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Opinion: LBUSD should not host an in-person graduation this year

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Opinion: LBUSD should not host an in-person graduation this year

As another school year comes to a close, the discussion whether in-person graduations will take place this year is still up for debate for some schools. However, LBUSD has announced that they will be having in-person graduation for all high schools between June 9 and June 15. 

I believe that having in-person graduation while we are still dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic is a mistake and should not take place this year.

Despite the number of cases of Covid-19 dropping in California to about 1.1% of Covid-19 tests coming up positive, according to the Covid-19 California official website, the reason that these cases are dropping is because people have been following the CDC guidelines to prevent the spread since last year.

LBUSD should make the responsible decision, by canceling the in-person graduation and either conduct a drive-thru graduation or virtual graduation through Zoom. 

While it is disappointing for students not being able to graduate in-person, it is much better to not risk your health, and possibly spread it to others.

Over the weekend, the CDC had announced that people that have been fully vaccinated do not have to wear a mask. “Fully vaccinated people can resume activities without wearing a mask or physically distancing, except where required by federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial laws, rules, and regulations, including local business and workplace guidance,” according to the CDC website. 

Since people do not have to show that they have received the vaccine, there is no way to ensure that everyone has been vaccinated at graduation, there will be a high risk of spreading Covid-19. 

Another big issue with hosting graduation is managing the social distance between the many people that will be in attendance. 

There will be some safety measures that will be taking place such as requiring masks, temperature checks and keeping people in their own group. However, despite the big venue for graduation and safety precautions, it is likely that it will be almost impossible to make sure people stay in their own groups during the entire event. 

By hosting a big event such as a graduation, LBUSD is putting the students graduating, the families that will attend the event, the people hosting and working the event’s health at risk. 

Two-thirds of capacity will be allowed during the graduation which is over 7,000 people and that it is a big liability for the LBUSD to host a big event like this.

While it may be the unpopular opinion to want to cancel such an important life event, it is the responsible act to do.

Opinion: LBCC should sponsor murals depicting people of color

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Opinion: LBCC should sponsor murals depicting people of color

It’s important that LBCC shows their support for students of color. A great way to do this is by showing representation in one of the biggest, eye catching methods which is through murals. 

Diversity in the city of Long Beach has always been a big topic and Long Beach City College is no different.

For many students, they feel the pressure of being a person of color on a daily basis. 

Over the past few years, more unjust actions have come to light towards not only Black or African Americans, but towards minorities and people of color. 

The city of Long Beach has over 50 percent of a white demographic and students should have the opportunity to feel represented when at school and in Long Beach. 

Even though there is more that everyone can do to help those of color feel accepted, murals are a great starting point. When a student walks past a wall painted with images of people that look like them, they will be able to see and feel the support from the school.

Supporting the placement of murals throughout Long Beach City College can help show support for all students dealing with racial injustice. Adding murals of those that we have lost due to injustice in America, like George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, will help the public to realize that LBCC sees the issue and is willing to be an ally.

There are 86 percent people of color at LBCC, according to College Simply, and it is not a number that should be easily overlooked or underappreciated. 

Since February 2020, the world has been witnessing harsh measures that have been taken towards Asians and Asian-Americans, resulting in the Stop Asian Hate movement. 

Anti-Asian hate crimes increased 114 percent in Los Angeles in 2020.

As of 2021, according to the World Population Review,  the city of Long Beach has recorded a population of 456,154. Out of this population, about 12.7 percent is Black or African American. 

It’s important that the school, with it’s diversity, works hard at supporting everyone in the community.

Murals can be placed on the outer walls of the Pacific Coast Campus’s new parking structure. This is a great place to expose the art to the city as well. 

Another spot a mural can be placed in ison the GG building near the administration building at PCC. 

This leaves a great chance to hire local artists, as well as art students who have a powerful voice and story to share. 

We could hold annual contests, including the students or the Long Beach Community. People could vote for their favorite designs or artists online to show their support.

This could also be assigned to student artists, where they can earn extra credit or a grade for their classes.

This would be a great proposal to bring up to the Long Beach Board of Trustees. 

One of the key pillars of success for students is a good foundation and support system. With everything minorities have to overcome, achieving success at school should not be blocked because of a lack of comfort or feeling of acceptance. 

