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Long Beach’s Weekend Night Market switches to Thursday

Matthew Walker
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Long Beach’s Weekend Night Market switches to Thursday

Long Beach’s Weekend Night Market is moving its weekend events to Thursday, having a family friendly night market each Thursday evening in the Downtown arts district of Long Beach will jumpstart the fun weekend activities around town. 

For many Long Beach residents, night markets are seen as something that happens on the weekends exclusively.

The event had a welcoming environment for all ages by including live music with a DJ playing artists like Bad Bunny, Rosalia and Davido.  

The food sold at the market included Filipino desserts, tacos and ice cream. 

Sandra Ortiz orders drinks from the business Niche Fresca King while shopping for other products. Niche Fresca King has a business in Maywood apart from attending the Weekend Night Market. (Jacqueline Prado)

Products ranged from homemade candles and lotions, purses, crocheted plant hangers and clothing ranging from soccer jerseys to trendy boutique apparel. 

Families and couples were sprawled throughout the market, engaging with vendors as well as dancing to music being played to start off the weekend. 

People of all ages, including CSULB student Daniel Phan, attended the event to see which vendors were present that week.

“I really like the environment and being able to support small businesses,” Phan said. “It’s a chill place to be able to meet up with people on a weekday, this is my second time attending the night market and I definitely plan on coming back.”

As the night progressed and the temperature dropped, less customers were seen buying from vendors.

Ryan Walsh, the owner of Hippie Witch Heart, a small business selling handmade crocheted  products for plants and other objects, talked about the experience of being a seller at the event. 

“I do wish there was more advertising on this event, especially as the days get colder there are less attendees for this market,” Walsh said. “We already have a large following through social media so this market does not greatly affect us, it’s just a way of meeting new people.” 

El Pueblito Little Mexico sells Mexican merchandise for the World Cup during the Weekend Night Market. Owner Nayeli Avina has been a vendor at the event for 2 months. (Jacqueline Prado)

Other vendors like Nayeli Avina, prides herself on being a Long Beach resident selling at the market.

Avina, owner of El Pueblito Little Mexico, found importance in having representation for the large Hispanic population of Long Beach. 

“The reason I participate in this event is because it is my hometown.” Avina said. “I want to sell things that represent my culture.”

Avina sold handmade mugs and pots with Mexican art painted on them, Mexican soccer jerseys and indigenous Mexican earrings and necklaces. 

For more information on future Night Markets, you can visit https://downtownlongbeach.org/organizer/weekend-night-market/

Veterans Stadium meets vintage at the Long Beach Antique Market

Matthew Walker
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Veterans Stadium meets vintage at the Long Beach Antique Market

Although it was the World Cup’s opening day, the Long Beach Antique Market drew a crowd with numerous displays of vintage items and food for attendees.

On the sunny morning of Nov. 21, the LBCC parking structure was filled with cars and people of all ages who were ready to start off their day at the market.

With carts, tote bags and smiles on their faces, the attendees made their way into the market which quickly began to bustle with commerce. 

The entrance fee for the market was $10 after 7:30 a.m. and $20 to enter at 5:30 a.m. 

The market consisted of almost anything you could think of, from 70’s style furniture, vintage fur coats, vinyls and even an old Mickey Mouse phone for anyone attending the market.

Vintage Mickey Mouse telephone up for sale at the Long Beach Antique Market. The antique market takes place on the third Sunday of each month. (Paul Jimenez)

Many of the attendees had been going for years, including Carolina Jimenez, a fashion student at Cerritos College. 

“I think this is the best vintage market in California. Nothing compares to the finds here, and I’ve been to many flea markets,” Jimenez said. “I found out about this market from other students in my class, this is where they get their style inspiration from.”

Among the hundreds of vendors at the Long Beach Antique Market, Dan Golden, owner of the aptly named Dan Golden Telephones, had an interesting story to tell in regards to his business. 

“I have had the History Channel, Pawn Stars, Storage Wars and even CNN News write about me and my business, it’s amazing,” Golden said. “I have been able to use these collections for movies and meet people through that.”

Golden spoke about collecting telephones and movie set cameras and then renting them out. Through his business, he’s met a number of stunt coordinators and names within the film industry.

As the temperature rose, many people stood in the shade eating the tacos sold at the stands by the market coordinators. Beer, lemonade, and other beverages were sold as well for attendees to cool off. 

At the other side of the market was Sarah Kirschner, the owner of Disco Trash Vintage where she sold any vintage pieces she could find. Kirschner drives all the way from Bakersfield to come sell at the market.

“I love people and interacting with them here,” Kirschner said, “My advice to any seller is to be selective, buy what you love, and you will have more of a passion when you love what you sell. I love my job.”

The antique market happens on the last Sunday of the month, with an entrance fee of $10.

