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LBCC workshop offers break from election stress

Isabel Murty
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LBCC workshop offers break from election stress

LBCC students decorated miniature pumpkins and colored pictures of flowers as part of an election therapy workshop held inside the Student Union section of the B Building on Wednesday.

The workshop allowed students to process their emotions following the results of the 2024 presidential election

“Coloring helps because it takes your mind off of things. I think it will help out students especially on the psychological basis and especially how hard the student may have taken the elections,” LBCC student Sergio Atanacio, said.

The workshop provided students with stress balls and snacks like cupcakes, donut holes, and granola bars.

LBCC student Jennifer Cortez shared her thoughts about Donald Trump being elected for a second term at the meeting. 

“I was a bit distraught because Trump has been impeached. He’s been caught doing stuff, lying, and you can’t put feelings over facts and he seems really emotional. When you’re a politician you can’t be emotional, you need to think with this (points to head) not your heart,” Cortez said. 

The students who attended the workshop did not know the school would be hosting one until staff members announced that the event was starting.

“I didn’t even know they were going to have one, but it seems nice. Everyone is on edge because it’s the election, it’s really stressful, some people were going bonkers, it’s nice to have these things to kind of distract,” Cortez said.

The stress and anxiety following the election was a new feeling for LBCC student AJ Cryer, as this was the first election he was able to participate in. 

“It’s my first time being able to vote. I’ve always been an unbiased watcher, and I guess now I was an unbiased participant. I knew the possibilities of what could happen if Trump won, but I always thought of it as we don’t really know what’s going to happen in the end,”  Cryer said.

Another student, Parker Ellertson, was particularly stressed after the results of the election were announced.  

“I myself identify as bisexual. I have been with a boyfriend for eight years, but it is hard to keep the mentality. With Trump being elected, it is going to affect people with my identities,” Ellertson said. 

Other workshops to help students deal with election stress will be available for students to attend on Nov. 13 and 14 from 3 to 5 p.m.

Emotions high at election watch parties in Downtown Long Beach

Destiny Garcia
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Emotions high at election watch parties in Downtown Long Beach


LA’s GOP and Long Beach Area Republicans hosted an election night watch party at Roscoe’s Chicken and Waffles in Downtown Long Beach on Tuesday.

Only a few minutes away, the Long Beach Young Democrats (LBYD) hosted a similar event inside the historic Hamburger Mary’s.

The electricity in the air could be felt in the audience at Roscoe’s as more states tallied their votes and results were announced.

People got out of their seats and cheered in front of the television broadcasting NBC news’ coverage of the election as more and more electoral votes went to Trump.

Meanwhile at Hamburger Mary’s, the energy started out relaxed, but as more and more state races were called, the downshift in people’s attitudes became apparent.

Long Beach Young Democrats’ Executive Vice President Aliah Reza Khan expressed her disappointment at the foreseen outcome, but said she was unsurprised by the close call races in battleground states.

“Even for me, filling in that bubble was a little difficult,” Khan said. 

Khan added that she felt the close call races were due to the Harris campaign’s lack of outreach for Muslim voters and people concerned with the conflict in Gaza.

“Harris ignored muslim voters and ignored Gaza, which I think is going to contribute to the close calls,” Khan said. “It’s hard when (Harris is) telling me to go f-ck myself.” 

Many of those at the Roscoe’s watch party were there to network with other republicans in the area, including the mayor of Rancho Palos Verde, John Cruikshank. 

Cruikshank ran for the 2024 LA County Board of Supervisors in early 2024, but lost to the incumbent candidate for his district, Janice Hahn.

“I have to stay relevant,” Cruikshank said.

Cruikshank plans to run again in 2028 when Hahn’s seat goes up for reelection.

As the night went on and more and more results were announced, it became more likely that the Republican party would take the majority in both the House of Representatives and the Senate.

More and more people trickled into Hamburger Mary’s as the evening went on, but the energy remained melancholy, with people staying in their seats and nursing their drinks despite the upbeat music in the bar.

President of LBYD, Dorian Bonner, wanted to make it clear that even if the national elections did not look good for the Democratic Party, there were still local elections and measures to remain hopeful for.

“The work doesn’t stop tomorrow,” Bonner said. 

3-D printed costume wins contest at LBCC Halloween party

Samantha Navarro
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3-D printed costume wins contest at LBCC Halloween party

Long Beach City College hosted a Halloween Carnival filled with free food, a DJ set and a costume contest for students and staff on Oct. 31 at LAC.

Students and faculty came in a variety of whimsical and spooky costumes and others were part of  an ensemble costume. 

