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Letter to the editor: Trustee Sunny Zia disputes allegations

tess kazenoff
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Recently, area newspapers reported that certain individuals at the Long Beach Community College District are attempting to stop me from executing my Board duties and alleging conflict of interest through a lawsuit, paid for by the taxpayers. These allegations against me are false and I have been a victim of a political smear campaign at the expense of taxpayers. 

These actions represent an unprecedented and desperate step that highlight significant problems at the District and, sadly, are a distraction from what should be our primary focus – students. 

The allegations result from three Board members trying to cover up their misconduct associated with the firing of the District’s former superintendent, who, as it turns out, filed a whistleblower complaint alleging misconduct by these Board members. I am being targeted because I believe the superintendent was doing a good job. I voted against her termination because I thought then and do now that she was terminated without cause and that the Board, using over $220,000 of taxpayer dollars, ordered an ill-defined investigation into her to cover its tracks. 

These members want to prevent me from participating because they claim allegations were made against me in this investigation, yet failing to mention they were also subjects of the investigation. How is it fair for them to make decisions about allegations into them? Of course the details of those allegations were not released to the public and instead only those critical of me and the former superintendent were selectively disclosed. 

Taxpayer dollars are being inappropriately used to file a baseless lawsuit in retaliation for my refusal to capitulate to the Board majority’s agenda. Under normal circumstances, Board’s vote and a majority wins. Apparently not at the Community College District where the minority position leads to the ugliest of personal, political tactics. These specious allegations made against me are an attempt to distract the public from allegations made against these Board members, in particular one Board member, that the former superintendent filed with law enforcement. This lawsuit is one of many attempts by these members to smear my reputation publicly and professionally.

As an elected Board member, a responsibility that I take seriously, my job is to faithfully represent my constituents, protect taxpayer dollars and educate students. While fighting the questionable behavior of fellow Board members is not part of my job description,  I am determined to fight any attempt to misuse public funds under all circumstances, but particularly when they involve settling political scores.   

Regarding the individual who made a baseless allegation that I tried to extort campaign contributions from him, one he is a donor and friend of the same Board member mentioned in the superintendent’s whistle blower complaint and two this individual never contributed to my campaign as he alleges. All records of contributions to my campaign are publicly available and it will show that this individual’s claims are false. I have never pressured this individual or anyone for campaign contributions. Period. This individual outlandishly implies that I threatened contracts his company holds with my full-time employer – which is false and impossible because I have no authority to influence or approve his contracts.

I went sideways with these Board members because I disagree with the $220,000+ of public funds they grossly misused to justify a politically driven decision to fire the previous superintendent. Long Beach taxpayers, students and the general public deserve to know how their tax dollars have been abused on this internal smear campaign of malicious gossip, slander and vilification geared toward me and designed to distract from whistleblower allegations of wrongdoing against three Board members filed with law enforcement. 

I will never renege on my fiduciary duty and leave constituents of District 3 unrepresented as some Board members have asked me to do. The politics of personal destruction may be commonplace in other levels of government but they shouldn’t exist on the Long Beach Community College Board.

I urge the public to see through the dishonest actions of these Board members for what they really are: a power-driven attempt to stifle a dissident voice.

Sunny Zia represents District 3 on the Long Beach Community College Board of Trustees. She can be reached at info@sunnyzia.com. 

Long Beach Rescue Mission rescues Thanksgiving

connerrobbins
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Long Beach Rescue Mission rescues Thanksgiving

At 7:30 a.m. on Thanksgiving morning, the Long Beach Rescue Mission handed out breakfast to the homeless community.

This is a tradition at The Mission. However, this particular Thanksgiving was unique due to COVID-19. The Mission adjusted to the crisis by requiring the volunteers to pass out masks and social distance in addition to handing out food.

Since 1971, Long Beach Rescue Mission has opened its doors to thousands of men, women and children for food, clothing, shelter, spiritual guidance and help re-entering the workforce. 

Chaplin Robert Probst is the Executive Director. He has been with The Mission for 20 years. LBRM is his third rescue mission. 

