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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.

LBS Financial fixes broken ATM at LAC 

Destiny Garcia
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LBS Financial fixes broken ATM at LAC 

LBS Financial Credit Union fixed a broken ATM near the Cafe Pavillion on the Liberal Arts Campus, giving student and staff access to faster, easier and cheaper banking solutions. 

The ATM next to the Cafe Pavillion was down for about two weeks making it very inconvenient for students who have to do transactions, giving them only off campus options.

Now that it’s up and running students and staff can make cash withdrawals and deposits on campus again.

Although it was out of service for two weeks it was repaired and had over 100 transactions from August to September according to Heather Summers, senior vice president of marketing for LBS Financial.

“It was a little rocky at first in July, but transactions just kept growing and the down-time wasn’t that long,” Summers said.

When an ATM Machine is down it sends a message to the vendor who usually hires a tech to  fix it remotely.

If the vendor still can’t tackle the problem they will send out a technician in the field to resolve the issue and an armed security guard has to be dispatched just in case of dangers in a high risk area.

“The job can get dangerous, people make threats, I watch his back while he gets his job done making sure no one touches him or gets too close, I make sure he has his space,” Ron Solis, a privately contracted armed security guard for LBS Financial said.

ATMs usually get repaired during business hours, so people sometimes try to use the machine as the techs do their troubleshooting.

“People get angry when we’re fixing the teller machine and they make threats -I’ve heard it all from they’ll take the money from us by robbing us to ‘I will F***k you guys up,’” Solis said.

Paying attention to your surroundings is an important part of the job for ATM repair so having an armed guard is necessary.

LBS Financial works with Diebold Nixdorf, a company that specializes in the distribution, operation and repairs of financial systems like ATMs, self-service checkouts and other digital transaction apparatus’ to fix issues like broken ATMs out in the field.

“Most ATM’s break down due to other end users putting tape, rubberbands or simply not removing items before they stick their money in the machine which makes up most of our calls,”  Brandon Neri, field technician for Diebold NixDorf said.

LBS financial tables at events here on campus, setting up booths to inform students who want to open accounts with them or apply for student loans with just the scan of a QR code.

LBS Financial offers free banking transactions for members of any credit union and only charges a dollar fee for members of other bank branches.

“We offer students their first five dollars to put into their ledger when they open an account with us and we waive fees just to get you started,” Summers said.

LBS Financial memberships are catered toward but not limited to members of Long Beach Unified school district such as students and staff members, including professors and teachers.

“LBS is deeply-rooted to Long Beach going as far back as 1935, operating out of homes and classrooms at Wilson high school” Summers said.

Employees from Long Beach Unified School District and Long Beach City College applied for a credit union charter to serve Long Beach School employees and other local businesses so they would be able to have affordable financial options.

“LBS Financial also makes a big impact in the community, offering scholarship programs as well as encouraging its members to make smart financial decisions and offering rewards like Universal Studios Hollywood tickets for doing so,” Summers said.

College students who open a LBS Financial college student checking account have the option receive a debit card that comes with LBCC’s or CSULB’s logo on it, or simply choose the standard blue LBS debit card.

“We want to make students and our customers feel like they belong in the city,” Summers said.

Vikings wipe out rival Cerritos 17-8

Brianna Apodaca
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Vikings wipe out rival Cerritos 17-8

LBCC men’s water polo triumphed over Cerritos with a final score of 17-8 on Oct. 23rd.

The first period kicked off with Cerritos taking an early lead as attacker Tim Robles found the back of the net at seven minutes.

However, Long Beach quickly responded, with attackers Cooper Haddad and Aidan Sepulveda scoring to tie the game. 

Head Coach Djoko Radunovic emphasized the need for his players to display greater maturity during gameplay.

“The boys should work on showing more maturity during the games,” Radunovic said.

The back-and-forth continued as attacker Jacob Colon’s goal gave Cerritos the lead again, but LBCC’s attacker Elijah Molina struck just minutes later, shifting momentum.

