LBCC inducts “La Diva de la Banda” Jenni Rivera into the 2025 Hall of Fame

Singer Jenni Rivera, known as “La Diva de la Banda” was inducted into LBCC’s Hall of Fame along with other alumni like Disney’s first disabled voice actor, Jennifer Kumiyama from the film “Wish” on Sept. 18. 

Jenni Rivera’s daughter, Jenicka Lopez, accepted her mom’s award and spoke about what it was like to be accepting an award on behalf of her mom, 12 years after her passing in a plane crash. 

“Honestly, it blows my mind sometimes, because now it’s not just about the music. Obviously that’s what she’s known for, but it’s little things like this one specifically from Long Beach City College. She was proud to be here, from Long Beach, to study here for real estate, to succeed, to fulfill her dreams, coming from where she came from,” Lopez said. 

^{Jenicka Lopez, center, holds her chest as she watches a video of her mother, singer Jenni Rivera, on the screen before Rivera got inducted into the LBCC Hall of Fame on Sept. 18. (Kay Pham-Nguyen)}

Lopez also shared that The Love Foundation, her mom’s foundation that was created to help women, especially single mothers, and their children get out of domestic violence environments, was currently under a rebrand, but still shared its future plans.

“Maybe something with Long Beach City College, we’d love to work with them. As far as the Love Foundation, we’ve been helping students now that back to school is happening, donating school supplies and all that. We frequently make donations to different things that we can,” Lopez said. 

Jennifer Kumiyama, known for being Disneyland’s first wheelchair-bound character actress and voicing the physically disabled, character Dahlia in Disney’s animated film “Wish”, was also inducted into LBCC’s Hall of Fame. 

^{Actress and singer Jennifer Kumiyama smiles as she goes back to her table after receiving her plaque at LBCC’s 2025 Hall of Fame Awards Ceremony on Sept. 18. (Kay Pham-Nguyen)}

Kumiyama is Long Beach’s accessibility coordinator, and is known for speaking out and uplifting the disabled community of Long Beach, wanting her to be an example for others.

“I saw nobody like me in the industry… People with disabilities are expected to live in a world not built or inclusive of us and nobody understands it unless they’re part of us. The disabled community is the only one where anyone can become part of it at any time,” Kumiyama said. 

After being inducted into the Hall of Fame, Kumiyama attributed her successes to her time at LBCC. 

“What I learned from LBCC didn’t come from a book, most of this world sees my brown skin, big bones and disabled body as a weakness but LBCC made me see it as a superpower,” Kumiyama said.

Long Beach community member and attorney Norman Rasmussen was the final inductee of the night. Rasmussen’s career has spanned for over 60 years, first graduating from LBCC in the 1950s as a student-parent with a degree in accounting. 

Rasmussen attributes LBCC to his success, specifically his accounting professor who pushed him to keep going.

He believed that success “starts with parents or an adult figure to affirm students” and pushed for young people to pursue education.

^{Attorney Norman Rasmussen, left, gets a boutonniere pinned on his suit jacket by LBCC Foundation staff member Letty Totah, right, at LBCC’s 2025 Hall of Fame Awards Ceremony on Sept. 18. (Kay Pham-Nguyen)}

“I’m honored to be in that group (LBCC Hall of Fame), I’m putting something back in the pot to the community that has done so much for me,” Rasmussen said.

Other awardees included four Service Awards given to Long Beach community members: Associate Vice President of TTC Alisia Kirkwood who received the Campus Friend award, performing arts advocate Debra Peterson, LBCC student Nathalia Miyamura who were recognized for their community service work and representatives for the Long Beach Boys and Girls Club.

The awards ceremony was jokingly compared to the Emmys by Don Rodriguez, the chief executive of the Boys and Girls Club of Long Beach, who accepted the Distinguished Student Service Award on the organization’s behalf. 

The ceremony served as a social event for colleagues and members of the Long Beach and LBCC community while also serving to celebrate notable individuals and their successes. 

^{Attorney Norman Rasmussen, center, laughs as he talks to his friend, Jacki Stanfield, left, and wife Trish Rasmussen, right, in the courtyard before the awards ceremony where Rasmussen was inducted into the LBCC Hall of Fame. (Kay Pham-Nguyen)}

^{Jenicka Lopez, singer Jenni Rivera’s daughter, left, listens to her family friend Cynthia Gonzalez, right, as she hugs her. (Kay Pham-Nguyen)}

^{Alisia Kirkwood smiles on stage as she walks towards LBCC Board of Governers President Sumer Temple and LBCC Foundation Executive Director Paul Kaminski, who hand Kirkwood her award. Kirkwood was awarded the Campus Friend award at LBCC’s 2025 Hall of Fame Ceremony. (Kay Pham-Nguyen)}

^{Jenicka Lopez, singer Jenni Rivera’s daughter, left, listens to LBCC Trustee Vivian Malauulu, right, in conversation. (Kay Pham-Nguyen)}

^{The director of the Boys and Girls Club of Long Beach, Don Rodriguez, smiles while holding his award plaque, which was given to the organization. (Kay Pham-Nguyen)}

^{Student Nathalia Miyamura stands on stage as she receives “The Blaine Edward Mansfield” award which was under the category of Student Service. (Kay Pham-Nguyen)}

^{Actress and singer Jennifer Kumiyama, left, speaks on stage to people attending the Hall of Fame Ceremony with LBCC President Mike Munoz, center, and LBCC Trustee Uduak Joe-Ntuk, right, beside her. (Kay Pham-Nguyen)}

^{LBCC Foundation staff member Charla Nunez, left, greets Alisia Kirkwood, center left, with a hug, while Alisia’s husband Kirk Kirkwood, center right, gets greeted by LBCC Foundation staff member Letty Totah, right. (Kay Pham-Nguyen)}

^{Attendee Lelia Goodwin, left, laughs with ASB President Priince Bass, right, as he compliments her on her outfit at the courtyard during cocktail hour which happened before the ceremony started. (Kay Pham-Nguyen)}