“Today, we have already fed 100 meals by 8:58 a.m. And yesterday evening we served turkey dinners to over 300 people. The line was down the block,” he said.

“Thanksgiving is a time of gratitude. Places like The Mission get a lot of donations throughout the year, but this time of year people are more generous (with time, money and food),” said Nathan, a volunteer.

Even Long Beach Rescue Mission gives more during this time of year. 

“Yesterday, we gave over 100 meals to the Lutheran Social Services, and we gave 20 meals to disabled U.S. Vets,” said John Zimmerman, the operations manager.

People like Paul Anderson have been hit especially hard by COVID-19. The pandemic forced him into homelessness, and he just joined The Mission a month ago. 

“It’s a great place. I came here because of its reputation of being the top place in L.A. County to get back on your feet. I feel very blessed,” he said.

Anderson is now living at the Samaritan House for men, owned by The Mission, and on  Thanksgiving morning he volunteered by passing out food.

The Mission also owns the Lydia House, which serves as a safe haven for women and their children. Often, women will come to Long Beach Rescue Mission fleeing abusive relationships.

“We offer life changing programs for men and women that help them overcome their struggles with addition, poverty and/or homelessness,” stated The Mission’s website.

LBRM has one theme, everyone believes in Jesus, and the mission is to continue the work of Jesus Christ. From the volunteers to the employees to the clients, mostly all had an unwavering belief in God.

“We value people as eternal beings created by God’s image with inherent dignity and worth, redeemable by God and capable of living life of meaning and purpose. We value all interactions as opportunities to love people, that through us the gospel of Jesus Christ might transform their lives,” said their website as their core value.

2 LBCC students in essential labs test positive for COVID-19

tess kazenoff
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2 LBCC students in essential labs test positive for COVID-19

Long Beach City College sent out an email to students and faculty on Wednesday notifying that two students enrolled in essential lab classes tested positive for COVID-19.

One of the students was at Liberal Arts Campus Building C, and the other was at Pacific Coast Campus Building II.

The email writes, “The students are receiving medical care, and their classmates and faculty have been notified.”

The specific on-campus classes that the students attended are now suspended for a “period of time” that was not listed. 

The remaining online and unaffected on-campus essential lab classes are scheduled to continue as of now.

Starting in January 2021, due to recent legislation, LBCC is required to provide public notifications of positive COVID-19 cases. This email was sent out in “an abundance of caution and in an effort to be transparent,” the email states.

All the essential labs have strict protocols to follow, ensuring the health and safety of the limited people who are authorized to be on campus. 

Calls to college officials were not immediately returned on Monday.

For students who test positive for COVID-19, or have any questions, the email provides the Student Health Services phone number, which is (562)-938-4210.

LBCC Alumni Neo Edmund shares his experiences as a writer

Caitlyn Thiele
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LBCC Alumni Neo Edmund shares his experiences as a writer

The English Department held a reading event for author Neo Edmund on Friday, November 20th, 2020. 

The event was hosted by creative writing professor Jeffrey Epley. 

He explained that Long Beach City College invites a poet or author to show their work every year to show students and the community the value of a published writer’s expertise and insight.

Edmund is a former LBCC student and began his career in the entertainment industry as a stunt and suit actor in many TV shows like “The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers,” “The Walking Dead,” “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and others.

The former Viking proceeded to pursue his passion in writing and became a screenwriter and a novelist. 

An excerpt from his novel entitled “A Tale of Red Riding” was read during the event.

Novel writing student in his first semester of creating writing, Nick Garnham Wright, said of the event, “I’m loving it… I’ve always wanted to write novels. I have attended a few other readings in the past (at other venues). I liked getting to listen to Neo’s book itself. It was super engaging and I have interest in writing stories that are more like franchise-level fantasy type stories. So getting to listen to someone who has established themselves was really insightful. Above all else, I enjoyed how transparent and forthcoming he was. It felt like a really honest reading.” 

“Though the one thing he could improve on is that he was very apologetic, and I think that’s part of why he came across as so open and honest and sincere. But I also felt there were times where he would answer a question so beautiful but then say that he went off on a tangent,” he continued.