The costume contest gave the opportunity for students to show off their costumes whether it be a store bought or homemade. 

The first place winner of the contest, Ethan Reyes, was dressed as an Advanced Recon Force Trooper from the Star Wars franchise, and made his costumes with paint, glue, cardboard and a 3D printer.

Ethan Reyes wears a storm trooper costume from the Star Wars film franchise which he pieced together with the use of a 3D printer. Reyes won the student costume contest for his outfit. (Nick Eismann)

“(The process) took a lot of work and time, I hand painted everything myself and glued everything together,” Reyes said. 

His first place prize was a Barnes and Noble gift card and Reyes said he had fun being a part of the event. 

The second place costume winner was a student dressed as La Catrina, a popular symbol in Mexican and Latin American culture that is associated with Dia de Los Muertos.

The third place costume winner was a student dressed up as pro-wrestler Randy Savage. 

Although some participants worked hard to create their costumes, others opted to throw together a last minute outfit with pieces they already had.  

LBCC student, Joe Capcha was dressed as Eric Cartman from the show South Park.

“I already had the hoodie and the beanie so it was an easy costume to put together,” Capcha said.  

Catherine Murr who is an employee at LBCC threw on a hat as her costume of a member of the American new wave band Devo. 

Winners of the student group costume were dressed as plague doctors and winners of the faculty group costume were dressed as different loteria cards. 

Student Hunter Dunlavey was dressed as fighter pilot Maverick from Top Gun.

“Events like these really help the school come together as a community, it’s like a family,” Dunlavey said.

Mike Munoz also participated in the event and was dressed as Obi Wan from the Star Wars films and even brought his childhood toy Ewok. 

His costume was part of a group costume along with other faculty members who were also dressed up as Star Wars characters. 

LBCC dedicates a lively celebration for Dia De Los Muertos

Samantha Navarro
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LBCC dedicates a lively celebration for Dia De Los Muertos

LBCC’s annual Dia de los Muertos celebration was filled with food, activities, live music and performances on Saturday at LAC’s P Building courtyard.

Dia de los Muertos, Day of the Dead, is a Mexican holiday that honors deceased loved ones and celebrates the cycle of life.

In the courtyard, people were able to make ofrendas, altars, for their friends and family members who have passed, many of which were decorated with flowers, candles, pictures and any memorabilia dedicated to those deceased. 

A symbolic body surrounded by flowers, candles, and incense at LBCC’s Día de los Muertos celebration. (Alex Toledo)

Director of Student Equity Eric Becerra shared that cultural heritage planning and events falls under the portfolio of Student Equity so they put this event on with the help of the Latino student club on campus, Siembra, along with the Social Justice Intercultural Center.

“Dia de los Muertos honors those loved ones who have crossed over and is about remembrance because as long as they’re being remembered, they’re technically still alive and still with us,” Becerra said.

LBCC offers programs and opportunities for anyone who is interested, so Becerra was very pleased by not only the student and faculty turnout of the event, but the Long Beach community that attended to celebrate Dia de los Muertos.  

Dean of Student Equity, Sonia De La Torre shared that her and her team’s goal in cultural and heritage programming is a part of their campus efforts to promote a welcoming and inclusive community for all of LBCC’s students.

“This event is very personal for me because I am Latina and this is an important part of my own lived experience and the ways in which we honor our ancestors,” De La Torre said. “What I love is that this is an opportunity for us to really share our traditions and invite people in to experience it as well.”

Member of the Latino student club Siembra, Miguel Zavala, shared that this event is led by the  support of faculty and community members, specifically the Indigenous group of people from Mexico, the Zapotec community, that helped provide all the music and performers.

“LBCC is over 50% Latinx identifying campus and Dia de los Muertos is a tradition that happens all throughout the Americas, so this is an opportunity for students to see the roots of their cultures and connect with their cultures on campus,” Zavala said.

Zavala hopes to continue facilitating events like and make them more visible on campus, by having more intentional cultural events. 

This is the third year of the Dia De Los Muertos event in this form and many LBCC community members plan to continue it yearly.

Women’s soccer defeats Compton College 5-1

Kameron Hendricks
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Women’s soccer defeats Compton College 5-1

The Vikings honored their Sophomore players at their home game against Compton College and made them proud by dominating the Tartars with a 5-1 victory on Oct. 29.

The Vikings scored their first two goals in the first period by midfielders Sydney Trump and Laura Vasquez, with Compton College scoring one quickly after the second goal.