Black Lives Matter Long Beach commemorates George Floyd one year after his tragic death

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Black Lives Matter Long Beach commemorates George Floyd one year after his tragic death

Black Lives Matter Long Beach commemorated George Floyd on Tuesday evening on the one year anniversary of his tragic death at the hands of Minneapolis police officers.

Students opened up about their experiences protesting and why George Floyd’s death in particular sparked a mass movement that lasted several months.

“Quite frankly, it was the straw that broke the camel’s back,” participant Gregory Johnson, a child of the civil rights movement, said.  

The purpose of the memorial event was to honor George Floyd and look back at the activism that Long Beach residents participated in as a result of his death and the tragic deaths of many others due to police brutality.

Participants in the memorial event were encouraged to share their activism efforts over the summer and how the death of George Floyd affected them in their fight for true reform in America.

BLM Long Beach member Audrena Redmond also spoke about the many events and fundraisers the organization put on in the community in an effort to create change. 

“Most of us here were in the streets and we were organizing and we were pushing for some change because what happened to George Floyd sadly is not restricted just to Minneapolis, Minnesota,” said Redmond.

The combination of Floyd’s death happening at a time when most of the U.S. population was jobless and people being upset with the government’s financial handling of the pandemic led to thousands of protestors in the streets. Now, more than ever, people had time to rally for what they believed in.

Last summer, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, peaceful protests and rallies led by the local BLM chapter took place in the city of Long Beach. 

Other events included the People’s Budget rally and march, a rally in response to Breonna Taylor’s death, and a rally in front of LBPD Police Chief Robert Luna’s residence in response to his violent handling of BLM protests in the past.

LBPD’s handling of the protests, often using tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse the crowds, left many organizers wounded. Protestor Marisa Baltazar was severely injured after an officer shot off part of her finger with a “less-lethal” round. 

Events and fundraisers include feeding the “houseless” community, helping organize the 51st Annual Stonewall Pride March, and participating in community reform. (BLMLB member Audrena Redmond insisted on using the term houseless because the term homeless is considered to be inaccurate and offensive.)

In response to Floyd’s death specifically, BLM Long Beach pushed for the city’s leadership to defund the police and allocate those funds to local institutions that really need them. As a result of their efforts, $1 million was given to the local health department. 

According to Redmond, the organization also successfully removed LBPD police officers from public schools in favor of hiring people who specialize in de-escalating potentially harmful situations instead of contributing to them. 

Long Beach itself was the target of two peaceful protests. Those who could not protest from the streets used their wallets instead.

The foundation claimed they earned more than $90 million last year. Funds were used to bail out BLM protestors from jail for minor offenses and funding national health organizations, amongst other things. 

At the end of the virtual memorial, participants who were not already part of an activist organization were encouraged to join one and make their voices heard. 

While Summer 2020 was a year ago, the racial injustice continues. 

Since Floyd’s death, over 400 people have already been killed by police officers in 2021 according to the Police Violence Report. 

Black Lives Matter and other activist groups are already preparing to take the streets and have their demands for justice heard by encouraging the community to attend future rallies and make their presence known. 

“It is up to us… keep your heads up and let’s go… let’s get this!” said Johnson.

Books and Buckets youth Long Beach program gets ready for summer

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Books and Buckets youth Long Beach program gets ready for summer

Books and Buckets is more than just a youth sports program, it is also an academic program in the Long Beach Washington neighborhood area. 

The program teaches middle to high school students about reading books and the fundamentals of basketball for fun and athleticism in relation.

The youth are assigned to read two books during the academy session, which will lead to discussions and lectures before practice on Saturdays. 

According to the program, the books on this year’s schedule are, “Shoot Your Shot:A Sport Inspired Guide to Living Your Best Life,” a book by a former basketball player Vernon Brundage Jr., and “Stay Woke: A Meditation Guide for the Rest of Us,” by Justin Michael Williams.

Books and Buckets will provide free registration to at least 25 participants between the ages of 11 and 18, along with guided reading-comprehension and mentorship. 

The start of the academy will begin on June 5 and will end on July 31, the academy program will operate on Saturday’s from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. It will last for eight weeks with an orientation planned and scheduled for this Saturday, May 29.

The 23 year old Executive Director and Founder of the program David McGill grew up in Long Beach’s Washington neighborhood, where gang violence, crime, and gang culture was inescapable, according to McGill. 

McGill mentioned that when he was a kid he started to get sucked into trouble. He attended Cabrillo High School and was the varsity basketball captain there. 