“I’d be curious to read more of his ‘Red Riding’ series or some of the comics he mentioned. I would definitely look into them,” Wright said.

The first chapter of the book “A Tale of Red Riding: Rise of the Alpha Huntress” was a chapter Edmund worked on while at LBCC. 

Edmund said, “That was the chapter that I originally workshopped in the novel class probably 10 years ago.”

The event finished after completing a Q&A with the students about his books, his process of becoming a writer, and how the industry works.

During the reading, Edmund stated that “My creative process when I’m just starting out with a new idea, I kind of like using index cards and writing new ideas down. I’m very much about free writing and seeing whatever comes from it. And find out if it’s a good idea or not.”

“The blank page in front of you can be so intimidating,” Edmund said during the Q&A portion of the event.  

“Trying to make a living as a writer is about as hard as any other artist trying to make a living,”  he said.

Regarding future events with the English Department, there will be an Open Mic called The Power of the Pen on December 4 at 6:00 p.m. 

For more information on future events visit the English Department website: https://www.lbcc.edu/department-english

For Native Americans survival is decolonization

Caitlyn Thiele
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For Native Americans survival is decolonization

Long Beach City College hosted an event titled “Survival is Decolonization.”

The event was introduced by Linda Olmos and Sonia De La Torre, and was facilitated by Chrystos, a self-educated writer and activist.

Chrystos’ work as a poet and activist spans native land and treaty rights, freedom for imprisoned indigenous activists, and feminist two-spirit, as well as lesbian solidarity.

Her work also celebrates sovereignty and desire as counterforces against colonialism, genocide, patriarchy and hegemony.

The event titled “Survival is Decolonization” was facilitated by Chrystos, a self-educated writer and two-sprit activist. Courtesy of LBCC.

Native American Heritage Month is an opportunity to honor and pay tribute to the history and rich tradition of the Native Americans.

The event was designed to offer a brief analysis of what decolonizing the mind could look like.

“The lifelong process of decolonizing the mind is the most important thing we need to do to learn to live together as people,” Chrystos said.

She went on to explain that the colonizer idea is anything you want is for the taking, whether it belongs to you or not. That concept is modus operandi of the United States of America.

This way of thinking has been celebrated as freedom, but is actually theft.

As part of her presentation, Chrystos read numerous of her poems such as “Meditation for Gloria Anzaldúa,” “The Border Raiser,” and “Ceremony for Completing a Poetry Reading.” 

The included pieces were up to 40 years old and poems dedicated to friends, all shedding light on the plight the Native American people have had to endure.

After her presentation she opened the floor for questions.

The first question posed was from De La Torre. La Torre asked Chrystos, “How is your poetry connected to your activism?”

“The poetry and the activism are one in the same. Sometimes when I become involved in something, a poem comes out about that particular issue,” Chrystos explained.

She also provided advice for student writers who get “stuck” in the emotion of what they are writing, preventing them from exploring new avenues in their writing.

“One of the things that colonization does to us is it strips us of our emotions. Don’t ever back away from yourself for having feelings,” she explained. “The more feeling you allow yourself to have, the better your writing will be.”

At the end, those who attended the event thanked Chrystos for the privilege of having her speak and share her best insight on the topic of decolonization.

The session closed with her words, “The whole point of me writing is to figure out how to be a better person.”

Viking students share their Thanksgiving plans during the pandemic

Caitlyn Thiele
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Viking students share their Thanksgiving plans during the pandemic

Thanksgiving has changed due to COVID-19 restrictions in L.A. County, but for Long Beach City College students Maverick Clark, Dulce Marin, and Sherrice Pell, they are still finding ways to celebrate.

Dulce Marin is a modern language student who said, “For me, Thanksgiving is a tradition, even though I am Mexican and my family as well. We use that holiday to update and spend more time together as a family.”

The Marin family usually gathers in Dulce’s grandparents’ house, which is located in Mexico. 

“We usually travel to Mexico for Thanksgiving. I have family in different parts of Mexico and the U.S. and we all travel to my grandparent’s home.”

