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Punk band Ignoring Olivia performs on Kitchen Sink

Veronica Towers
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Punk band Ignoring Olivia performs on Kitchen Sink

Correction: An initial version of this story had the name Artie misspelled as Arite in the quote “Most of the time I live in Portland and Artie lives in Santa Cruz or Seattle…”

Ignoring Olivia is a high-energy rock band with a vocalist that wails on the mic in a way that’s uncommon, capturing feelings of heartbreak, anger and pain. 

The Southern California group performed on the third episode of Kitchen Sink while they were hitting their last round of shows in California before leaving for Portland, Oregon. 

 The group consists of lead singer and rhythm guitarist Maya Chavez, bassist Isa Otanez, guitarist Artie Nazarov and drummer Evan Mason-White. 

Singer Maya Chavez (far left), Bassist Isa Otanez (middle left), Drummer Evan Mason (middle right), Lead Guitarist Artie Nazarov (far right) from punk band Ignoring Olivia from Portland, Oregon at Long Beach City College. (Sam Huff)

Chavez and Otanez started the band in 2020 in Long Beach when Otanez was Chavez’s freshman-year roommate. Mason-White and Nazarov were later additions, joining the band a year and a half ago.

“When we were trying to find a new drummer and a new guitarist it was a little bit hard, we held like auditions for it and then we had a fill-in guitarist from that for a while, but these are just our friends and that ended up working out for us,” said Chavez 

Last year, the band released their debut album “Sulkus” which featured three of the songs they performed. These songs included “Staying,” “Crybaby Is A Keeper,” “Just As Much,” and “Why December,” along with an improvised song. 

“Staying,” is the last song on their album and one of the fastest tempo-wise according to Mason-White. 

“I remember writing “Staying” in my bedroom at my parents’ house and I remember I came up with the melody for it and was so excited because it came really easily and that doesn’t really happen very often, it felt like the perfect song to kind of like tie together the album,” said Chavez. 

The second song they performed was “Crybaby Is A Keeper.”

“Yeah, that’s our newest song and the only song that’s the four of us,” bassist Otanez said. 

Mason-White brought up how the band is split apart most of the time, with Otanez and Chavez living in SoCal and himself and Artie being further out. 

This adds difficulty to how often they get to see each other and practice, often only getting together for shows because of the distance. 

Ignoring Olivia Band Members Artie Nazarov, (Top center) Maya Chavez, (left) Drummer Evan Mason, (right) and Isa Otanez (bottom center) pose with their instruments for the Kitchen Sink concert series. (Sam Huff)

“Me and Artie have been playing with them for a year and a half now. Most of the time I live in Portland and Artie lives in Santa Cruz or Seattle and normally when we have time or when we are together playing its specifically for shows, we get a couple hours of practice beforehand, so there’s not much opportunity to write,” said Mason-White. 

The next song was “Just As Much,” one of the first songs Otanez and Chavez wrote together, it also features a bass solo from Isa. 

“That was the first one that Maya and I really wrote together. We sat down in our bedroom and we were like ‘We’re gonna write a song’ and then we did, we just went back and forth making parts, piecing them together,” said Otanez on the song.

“It was really fun, it was at a time when we shared a room too, so we were just like on the ground–” added Chavez. 

“Between our two beds–” interjected Otanez. 

According to both Chavez and Otanez, this song came very easily to them. They continued to talk back and forth on the creation of the track. 

“Once we got it we didn’t change it up very much and I think we wrote in a day minus probably lyrics,” said Otanez. 

“That was one of the first times that I got comfortable like brainstorming like melodies in front of you too because it was a very solitary activity for me for a while. But that’s why it came so quickly cuz I was like ‘do you like this?’ and you were like ‘yes or no’ and it worked out,” Chavez told Otanez. 

Nazarov shared what it was like for him to work on the song as well. 

“I feel like when I listen to the songs when I’m in Santa Cruz without you guys I’ll like learn it a certain way given the speed that’s on the album and then we come back together and I just see once again my beautiful band mates…and have to adjust,” Nazarov on how spending time apart and re-adjusting to playing the songs after reuniting. 