For more information on future antique markets, you can visit https://www.longbeachantiquemarket.com/

2nd street warmly welcomes return of Belmont Shore Christmas Parade

Matthew Walker
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2nd street warmly welcomes return of Belmont Shore Christmas Parade

Decked out in lights, decorations and holiday cheer, Long Beach’s 2nd Street was jam packed with eager crowds on Dec. 3 for the 38th annual Belmont Shore Parade. 

The parade has been long anticipated, featuring a variety of local businesses and characters of note, with the spectacle being a non-stop three hours of lights, music and joy.

The 38th annual Belmont Shore parade featured over a hundred organizations, and dozens of locally designed floats, all following the theme “Christmas at the Movies.”

Long Beach’s Health and Safety Department shocked with a “Nightmare Before Christmas” themed float, down to Christmas presents wrapped in Jack Skellington wrapping paper. (Cain Carbajal)

Some of the standouts included a “Polar Express” themed float by Long Beach Little League Association, Long Beach Health Department’s “The Nightmare Before Christmas” float and the Socal Corgi Nation, which paraded dozens of festively decked out corgis along the route.

Streets were lined with chairs, blankets and even some tables, as people vied for a good view of the parade route, with barely any room left on the sidewalk for a single file line of pedestrians to make their way down 2nd street.

Long Beach City College also had a spot in the parade, LBCC’s cheer team and athletes carried a banner followed by a pick-up truck filled with carolers. 

Long Beach City Colleges ASB President Alanna Jolivett, left, and Student Trustee Alex Hernandez, right, walk in front of a LBCC banner, followed by LBCC students, athletes and staff. (Cain Carbajal)

Two LBCC participants spoke of their thoughts on finally being back on the parade circuit.

“I feel like post-pandemic, coming back from not seeing anyone in person, it was really hard because I really missed that interpersonal connection with my community so being able to see that again is awesome,” LBCC ASB President Alanna Jolivett said. 

Alexander Hernandez, LBCC Student Trustee, also reflected on his involvement in walking with other Long Beach City College representatives in the parade. 

“It’s amazing,” he said. “This is actually my first parade. I didn’t even know they had a parade out here in Long Beach, so being part of it was the best experience, you know just feeling a part of Long Beach and the community.”

So Cal Corgi Nation paraded dozens of corgis up and down 2nd St. along the parade route. All pups were decked out for the occasion, from costumes, festive sweaters, and light up holiday collars. (Cain Carbajal)

He also commented on how it felt to be out for such a public event for the first time in years.

“Honestly I think it’s very exciting for everybody. Look at this crowd. It’s a full crowd so I think everyones excited to be back, not to normal, but to at least have a gathering of family and friends, and I think it’s the best thing that we could have had.”

The procession concluded its route around 9 p.m. where it began on the intersection of 2nd and Quincy Ave, with attendees slowly retreating into one of many of the open and welcoming shops lining 2nd street.

‘Bringing it Home’ brings fruitful partnership with military and civilian lives through narrative performance

Matthew Walker
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‘Bringing it Home’ brings fruitful partnership with military and civilian lives through narrative performance

A sizable crowd showed up in attendance for the Dec. 1 opening night performance of “Bringing it Home,” presented by Deploy the Arts, at the LBCC Performing Arts Theater.

The ensemble of actors brought their A-game performing scenes with heavy topics, while still being able to deliver some laughs through the different acts of the play. The stellar performances from the cast brought an array of emotions for the audience to experience. They even followed the performance with a question and answer session, giving the opportunity to learn about the experience and thought process behind the production.

Conceived and directed by Greg Mortensen, theater professor and head of Deploy the Arts, the program was made to help bridge the gap between student veterans and non-veteran through collaboration, connection and a shared understanding of our nation’s deep history and what these veterans went through to protect and serve.

Rodney Richardson during dress rehearsal on Nov. 28 for Deploy the Arts presents ‘Bringing it Home.’ (Desary Vailencour)

The performance consisted of 10 monologues and one three-person scene, through various decades and different walks of military life, even stepping away from the U.S. to ancient civilizations at times.

The settings ranged from Iraq, Afghanistan, Vietnam, Korean, and the Spanish-American war for the modern day scenes written by veterans. The few performances from ancient history featured the Battle of Troy, Goddess of War Athena, and Andianople.

Each scene was based on a true story, some being classics from the past and others being new modern narratives written by real veterans. The real veterans’ stories were so on point, that the audience was shocked to learn that each story was actually written by somebody else, not the actor who performed it.

Ellen Arroyo, above, and Olivia Kale, below, during dress rehearsal on Nov. 28 for a ‘Bringing it Home’ production for the Deploy the Arts program at the Liberal Arts Campus. (Desary Vailencour)

“It’s better that way, when we can once remove ourselves from our own direct trauma, and focus on another person’s piece, we can relate and help draw a connection, without triggering Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD),” veteran Jason Bowe said, who did a superb performance on the scene ‘War All the Time.’

