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Multimedia journalist Paula Kiley teaches video journalism

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Multimedia journalist Paula Kiley teaches video journalism

On Friday, April 30, the organization Compound collaborated with VoiceWaves on a workshop about video journalism. Voice Waves is a Long Beach youth-led journalism and media-training project. Students are learning to report, write and create digital journalism content. 

This event dove into the world of video journalism and how it has adapted and how it functions now at home during the pandemic by giving tips and tricks including affordable apps to use so that you are still able to create from home. 

When asked why she decided to host the event, Paula Kiley said, “I wanted to help make video journalism more accessible and seem easier for folks since it can be quite daunting and expensive, so I wanted to offer affordable ways to put together quality publishable videos from home straight from your phone.” 

Kiley is a multimedia journalist and documentary filmmaker with an interest in producing character-driven documentary shorts with social justice and equity lens. 

She is working on her bachelor’s in journalism and a minor in film at Cal State Long Beach.

Serena Au, a staff member from Compound said, “Compound is an art and community space focusing on the intersection of art, wellness, and community impact.” 

Compound has contemporary art exhibitions and wellness programs like meditation, breathwork, yoga, and community workshops. 

Kiley gave many tips such as using materials found straight at home such as magazines, stickers, and paint, to create your studio and begin filming at home straight from your phone. 

Especially during the pandemic, these are some of the ways video journalists have done their work during this time. With limited options it’s not impossible to be a video journalist. 

One way for one to be able to accomplish video journalism at home is by downloading the app Stop Motion Studio. You can use this app to make stop motion videos straight from home on your cell phone. It’s a full-featured movie editor. 

The app is very affordable for those wanting to create great quality videos but not over pay for expensive software or apps. 

During the pandemic it has been difficult for some journalists to create content and write stories due to working from home or remotely. 

Using apps like the Stop Motion Studio as well as crafts and materials found at home can help create the videos you need. Whether it’s for a class project or simply for yourself. 

Being a journalist at home is not an impossible task to do. Using items from home and free apps such as Stop Motion Studio can help with the creativity process when filming. It can make it a bit easier for journalists to still be able to create content like before pandemic times.  

College students balance their small business and school

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College students balance their small business and school

We spoke to two college students about balancing a social life, their studies and owning a business. 

Jasmine Griffin, a student at Cal State Long Beach and owner of Bikini G Swimwear said, “I have to schedule time for school and time for my business. One main advantage is that you are your own boss so you get to choose when you want to focus on your business.” 

When you own your own business, it is key to designate which days are dedicated for school work and seperate days for handling business. 

Griffin said, “An advantage to having a small business is that it helps me show my creative side. Also having to be more disciplined as well as having to do everything on my own.” 

When it comes to prioritizing, Griffin puts school first. She dedicates 30 hours a week for school and 10 hours a week for her small business. 

Starting a business is not easy. There will be many obstacles during the process.

For Griffin, time management was a challenge and having to set priorities between school and her business. 

Lara Matias, a student at CSULB and business owner of Pressure.USA said, “Being a college student comes first, so I always hold myself accountable by staying on top of my coursework and checking my dashboard daily.”

Matias said that some assignments can unexpectedly become more difficult than others at times so she tends to work on her assignments all throughout the day, allowing her to focus on her brand later on at night.

“I’ve created connections with different artists and creators that have the same interests and who have supported and inspired me to keep going. I believe that everyone can win, no matter how many other brands are out there,” said Matias. 

In addition, she says that time management is as critical as time is of the essence. At the end of the day she believes that her lifestyle is dedicated to school, her business and her social life. 

School takes up most of her time, although designing and creating new concepts by staying connected to her friends and family are always the base of her inspiration. 

“Everyone’s process is different, and patience is needed to see progress overtime,” said Matias. 

African American singer shares music as a way to bring peace to a resilient life

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African American singer shares music as a way to bring peace to a resilient life

The healing voice of truth Zoom event presented the stories behind songs used for bringing peace during tough times. The event was on April 30 with a focus on peace, love, and music. 

Calvin Earl, an American singer, musician, storyteller and documentary filmmaker was the guest speaker for this event. 