Similarly, Mason-White shared that when first learning the songs, he had trouble practicing the recorded tracks versus playing live with them because they often change things up a bit with both tempo and energy.

In general, all the songs have become muscle memory for the band according to Otanez.

There was a mutual feeling of fatigue coming from the band in terms of playing the old songs that they have. They’re all looking forward to producing new songs to rotate their usual set. 

Finishing off their mini set, the band played a new improvised song that the band uses to start off their shows. 

The untitled track starts off with a strong bass and drum instrumental, setting the tone before the rest of the band jumps in. 

Bassist Isa Otanez performs as a member of punk band Ignoring Olivia in the P building at Long Beach City College. (Sam Huff)

“Every time it’s slightly different like I don’t play the same thing,” Otanez said while describing the set. 

The improvisation and overall experimental nature of the song were praised by Mason-White, especially how it allows the band to just play around and do something different. 

“I’m really pushing for noise. I love what Artie has been doing, reworking all the older songs and making soundscapes and complete dissonance at some points and I like Maya getting to explore tone pedals,” explained Mason-White. 

After getting used to playing the same songs like clockwork, the improvised track gives them that wiggle room to just be creative and not have to conform to doing it a certain way. 

The band is very eager to release new music, so fans have something to look forward to. 

Ignoring Olivia is currently back in Portland with an upcoming show on July 7, they’ll be releasing more information closer to the show. 
Their debut album “Sulkus” is streaming now.

LBCC Honors Program celebrates honors students at a banquet

Jordyn Wieck
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LBCC Honors Program celebrates honors students at a banquet

Over 20 LBCC Honors Students joined the 2023 graduating class with the vast majority beginning online during the COVID-19 pandemic.

These students were celebrated for the completion of their honors coursework and upcoming graduation on Tuesday evening at the Honors Program Banquet held in the P-building courtyard from 6 to 8 p.m. 

Throughout the pandemic,  many honors students were able to maintain the required 3.25 GPA while taking at least one honors course per semester.

“It was definitely challenging at times because it was on Zoom and it was something I had to adjust to,” said honors student Emily Carrillo.

President scholars possess the same expectations as honors students but must have a 3.75 GPA or higher to sustain the president scholar distinction.

For president scholar A.J. Mackewicz,  her motivation and support to continue stemmed from her mother.

“The stories from my mom when she was in the Philippines helped motivate me,” Mackewic said. 

“She told me that there are so many opportunities here and that I should take advantage of them the best I can.” 

The banquet began with a group photo, including a catered dinner. Awards were presented shortly after.

Honors students were individually sent personal emails inviting honors students and family members to the celebration.

“This banquet is in acknowledgement for everything the graduating honors students have done here,” said LBCC Alumni and Anthropology Professor Janine Pliska.

After the ceremony Honors faculty, students and family members ended the night with a slice of cake.

Performance art explores topics of rebirth and renewal

Jordyn Wieck
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Performance art explores topics of rebirth and renewal

Inside the Liberal Arts Campus Art Gallery lies a room illuminated by a TV, where on screen a video of a girl brandishing a lighter, watercolor paper, an aluminum tin and soil.

This video, part of the 2023 Long Beach City College Student Art Exhibition, is much different from the traditional art pieces hung on the walls.

Death to old you, hello new me is what artist Ash Pangelinan described in her poem she incorporated in her performance art piece ‘Release’. 

The piece is an homage to the death of her old self and welcoming a better version of herself through the act of a creative yet powerful self expression.

Pangelinan described the process in her performance as releasing her old habits and negativity fueled with past traumas and creating a better, evolved version of herself. 

“I’m a lot more confident, I love myself so much more. For the past six years I was in a relationship. I don’t think I was a human, I was a shell and since then I have been building myself up very slowly. It takes time,” Pangelinan said. 

“I was very nervous when I did this piece. I didn’t think people would resonate with it. But I did it, and I’m so happy and proud of myself for not allowing the fear to stop me.” 

Abraham Pacheco, a photography student and admirer of Pangelinan’s work noted some of his favorite aspects of her piece.

“I love it. When I look at the screen she looks like she is in pain ripping the paper. There’s these little things that she does where it almost hurts her to do it, which I understand would hurt me too,” Pacheco said.