During his sophomore year of high school, many of the one hour bus rides to the Lakewood basketball program set him on a different path leading him toward something successful. 

The path led him toward the right direction and a life changing moment of bettering his life. McGill talked about great mentorship from a kindhearted coach which led him to start getting straight A’s, also basketball has always been his safe haven, passion and outlet. 

“I always think about the Washington neighborhood especially since I still live in the area. I think about what if I didn’t have to take those long bus rides, so this is the reason I wanted to start this program with some great friends for the upcoming youth in the neighborhood,” said McGill.

For that main reason, he along with a group of former athletes’ game plan is to use the basketball courts in the Washington neighborhood of Long Beach this summer. The program plans to use the basketball courts on 14th street between Locust and Pine avenue to make an impact on the youths lives in that area.

If McGills’ coach had not been there for him as a kid, he believes that he might not have succeeded by pursuing a bachelor’s degree or came up with the idea of Books and Buckets for his local Long Beach community.

Gabriel Sandoval, the athletic director of Books and Buckets who played basketball with McGill at Cabrillo High School, will serve as the head coach and teach the basic fundamentals of basketball as well as accommodate drills if they tend to be more advanced. 

Sandoval said, “I’m most excited about getting that connection with the community again because last year everyone was stuck at home with everything online like being on zoom calls, so I want to interact with the youth help them toward their goals in life and be around people again as well as teach the fundamentals of basketball because that is my passion. I love basketball and I want to pass on what I know to others, especially the upcoming youth.”

Advocates provide webinar on ending immigration detention centers in CA

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Advocates provide webinar on ending immigration detention centers in CA

Over 60 students and activists from all over the country participated in an educational webinar on Thursday that focused on ending immigration detention in California. 

Jehan Laner Romero, an advocate for immigrants rights with the Detention Watch Network, said, “We have mothers, women, fathers, grandparents in [detention] centers… as advocates it’s been pretty horrible to see,” Romero said.

“Detention [centers] are inhumane, arbitrary, and deadly,” activist and Detention Watch Network member Marcela claimed. Marcela did not provide her last name, presumably for privacy reasons. 

In October of 2020, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 32 (AB32) into law, effectively banning new contracts for private prisons and immigrant detention centers. This led to a lawsuit from private prison corporation GEO Group claiming that the bill is unconstitutional.

The federal government filed a separate lawsuit claiming they should receive immunity from the California law. Oral arguments for the case will be heard by the 9th Circuit on June 7.

She discussed the importance of AB32 being withheld at a time where immigrants desperately need protection from harsh treatments in these facilities at the hands of ICE. 

According to the Detention Watch Network’s research, there are currently over 200 immigrant detention centers in the US. Together, they house over 500,000 immigrants a year. 95% percent of whom are asylum seekers.

In 2020 alone, amidst the international pandemic, hundreds of beds were added to the already overpacked facilities. The death toll for people in ICE custody in 2020 was the highest in 15 years. Activists allege that the reason was because ICE refused to follow proper Covid protocols including keeping spaces sanitized and having sick people quarantined.

Donald Trump’s presidency granted ICE permission to create detention centers specifically for migrant children, separating them from their families. 

Long Beach mayor Robert Garcia was recently criticized for his decision to convert the city’s convention center into a facility for migrant children. Though Garcia hoped that it would be seen as a helpful gesture, activists believe he’s part of the problem. 

What the protestors want is simple, release the children to their families and grant them immediate refugee status. 

The issue was presented that these detention centers are billion dollar investments for private prison corporations who run them. Geo Group uses their monetary leverage as a way to force their hand, especially when it comes to small towns.

Stevevonna Evans, city councilwoman from Adelanto, California spoke about how GEO provides her city’s law enforcement department 5 million dollars a year in donations in order to gain support from the public to keep the Adelanto detention center in their city. 

“If we want to displace these institutions we have to figure out how to fund it,” said Evans. 

Essentially, these immigration detention centers are too much of a financial benefit for the cities they reside in. Getting rid of these centers would mean losing out on millions of dollars in donations.

Still, there is hope on the horizon. Seven states including New York, Washington, and Illinois have pursued legislation against detention centers. 

The 9th Circuit’s decision on June 7 is critical in determining what other states can expect in the fight for banning private prisons and immigration facilities. 

The event was hosted by the Detention Watch Network, a grassroots coalition determined to abolish immigration detention in the United States. 