“My plane tickets to Mexico got canceled and unfortunately some members of my family are sick and they are in quarantine. So our family is not going to be able to celebrate it this year together,” said Marin. 

Dulce Marin is a sophomore and a modern languages student at LBCC. On November 20th, 2020. (Photo by Marcelo Osterloh).

“We usually eat traditional Thanksgiving food like turkey, mashed potatoes, corn, and more. But we add Mexican food too. We cook tamales, posole and the entire meal becomes an American/Mexican meal,” said Marin.

Maverik Clark, an electrical engineering student, said that for him Thanksgiving means gathering with family, or close friends to “… share a night with them and talk about what you are thankful for.” 

Clark explained that every year his family celebrates Thanksgiving differently, “Since my parents work, we move around their schedule.” 

For example, last year’s celebration consisted of going out to eat for a Thanksgiving lunch instead of dinner.

Clark’s plans for this year are still uncertain. He commented, “We don’t have anything planned, I’ll just go with whatever they want to do.”

Sherrice Pell’s plans for Thanksgiving consist of a small family gathering, but this year her brother will not be able to join the celebration due to basketball training in another city. 

She mentioned that her family is going to have a small dinner.

“I usually help my mom cook and my family gathers around to have a meal,” Pell said.

“We eat ham, turkey, macaroni and cheese, obviously homemade, potatoes, string beans with bacon, and cornbread. And I will make cookies or a pie of some sort,” said Pell.

The three students said they look forward to the next Thanksgiving, hoping to go back to normalcy for next year’s holiday gatherings. 

Marin said, “I can’t wait for next year’s Thanksgiving so I can see all my family again.”

Angel Theory of “The Walking Dead” holds interview with LBCC students

Caitlyn Thiele
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Angel Theory of “The Walking Dead” holds interview with LBCC students

On November 18, a special LBCC sponsored live interview took place on Facebook with “The Walking Dead” actor Angel Theory. The event took place at 12:30 p.m. and lasted an hour.

The interview was moderated by LBCC Vice President of Student Services, Mike Munoz. 

Angel Theory, who played Kelly in “The Walking Dead,” is hard of hearing, as was the character she portrayed in the show.

Theory was asked many questions about her personal life such as her sexual orientation, inspirations in her life, and her responsibility as a role model for others. 

They discussed her role in “The Walking Dead,” representation, and a little about her personal background. 

Some of the first questions asked were about her career, why she chose dancing, and how dancing led into her acting career. 

One of the questions asked was about Theory’s inspiration to become an actor. 

Theory said, “I started as a dancer when I was younger. I actually had no plans on acting. I just went from dancing, choreographing, and I have a lot of experience with a lot of musical instruments. I also ended up getting into acting with my first role for ‘The Walking Dead.’” 

Theory said she believed that “life is the best teacher” and that she feels honored to represent the roles she plays as characters. 

“Dancing alone helped me a lot with my acting when it comes to body language and face expressions and the feeling that everybody’s watching also feels like what you’re trying to present to them,” Theory said.

Dr. Mike Munoz speaks his mind to Angel Theory, discussing the struggles of certain identity groups. Screenshot by Matthew Choi.

Munoz expressed his admiration for her, and elaborated on the effect it might have on students that watch her. 

Munoz said, “I love that, I really appreciate the impact dancing has on you, especially in terms of how being able to take that experience and translate that into other forms of art.” 

One of Theory’s role models is her mother. 

“My mom is my biggest inspiration, everything she has done for me is actually what made me who I am today,” Theory said.

The next topic was intersectionality, deafness, and representation in the media. 

When asked about her identity, Angel said, “I think the one that sticks out to me most is being a woman, I was always told when I was younger, by a lot men or boys or other peers, ‘you can’t do this because you’re a woman.’ And I always took that as a challenge.”

Actress Angel Theory discusses about the struggles of being underprivileged. Screenshot by Matthew Choi.

When they discussed her hearing impairment, Munoz commented, “You’re not less than, in fact if anything, you’re empowered to fully achieve your dreams not in spite of, but because you accepted yourself fully.”

“I think that’s the theme of your career, breaking barriers,” Munoz said. 