“There’s this creation and destruction aspect of it. From destruction comes perfection.”

Everything, including her dress and each item present in the video had personal symbolic meanings to Pangelinan.

“This performance piece signifies death and rebirth. I wore all black because I was attending my own funeral. All of the lives that I have lived and want to release, I’m releasing,” Pangelinan said.

“The red tape represents blood, and the cyanotype that I used was pictures of me and portraits of myself. It was me bonding myself together. That was what the ripping up and putting back together represents.”

Pangelinan recites her poem in a stern, direct voiceover throughout the video as a way to urge her to rip up the watercolor paper. 

She then takes the lighter and burns each piece as it is put into an aluminum tin and buried in soil, which she sourced from her great grandmother.  Soon afterwards the pieces are put back together with red tape, signifying rebirth. 

“The voice in the background was me guiding myself through the process. I’m moving myself through the healing process,” Pangelinan said. “It’s so funny, I don’t speak to myself very nicely. When I do talk to myself it’s very stern.”

This metamorphosis-like art performance inspired Pangelinan to change for the better, as she said the heart wrenching breakups both platonically and romantically catapulted her to immerse herself in art and photography, resulting in her release art performance.

Sullivan Moore’s record-breaking swim career at LBCC

Davis Ramage
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Sullivan Moore’s record-breaking swim career at LBCC

LBCC sophomore Sullivan Moore has only been swimming competitively for 4 years, but he’s already broken five records, two of them his own, during his two-year stint at LBCC and placed 2nd at the State Championships in the Men’s 100 Yard Freestyle.

Moore, a 22-year-old Long Beach native has quickly made a name for himself in the aquatics world.

The records he have broken include the Men’s 50 and 100 yard freestyles, both previously set by Brendan Beer in 2002, and the Men’s 100 yard fly previously set in 1979. Moore broke his own 50 and 100 yard freestyle records this year as well, totaling five records set in just two years as a swimmer for LBCC. 

Moore detailed how this year’s season was in jeopardy after he was involved in a car accident that left him unable to train for a month. The accident took place right before the start of his sophomore season and left him with bruised ribs, whiplash, and a concussion. 

“I was really worried about how things would go because I couldn’t swim for about a month. But slowly I was able to come back and kinda get into shape before it started,” he said.

Though his journey as a swimmer has been relatively short, he’s no stranger to water sports.  

Moore started off playing water polo at the age of 10 after he was invited to play by a friend, much to the hesitancy of his family. 

“They thought it would be too rough of a sport because it was very physical and I was pretty young,” Moore said. 

LBCC sprint swimmer Sullivan Moore practices his strokes in the aquatics center. Moore broke five school records during his two year stint as a Viking. (Kameron Hendricks)

He quickly found that he enjoyed the physical aspect of the game as well as the bond he made with his teammates. Moore continued to play water polo throughout his school years on multiple teams including the United Water Polo Club where he won a 12U Junior Olympic Championship with his team.

It wasn’t until his senior year at Los Alamitos High School after the water polo season was over that he decided to join the swim team, where he fell in love with the competitiveness of the sport. 

“I like racing, I like competition, I like winning. I’m sure if I wasn’t winning I wouldn’t be swimming,” Moore said.

His first year of competitive swimming was met with exceptional success. Moore placed 1st at various meets in the 50 yard freestyle, including at the Lakewood Senior Invitational, the La Mirada Metro Championships, and the Lakewood Halloween Invitational. He also placed first in the 100 yard freestyle at the South California Swimming WAG competition in Palm Springs.

A pretty impressive feat for someone who had only started competing a few months prior.

After high school graduation, Moore applied to LBCC in hopes of joining the swim team and representing the Vikings.

“In high school I knew I wasn’t gonna go to a four year because it just wasn’t feasible. My grades weren’t very good, I didn’t have a lot of money, so I was pretty happy to be coming to LBCC,” Moore said.

That summer, he visited the campus and had a meeting with assistant swim coach Bradley Adamson to discuss his future with the team. 

His first year on the team was cut short after the season was canceled due to the Pandemic. Still, in that short period of time Moore was able to showcase his skill in dominating 1st place performances at the El Camino- East Los Angeles meet, the Mt. SAC Swimming and Diving Invitational, and the Cerritos-Chaffey meet.