The Vikings finished the game strong with the last three goals earned in the second period by forward Lorena Moreno and midfielders Vasquez and Bryanna Duarte for the final goal of the last half.

Goalkeeper Jackie Garibay felt that the game started off pretty slow but that the team really picked it up in the second half. 

Garibay also acknowledged that there were areas she needed to improve on for future games.

“I’m going to goalie train the stuff that I feel that I lack in. Just giving up that goal that we did, I know I need to work on that, so that’s something I’m going to improve on,” Garibay said.

Garibay said she is grateful for her team and the chemistry they have on and off the field that makes it feel like a second family.

Assistant Coach Rachel Schmid was pleased that the opposing team rarely came into the Vikings’ half of the field and that the girls played a good game.

“We possessed the ball pretty well throughout the game, controlled the tempo, we had a difficult time breaking them down in the final third, and getting that final product, but I think in the second half we were pretty patient and we found our opportunities,” Schmid said.

Schmid shared that there were a few missed opportunities and she believed the girls would have scored a few more goals, but overall they played very well. 

“I think moving forward we’re going to improve the timing and relationships between each of the players because it’s there and the ideas are there, just making sure that we’re linking up and on the same page,” Schmid said. 

Schmid is glad that team is very close because she knows that a championship-winning team has good chemistry on and off the field.

Defender Abbie Campos believed that the team could’ve played a little better, as they came into the game a little cocky and it got the best of them, but they really picked it up in the second half.

“I think we need to come to the game more prepared and not as in our own heads, so that we can play our game to the best of our ability,” Campos said.

The Vikings hold a 10-2-4 overall score this season and plan to keep playing to the best of their ability so they can go as far as they possibly can.

Vikings win Homecoming game 42-17 against Orange Coast

Kameron Hendricks
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Vikings win Homecoming game 42-17 against Orange Coast

The Vikings extended their winning streak to five games as they won the homecoming game against conference team Orange Coast 42-17 on Saturday.

“It’s the first win at the house, so it’s a really big accomplishment for the team,” linebacker Jalen Johnson said. 

The Vikings started the game with a 91-yard kickoff return to score a touchdown by wide Receiver Troy TW Crozier. 

The defense for the Vikings shut out Orange Coast in the first quarter and third quarter. 

However, Orange Coast scored a field goal and two touchdowns in the second and fourth quarters.

Wide Reciever Matthew Berenji catches a pass while an opposing player tries to tackle him. The Vikings defeated Orange Coast College 42-17 on Oct. 26, 2024. (Brianna Apodaca)

“There were a lot of things we needed to clean up, we got some monster games coming up in the next few weeks and overall we played well,” head coach Brett Peabody said.

Before the game, the Vikings held a tailgate with games and booths in the parking lot, and Superintendent President Dr. Mike Munoz did the coin toss to start the game. 

During halftime, kids were allowed to go on the field and do challenges like kicking a field goal, learning to tackle, and a hula hoop contest. 

The Vikings are currently 5-2 overall and 4-0 in the conference with a five-game winning streak.

“This is not just like not regular junior college, this is really like a family, our defensive line group is a family, this is a brotherhood forever,” defensive line Cordell Shields said.

The next game is against conference team Golden West on Nov. 2 at 6 p.m.

“We will do our usual thing. We come out here and work hard Monday through Thursday. We will work on cleaning some things up in the red zone offensively, this coming week when we play Golden West we have to do a much better Job at containing the quarterback,” Peabody said.

Men’s Soccer Victoriously Defeated Compton College 2-0

Brianna Apodaca
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Men’s Soccer Victoriously Defeated Compton College 2-0

The Vikings put up a tough fight against Compton College, ending with a 2-0 victory in a very close game.

After a back and forth battle between the two teams, Vikings’ midfielder Hector Tellez was able to score a goal with two minutes left in the first period, and their second goal was accomplished the same way by forward Jose Mariscal in the second period.

Goalkeeper Abraham Ramirez was proud of himself and his team for taking the win, but still believes that they could’ve played a better game. 

“It takes a team to win, so if we continue building relationships on and off the field we’ll be great,” Ramirez said.

Ramirez shared that the team has had some past games where they struggled but they’re working hard and improving every day to have a successful rest of their season.

Many players were injuredthroughout the season, so Head Assistant Coach Cameron Beaulac’s main goal is to get everyone healthy and prepared for when they start playoffs.

Beaulac shared that the team had better possession of the ball and created more opportunities to score against Compton compared to other games they’ve played.

“We need to make sure we play to our top ability and not worry about our opponent,” Beaulac said.