He pointed out what he thinks is the most important takeaway, “You have a good sense of who you are, I think that’s so important… Like being able to present our authentic selves.”

They went on to discuss Theory’s role in “The Walking Dead” and the impact of her character. 

“I feel like a lot of younger people connect with (Kelly) because there’s a lot of things that happen in this show that’s relatable to. There’s so many different representations in this show. They have gay characters, lesbian characters, diverse people from Asia, Germany, African-American, Muslim characters, etc. I think it’s really beautiful to show that we can all be in this one world together,” Theory said. 

“Kelly is a sweetheart. She’s a badass, meaning you can still protect the people you care about and still be angry with them when you need to,” Theory said. “But there’s a lot of situations she’s been in where you would expect Kelly to be angry, and instead of doing that she just takes a moment and tries to understand where that person is coming from.”  

Theory embodies Kelly, an independent key character who slowly matures in each episode. 

“She’s a teen but she’s not complaining. She’s the hope of the group, and when you need her to fight, she’s there,” Theory said of her character’s strong dedication and competence. 

Kelly also learned in the show that “Anger isn’t always the best solution to fix a problem.”

Regarding her hearing loss, Theory said, “I had a lot of moments in my life where I just wasn’t really paying attention to it. You’re beating yourself up. No one’s doing that for you. You’re your biggest problem, basically. And we need to stop thinking about the negatives. Stop beating yourself up over it. It can be a blessing or a curse, depending on your outlook.” 

Kelly in “The Walking Dead” was able to essentially adapt to her circumstances and decided to ultimately live with her disability.

Theory said that she feels inclined to play Kelly because she has something to represent, to identify with those less fortunate than her or are in the same situation as her. 

Theory acting as Kelly in the show, The Walking Dead. Screenshot by Matthew Choi.

Community Defense Network teaches community members how to disrupt ICE deportations

Caitlyn Thiele
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Community Defense Network teaches community members how to disrupt ICE deportations

The Sanctuary Long Beach Coalition, an immigrants rights group, set up a Community Defense Network to act as a rapid response network for disrupting deportations.

On Sunday, the group held a training workshop hosted by two members, Jennifer Benitez and Byron Luk. The workshop was meant to help train new observers.  

The Common Defense Network has many components, dispatchers, legal teams and observers.

Observers are the rapid portion of the response network. They respond to ICE raids and searches by providing services to immigrants and their families. 

Observers are broken down into four roles. Observer one films the incident, observer two acts as a community liaison, observer three acts as ICE liaison, and observer four films everyone involved, including fellow Common Defense Network members. 

Benitez shared some advice on what to look for and be on guard for when identifying agents. 

When observing, Benitez said it is important to note “what department is displayed on the agents’ clothes. ICE has been known to come and arrest people in plain clothes, civilian clothes.” 

“Take down names or badge numbers, descriptions of the officers and how many of them there were,” Benitez said.

The observers are supposed to film every action of the ICE agents only, and to take notes of any abuses they might commit during the incident. 

She said, “Take note if ICE forcibly searches people, and keep the camera on ICE and not on the community. We are there to record any action ICE does.”

After the incident, Benitez said “Write a statement right after, while the memory is fresh, make a recording of what happened.”

She also stressed not to post any of the evidence online without sending it to Common Defense Network first.

“We really stress that people don’t post anything to the internet without the permission of the CDN team, because we don’t know what might be incriminating.”

When it comes to warrants, there are key features to stay on the lookout for to gauge its validity.

These include: The warrant must be from the United States District Court, it must have a judge’s signature and name, it must be a warrant for a search and seizure, a second document stapled to the back with the person of interest’s name and address, and lastly must be served within fourteen days of it being issued. 

“If there’s any misspelling, even by one letter, it’s invalid. It has to be served within fourteen days of it being issued. If not, it’s invalid,” she said.

The second half of the presentation was then taken over by Luk Byron, who would explain how to interact with ICE when they come to your door and if they enter forcibly. 

He also explained some of the rights you have. He stressed that, “We are not lawyers, we cannot answer legal questions. But we are gonna go over what we recommend you should do.”