“My first year I went into it definitely trying to break records, but this year I was more focused on doing well at State,” Moore said. 

LBCC sprint swimmer Sullivan Moore poses with three of the medals he has earned for his dominant performances. Moore broke five school records during his two year stint as a Viking. (Kameron Hendricks)

Moore’s athletic success continued to thrive this year as he broke two of his previous records set in 2020 with even better times. He competed in the South Coast Conference Swim and Dive Championships where he placed 2nd in the Men’s 50 yard freestyle.

He attributed his success to his teammates and his coaches, who encouraged him to push himself and reminded him to have fun. 

“I feel like here at LBCC they really created a fun atmosphere and it’s really welcoming. Even if the coaches don’t say it they’re always trying to keep it a good happy place,” Moore said. 

Moore is set to graduate soon with Degrees in both Criminal Justice and Psychology. After graduation he is considering pursuing a Ph.D. at CSU Long Beach, but his swimming aspirations are far from over.

He hopes to represent his club Lakewood Aquatics at the 2024 Olympic trials in Orlando, Florida.

Regardless of how the trials go, Moore can be sure of the fact that he solidified his place in LBCC swim history. 

LGBTQ graduates honored at Lavender Graduation Ceremony

Veronica Towers
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LGBTQ graduates honored at Lavender Graduation Ceremony

23 graduates and their families attended the small and intimate 2023 Lavender graduation ceremony to represent and celebrate the accomplishments of LGBTQ+ students on Friday. 

Organizer and LBCC professor Jerome Hunt explained his belief in the need for events that celebrate LGBTQ youth now more than ever. As attitudes toward the LGBTQ community have begun to worsen, so have attempts at legislation that negatively impacts them.

“I am very fortunate and I think we are all very fortunate to be at a college that welcomes our whole identity and makes sure we are celebrated and welcomed and accepted,” said Hunt, an openly gay professor at LBCC.

Event organizer and Professor Jerome Hunt gives his congratulations and shares his personal story as an openly gay professor who found community at LBCC to 2023 Graduates at the Lavender Graduation. (Cain Carbajal)

The P Building courtyard housed round tables decorated with pride flags, black sparkle table ornaments and pride-themed fans that attendees used to block the late afternoon sun. 

Marshall Mojica, one of the graduates at the Lavender Graduation, started at LBCC during the pandemic and therefore has not been able to attend many on-campus events.

The Lavender Graduation gave Mojica an opportunity to celebrate his accomplishments early among friends in a much more intimate scene than a traditional commencement ceremony.

“I always wanted to do things that celebrated me as a person,” said Mojica.

“I wasn’t sure that I would get this kind of opportunity when it comes to the actual commencement. I’m trans, so to have an inclusive event like this is really special.”

All graduates were allowed time to give a few words after their names were read, many of them using the chance to proclaim their support for gay and trans rights and gave thanks to the college for hosting the inclusive event. 

“Being gay is really important to me. For someone who is too tall for some people, too religious for some people or too Americanized, I really feel like being gay is where my identity is,” said Nico Cervantes, a Student receiving an Architectural Design certificate from LBCC. 

Others shared their gratitude for the community they found while attending LBCC.

“Thank you to the college and all the students in general for making college feel like a place where I can let my hair down and be who I am,” said Graduate Gervine Maranan.

According to Hunt, the first Lavender Graduation was held in Michigan in 1995 by Ronni Sanlo, a lesbian who was refused admittance to her children’s graduation ceremony on the basis of her sexual orientation.

This year was only the second year the college has offered a specific graduation ceremony for LGBT students alongside 3 other cultural graduations hosted for students.

The official commencement ceremony for the LBCC class of 2023 will be held on June 8 at 4 p.m. in the Veterans Stadium.