Beaulac is confident the team will continue to have a good season because they’re currently tied for the lead in the state with wins, have been undefeated at home and went undefeated through their preseason and league season.

“If our players can buy in and understand what we want from them and do their roles to the best of their ability, we’ll be very successful,” Beaulac said.

Forward Jose Mariscal shared that overall the team gave it all they could and they had a lot of chances to score, that he admitted he missed a lot of, but he’s proud that in the end the team came up on top.

“Not every game you get as many chances as today, so you know just finishing my chances whether I get one chance or ten chances, I got to be ready to come through for my team,” Mariscal said.

Mariscal plans to continue playing his best for the rest of the season so he can transfer over to a D1 program. 

The Vikings have had a great season so far, only taking three losses, so if they keep up the hard work on and off the field, they could win big.

Opinion: The Importance of an Informed Voter

Sam Villa
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Opinion: The Importance of an Informed Voter

Students and people in general, need to question people of authority, not a simple challenge, but an informed and rigorous examination of authority figures such as Congressmen, Senators, and the President. 

But why should candidates care about the student’s vote? Specifically, why would a candidate care about a college student’s vote? 

Students of LBCC make up a demographic that candidates seek. 

A large population of Latino students under 30 who are on their journey to higher education.

Students who plan on voting shouldn’t be so quick to go casting their ballot.

Tuft’s polling has shown that despite a steady growth since 2014, voters under 30 are an untapped reservoir that needs mobilizing. 

Younger millennials and Gen-Z are more likely to be disillusioned with the democratic process than most voters, but why is that?

Recent world events might have also shaped the loss of confidence in American Democracy. 

A global pandemic, war in Ukraine, war in Gaza, and a questionable extraction of U.S. military from Afghanistan after almost two decades of warfare. 

To many Americans it seems like the U.S. government is fighting too much internationally without addressing their own concerns.

If the government can funnel massive amounts of capital into aiding their overseas allies then why can’t it ensure a better quality of life for its citizens?

Populist figures like former president Donald Trump attracted a young voter base, in particular young white men who sought answers in a world that was rapidly changing. 

Biden during his presidential campaign promised a “return to normalcy” which appealed to voters worried about living under another term of Trump. 

However this time around Biden as a candidate was met with very little enthusiasm from Democrats and even was met with calls to step aside after his first term.

Once Kamala had taken over the presidential race for the Democrats she saw a surge of popular support among young people. 

A fire trail of media campaigns with the advent of “Brat” summer and celebrity endorsement. 

Most notably Taylor Swift and Beyonce who endorsed Harris and Walz following the presidential debates. 

The presidential race has become the ultimate symbol of American media, celebrity endorsements, flashy headlines, and bright smiles.

Ignoring the glitz and glamor of politics, government officials have policies that have tangible effects on people that are not so glamorous.

Californians should know that the state lives under the legacy of Reagan. Upon his re-election as Governor, Reagan cut funding of public universities by 20% and continued to defund education across the board into his presidency.

Reagan was another one of those former actors in politics who appealed to many on the sole basis of his charisma but not his actual policy. 

Voting can be effective, democracy can work, but it needs motivated eligible voters. 

Everyone can take time out of their day to become a little bit more informed as a voter by researching specific ballots and the people supporting the ballot to see if it aligns with their values. 

Online resources such as CA.gov and House.gov can help voters contact a representative of their district or state. 

People that might be nervous to call their representative shouldn’t be, it’s a part of their job and if they represent the people they need to hear the people. 

If a representative ignores the people they represent, then more people should make a mass effort to get their attention. 

Whether that is in the form of a peaceful protest outside of their office or flooding their contact channels. 

But it’s the precious resource of time, to travel and in organizing a movement within the L.A. area owing to its size that remains an obstacle.

But people still find time to protest and strike, a necessary part of Democracy the working class participates in. 

California law guarantees that workers can receive paid time off to vote in an election.

Voting and protesting makes a difference in that it’s making your voice heard, especially if policies are hurting one’s own community.

2020 had the biggest voter turnout in over a century, many with a demand of a “return to normalcy.” 

The people were motivated, change would happen.

 The election came but the “normalcy” never came back, instead politics stayed more or less the same with a dash of political violence and global conflicts.

“Normalcy” will never return, if there ever was one, but what voters can do is be an informed citizen. 

Student voters can be a part of that informed citizenry but more importantly, go on to shape not a “return to normalcy” but a better future.