As the first period slowed, LBCC took control with goals from center Andrija Stankovic and attacker Sandro Pueyo, ending the first period with a narrow lead at 6-5.

LBCC’s lead continued into the second period, where they showcased their offensive skills.

Defensive player Maxwell Earhart and attacker Cooper Haddad scored early in the second period.

Elijah Mlina making a pass attempt to another teammate during the first period of the game. Vikings took the at home win against Cerritos 17-8 on October 23 2024. (Brianna Apodaca)

“Around the third quarter, there was a turning point, and towards the end of the third, we started to pick it up. I think we should have been more focused,” Ochoa said

Attacker Sandro Pueyo unleashed a flurry of 5 goals, pushing LBCC’s lead to 11-5 by halftime.

During the third period, Cerritos made an effort to come back, with Christian Acosta and attacker Jacob Colon scoring crucial goals.

Center Michael Trujillo’s response for LBCC kept them ahead, leaving the score at 13-7 heading into the final period.

The fourth quarter saw Cerritos score again, but the relentless LBCC offense refused to slow down.

Attackers Elijah Molina and Sandro Pueyo extended the lead, with teammate Louis Hackett finishing things off to seal the victory. 

Defensive player Maxwell Earheart also offered a perspective, acknowledging that while the team secured the win, there remains “definitely room for improvement.”

LBCC Men’s water polo now maintains a record of 18-6 after losing their final game before the South Coast Conference Championship that starts on Friday.

2024 props that could impact college students the most

Ryenne Jolliff
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2024 props that could impact college students the most

With the 2024 general election right around the corner, it is important for LBCC students to understand which propositions on the ballot could affect them the most. 

Propositions allow citizens to directly vote on changes to their state’s constitution by passing or repealing different laws. 

Dr. Jerome Hunt, one of LBCC’s political science professors, stressed the importance of voting for everything on the ballot, not just the presidential election. 

“Students should be concerned about the entirety of the ballot because their input is needed and necessary for a healthy democracy that addresses the needs of all the people, not just a select few,” Hunt said. 

Voting on propositions is an efficient way for citizens to make their voices heard, according to Hunt. 

“It is an opportunity to ensure that the government does exactly what you, and the majority of the voters, would like it to do without having to go through your elected representatives, thus ensuring the change or changes you want to see happen quicker than usual,” Hunt said. 

Proposition 2, if passed, would issue $10 billion in bonds to fund improvements to educational facilities, with $1.5 billion directed towards community colleges. 

The money would be used for building renovations, updating classrooms, and ensuring all health and safety measures are met, which would benefit both students and instructors.

“(Prop 2) requires students to have access to facilities that allow instructors to ensure they are equipping students with the proper all-around skills necessary to thrive in today’s economy and society,” Hunt said. 

Hunt says that these renovations are necessary in an ever-changing educational environment. 

“The passage of Prop 2 would have a profound impact on the students by ensuring that our facilities are not only up-to-date, but top tier,” Hunt said. “I don’t think people realize how many fields have advanced and changed, not only because our society has evolved, but also because of technology.” 

Because many college students work while going to school, Proposition 32 is another measure to pay attention to. 

This prop would raise the minimum wage in California to $18 an hour by Jan. 2026 if passed. 

“Workers need more money to get by,” Angelo Greco, a spokesperson for the California Working Families Party, one of the largest supporters of Prop 32, said.

Passing Prop 32 would affect students of all ages, not just those coming from high school.

“There’s a long-standing myth that minimum wage workers are young people. Many of them are heads of households in their 40’s and 50’s,” Greco said.

According to Greco, raising the minimum wage will allow full time workers to make an extra $3,000 per year, which can help make college more accessible.  

“College is expensive, and so are all of the things that people need to attend college beyond tuition, such as textbooks, housing and transportation. Especially with the cost of living crisis,” Greco said. “It’s one piece of the puzzle that can help chip away at this crisis.” 

Proposition 3 would ensure the right to marry is considered a fundamental right in the California state constitution. 