“The strongest emotion we have as human beings is a need to tell our story and sharing those stories is what leads us to heal,” said Earl. 

“Calvin is a U.S. Spokesman of the African American Spirituals as an advocate and activist for African American oral history and spiritual preservation,” said Wendy Coste, a longtime friend of Earl who was the host of the Zoom event. 

Earl discussed songs from legends such as Jackie DeShanno and Johnny Cash, along with the impact they have made on others as well as songs written by himself. 

Earl covered a variety of songs, such as the ones he wrote, called “We’re Gonna Stand Up.” The stories that lead him to write songs are what really brought emotion to his work. He calls songs spirituals. 

One of the stories Earl shared was about how he was born in a sharecropper’s cabin. At the age of three he would walk around the fields where the elders would pick cotton. 

Once the bags of cotton would get half way full, Earl would lay against them until he would doze off on a nice warm day where you could see clouds float by. 

While Earl rested against the cotton, the elders would be singing spirituals. He felt so much love listening to those spirituals that when he was hungry he would hum the spirituals and it made his hunger go away.

“What the World Needs Now is Love,” by Jackie DeShannon is a song that according to Earl, best describes the love that he has for his ancestors, which is why he chose to do a cover of the song during the Zoom event. 

As a kid, his parents had many financial struggles. This motivated him at eight years old to find a job at a garage nearby his home.

He got the job and he eventually was making more money than his brothers and his parents combined.

By the time Earl was 16 years old, he was the youngest transmission specialist in North Carolina history.

“If you have a dream, you have a drive, you can always accomplish it,” said Earl.

Earl hopes that even through hard times, we could all find healing in music. These spirituals are more than just songs, they are ways of guiding us to see the world a little differently.

Local organizations team up to host a school supply giveaway

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Local organizations team up to host a school supply giveaway

Local organizations in Long Beach and Los Angeles are teaming up to host a school supply giveaway in Long Beach on May 15. 

The event will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Martin Luther King Jr. Park on a first come, first serve basis. The organizers will distribute over 50 backpacks full of school supplies, including notebooks, binders, calculators, pens, and more. 

The organizers of the event are Pueblita Tortillas, Long Beach City Resources, and Urban Reset. 

Some sponsors of the event include Level Up Barber Studio, Urban Remedy, Long Beach Transit, and Hydrate LA. 

Amazon Fire tablets will also be distributed to select students who previously sent in an application request to the organizations. Applicants were asked to write about how the tablet would be beneficial to them or their child. 

Along with school supplies, other items provided by community donors and sponsors will be given away, such as organic food, childrens masks, and books. 

Pueblita Tortillas founder Sandy Wall said the giveaway is open to students of all grade levels. 

“Originally, our goal was to get enough money to purchase 10 tablets. Eventually, it ended up becoming a whole school drive,” said Wall. 

The organizers launched the campaign in an effort to help students and parents struggling with online learning and to provide supplies for those in need. 

“I understand how difficult COVID has been, not only on the students, but on parents as well. I know that Long Beach School District and LA Unified as a whole have a lack of resources. We wanted to give an opportunity for students and parents to let them know that we have their back,” said Wall. 

Long Beach Resources founder Chelsie Nicholson said, “Schools, in the beginning, were just not prepared to take on the amount of technological barriers that students were going to have, from not having Wi-Fi at home…to not having a computer accessible. Now with it transitioning back to in person, there’s other supplies they are gonna need as well, on top of technology.” 

Pueblita Tortillas has raised funds for the campaign by selling fresh, handmade packs of tortillas to members of the community. 

Urban Reset and Long Beach City Resources raised funds through selling merchandise, including sweatshirts and T-shirts. 

Many community members have supported the campaign in other ways, such as purchasing supplies on Mission Possible’s Amazon wish list or donating money directly to the organizers. 

For her birthday, Nicholson requested her followers make donations to support Mission Possible. “I turned 30 in April, so I posted, ‘Hey, I wanna get 30 people to donate in any amount.’ “We raised about $300 through that,” said Nicholson.  

Wall said that the three organizations alone raised about $2,000 for Mission Possible. This excludes the additional donations that have been provided by the community. 