He began with explaining what to do if ICE comes to your door. 

He said, “Don’t let ICE into your home, ICE is not your friend,” and what to say if they ask as to the whereabouts of an individual, “You don’t have to lie to them, just say, ‘I don’t want to talk to you right now.’”

You can’t physically stop ICE from entering your home, but saying these things to them might help later in court.

“They may try to enter your home…say things like, ‘I don’t give consent to you to enter or search my home’…saying these things can help you in court, especially if you have it recorded, even if ICE doesn’t abide by your request.”

And lastly, if they enter your home, which they can without your consent, Luk recommended notifying them if there are any children or vulnerable residents at home. 

This is to make sure everyone is accounted for and no accidental harm can be done. In case of arrest, Byron said to let ICE know of any medical issues or if you have to arrange childcare. 

If you want to learn more about the organization and its procedures, you can find them on their Instagram, @lb_cdn. 

What do Political Science Professors think of this election?

Caitlyn Thiele
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What do Political Science Professors think of this election?

Two political science professors at Long Beach City College provided their insight into the presidential election.

Since the country has received the news that previous vice president, Joe Biden, would become the 46th president of the United States, the country has been hit with many questions, some being about voter fraud and what to expect in the upcoming weeks.

“Trump and his campaign will continue to challenge the election, in public opinion and in the courts. Trump’s supporters claim this was a ‘stolen election,’ but so far, there’s been little hard proof (of massive fraud in particular, at least from what I’ve seen),” said political science professor, Donald Douglas, who has been teaching at Long Beach City College since 2000.

Douglas shared more of his insight to what is currently happening in the country.

“The problem, of course, is that everybody’s going to view the whole thing from their own partisan perspective. Trump and his supporters say he was robbed. Democrats say Biden is the president-elect. It all seems like a blur. Mostly, we’ll have to let the legal process play out. Trump’s campaign has filed at least 16 lawsuits in Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. It doesn’t look like things are going all that well so far, but it’s complicated,”  said Douglas.

Douglas shared information on the requirements every state has for the election. 

“The 50 states are required to submit their final election certifications to Congress by December 14th, when members of the Electoral College are set to meet. If Trump’s legal challenges go to the U.S. Supreme Court, and the final winner of the majority of the Electoral College vote is disputed, a decision will come before December 14th. In 2000, the Supreme Court ruled in Bush v. Gore on December 12th, stopping the recount in Florida, leaving Bush ahead in the state and delivering Florida’s electors to Bush, and victory in the Electoral College,” he said. 

A possible Supreme Court case in the future leaves some uncertainty on who will take office on January 20. 

Douglas discussed the different possibilities that could take place.

“There won’t be a temporary vacancy of the office of presidency. Trump will absolutely serve out his term until January 20th, and most likely Joe Biden will be sworn in. It’s complicated, but if there was a tie in the Electoral College, or if Congress refused to accept the certification of elections from a state or a number of states, Congress would have to vote to choose the winner, and the vote is by state delegations.” 

Matthew Atkinson, a political science professor at Long Beach City College since 2016, also had more insight on this possibility. 

“The rules are very specific, I don’t think that there are any states where the election is so close that the courts are going to throw the electors into limbo,” he said. 

“I don’t think there’s any possibility that these recounts or lawsuits would change any of the outcomes. I think Biden has by now had more than enough votes to lose one of the states that contested. I don’t think he’ll lose any of them but even if he did, he still has enough Electoral College votes in,” said Atkinson. 

Despite the uncertainty still on who will be sworn into office this upcoming January, it was a tight race throughout the entire election. Joe Biden won with 306 electoral college votes, and President Donald Trump with 232 electoral college votes. 

Why was this election so close?

“Overall turnout was 66 percent of eligible voters, the highest turnout since 1900. Quite simply, more people voted. And Trump increased his numbers from 2016. The movement to “Keep America Great” is here to stay. It’s going to be a powerful and enduring factor of American politics for a long time, long after Trump’s retired from the scene. Democrats are worried, and rightly so. They lost seats in Congress. They failed to win back the majority in the Senate, and the two Georgia runoff elections to the Senate are a long shot for the party. And Democrats failed to win back the majority in any state legislature. Except for the presidential race, it was a bad night for Democrats and the left,” said Douglas. 