Culinary arts students host a bake sale for Dia de Los Muertos 

Samantha Navarro
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Culinary arts students host a bake sale for Dia de Los Muertos 

Freshly baked empanadas, pan dulce and homemade refreshments were among the goods sold by LBCC culinary arts students at their Dia de Los Muertos bake sale held at LAC on Thursday.

The bake sale took place between the T and V buildings, a placement which was intentional according to those who were organizing and running the event. 

“We wanted to be in a spot where we would get good foot traffic,’” Julio Maya, a culinary arts student who helped organize the event said. 

“We wanted to be positioned between classes and student’s cars so they can see us as they leave,” said Maya.

Their strategy worked, the fundraiser had a steady stream of people coming to support and purchase baked goods from them. 

Alongside Maya, Jaime Pich, another culinary arts student, spent a great deal of time preparing for the event.

LBCC student, Emmy Edwards, right, makes a purchase with her phone alongside her friend Joe Norvell (center) at the culinary arts bake sale fundraiser. Norvell bought an empanada as well from LBCC culinary arts student, Julio Maya (left). (Tenoa Stewart)

The two wanted to make sure all the food was prepared as fresh as possible, spending the week leading up to the event solely on food prep. 

“Preparation is what takes the longest,” Pich said. “There’s a lot that goes into measuring and getting ingredients ready, the night before we proofed the bread and made sure to bake everything the day of.”

Proofing is a baking process in which yeast has time to ferment allowing dough to rise before baking. 

Among those who stumbled upon the bake sale was Kimberly Marquez who noticed the event being set up on her way to class and decided to stop by and purchase some food before leaving campus.

“It’s nice to see different clubs being involved with food and culture,” Marquez said. “There’s no need to travel to places to experience cultures, it’s brought here.” 

Lordes Roa, also a culinary arts student purchased baked goods from the sale with the intention of placing them on an altar for her deceased family members for Dia de Los Muertos.

“I heard about the fundraiser over social media and wanted to make a point to stop by and show some support,” Roa said.

While the event was themed toward Dia de Los Muertos and not Halloween, organizers still chose to host it on Thursday, one day before Dia de Los Muertos would be officially celebrated, due to the lack of foot traffic on campus on Fridays.

The event was held by A Taste of LBCC, a club which is attended by a majority of culinary arts students but is open to all students. 

The club hosts cooking meetings where students can come and cook foods from different cultures, they also help students update resumes and host social events. 

“We try to make sure everyone knows they’re invited. Anyone who is interested in cooking is more than welcome to stop by,” Maya said.

LBCC women’s water polo wipes out Cerritos

Heaven Herrera
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LBCC women’s water polo wipes out Cerritos

Attacker Madalyn Barley scored 7 goals to lead the Vikings in their 21-3 victory against the visiting Cerritos College team in a conference match on Oct. 23.

At the beginning of the first period, LBCC made it clear that they would be the aggressors in this match.

LBCC’s attacker Avery White opened the scoring at the six-minute mark, followed closely by attacker Leilani Sanchez at five minutes.

Center Wendy Garcia came in two minutes later, pushing the score to 4-0 just before the end of the first period.

The dominance continued as attacker Ahmaja Rodgers added another score to the board just before the buzzer at the end of the first period leaving Cerritos scrambling for answers.

 As the second period unfolded, the scoring from LBCC was relentless.

LBCC showcased a strong performance, with utility player Lola Annear highlighting their strategic plays.

 “We took advantage of the goals that were open as well as working well together,” Annear said, reflecting on their offensive strategy. 

LBCC center Jovana Bogosavljevic and Barley each found the net, while attacker Leilani Sanchez added another score to their total. 

Cerritos managed a brief comeback when attacker Fiona Glynn scored off a pass from attacker Citlali Antonio with three minutes on the clock.

LBCC responded quickly, with Bogosavljevic and Barley both netting additional goals to close the half at 10-1. 

The momentum shifted slightly in the third period when Cerritos attacker Jocelyn Contreras found the back of the net early in the third period.

The scoring continued to flow for LBCC as they capitalized on opportunities, ending the third period with 17 goals.

However, there were areas for improvement.

“We need to work on communication inside of the pool,” center Wendy Garcia said.

LBCC quickly regained control when Barley scored again with assists from both attackers Sanchez and White.

As the fourth period began, LBCC showed no signs of slowing down. 

Head Coach Chris Odeing didn’t stay away from addressing challenges either.

“We need to work on our dedication to defense as well as awareness,” Odeing said.

LBCC added four more goals from Barley, Bogosavljevic and Jasmine Lopez in the final period to seal their dominating victory.

LBCC Women’s water polo now maintains a record of 29-2.

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