The organizers also exceeded their initial goal of purchasing 10 tablets, and will be distributing around 23 during the giveaway event. 

Wall said she appreciates the love and support the community has shown to Mission Possible.

“This turned into something way bigger than I could have ever imagined…it gives me faith in humanity to know that people want to help. It takes a village to run this,” said Wall.

 
To view the school supply giveaway flyer or for additional information, click here.

$800 worth of prizes were awarded at 68th annual Spring Sing event

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$800 worth of prizes were awarded at 68th annual Spring Sing event

Jeremy Lucero and Isacc Resendiz were the $300 winners on April 30 at the 68th Annual Spring Sing talent competition. The Long Beach City College event was filled with singing, poetry, and instrumental performances in front of an audience over Facebook Live.

LBCC’s Activities Director Derek Oriee, kicked off the night with a few remarks regarding the return of the competition.

“After skipping it last year due to COVID, we wanted to bring it back and try to keep the tradition going,” said Oriee. “We’re hoping to get back to our brand-new remodeled auditorium next spring.”

Chair of the Viking Activities Council Veronica Jurado, hosted the event and introduced the five participants which consisted of four musicals and one poetic act.

Lucero was up first and opened with, coincidentally, his vocal rendition of Joseph Vincent’s “Our First Song”. Afterwards, Lucero followed this with a cover of Noel Cabangon’s “Kahit Maputi Na Ang Buhok Ko.”

“Since (May) is Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Month I wanted to sing a song that I grew up listening to,” explained Lucero. “My mother would sing it all the time.” Lucero sang in the Filipino language (tagalog) and streamed an English translation of the lyrics to the audience.  

Resendiz performed second and read aloud three original poems exploring the themes of heartbreak, exploration, and love. 

“To Love You Like I Do,” exposed the disappointment of unrequited love, “Outside My Window,” captured the blissfulness of discovering the outdoors, and, “The Many Shades of Love,” translated the feeling of love into colors.

Resendiz is an English major and claims that his background in writing is what helped him prepare for Spring Sing. “I really enjoy writing lyrics, poetry, and I’m taking a screenwriting class,” said Resendiz.    

Next up was Stephanie Sabol who sang and performed on keyboard, an untitled original song. Her lyrics explored the idea of reflecting upon one’s own life after death and reminiscing about loved ones. 

In her free time, she enjoys writing music and has a YouTube channel where she posts songs as well as videos at her favorite spots in Long Beach.

The fourth contestant was Ashley Flynn, a vocal performance major, who sang an original piece titled “Magnolia.” 

“This song is about a beautiful little bird who was rescued from the jaws of death and carried to freedom,” said Flynn. 

Some of the musical influences she cited included the likes of Tori Amos and Evanescence. “I fill myself with music until it just has to come out of me,” Flynn said.  

The final contestant was Chloe Lesnick who sang and performed on guitar, two original songs. 

The first one, untitled, covered the topics of, “burnout and depression,” said Lesnick. The second song, “Enough About Me,” explored the aspects of personal growth. 

Lesnick’s songs had a quality of sounding very upbeat while including darker lyrics such as, “I’m still trying to figure out how to get through the day/ Without hurting myself and the people around me.”

The winners were determined by a panel of four judges; Student Life Coordinator Telia Roberts, Operations Manager Cheryl Williams, Viking Activities Treasurer Tina Green, and Viking Volunteer Representative Christopher Holt. 

Resendiz was the only entry in the poetry category of the competition and automatically won the $300 first place prize. Flynn won $50 for third place in the music category, Sabol scored second with $150, and Lucero was the overall $300 winner for music.

To re-watch the performances from Spring Sing 2021, a recording can be found on LBCC’s Student Life Facebook page.

Opinion: LBCC faculty should switch to OER to increase accessibility

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Opinion: LBCC faculty should switch to OER to increase accessibility

Textbooks are every college student’s worst nightmare. They are expensive, heavy, and sometimes bought and only referenced once or twice throughout the semester. LBCC has been moving in a different direction by trying to get more and more professors to move to OER and the college should continue to do so.

What is OER? OER stands for Open Education Resources. According to The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) OER is,  “Teaching, learning and research materials in any medium – digital or otherwise – that reside in the public domain or have been released under an open license that permits no-cost access, use, adaptation and redistribution by others with no or limited restrictions.” 