Mortensen even explained a little about PTSD, how people normally think it’s your brain reacting to the trauma but what is really happening is that your gut is remembering the trauma, and your brain has to sort it out.

“That’s why we use regressive narrative therapy, through conversation, collaboration and narrative performance a person can work through their problematic stories, or gain more understanding for the lives of veterans,” Mortensen said.

Luis Manjarrez during dress rehearsal on Nov. 28 for Deploy the Arts presents ‘Bringing it Home.’ (Desary Vailencour)

LaVonna Miller embodied her character in ‘A Member of the Club’ so well that the audience was surprised to learn that she was not a veteran. She played a news reporter, reporting on the front lines of the Iraq war.

“I really related to the story, the seriousness of the military and it being a male dominated industry, and being a woman in it, I could feel her pain and bias toward her,” Miller said.

Veteran Julian Laney is one of the founding members of the Deploy the Arts program, and he did a great job playing two different characters. He performed a dramatic scene of ‘Captain Crawford’ and a comedic three-person scene titled ‘Private Wars’. When he first arrived home he felt numb and reckless after being under control and strict structure for such a long time, that when he got out he felt lost.

“Acting and this program really helped bring a sense of community, purpose, and a place to help transform pain into beautiful things,” said Laney.

Julian Laney during dress rehearsal on Nov. 28 for Deploy the Arts presents ‘Bringing it Home.’ (Desary Vailencour)

Audience member and current student veteran, Jose Bueno, found the play very interesting and well put together.

“There were a couple acts that really hit home with me. I could see myself there. It was a little hard to watch without feeling emotional, but then at the same time it was relatable and felt nice and I appreciated how they broke up and organized the scenes so everything wasn’t so heavy,” Bueno said.

Trustee Vivian Malauulu, who played Athena, gave everyone a chuckle when she shared that she’s not a veteran, but that she is a real life goddess and thinks this program is so amazing.

“While learning about the lives of veterans, I also got to learn about their lives in the community, and I want to bring back community in community college,” Malauulu said.

Vivian Malauulu during dress rehearsal on Nov. 28 for Deploy the Arts presents ‘Bringing it Home.’ (Desary Vailencour)

At the end of the show all the cast members came out and lined up, and each actor had the chance to say what “Bringing it Home” meant to them. It was a beautiful and heartwarming conclusion to the production before they all took their bows.

The program and production has had such a positive response that LBCC is adding three more classes to its theater arts curriculum, all of which will be transferable college credits.

Eight places to find gifts from local businesses this holiday season

Maisie Vilchis
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Eight places to find gifts from local businesses this holiday season

The holidays bring in more sales for businesses than any other time of year, making up around 20% of most businesses’ sales. Long Beach is made up of a plethora of local businesses that give the city character unlike any other surrounding city, making it easy to find cool and unique gifts that wouldn’t be found at a commercial retailer.

When you shop locally, $68 out of every $100 goes back to the community which is $25 more than what big businesses put back into the community. Here are eight places to shop for loved ones for the upcoming holidays.

Pulp Fiction- 3925 E Anaheim St, Long Beach, CA 90804:

Pulp Fiction is a comic book store that has resided in Long Beach for over 20 years. They offer 30% off on all their comic books and 20% off new comics. 

Shown on Nov. 28, 2022, Pulp Fiction Comics holds a wide variety of graphic novels that are 30% off shelf price. Pulp Fiction is located on Anaheim Street in Long Beach, California and gets new releases every Wednesday. (Maisie Vilchis)

“New stuff comes out every Wednesday, it’s been like that for about 20 years,” said owner Ryan Skinner. 

The store carries a variety of comics, like popular favorites from DC and Marvel as well as more niche publications. They even have a local section featuring Long Beach artists like Joon the Goon and Warrick Walker .

For those that can’t make it in-store, customers can visit the Pulp Fiction Website where they have a video that will show you how to order comics through their pull box on Previewsworld.

Plantitas- 2011 E 4th St, Long Beach, CA 90814:

Plantitas is a Latinx LGBTQ owned plant shop that opened its first location in 2020 in the Belmont Heights area of Long Beach. The chic aesthetic plant shop now resides on Retro Row and often hosts community events as well as plant workshops for those interested in learning more on how to take care of their plants and get involved in the plant community.

With over 200 plants to choose from, you are sure to find something for the plant lover in your life. The store also carries a wide variety of pots in various colors and hand-made talavera pottery from Mexico.

Plantitas carries different styles of pots like the Talavera pots made in Mexico as shown on Nov. 28, 2022. Plantitas is a LGBTQ Latinx owned plant shop located on Retro Row in Long Beach, California. (Maisie Vilchis)

Pigeon’s Roller Skate Shop- 2148 E 4th St, Long Beach, CA 90814: 

Living in Long Beach, there’s a very high chance you know someone who owns a pair of roller skates or blades. Pigeon’s Roller Skate Shop offers skate accessories, apparel, protective gear and of course, roller skates for skaters at every level.