It was endorsed by the Long Beach Immigrant Rights Coalition and presented by four different speakers. They have documented the fight for closing down detention centers for good and ending the billion dollar private prison industry that operates them.

Deborah Lee, fellow member of the Detention Watch Network and the final panelist of the event, encouraged participants to demand local and national leaders to permanently close and end all contracts with private prison corporations. She also noted it is important to build strong legal support for future litigations.


Readers who would like to learn more about the fight to abolish immigrant detention facilities can visit https://www.detentionwatchnetwork.org/ to find the latest news on AB32.

Panelists discuss mental health stigmas in APID community & anti-Asian hate

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Panelists discuss mental health stigmas in APID community & anti-Asian hate

“On the surface, it may look like we’re this model minority. We’re great at school, we’re obedient, and we follow the rules. This can cause mental health issues, how do you seek help when you’re perceived as the strong one?” said LBCC mental health clinician Amy La during the “We Belong Here: We are not Scapegoats” Zoom event on May 18. 

La was accompanied by fellow LBCC mental health clinicians Daisy Cook and Brianna Reyes, along with psychiatric nurse practitioner Sherwin Imperio to discuss mental health stigmas, cultural myths, and the rise of hate crimes faced by the Asian Pacific Islander Desi (APID) community. 

“In many Asian cultures, there is still that stigma that remains, especially when it comes to mental health issues. It’s one of those situations where we’re not going to be able to solve anything unless we actually talk about it,” said Imperio. 

La said that members of the APID community are three times less likely to seek mental health services in comparison to other racial and ethnic groups. 

“This is attributed to multiple factors. In the APID community, we tend to seek support from our family and friends first. There’s a concept called “saving face.” A lot of Asian cultures ascribe to that; we don’t want to share bad news outside of family. If something is going on, we don’t want it to reflect poorly on our family,” said La. 

According to La, another factor that contributes to members of the APID community not seeking mental health help is the pressure of the model minority myth. 

“For some of us during our elementary school upbringing, we were perceived as succeeding in math, and we didn’t. How am I gonna ask for help when I’m supposed to be good at this? This affects our well being and mental health,” said La. 

The panel discussed the barriers the APID community faces when trying to seek mental help services, including cost. 

Cook said that LBCC has a great relationship with community based mental health agencies that cater to the APID community, including the Asian and Pacific Islander Mental Health in Long Beach and Pacific Asian Counseling Center in Los Angeles. 

“Based on your situation, if you have no insurance or limited pay, we will connect you to the proper resources,” said La. 

Event moderator Ruben Page said, “There’s this misconception, and this causes an equity issue here, that mental health services are only for the rich…People are unaware of all these sources of assistance and financial assistance to get these services.”

La said that for many members of the APID community, finding a therapist who also identifies as a member of the APID community is also a barrier. 

“I do believe it is very much important to have someone who looks like you, who you believe will be able to identify with the same experience that you have…but it’s not the only thing that should matter in terms of actually seeking out help. If you need help, you need help. That help can come from any color, shape, or size of an individual, as long as they’re genuinely, willing, and wanting to help you out, then that help is as important as anything else,” said Imperio. 

The panel also discussed the rise of anti-Asian hate crimes and violence that have occured amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“The pandemic has definitely brought more attention to the anti-Asian hate that has been going on in our society. A lot has happened within the last year…in 2020 alone, the hate crimes have risen by 149%, and those are only the reported ones,” said La. 

La spoke about history of anti-Asian racism and violence in the U.S., including Japanese Internment Camps, the Chinese Massacre of 1871, and the murder of Vincent Chin. 

“This is not new to us…there is a history over hundreds of years where Asians were perceived as a threat,” said La. 

Imperio said that amidst these difficult times, including the rise of anti-Asian hate and the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important that people prioritize their mental health. 

“Unless you’re taking care of yourself, you’re gonna have a difficult time actually taking care of people around you. As an advocate for mental health, I think it’s absolutely something that should be focused on. It’s just as equal as your physical health,” said Imperio. 

For an APID Resources & Support Guide created by Student Health Services, click here. 

Making mental health a priority LGBTQIA+

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Making mental health a priority LGBTQIA+

May is Mental Health Awareness month, and on May 11 the Healthy Viking Center held a Virtual Zoom Event called , Making Mental Health a Priority LGBTQIA+.