If passed, Prop 3 would also repeal Proposition 8, passed in 2008, which defines marriage as being between one man and one woman. 

“The passage of Prop 3 would ensure the right for same-sex couples not to have their marital status snatched away due to a court decision,” said Hunt. “While the courts may have legalized same-sex marriage across this country, it needs to be codified in law.”

Hunt also explained that passing Prop 3 could lead to more legal protections for members of the LGBTQ+ community in the future. 

“Once marriage is solidified, more attention can be given to measures to ensure that the community is protected in other areas of life, such as employment and healthcare,” Hunt said. 

While some students might not see the value in voting on Props, others understand the impact they have on the community. 

“I’ve paid attention to Props when I’ve voted in the past, especially ones having to do with marriage equality and erasing unnecessarily long drug charges. I always vote with a web browser near me so I can look up the Props,” Daniel Gamboa, an LBCC alumnus who dropped off his ballot at the on-campus voting center, said.  

Gamboa said that voting on Propositions is just as important as voting in the presidential election. 

“It’s important to know the stances of other elected officials because whether you vote Democratic or Republican, officials from your party might not see eye to eye. It’s important to exercise your right to vote and freedom of speech to vote for or against your elected officials. There’s no shame in that,” Gamboa said. 

Students can cast their votes for the 2024 election up until Tuesday. 

T.E.A.M Plans for Enrichment Trip

Kiomi Valdez
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T.E.A.M Plans for Enrichment Trip

T.E.A.M, The Environmental Action Movement, hosted a meet and greet, filled with pizza and board games recently with the intent to boost membership.

Membership offers students a space to collaborate with other environmental advocates.

The club started with a brief 30 minute meeting to discuss their goals of obtaining their auxiliary grant and securing their Krispy Kreme fundraiser. 

The auxiliary is a grant provided to college clubs to fund activities that cannot be raised through means such as fundraising.

In T.E.A.M’s case they applied to fund an enrichment trip to Eugene, Oregon for the PIEC, Public Interest Environmental Conference, which will take place in March. 

PIEC brings together environmental lawyers, community members, and activists to collaborate and discuss current environmental issues.

This year’s conference will discuss the challenges environmentalists have to overcome in their advocacy as well as celebrating diverse voices in the community. 

T.E.A.M had determined that if the funding is granted they will only be able to take 10 members, of which they need to ensure they are dedicated to make the trip with the club. 

When discussing concerns on who to grant permission to, Communications Officer Kennedy Tiodores suggested that they open the opportunity to members that frequently participate in meetings and events. 

(Listed from right to left) Club president Alecia Jensen, advisor Desiree Montenegro, and club secretary Lauren Fox meet and discuss their previous meeting before starting the meet and greet event. T.E.A.M. club advisors and members discussed plans of possible trips and seminars the club can participate in. This event took place on Oct. 21, 2024. (Nick Eismann)

Alecia Jenson, T.E.A.M President, is in charge of securing the auxiliary grant for the club and wants to address concerns over who gets to go on the trip.

“The most equitable way, I think, is first come first serve. I’ve seen that done a lot in other groups but like Kennedy (Tiodores) was saying there’s something to be said for people who are here showing up and doing the work. Shouldn’t they be able to go to the enrichment? Shouldn’t they have first pick? So I definitely want to take those concerns into consideration,” Jensen said. 

There were also concerns about the traveling from the hotel to the venue, Secretary Lauren Fox discussed how they would solve that problem. 

“Well when we talked to our president, we were thinking about making it a walking distance so we wouldn’t have to take Ubers and spend our money. We would be able to walk back and forth without much of an issue like how our campus is,” Fox said. 

Overall, with all the planning of the enrichment trip, they had also discussed their upcoming Krispy Kreme fundraiser.

T.E.A.M had recently signed for the fundraiser and are still hammering out final details such as time and location.

There was a minor issue on their social media outreach in regards to obtaining their facebook information which they have been locked out of for some time now. 

Tiodores wants to ensure that there would not be a repeat of this situation with their facebook and ensure that future T.E.A.M members will have full access to their social media.