The shop builds custom skates right here in Long Beach and, “all the shirts are printed locally by skaters,” said store clerk and roller skater Paii Mendoza. 

The store is run by roller skaters that are welcoming and more than happy to share their expertise to get you the right equipment you need to cater to the skating experience you want. 

Pigeon’s Skate Shop offers a variety of roller skates from brands like Ridell, Moxi, Sure Grip, and Bont as shown on Nov. 28, 2022. Pigeon Skate Shop is located on Retro Row in Long Beach, California. (Maisie Vilchis)

Songbird- 2240 E 4th St Long Beach, CA 90814:

Songbird is a gift shop that has items made by over 20 local artists as well as eclectic retail items like mushroom mugs, graphic socks with dinosaurs on them, and desk accessories with clever sayings.

This gift store carries jewelry, accessories, clothing, cards, stuff for kids and stuff for your home. There is a gift for everyone here as it is almost impossible to leave the store empty handed.

Songbird is home to many unique gifts, like candles and cards with well known musicians on them as shown on Nov. 28, 2022. Songbird is located on Retro Row in Long Beach, California. (Maisie Vilchis)

Fingerprints Music- 420 E 4th St, Long Beach, CA 90802:

This 8,000 square foot music store is a Mecca in Long Beach for music lovers. The store carries music in mediums such as vinyl, CD and cassette tapes but they also offer more than just albums.

At Fingerprints customers can buy products like t-shirts, stickers, pins, posters, DVDs, books, and music related items. 

Fingerprints Music located on 4th Street in Long Beach, California as seen on Nov. 28, 2022 carries hundreds of albums both on CD and vinyl. All of the items in store with orange tags will be on sale through December. (Maisie Vilchis)

The store highlights several local vendors and artists in the Long Beach area, and will often carry rare or signed albums as well. The store has several items on sale through the month of December marked with orange tags.

BYO Long Beach- multiple locations: 

BYO Long Beach, founded in 2017 offers conscious consumption items meant to help reduce waste and encourage sustainability. 

There are four locations throughout Long Beach that sell household items without the plastic, like different bars that each tailor to different uses such as dishes, hair, deodorant, lotion and household items made of bamboo.

BYO also allows you to bring in your own jars and fill them with the items they have you need like toothpaste tablets, laundry detergent, hand soap, and even essential oils.

Recircle Home- 501 E Broadway, Long Beach, CA 90802:

Align your energy at Recircle Home. This is the place to find the perfect gift for any spiritual friends and family. The store offers a variety of crystals, sound bowls, jewelry, and apothecary items. 

The owners of Recircle Home make wares straight from their at home workshop here in Long Beach. Recircle Home is located in the East Village Arts District of downtown Long Beach.

Pharmacy Boardshop- 333 Pine Ave, Long Beach, CA 90802:

Pharmacy Boardshop is the place for skateboarders in Long Beach as this city has been its home for over 25 years. Pharmacy Boardshop carries skate apparel, accessories, hardware, and skateboarding essentials.

Here skaters can custom build their board and pick up a new outfit while they’re at it. For those who don’t want to go through the hassle of building their own board, Pharmacy Boardshop offers complete set ups often at discounted prices. There is also a sales rack for their apparel with t-shirts for $20.

Rain or shine: Tamale fest warms up PCC

Matthew Walker
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Rain or shine: Tamale fest warms up PCC

Despite the rain, almost 4000 people attended Long Beach’s second annual international tamale festival at Long Beach City College’s Pacific Coast Campus on Sunday. 

The festival, hosted by KCRW and Long Beach Living, brought together the Latinx community through variations of tamales from different countries, live performances from artists such as Sonora Dinamita and Vilma Diaz, dancers and more.

Cello Azul preforming at Long Beach’s International Tamale Festival. Cello Azul mixes Cumbia and American influences to create their own unique sound. (Jeanette Lem)

The aroma of tamales guided lines full of people to the vendors’ tents. Attendees blocked the walkways just so they could get a taste.

Some of the tamales available were birria tamales full of stewed meat from Los Cachorritos, chicharrones tamales, as well as classic flavors like chile with cheese, corn, chicken, and pork or beef with red or green sauce.

Evil Cooks took a less traditional take on tamales with their Gansito tamale, topped with strawberry jam garnished with banana and a vanilla wafer.

The Gansito tamale made by Evil Cooks garnished with strawberry jam, bananas, and a vanilla wafer served for the second annual International Tamale Fest at PCC. Alex Garcia, owner of Evil Cook’s was inspired by a place that makes these tamales in Mexico City. (Maisie Vilchis)

“In Mexico sweet tamales are very popular. There is this place in Mexico City that has like 40 different tamales,” owner Alex Garicia said, “I saw their Gansito tamale on social media and decided to try and make my own.” 