Basically, textbooks or other learning materials that can be accessed online for free. 

According to Kathleen Scott, who is the vice president of academic affairs and an advocate for OER, the goal of bringing OER to campus is to increase the number of faculty to switch from textbooks to OER on a voluntary basis. Which can make it difficult if a professor is attached to the textbook they’ve been using for however many years. 

Allison Murray, who is the OER coordinator at LBCC says that making that switch is also a large investment of time.

“Building a Canvas site for an individual class takes on average 100 hours and that is done outside of our classroom commitment…working in an OER textbook is now adding on hours on top of that 100 hours,” said Murray. 

However, there are incentives and grants faculty can apply for that will help them make that leap. They get paid to write an OER if they cannot find one already in existence they like. 

“If the textbook is something that requires updating, they can apply for another grant and get compensated for any changes that need to be made. The only people losing money because of OER would be mass market publishers, not the writers,” said Scott. 

Another con of OER could be that because it’s online, it might be less accessible to students who don’t have a computer or internet access. And it would be a loss for students who learn better with physical text. 

Luckily, LBCC provides many resources to students who may not have a computer or internet access and makes that possible for them. 

For students who prefer physical textbooks, Scott mentioned you can get an OER printed from the bookstore for a price as low as $25. And in terms of quality, if professors don’t find something they like, they can get compensated for making their own. 

OER has benefits that come in different ways. One of them is accessibility; which was referenced previously as a drawback but it could also be presented as a benefit. Having it be online might make it more accessible than if it was physical. 

They would also come at no cost to students, which is a key component since, according to College Tuition Compare, a database that helps college students compare tuitions from various schools, shows that 66% of LBCC’s students receive some form of financial aid. 

Scott also mentioned moving to an OER means that professors can divide the chapters in different modules on Canvas which would make them user friendly and organized. 

Also, they can use OER to provide more information. “For example, if you’re teaching a higher-level psychology class, the faculty member can also attach a Psych 1 textbook just as a supplement to the course,” said Scott.

Faculty also have the freedom to adopt as many OER texts to their class as they want and if they are writing their own, they can adapt multiple resources into a single text.

In the end, LBCC moving to OER is a positive thing and would make LBCC even more affordable to students. 

Already, OER has saved students 1.4 million dollars in unnecessary textbook fees according to Murray. If more students became advocates for OER by educating themselves on it or even by respectfully asking those faculty who are still using textbooks about considering OER as an option, it would help students save even more money.

Opinion: The city should continue the Open Streets Initiative

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Opinion: The city should continue the Open Streets Initiative

Correction: Title and featured image have been to changed to better describe the story.

Last year during the midst of the pandemic, the Long Beach City government implemented the open streets initiative which aimed to increase social distancing and for businesses to serve folks outside in a limited capacity. It will expire in June without any interference. We should keep these open for the benefit of businesses, and public health. 

The pandemic is about over. The Associated Press reported that half the country has at least received the first dose of the COVID vaccine and the economy is reopening as the tier level continues to update. 

The Long Beach Post reported on a petition, started by local businesses to keep the open streets for longer, citing a series of concerns going forward. 

Some concerns were about another COVID wave and about the cost of tearing down their roadside investments; tables, tents, outdoor heaters and decor.  

Businesses have invested varying degrees in outside setups, some much more than others. The open streets initiative opened access to more foot traffic for these businesses, and maintained social distancing for the rest of us. 

Imagine, if you worked at a place with a dress code. This would be like buying all the right clothes, putting them on before work only to find out the code changed while you were stuck on the highway. 

The petition is coming from the businesses who are facing economic uncertainty from government policy. Many have lost money due to our policies over 2020 such as the lockdown, when most businesses deemed non-essential were forced to close.

Another major point of the open streets were to help with social distancing, to help the public health. 

The walkable area in a city correlates to the health of the city’s inhabitants. According to the American Heart Association and the National Institute of Health, a neighborhood’s walkability correlates to the risk of heart disease and obesity. We should keep these streets open, encourage more walking and encourage better health trends. 