The event was held to bring awareness about Mental Health in general and its importance in the LGBTQIA+ community for students at LBCC. 

“Mental Health is a stigmatized topic in society so we wanted to create a space to de-stigmatize mental health, talk about some mental health challenges, and share resources,” said Sergio Grimaldi, the organizer of the event. 

The panel of speakers included Kim Hamon LBCC student activities advisor, Manaia Tuli’au a LBCC student, Kristofr Clement a LBCC student, and Antonio Lavermon a community partner from the LGBTQ center.

Every guest speaker shared their struggles and stories during their mental health journey as a member of the LGBTQIA+ community. 

Tuli’au, shared his struggles and wins throughout his journey of finding himself and his mental health journey. 

Tuli’au said, “When I was growing up I did not have the resources or the information available to me, so I felt really alone all the time and when they asked me to be part of the panel I felt obligated to do so because now that we have the resources and information out there and we have created a safe space for students, I wanted to be a part of that.”

“It is so important to me that other students that are a part of the LGBTQIA+ community do not go through all the hardships I went through and have that safe place to go to,” said Tuli’au. 

If any student has any mental health issues or just needs a space to go to for assistance there are many resources provided on campus to help. The LBCC Health Center delivers a safe place for students who are struggling with mental health and health issues in general. 

The Student Health Services hosts numerous workshops and presentations throughout the year. 

These events include workshops on anxiety, depression, stress and many more topics that affect students.  

Providing the resources needed to help with mental health problems is the main priority at the LBCC health center. 

Students can follow Viking Health Services on Instagram @lbcc_healthvikings to stay informed on upcoming events.

Suely Saro speaks on becoming a council member in the City of Long Beach

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Suely Saro speaks on becoming a council member in the City of Long Beach

In honor of Asian Pacific Islander Desi heritage month at LBCC, Suely Saro, a council member of district 6 in the city of Long Beach talked about her own background, political activism in the Long Beach Khmer community, and her path to the Long Beach city council.

The event she spoke at was at an APID heritage month event called, called “Trailblazer in Action,” in which Vincent Calip, a computer and office studies professor was the host. 

Council member Saro is the first Cambodian American to serve as council member in the city of Long Beach. Saro has been in office for six months now. 

“She was born into a refugee camp in Thailand to parents that survived the Cambodian genocide. However, she pushed against the odds to receive three degrees at UC Santa Cruz, Cal State Long Beach and University La Verne,” said Calip.  

Saro may have had a tough childhood, but it didn’t defy her of having great potential to receive a good education.

She explains how a first step of advocacy is always reporting a hate crime or incident. 

“After seeing all of the rising Asian-American hate crimes and incidents that have happened, one of the things that I wanna make sure we do as a city is condemn the racist xenophobic acts that have occurred against the Asian-American community,” said Saro. 

At a young age, Saro knew her circumstances were different and challenging, which made it her responsibility to help her family navigate in this country. 

“I knew early on it was my passion to help and serve people, so I learned to be in tune with my passion, which was to work with communities that faced disparity,” said Saro 

Saro also mentioned how this past year we relied so much on social media. We see other people hit milestones in their lives but we miss the journey they went through, which is what she believes can make social media so deceiving. 

“There is always this image or expectation that not only our families present, but also our community and our society set us up for,” said Saro.

A common misconception Saro shared was that people think that members in the Cambodian community don’t get involved in politics, but are indeed. They’re involved in local politics, not in American politics. 

That is why Saro feels that it is important to encourage others to take whatever steps they feel comfortable with, coming together is what has helped Cambodian’s have a voice in the media and even at a legislative level.

“It takes individuals as a group to come together to take action,” said Saro.

Saro wants to continue to affirm that she is always there to listen to the community and build ideas with everyone because that’s where she sees her role as council member. It is not just serving her constituents, but also knowing what is relevant to the needs of students to everybody else. 

“No matter where you are at, it is where you’re supposed to be, because that is your journey and your experience,” said Saro.

Suely Saro hopes to see a relationship between LBCC and the Cambodian community, where there is a bridge and a pathway that occurs between the students that allows for career pathway opportunities in the Cambodian community or politics.

What to expect from LBCC’s Representation Matters–South Asians in Hollywood Zoom Event

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What to expect from LBCC’s Representation Matters–South Asians in Hollywood Zoom Event

In honor of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Long Beach City College is hosting a zoom event titled “Representation Matters–South Asians in Hollywood.”