Evil Cooks also sold a torta de tamal which included a meat tamale in between a sandwich roll known as a bolio or telera roll. Each tamale was inspired by tamales from Mexico City as well as several other of the Evil Cooks dishes such as the cheeseburger taco and their Chilakilles torta.

There were also plenty of options for those with restricted diets. Some vendors carried exclusively vegan or vegetarian tamales like Shane’s Tamales whose owner got his start making tamales 14 years ago for vegan potlucks for him and his friends after becoming vegetarian 18 years ago.

A loaded vegan chikin tamale from Shane’s Tamales served for the second annual International Tamale Festival at PCC. The festival featured live dance and musical performances alongside a wide selection of tamales. (Maisie Vilchis)

“I would make tamales as gifts because my friends liked them so much and a couple years later people started asking me to buy them… I started selling them on Facebook,” owner Chayane Sarabia said.

Now Sarabia’s business has grown so much he employs his mother as his business partner to help keep up with orders. He also runs a pop-up at Trademark Brewing in Long Beach every Monday for their Meatless Monday event.

Along with tamales, the event was accompanied by performances by young folklorico dancers in brightly colored dresses and men dressed in formal clothing with sombreros from JD Dance Company located in North Long Beach.

The Aztec dancers performing after having received blessings from one another before performing at the International Tamale Fest. The blessings were done with copal which is used throughout Mesoamerican culture to cleanse the body of any negative energy. (Maisie Vilchis)

Aztec dancers performed shortly after JD Dance Company and started off their performance with a blessing using copal, an incense. Copal is a tree sap used by tribes in Mesoamerica that is believed to cleanse energy. 

“Copal has been used by our ancestors longer than Jesus has walked the Earth… some people associate it with brujeria (witchcraft) and discourage practicing it but it’s not… it is one of the oldest religions in our culture,” Milagro Ruiz Bello said.

Several bands graced the stage at the festival, playing music with Latin-American roots. This includes Cello Azul, a first generation Mexican American cumbia band whose leader played a blue cello and Arcoiris (rainbow) Mariachi which is made of members of the LGBTQ community including the first transgender mariachi woman, Natalia Mendelez. 

Cumbia legends La Sonora Dinamita and Vilma Diaz perform a set including hits like Escandalo, Mi Cucu, and Que Nadia Sepa Mi Sufrir at the second annual International Tamale Festival. The festival featured live dance and musical performances alongside a wide selection of tamales. (Maisie Vilchis)

To finish off the night, cumbia legend La Sonora Dinamita, most known for songs like “Que Nadie Sepa Mi Sufrir,” “Mi Cucu,” “El Viejo Del Sombreron,” and “Escandalo” did a set playing their most famous titles with singer Vilma Diaz. 

The crowd left at the Tamale Festival surrounded the stage and most began to dance in the cold rain as the band played. Despite the poor weather, the crowd cheered for an encore even after the band’s set came to an end.

By the time the event ended, several of the tamale vendors had sold out of almost all the tamales they arrived with, symbolizing the success of the event even with the poor weather.

Men and women’s soccer season wraps up

Maisie Vilchis
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Men and women’s soccer season wraps up

LBCC men’s and women’s soccer teams wrapped up their seasons after losses to Fullerton and Mt. SAC in the 3rd round of the CCCAA SoCal Regionals on Nov. 22. 

Mounties defender Fatima Arnold scored the decisive goal as the women’s team couldn’t find a way to respond in a tight game that had few opportunities for either team. This was the 3rd straight loss for the Vikings in their head-to-head record against the Mounties. 

Opponents Mt. SAC ranking 3rd in the state was the benchmark for the Vikings as they couldn’t find a way to score or defeat them in the three meetings they faced off this season, including losing in a penalty shootout.

The Vikings capped off their season, winning the conference title for the first time since 2005 after beating L.A. Harbor 1-0, as forward Evelyn Sandoval scored the only goal of the game to put LBCC’s hands on the league trophy. 

They finished the conference season with a record of 8-1 including defeating difficult opponents, Rio Hondo, El Camino, and Cerritos College.

The Vikings faced off against Mt. SAC in the SCC Tournament final but again couldn’t find a breakthrough finishing a cagey 90 minutes 0-0. They ultimately lost out in a penalty shootout 5-4 with goalkeeper Vivian Toomey able to save one Mounties penalty. 

“I’m very proud of how the team did this year. For being a team of all freshmen that didn’t know each other at the start, we had a great season,” said Sandoval. “There’s so much skill and talent on the team that I know we will make it even further next season.” 

The Vikings had several clinical outings beating Compton 8-0, Los Angeles City 7-0, Pasadena 6-0, and East Los Angeles College 7-0 at the beginning of the conference season. 