These open streets encouraged walking in a city that has been designed from the ground up to serve vehicles which has led to a generally less healthy population. The main element of this is the walkability, which has been unprioritized since the rise of car culture.

The suburbanization process that took place after World War 2 which made American infrastructure projects prioritize the car. It also was becoming cheaper for the average American to purchase a car. Most people in order to get around needed a car to cover the sprawling suburbs.

The open streets initiative should remain in place and not expire in order to continue to help local business and the public health. This will help the investments businesses made for outdoor set-ups not go to waste and continue to encourage more walkability for the public. 

In-person conditioning makes a return to LBCC

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In-person conditioning makes a return to LBCC

As of April 12, Long Beach City College has permitted the athletic programs to start in-person conditioning for students. But despite this development, all sports competitions have been canceled for Spring 2021. 

The initial announcement of in-person sports instruction came on March 10 and included teams such as baseball, cheer, football and so on. Since then, the college has installed many safety regulations in preparation for the return of students on campus. 

LBCC’s Softball Head Coach, Megan Martinez, described the process of getting her athletes approved to practice in-person as “very thorough.” 

“Our students have to have a bi-weekly COVID test, a health screening everyday and are required to take an online COVID precautionary course,” Martinez said. “They have to wear masks, they don’t share equipment, they remain six feet a part, and are given a wristband once they are cleared for the day.”  

Yet despite the long list of hoops these players must jump through, Martinez calls it “vital” that her team conditions in-person. 

“A lot of it has to do with mental health,” she said. “ It’s really important for (athletes) to be together and to see one another, in order to form that bond.” 

Timothy Fife is a freshman at LBCC and a member of the baseball team. He claims that the first two weeks of on-campus practice consisted of mainly push-ups, body weights, and sprints.

“This week we’ve been cleared to hit in the cages which was kind of surprising because last week we weren’t even allowed to bring a glove,” Fife said. 

But despite the return of in-person conditioning, both softball and baseball will not be having seasons this school year. 

In a unanimous decision made this past February, the presidents of the South Coast Conference Colleges canceled all Spring 2021 athletic competitions.    

For athletes such as Fife, this decision is detrimental to his plans of playing at the university level. 

With no games, it’s difficult to get the attention of recruiters and Fife claims that within the past year he’s seen many of his teammates transfer out of LBCC. 

“Off the top of my head, we lost three pitchers, a catcher and a shortstop to other junior colleges,” he said. “But you have to go where you’re going to get the opportunity to play.” 

In the face of his frustration, Fife is still hopeful for next year. 

“If the school really does allow people to come on campus next year for class, the team is pretty certain that we’re going to get a season,” Fife said. “Orange County has successfully done a season and even so have the high schools.”   

As of right now, LBCC is preparing to allow 40% of Fall semester classes return in-person.

However, as the California State University and University of California systems have announced their plans to require all campus-goers to provide proof of receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, the question remains whether LBCC will do the same. 

If so, this would be another hurdle that not only student athletes, but all students would have to clear in order to return. 

“At least (athletes) get to be on campus,” said Fife. “Because I know a lot of students are still looking from outside.”  

Academic hope for formerly incarcerated individuals

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Corrections: An incorrect photo was originally published with this story.

‘The Behind Bars to College Education event on April 28th consisted of several speakers representing programs that are committed to helping formerly incarcerated individuals gain higher education. Some of these consist of the Justice Scholars Program, the Underground Scholars Program, Rising Scholars Network, and Project rebound.

Karina Rubio, who works with the Justice Scholars program, said this program is “dedicated to helping formerly incarcerated and systems-impacted students at Long Beach City College.”

According to Rubio, the program is committed to providing educational, social and professional tools needed to increase student persistence. They are willing to support students on and off campuses.

Ryan Flaco is a formerly incarcerated student who has been with the Underground Scholars Program since three months before he was released from prison. 

Flaco met a Co-founder, Danny Moleo, who told him at the beginning of his journey that he could go to University of Berkeley, which he was accepted to eventually, but decided to go with a better option.

Javier Rodriguez is the Regional Coordinator of the Rising Scholars Network, and states they are a diverse group of professors, counselors, college administrators. 