  • Nico Cervantes, a student receiving an Architectural Design certificate from LBCC, speaks to his fellow graduates about what being gay means to him. The college hosted a ‘Lavender Graduation’ celebration for honor and celebrate LGBTQ graduates. (Veronica Towers)
  • Long Beach City College class of 2023 graduate Mara “Mars” Stanford shares her support for bisexual and transgender rights in her brief address to the audience at LBCC’s Lavender Graduation on May 19. (Cain Carbajal)
  • Long Beach City College hosts its second-ever Lavender Graduation ceremony. The celebration was hosted to honor and celebrate LGBTQ graduates amid the anti-LGBTQ laws being passes around the country. (Veronica Towers)
  • Liliana Martinez waves to the crowd during the Lavender Graduation ceremony at LAC. (Veronica Towers)
  • Long Beach City College class of 2023 graduate Nico Cervantes shakes hands with Nohel Corral, vice president of student services at LBCC’s Lavender Graduation. (Cain Carbajal)

Opinion: LBCC must continue to address safety concerns on campus

Lauren Benson
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Opinion: LBCC must continue to address safety concerns on campus

While Long Beach City College has implemented certain tools to maintain safety on campus, administration needs to continue addressing the valid concerns of faculty and students on campus.

A sense of security within United States schools has become foreign due to countless mass shootings throughout the years. It has opened many eyes and put into consideration whether administrations are doing the right things to make our country and schools safe. 

The feeling of being safe looks different for everybody. When it comes to school, students should only come to class with one question: “What am I going to learn today?” not, “Will I make it home today?” 

According to an article in EducationWeek.org, there have been about 19 school shootings this year alone, and even more years prior. There have been 163 school shootings in total from 2018-2023. 

Every time those numbers go up, the fear of going to school rises. Long Beach City College has taken these numbers and real-life situations into consideration when implementing all of its regulations and tactics. From upgrading all safety devices around campus to providing training for staff and students. 

LBCC vice president of business services Raymond West and all of LBCC is working on implementing regulations and tactics to make the college safer.

According to West, the school’s plans for safety include equipping the campus with security cameras, upgrading phone systems for emergencies, and ensuring that first aid kits and fire extinguishers are available around campus.

Even with all these tactics and regulations, the sense of feeling safe at the school you attend is still concerning for some. Students spend the majority of their days in school, whether it’s early in the morning or late at night. 

When coming to college, just like every other public environment, people all just go about their days but do they ever stop to wonder about their safety? If so, is the college prepared with the knowledge and resources? 

Campus Safety Security Patrol vehicle parks outside PCC Long Beach City College. LBCC’s Liberal Arts campus has a police and campus safety office located in building X. (Bianca Urzua)

There are some people that only need certain regulations such as police patrols around campus to feel safe, but that varies for someone else. 

To ensure that the college is prioritizing the safety of the students and staff here at LBCC there has to be an extreme level of security being demonstrated. 

Establish resources such as clubs where students can share their opinions on what makes them feel safe. 

Have anonymous tip reporting tools, where anyone can report anything they believe is threatening the safety in the college. 

Have mandatory training sessions to be completed by students and staff at the college in order to better know how to navigate through any sort of violence, exposure to weapons, bullying, threats and more. 

Training sessions should also be scheduled at more widely accessible times that fit within professors’ schedules.

Students are not the only ones that have safety concerns, professors do as well, raising concerns over the design of classroom exits, as most rooms only have them in the front of the room, leaving only one path of escape in the case of emergencies.

Inoperable windows, classrooms with only one entrance and an open campus can make it much harder for students to escape when in close proximity to an active threat.

College administration needs to establish that they are listening to student and faculty concerns. Establishing trust between all members of the campus is the first step in creating a sense of safety.

Performing Arts department set to close final production of Machinal

Cain Carbajal
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Performing Arts department set to close final production of Machinal

Long Beach City College’s performing arts department will be closing its final production of the spring semester on Sunday, concluding not just another show, but acting careers for students at LBCC altogether. 

The final spring semester production follows a protagonist only identified as a young woman as she faces and challenges the societal standards of a machine society.

With graduation right around the corner, many students performed for the last time as LBCC students, making it a much more memorable and intense play for some.

“I’m really going to miss LBCC, I’ve done a lot of plays here, but this has been my favorite play thus far.” Tijera Giddens-Byers, the play’s lead actress said.

Others involved behind the scenes expressed similar sentiments.

“Sometimes it’s sad. You’ll get along with people really well, you’ll get close to people and then it’s like, okay see ya,” Mady Lopez, deck crew supervisor and stagehand said.