The Vikings attacking trio all got in on the action as Diana Leon finished as the leading goalscorer for the Vikings and in the SCC Conference with 17 goals, while forward Genesis Lopez got 15 and Sandoval put away 14. 

The Vikings overall record finished 16-3-3 and scored a total of 64 goals from 22 games. 

Vikings midfielder Paige Rodriguez set up nine goals, and goalkeeper Vivian Toomey kept 14 clean sheets. 

Head Coach Eduardo Nunes was awarded SCC South Coach of the Year, Sandoval earned herself SCC South Offensive Player of the year, and defender Rya Cabral got SCC South Defensive player. 

“It feels like a big accomplishment for me. I came onto this team knowing I wanted to make a big impact, and it feels good knowing that the hard work I put in didn’t go unnoticed,” said Sandoval on being awarded offensive player of the year.

Vikings forward Genesis Lopez, forward Diana Leon, midfielder Melanie Guerrero, and midfielder Paige Rodriguez made the All-SCC South Division First team, with four Viking players represented in the All-SCC South Division second team.

The Men’s team was knocked out of the CCCAA SoCal Regionals by Fullerton 2-1 and finished 3rd in the conference standings, going 3-3-3.

The Vikings couldn’t find a comeback after scoring from a penalty kick in the dying minutes of the game, the hornets goalkeeper produced a diving save right at the end with the referee blowing the whistle to end their season. 

The men’s team had many problems in and amongst the team with arrogance problems resulting in ties and losses against teams they feel they should be taking a victory against. There were several highlights as they beat hard opponents in Mt. SAC 3-2 and Chaffey 2-0.

“I’m proud of how our team persevered through the ups and downs of the season. We were a team that kept getting better all year, and it’s disappointing not to have gone farther,” said midfielder Leo Sanchez. 

In the SCC Tournament, they finished in 3rd place by defeating Rio Hondo 3-1 with goals from midfielder Miguel Arroyo, a first-time strike from midfielder Leo Sanchez, and defender Adam Quijano sealing the victory. The Vikings lost in the semi-finals to Cerritos College 4-1 with forward Diego Albanez scoring in the 90th minute.

Forward Diego Albanez finished as the leading goalscorer for the Vikings with nine goals, followed by forward Jesus Moreno getting seven and Sanchez scoring five.

Moreno led in assists for the Vikings with six, and goalkeeper Ryan Swan had seven clean sheets and made the All-SCC South Second team. 


Arroyo and defenders Quijano and Adrian Acevedo earned spots in the All-SCC South First team. 

“The standards have been set high for the following years as for the second year in a row, we were the #6 seeds in the south. LBCC attracts talent, and I’m looking forward to following along with how the team does in the years to come,” said Sanchez on the expectations for next season’s players. 

The men’s and women’s teams will return to their season in September next year. 

LBCC point guard reaches new heights with father’s inspiration

Maisie Vilchis
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LBCC point guard reaches new heights with father’s inspiration

When others would wake up and get ready for school with 10 minutes left to spare, Bonard Johnson Jr. was up at 5 a.m., training at the gym with his dad. 

When Johnson and his sister were toddlers, they experienced a time of homelessness as their mother and father worked hard to find their next home. Through this period they were mostly able to stay with different family members before finding a home of their own in the next four or five years. 

With six brothers and sisters, and his father having a disability, Johnson believes it is important that he is able to be there for his family and help out in any way that he can. He holds his family as his top priority along with his basketball career.

Bonadrd Johnson Jr. uses his shoes to remind him what we works hard for. This side of his shoes reads, “I do this for my family.” His support system on the court at Long Beach City College, and at home, motivates him to work at his game every day and pushes him to be better than what he thinks his best is. (Shelby Tiefenthaler)

Johnson dedicates his growing success to his family, especially his father who has been supportive and by his side every step of the way during his sports career.

“A lot of kids that come here don’t really have a dad like mine, so having him here is a blessing,” Johnson said. “Sometimes when I doubted myself he was there telling me you can do this, you can do that. Because other people say you can’t do this or that, but he was there and pushed me to be the best that I can be. I don’t know any other dads that do that.”

Since he was a young boy playing basketball with his “jersey falling off his shoulder and all”, Long Beach City College’s head basketball coach, Barry Barnes saw great potential in this year’s point and shooting guard.

Bonard Johnson Jr. wears jersey No. 10 as a shooting and point guard on Long Beach City College’s basketball team. His support system on the court and at home motivates him to work at his game every day and pushes him to be better than what he thinks his best is. (Shelby Tiefenthaler)

Raised in Long Beach, he’s grateful to be able to start his college basketball career at a community college in order to perfect his technique before transferring to a Division I or II school.

“I already had good skills and all that,” Johnson said, “but I could always be better.”