“We want to use multiple platforms to promote our stuff because some people might not have Instagram or might not have Facebook,” Tiodores said.

T.E.A.M holds meetings every other week with time and place to be announced on their Viking Engagement page.

Luivette Resto uses her poetry to connect with students and staff

Samantha Navarro
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Luivette Resto uses her poetry to connect with students and staff

Luivette Resto’s vulnerability in her poetry was not only memorable, but it also connected to many students and staff as she shared topics of love, motherhood, the climate crisis, women’s rights, and aspects of her childhood that have shaped who she is today. 

The LBCC English Department hosted a poetry event on Wednesday Oct. 23 and the room was filled with attendees of all ages, each taking in Resto’s poetry in different ways. 

“I enjoyed her poetry and outlook on life and stance for women and women’s rights. I came for extra credit, but after reading and hearing her story, it was really inspiring, and I ended up purchasing her book,” LBCC student Gregory Thomas said. 

Luivette Resto’s collection, “Living On Islands Not Found” sat on sale next to the entrance of the room during the reading for atendees. (Sam Villa)

Resto took the time to interact with attendees, oftentimes pausing and making sure Thomas got the right page for a specific poem she would be reading for the class, ultimately getting the entire room laughing and intrigued to continue listening. 

Not only did Resto read her poetry, but she shared them with genuine expressions that helped bring her words to life. 

She also gave context to her poems and what exactly sparked each one, one of which was even inspired by Ricky Martin’s 1999 performance at the Grammys. 

“Thank you Ricky Martin,” Resto said as she gave his performance credit for making her culture as a Puerto Rican not only mainstream in American society, but appreciated. 

Resto elaborated how although it may seem overexaggerated, she truly believes that Martin helped create a wave of change in the entertainment industry, such as the Latin Grammy’s becoming its own night instead of a category, and shifted how her culture was seen in society. 

However, she also spoke on some struggles that come from being an individual who seems to share various cultures after growing up in both Puerto Rico and the Bronx. 

“I am proudly bilingual like many of my students, but I struggle and I know I’m not as good as my grandmother, my tia, or my mom,” Resto said. 

Resto describes this feeling as “vacillating between two worlds.” 

The frustration and passion in her writing was easily transmitted throughout her reading, especially during a poem that discusses how exasperating it is to hear that her true self is seen as “unprofessional,” especially in work-related situations. 

“Big earrings, red lipstick, this is what I do, and apparently people don’t find it professional. I don’t give a shit about professional, this is who I am. This is my authentic self and I could wear my door knockers (hoop earrings) and achieve whatever I want,” Resto said. 

Yoseline Poveda sits among many who gathered to listen to Luivette Resto read her poetry. (Sam Villa)

LBCC student, Yoseline Poveda attended the event and expressed what she felt most inspired and connected to while listening to Resto’s poems. 

“The Gus story really resonated with me, especially the woman empowerment and standing your ground. We shouldn’t take disrespect, I’m really glad she said that,” Poveda said. 

This was in response to Resto’s poem about her real life experience of feeling judged and looked down upon by a CVS clerk named Gus when attempting to purchase an emergency contraceptive pill. 

Resto not only spoke about her own experiences, but those that she shares with her family as a mother to three children, each of which have taught her new perspectives on life. 

One of these works was in Resto’s poem, “Christmas Lies,” where she talks about encouraging her son into pursuing his dreams, because society has finally gotten to a point where that phrase no longer sounds like a kind sentiment, but a truthful push towards something that is possible. 

A student in the audience asked how she discovered that she had a talent for writing.

“I can’t paint, I can’t sing, I can’t dance, but I can do this and it’s really simple. The only way I knew I had a knack for it was through my teachers,” Resto said. 

Teachers, professors, and writers like Resto have the ability to share their experiences and inspire individuals to try new careers and arts like poetry. 