Lead actress Tijera Giddens-Byers also opened up about how she was able to relate to the protagonist in her own life.

“The beginning portion where it’s like she feels like she has to settle with a man because that’s how life is,” said Tijera. “I’ve experienced it especially when I was younger. That kind of stuff puts a lot of pressure on me and it’s scary.”

Performers Tijera Giddens-Byers (left) and Brody Fitzpatrick (right) perform during rehearsal on Wednesday. The theatre department will be having its final play of Machinal on Sunday, May 21. (Michelle Cardenas)

Giddens-Byers mentioned that although the main character is a young woman, the play is able to relate to a diverse audience.

“It is easy to relate to as a woman but I feel like other genders can relate to it as well, everyone feels societal pressures,” said Giddens-Byers.

This production of Machinal was directed by Jeff Paul with the original play written by Sophie Treadwell in 1928. 

One of the primary goals of director Paul for the play was to modernize Machinal while still persevering Treadwell’s fundamental ideas of expressionism.

“She (Treadwell) invented Expressionist theater, it is less realistic, there is still a story and there’s still characters, but they are not necessarily portrayed in an honest way like we’re used to watching,” Pau said.

“Expressionist theater kinda takes what is going on inside of the main character or what they want the audience to feel. This play is designed to create meaning in the eye of the beholder. It is about the oppression of the individual in a machine society.” 

According to Paul the biggest change in LBCC’s version of Machinal is the addition of an ensemble, which was done to have the ensemble reflect the main character’s thoughts and feelings.

Lead Actress Tijera Giddens-Byers surrounded by the ensemble during the last dress rehearsal of “Machinal.” (Michelle Cardenas)

An ensemble is a group that does not typically have speaking lines, but rather sings and dances in unison in the background.

One of the ensemble members Barnabas Long expressed how while his character’s actions were extreme, the motivations behind it were somewhat understandable. 

“Sometimes you feel trapped, you do crazy things, not that is justified, but like you can emphasize and sympathize and it’s like I get it.” Long said.

The final showing of Machinal will be Sunday at 2:00 pm in the Bob and Barbara Ellis Auditorium, those interested can purchase tickets at $15 for general admission and $10 for students.

Undefeated former World Sumo champion set to compete at 2023 U.S. Sumo Open

Cain Carbajal
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Undefeated former World Sumo champion set to compete at 2023 U.S. Sumo Open

Correction: A previous version of this article included the incorrect headline “Undefeated former U.S. Sumo Open champion returns for title at 2023 competition” it has now been updated to reflect Mendsaikhan Tsogt-Erdene’s title as the former World Sumo champion.

At 5-foot-10 and 320 pounds, this sumo wrestler seems small compared to other sumos, but his 14-0 record breaking winning streak last year tells a different story. 

Former World Sumo Champion, 2022 Heavyweight Gold and Openweight Gold Champion Mendsaikhan “Mendee” (Men-day) Tsogt-Erdene, is a force to be reckoned with.

His record winning streak has never been done before, giving him a strong edge over the competition he will face this year.

One of 60 international sumo wrestlers hailing from 10 different countries, Mendee is the one to watch at the 2023 U.S. Sumo Open this Saturday.

Originally from Mongolia, Mendee speaks Mongolian and Japanese, but event coordinator Andrew Freund translated for Mendee during his interview. 

Mendee attributed his start in sumo wrestling to his grandmother. His grandmother took him to a sumo practice when he was 8 years old so that he would lose weight. Ironically he weighs a lot more now.

Last year Mendee competed against many opponents who outweighed him, some opponents he competed against had weight differences of 100 pounds or more. 

Mendee acknowledged an underdog mentality for helping him stay on top of the competition as he trains for this year’s Sumo Open. 

He explained that the most important thing to him as far as preparing for the upcoming Sumo Open is to refine the technique, known as Moro-zashi, that he specializes in. 

Moro-zashi is one of the many techniques sumo wrestlers use or specialize in like Mendee. This technique is done by a double underarm grip that prevents the opponent from grabbing the wrestler’s belt. 