The event will have three panelists; Meera Simhan, Ravi Kapoor, and Fawzia Mirza. They will all be discussing their experiences in Hollywood and the importance of being able to tell their own stories to an audience. 

The Faculty Professional Development Coordinator Suman Mudunuri felt this topic was important to cover, because growing up she did not see the representation of her family and friends portrayed accurately. “I believe that when we have accurate, authentic representation, barriers can be broken down, opening all of us to new ideas, creating powerful role models, and even being a source of inspiration,” said Mudunuri.

Meera Simhan, an actress and writer, wanted to participate in this event not just because a friend reached out to her and asked her to do it, but also because she thought the specific emphasis on South Asian actors was important. 

“An event like this really becomes important to be able to go ‘hey, we’re here, we’re doing this, you can see us’. I hope that this gives people the courage, the inspiration, and the desire to move forward [in the industry].” Simhan says. 

Fawsia Mirza, a lawyer turned writer, director, and (sometimes) actor wanted to participate in the zoom meeting for the representation, and activism element the entertainment industry can have.

“The violence that we see perpetrated towards marginalized communities is significantly less when we see those stories and those people humanized in movies and TV…so the more we can talk about and humanize characters in marginalized communities the safer all of our communities will be.” Mirza says. 

Mirza says students can expect that she will discuss her personal experiences, the importance of representation and gender equity on sets as well as in front of the camera, and also the importance of hiring writers who represent the characters that are being written. 

While the emphasis is on the experience of South Asian actors in the industry, Simhan and Mirza both put emphasis on the fact students should still attend if they want to learn about the TV and film industries, even if they are not from a South Asian background.

The three panelists have never done a panel together before, which Mirza lists as another incentive to come.

Simhan encourages students to come by saying, “If you just kind of want to come and expand your world and expand your mind and learn things that you may not have known before [also].”

“Another thing is,” Mirza says, “The reason we buy a ticket to [a] theatre [production] or go to a movie is to support the arts, the program, and the artists and I think that showing up and checking it out even just for a little bit just shows your support for what your [campus] community are doing.”

The event takes place May 25 from 2-3 pm via Zoom. You can find the link to the event here: 

https://www.lbcc.edu/event/representation-matters-south-asians-hollywood

Veterans Stadium holding graduations for local high schools

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Veterans Stadium holding graduations for local high schools

This year’s high school graduating classes in the Long Beach Unified School District will have graduation ceremonies at Veterans Memorial Stadium at Long Beach City College. 

Between June 9 and June 15, Wilson High School, Lakewood High School, Jordan High School and Polytechnic High School will be having in-person graduation ceremonies.

Out of the 15 graduating high schools in the LBUSD, four of these will be held at Veterans Stadium as a result of them having a larger number of graduates compared to the other schools in the LUSD. 

“About 1500 to 1400 high school students will be able to participate in graduations at four different ceremonies held at Long Beach City College,” said LBUSD Director of Public Information Chris Eftychiou. 

 Safety measures are being planned to keep both the students and attendants safe. 

Instead of allowing the 11,600 seat capacity the stadium holds, only two-thirds of the capacity will be allowed. This restriction still allows for students to receive up to 6 tickets for guests.  

LBUSD is making sure everyone feels safe by placing touchless thermometer temperature screenings upon arrival to the stadium, along with wearing masks at all times and sticking to your area with your group. 

Rebecca Clemente, who is graduating this summer from Jordan High School, feels very excited and lucky to be able to walk in front of her classmates over the past four years on graduation day. 

“It makes me super happy that me and the other seniors get to have a ceremony to end our high school experience because I think it is a really important accomplishment in our lives,” said Clemente. 

Clemente explained that she feared the possibility of a virtual graduation, similar to the ones that were done last year. 

“I was scared that my graduation would be online because I got to see how upsetting it was for some people last year that got to experience a virtual graduation and not a real one,” said Clemente. 

Although LBCC is allowing for LBUSD to use their facilities for graduation ceremonies, it doesn’t mean LBCC graduates will be a part of any graduation ceremony at veterans stadium. 

Administrative Services for LBCC Marlene Drinkwine, explained that LBCC and LBUSD had a long time arrangement to use the stadium for some of their commencements.  

LBUSD felt it was the correct decision to conduct these ceremonies in person as a result of the improved COVID-19 health data.

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