The mural that wraps around the Hall of Champions Gymnasium at LBCC actually holds a picture of Johnson, alongside a handful of other students. 

His dedication to the sport and encouragement from his father are what motivates him to stay focused on his vision of one day playing for the Los Angeles Lakers.  

Bonard Johnson Jr. wears jersey No. 10 as a shooting and point guard on Long Beach City College’s basketball team. His support system on the court and at home motivates him to work at his game every day and pushes him to be better than what he thinks his best is. (Shelby Tiefenthaler)

This last summer, Johnson played with the Drew League, a summer basketball institution in Southern California that brings together select students, overseas players, Los Angeles streetball favorites, NBA players and former pro athletes.

This pro-am summer league consists of 28 invitation only teams that battle it out on the court.

The summer league gives players from all levels the chance to work together and teach each other more than just skills on the court, and all of this is offered at no cost for those selected to participate.

Of those that Johnson was able to play with, he noted Jordan Bell being one of the most memorable players as he currently plays for the Guangzhou Loong Lions of the Chinese Basketball Association.

Johnson Sr. spoke highly of his son’s dedication while still being able to give priority to his family. Watching his children bond and experience life as a deeply connected unit is what life is all about according to him.

“My whole motivation in life was to be the father that I never had, so I felt like we connected in a sport that I wanted to play in my whole life,” Johnson Sr. said.

Johnson Sr. is currently taking classes at Long Beach City College in order to complete his general education with aspirations of becoming a basketball coach someday. 

“I feel like the next generation is gonna be alright, he’s a good young man,” Johnson Sr. said.

Being able to play basketball while continuously pouring love and time into his family is what Johnson does everyday, and these are the steps and motivation he uses to advance his career to the next level. 

Grant program that aids disadvantaged students gets an extended deadline

Matthew Walker
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Grant program that aids disadvantaged students gets an extended deadline

Long Beach City College is giving away grant money for vulnerable student groups in order to increase fairness within the school.

$3 million of the $30 million donated to LBCC by philanthropist Mackenzie Scott has been put aside to fund student-led projects through the Equity Innovation Grant.

Student Equity Coordinator, Jerome Hunt, spoke on the kind of projects that the program is searching for.

“We are looking for programs that are creative, a bit out of the box, that would be a bit more long term than short term,” Hunt said. “Things that aid in decreasing the equity gap, looking at how we can help in persistence of transfer for our students, particularly for the first year to the second year.”

“Our Black/African American students, our LGBTQIA, our homeless, veterans, foster youth, our APID community, our Native American community, and more,” Hunt said, regarding who the projects would aid.

The application period went live on Oct. 3 and is set to close on Jan. 13, 2023. The original application period was to end on Dec. 13 but was extended due to no applications being submitted.

“So far we do not have any applications,” Hunt said. “We have a lot of interest and we have heard from a number of faculty members who are working with students and other faculty members, but they needed a little bit more time.”

The application process itself is quite extensive, consisting of four different sections, complete with writings about what the project will be about, a reviewal of the school’s strategic plan, and budget management.

When asked about the intensity of the application process, Dean of Student Equity, Dr. Sonia De La Torre-Iniguez said, “The goal was to have an application that was clear and straightforward, yet offered the opportunity for the applicant to provide enough information to get a good sense of the scope of the project.”

There is aid for those attempting to fill out the application process, specifically found on the LBCC Equity Innovation Grant website.

“To assist applicants we prepared an information video, an FAQ, and guidelines which can all be found on our webpage,” De La Torre-Iniguez said. 

Since there have been no applications as of yet, there is a question about what would happen if no applications are submitted.

“That’s a great question, however, I am very hopeful that we will receive many applications. I have heard many folks talk about their great ideas for submission and anticipate seeing those applications come to fruition,” De La Torre-Iniguez said in response.

Must do things around Long Beach for the holidays

Matthew Walker
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Must do things around Long Beach for the holidays

Off campus

1. Naples boat parade

The Naples boat parade shows off boats of all shapes and sizes, each dressed in their brightest Christmas adornments, as they find their way through the beautiful Naples canals of Long Beach. The 76th annual boat parade will take place on Saturday at 6 p.m.

Not only do the boats show off with elaborate and extravagant lights and decorations, but the residents that live along the canals cover their homes with Christmas spirit as well. These homes are entered into a local competition for the best dressed homes, which will be decided tomorrow. The show will also be filled with the sounds of holiday carolers that walk about throughout the duration of the show.

The best place to watch the parade as the boats sail by and the water reflects the magic of these vessels are on the waterfronts and bridges surrounding the canal. Alamitos Bay Marina, the 2nd Street bridge, and Appian Way Bridge are great spots to spectate the event with family and friends.