Mendee also said Americans have a misconception of weight in sumo. Many tend to see him and think he is too small for a fighter, but in sumo, technique and speed matter much more than size.

The US Sumo Open is the top event of the year to watch wrestlers test their technique and speed against one another in Japan’s most popular sport. 

Mendee will be in action this year at the 23rd Annual US Sumo Open held at the Walter Pyramid at Cal State Long Beach this Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Those interested can purchase tickets at usasumo.com by navigating to the 2023 U.S. Sumo Open event page.

English department holds ceremony for winners of the 2023 Jacaranda Essay Contest

Veronica Towers
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English department holds ceremony for winners of the 2023 Jacaranda Essay Contest

Winners of the 2023 Jacaranda and Donald Drury awards read their entries in LAC’s P building courtyard last Thursday, exploring grief, the supernatural and the horrors of chattel slavery. 

Students featured in the Jacaranda Essay Contest were recognized for their 2022-2023 school year accomplishments based on persuasive, expository and literature essays with honorable mentions. 

For the Donald Drury Creative Writing contest, students submitted original fiction and poetry for consideration.

“Honestly, I’m so surprised to have my work recognized,” said Torche Johnson, one of two winners of the Drury Award fiction category.

“On the inside, I was doing somersaults and still am,” Johnson said.

Johnson wrote her piece “Whole in the Wall” as an exploration of grief through supernatural motifs.

“Grief, of course, is a very real thing and sometimes it’s so overwhelming and powerful to the point it feels supernatural and makes the world seem unreal,” said Johnson. 

“That’s how I felt when my mom passed away, that the pain and even comfort I experienced was all so very bizarre and supernatural.”

These essays were assessed by a panel of academic faculty and staff for each category.

Left to right, professors Laura Scavuzzo Wheeler, Karen Rose and persuasive essay honorable mention recipient Brittany Robey talk after the awards ceremony concluded on May 11 in the LAC P Building courtyard. Robey’s essay “Free Community College: An Investment in America’s Future” was written for Rose’s class, under her advisement. (Cain Carbajal)

Students received a plaque with their names and essay titles imprinted on it.

By meeting the requirements for the contest, students were awarded cash prizes in each category based on grammar, mechanics and documentation.

The ceremony attendees consisted of award winners along with the faculty, staff, family and friends there to show support.

“I feel so honored to be recognized and more confident heading into this path,” said creative writing award winner Clay Taylor.

Taylor, author of “American Folk Hero Jade,” explained that the essay is a response to the brutality of chattel slavery with supernatural elements.

Opinion: We need to use social media to our advantage

Veronica Towers
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Opinion: We need to use social media to our advantage

Social media is the biggest time waster of our generation. According to the CDC, college students spend over six hours on their phones a day and half of that time is on social media. 

We spend upwards of three hours daily on Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat and other sites. That is three hours of the day that we spend doing nothing of importance.

Instead of using social media as meaningless entertainment, we need to take advantage of its original function, networking.

Before the Charli D’Amelio’s, Jake Paul’s and other influencers of the world, social media was a place to showcase your life and your work. 

Building up a personal brand or conducting research on socials is a much better use of time than mindlessly scrolling through applications. 

You can promote clothing designs, articles and photos on Instagram and Facebook. You can voice opinions and spread messages through Twitter. You can talk about your experiences and skills on a LinkedIn profile. The opportunities are endless. 

LBCC business and finance professor Nick Carbonaro weighed in on this issue. “I view social media as another communication model… it amplifies what you’re doing in real life.” 

You could be the best photographer in the world 20 years ago and nobody would know. Now, you could be an average photographer with one photo that circulates the internet.

A business owner could discover you across the globe or even internationally just by searching for potential employers. No other generation has ever had this luxury. People would have to network by phone call or word of mouth.

Additionally, Instagram and Facebook serve as massive news outlets, it is information galore.

If you want to succeed in a certain field, “go out and find influencers that are in your lane,” said Carbonaro.

There are millions of people who are in fields you want to be in. What better way to learn how to make it your field than to learn from others?

The best part is that marketing yourself online does not cut into your free time. Even if you only spend three hours on socials, you could now spend one to two hours building your resume.

If you want to be on social media, use it and your time for something productive.

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