to be around the team as much as he can.

Coach Chris Oeding guides water polo team during practice that takes place from 1-3 p.m. Oeding is the current coach at LBCC for the women’s water polo team. Oeding has a long olympic history with competing in it as well as coaching water polo. (Michelle Cardenas)

At this time, Odeing dedicates more of his time with the LBCC team to finish off the season as strong as they can, and once that is done then he will be able to be with his Olympic team full time.

The girls learn a lot when being coached by Oeding, as an athlete and as a person.

“I’ve learned to take pride in anything I do,” said sophomore goalie Danielle Sgnotz after being asked what she has learned from Oeding so far. “No matter whether it is inside or outside of the pool. Always being physically and mentally ready no matter what’s going on. Just always being ready for what’s going on next. As well as having fun, being able to connect with others, and putting yourself out there. Be a good friend, player, and teammate. Take pride in anything and everything, even if it’s not going the way you’d like.” said sophomore goalie Danielle Sgnotz after being asked what she has learned from Oeding so far.

Odeing’s players said they have learned a lot about being empowered, staying encouraged, and to ask for help when needed.

“(Odeing) is someone with a lot of knowledge and I believe that I’ll never stop learning things from him. He has always encouraged us to step up to challenges every single day because when you’re not struggling you’re not improving,” said utility player Sharon Vargas.

Oeding has a few core values when it comes to being a coach, but his main one would be authenticity. He helps these women to take ownership not only in themselves, but also in their teams too.

Trust is another core value of Oeding. He believes that there needs to be a connection established within the team and without it the team will fall out of place.

Odeing hopes to instill some of his core values into his athletes so they can continue to uphold those values after their athletic career in any ventures they choose.

“To be able to take on any challenge and hopefully we’ve given them the tools and that no mountain is too high to climb. And if they feel moments of weakness, we are always here for them,” said Oeding.

Currently, Odeing and his team have upcoming season games throughout this fall. After the season, he will be working with his national team to prepare for the Olympics that will be happening in 2024 in Paris, France.

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