2. Long Beach ugly Christmas sweater pub crawl

On Dec. 17, Long Beach is the place to be for those over 21 interested in spending a fun night with friends and family while wrapped in tacky knitted wool, the ugly Christmas sweater pub crawl. Tickets for the event are on sale now for $12 to $20 depending on the party size.

The pub crawl calls for participants to wear their truly ugliest sweater. After buying the tickets, download the mobile app for the event in order to post photos and have a chance to win prizes and gifts.

Check-in starts at 4:30 p.m. at Portuguese Ben Distilling, where ticket holders will receive a path to follow and which bars to stop at first. Although the order will differ from group to group, the establishments participating include Milana’s New York Pizzeria, Agaves Ultra Lounge, Shannon’s Sports Pub, and The Harbor.

3. Gaslamp in Long Beach: Beach reggae Christmas party

For reggaeton lovers, the Gaslamp restaurant and bar in Long Beach is hosting a reggae Christmas party for all ages that will feature Eli-Mac and other guest artists on Saturday at 5 p.m.

Gaslamp, known for its parties, live music and entertainment, have set the bar to be the premier restaurant for this kind of entertainment. The beach reggae Christmas party is a great way to show family and friends the christmas spirit, SoCal style.

Tickets can be purchased on their website for an entry fee of only $20. For a table, a separate reservation must be made.

4. A Christmas Carol: Long Beach Playhouse’s Mainstage Theater

The long standing Christmas favorite by Charles Dickens is the perfect story to get anyone amped up on Christmas cheer. The Long Beach Playhouse will be putting on a production of “A Christmas Carol” from Dec. 9 until Dec. 18, giving everyone what the people want; a heartwarming story of a money driven miser turned blessed with generosity.

Starting Friday, there will be a discounted preview of the play for those looking to see just a peek into Ebenezer Scrooge’s world. This Saturday will be the opening night of the show, along with a champagne gala to kick-off this Christmas party.

All shows start at 8 p.m., and tickets are available for purchase now with a current price point between $14 – $18. These tickets can be bought on the Long Beach Playhouse website.

5. Santa hat scavenger hunt

Starting Dec. 5, the Long Beach Terrace Plaza will also be putting on a Santa hat scavenger hunt that will run through Jan. 1. With 12 santa hats hidden around the plaza, participants are encouraged to find at least three of them and post selfies with these hats on social media to be entered into a prize drawing.

For those who are keen enough to find a santa hat, they will need to post it on instagram with the hashtag #LBSantaSearch. After finding three hats they are eligible to be awarded $500 prizes.

There will also be a photo contest around the plaza that have the same cash prize award opportunities for those who take photos around the plaza and post on instagram with the hashtag #LBHolidayMagic.

On campus

1. “Carols by Candlelight”: LBCC Performing arts

This Saturday seems to be a popular date for all Chirstnmas related events, as Long Beach City College’s own Winter Choir will be performing “Carols by Candlelight” on Dec. 10, in the auditorium at the Liberal Arts Campus at 7 p.m.
This holiday concert will feature English composer Benjamin Britton’s “Ceremony of Carols.” written in 1942, with the college’s singers, soloists, and the “Cappella Madrigal” choir. Harpist Ellie Choare and pianist Hanna Yi will also be accompanying the vocalists during the performance.
This event has a $15 entry fee, but is free to students that hold a valid ASB card. This Choral concert will be the penultimate show from LBCC’s performing arts department for 2022.

2. 2022 Winter Orchestra LBCC

The final show from Long Beach City College’s performing arts department will be the 2022 Winter Orchestra on Dec. 16 at 7 p.m.

This is the perfect opportunity for students to show their family and friends the talent that the LBCC performing arts program has to offer. As finals will be done by this time, why not be rewarded with a magical winter performance to send off into winter break.

The show will be held at the LAC’s auditorium, with tickets available for $15 for general admissions and $10 for students, staff, and seniors.

3. Winter Jazz and Vocal Band Concert

Long Beach City College’s jazz and vocal band will also be having their final fall 2022 concert on campus this Friday at 7 p.m.

This concert will be in LAC’s auditorium as well, featuring vocal ensembles and the jazz big band, consisting of traditional swing instruments and a wide variety of styles and eras of musical literature.

With the show being directed by LBCC’s Andrea Calderwood, director of vocal jazz studies, and Patrick Sheng, director of instrumental jazz studies, guests are sure to feel the Christmas warmth surrounding them.

Admission tickets remain the same costs as the other campus performances, with $15 for general admissions and $10 for students, staff, and seniors.

4. Most importantly: LBCC Winter Break

The fall 2022 semester officially ends on Dec. 17 for Long Beach City College students.

The spring 2023 semester begins Feb. 6, so until then students are encouraged to soak up any time they can spend with family, friends, pets, or traveling during the time away from classes.

Congratulations to all who survived a semester back at school and are working toward their academic goals. For those taking winter classes, the six-week long semester will begin Jan. 6 and end on Feb. 4.

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