“Their network is driven by college professionals committed to supporting students’ access and success in the California community college system”, Rodriguez said.

“We offer transferable degrees, granting courses to more than 12,000 currently incarcerated students, in prisons, jails, and juvenile facilities.” Rodriguez continued, “The Rising Scholars believe that serving incarcerated and formerly incarcerated students is a critical matter of equity and alignment in the vision for success.”

Another formerly incarcerated student, Kenny Johnson, who spent 13 years in prison described his struggles and confusion at the beginning of his college life, he said that when he was starting out, someone at his school told him to get an app from the App Store, to which he replied, “What street is the App Store on?” 

This shows just how challenging it can be for a formerly incarcerated student to succeed in the college setting with things advancing while they were locked away. 

Johnson told participants to not be afraid of asking questions and being specific. Kenny Johnson has attended Coastline Community College, Lassen Community College and is now at Cal-State Los Angeles.

Irene Sotelo, the Program coordinator of Project Rebound, explained how she tries to develop personal relationships with her subjects. 

“I like to call my students individually just to check in on them, I like to let them know that they are part of a family here and to let them know that I am here for them and that I am only a phone call away.” she said

Sotelo wants participants to know that Project Rebound is here to empower incarcerated students and those impacted by the criminal justice systems by advocating for access to higher education. 

“Their goal is to increase graduation rates and continue success beyond the classroom,” she said.

 According to American Progress, individuals who did not complete high school were rearrested at the highest rate, 60.4 percent, while those who had a college degree were rearrested at a rate of 19.1 percent. 

All things considered, some incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals have resources and opportunities to strive for a higher education, thus, a better future.

Dog owners struggle with life going back to normal

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Dog owners struggle with life going back to normal

Though many people are relieved for being able to return to work in-person, some pet owners are worried about leaving their dog home alone. Specifically, individuals who adopted a dog during the pandemic, are concerned about them developing separation anxiety.

“Leaving my house has become so stressful now that I am back to work.” said Laura Hatano, a dog owner. “I feel so guilty leaving my dog at home alone especially since she has never been alone since we adopted her.”

Like so many people during the beginning of the pandemic, Laura Hatano adopted her dog to help her daughter (Julie) cope with suddenly being at home all day. While having a dog has helped her family immensely during these times, with the transition to going back to their regular schedule has them worried.

According to bestfriends.org, 76% of dogs and cats were saved from shelters in California in 2020, which is 1.8% up from 2019.

“When I am not home I worry that she (the dog) is going to cry or bark. I also worry that she will need to use the bathroom or destroy something.” said Hatano.

With so many people starting to ease back to full time work and school, many people are now facing the challenge of getting back into a routine, and having to train their new dog to be able to adjust to being home alone. 

One way that dog owners can combat separation anxiety and other behavioral issues is to go to a dog trainer. 

Karin Chan, the owner and head trainer at The Driven Dog, makes customized training programs for all dogs in any life stage and any behavioral issues. “We focus on teaching clear communication, being fair and realistic with our goals for our dogs, and respecting the dogs for who they are.” said Chan. 

Chan also shared how to combat separation anxiety in dogs. “We recommend new owners crate train their dogs early on. Crate training isn’t just for dogs who are problematic, but also to set boundaries, and teaching your dog that being bored and alone is ok.”said Chan

Crate training may in some ways seem like an ‘imprisonment’ for dogs, but it’s just a way for them to feel calm in a single space.

“Think of your potential schedule after life returns to normal. If you’ll be gone for 6-8 hours a day, then start to teach your dog that being alone and bored for that span of time is normal, and accepted for now.”said Chan.

Chan also shared what not to do when life returns back to normal.

“If you’ll be busy for most of the work week and can only take your dog on adventures on weekends, don’t get your dog in the habit of going to the beach in the middle of the week.” said Chan.

“We (The Driven Dog) do not recommend dog day cares, in general. There are of course few exceptions to every rule, but we find that day cares only offer a band-aid solution to issues like separation anxiety.” said Chan.

Life slowly going back to normal can be a hard transition after over a year of quarantine. However, with the proper dog training and steadily getting back into a routine can make the transition for you and your dog go easygoing. 

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