Campus art gallery offers respite from busy college life

Kiomi Valdez
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Campus art gallery offers respite from busy college life

Located inside the K building of the LBCC Liberal Arts Campus is an art gallery that is completely free for all students.

This gallery is home to various artwork created by emerging local artists and talented students, a blend of unique art students normally wouldn’t see.

On a quiet corner of campus, the art gallery is open for students to go in and leave all the stress college brings behind. 

The gallery doesn’t require a ticket or a fee. Students can walk in and enjoy the wide variety of artwork.

What makes this art gallery special is its consistency in showcasing fresh exhibits. 

“I wasn’t aware that LBCC had an art gallery until I took an Art history class and they mentioned it.  I would always walk by it, But now I’m going to take a look,” said Adrian Lonzo, a student at LBCC. 

Many students don’t find themselves near the K building since it’s located toward the back of the school. The gallery doesn’t make its presence known, with advertising that is easy to walk by and not think about.

The LBCC art gallery is located in the K building and is completely free. The current exhibit closes Saturday Oct 26. The alumni art gallery opens Nov. 2, 2024 (Emma Lloyd)

“I make it a point for my students to visit the art gallery, it brings them into a creative headspace and fills their mind with ideas.  And can’t forget that it’s free so why not take a look,” art history professor Katlyn Greiner said.

Many students don’t associate their college campuses with free galleries; the thought might not even cross their minds. The low profile of the art gallery means it often gets overlooked.

“We started putting up signs promoting it around campus with chalkboards and flyers,” said Lolita Mojica, who works at the entrance of the art gallery.

Lolita Mojica always hands out flyers to anyone who walks into the art gallery in the hope of promoting it to more students and often sits down with students to explain the art, hoping to bring more eyes to the art gallery. 

With a new exhibit around the corner, this is the perfect time to visit.

LBCC Trustee played role in Kamala Harris’ presidential career

Isabel Murty
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LBCC Trustee played role in Kamala Harris’ presidential career

In 2015, a current LBCC Trustee filmed a video of Kamala Harris’ then opponent in the senate election performing a racist gesture at the California Democratic Convention, which ultimately led to Harris becoming a senator and her subsequent rise to Democratic Party presidential nominee.

Harris’ opponent, Loretta Sanchez, was addressing the Indian American Caucus when Uduak-Joe Ntuk, who has since become a Trustee for LBCC, began filming Sanchez as she spoke about her confusion as to which “Indian Americans” she was speaking to.

“I’m going to this office thinking that I’m going to go meet with…,” Sanchez said, before performing a stereotypical warcry gesture as a way to refer to Native Americans.

The video quickly went viral, and several major news organizations picked up the story including CNN and NBC.

“That was my 15 minutes of fame,” Ntuk said when asked about how he remembered the incident.

The election ended in a victory for Harris with over 60% of the vote, making her the second Black woman ever elected senator, and the first in California.

This senate position is what allowed Harris to be picked as Joe Biden’s vice president, and now finally being nominated as the Democratic Party’s candidate for the presidential race.

If Harris is elected in the upcoming 2024 election, this would make her the first female president, and only the second Black president in history.

Most of Ntuk’s fellow Trustees seem to be entirely unaware of this history, as when asked, they responded with surprise.

Virginia Baxter, a fellow Trustee, said that Ntuk had never brought it up to her before.

“I hadn’t heard about this, he never told me about it, not that he would.” said Baxter.

Baxter and Ntuk have a tense history on the Board, as in 2022 Ntuk stated to the Long Beach Post that Baxter “traffics in QAnon conspiracies and misinformation,” leading to a rough relationship between the two ever since.

Superintendent-President Dr. Mike Munoz stated that he was also unaware of the video.

However, president of the Board of Trustees Vivian Malaaulu, who was previously a journalism professor for LBCC, said that she used to use Ntuk’s video to teach her students.

“I used to show that video to my students and have him come in and talk about it to my class.” Malauulu said.

Harris is projected to win by various different polls by a slim margin, while some project a tie with her opponent Donald Trump. If she won, the victory would come with the aid of a current LBCC trustee.

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