This election had the highest voter turnout compared to every past election.

Atkinson said, “Through most of the late 20th century, voters didn’t really feel like that there was much at stake in the election and they certainly didn’t feel like there was an option for them that was important or exciting for a lot of Democratic voters.”

“It’s the top down mobilizing effect where it’s the parties and the politicians investing the resources and getting people to turn out to vote because that’s essential, and then there’s the bottom up people all of a sudden waking up and saying, oh wow, this is really important and start talking about it,” said Atkinson.

“If people sustain this level of voting, it would be really good for democracy, because it is good for Democratic representation,” said Atkinson.

“A lot can happen, but should gridlock reign in Washington, it’s going to be rough for the party in the 2022 midterms, with a strong possibility of Republicans retaking majority control of that chamber two years before the 2024 election,”  said Douglas.

Down below is a link to register to vote for all upcoming elections.

https://www.vote.org/register-to-vote/

“I feel we have it twice as hard as anyone else;” Former LBCC student shares her experience being undocumented

Caitlyn Thiele
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“I feel we have it twice as hard as anyone else;” Former LBCC student shares her experience being undocumented

Former LBCC student Ivon Vargas was told by her high school counselor, that because she was undocumented, she couldn’t go to college. 

Vargas, who is now on her way to graduate from U.C. Irvine this upcoming spring, said the experience was discouraging. 

She was forced to find resources on her own to pursue higher education, as she wasn’t presented with the right tools to transition from high school straight to a four-year university. 

According to Vargas, it was difficult determining who she could tell her story to, in order to help her in the way she needed to continue her schooling. 

The average amount of undocumented students at Long Beach City College is around 650 out of about 24,000 students enrolled. 

That is over 99% of students who can’t relate to or understand the experience of being an undocumented student. 

Vargas said the experience of being an undocumented student has been, “Challenging, because I feel we have it twice as hard as anyone else. Both being first-gen and undocumented presents itself a challenge.”

Being “first-gen” is a term often used for people who are the first in their family to either graduate high school or college. 

When President Trump announced he wanted to end DACA, Vargas said, “I thought it didn’t make sense because when you get DACA you have to go through a whole background check. So, it’s not like we’re bad people.”

“It is discouraging having someone tell you, ‘Oh no you can’t go to school anymore,’” Vargas said. 

Not only have undocumented students faced the potential reality of not having DACA renewed, but the pandemic has robbed the opportunity of many to celebrate graduation. 

Graduating from college is a milestone celebrated for the first time in generations for many undocumented students. 

Regarding her time at LBCC, Vargas said, “I did get the right sources at LBCC, but only because I went out of my way to find it. I wish there were more events where students would become aware of the resources available and make it known to the students about the DREAM Services Center.”

LBCC offers services to support AB540 and undocumented students at DREAM Services. 

“Our primary focus is to serve, support, and advocate for the academic, professional and personal development and success of all undocumented students at Long Beach City College,” read the DREAM Services website.

Many undocumented students struggle with not knowing who is an ally, and not knowing who they can go to for help. 

For Vargas, she reached out for help from LBCC Spanish professor Veronica Alvarez, who introduced her to DREAM services, which at the time was in its early stages. 

Jose Gutierrez, LBCC DREAM Services coordinator said, “Ivon represents so many students at LBCC, students who have grit and determination.” 

“She has shown up and was present even when things were not going her way. It’s an honor to be able to support and help students like Ivon,” said Gutierrez.

This year, LBCC offered Undocu Ally training for the first time to students. In the past, the training was only open to faculty and staff. 

Vargas helped co-present one of the past Undocu Ally trainings to faculty and staff, an event Gutierrez helped lead at LBCC. 

“Someone can sympathize and empathize when hearing my own personal story as an undocumented student. It is powerful, and I do feel the training makes a difference,” Vargas said.

Now that Vice President Biden is the President-Elect, Vargas said, “I feel like I can do more things now and feel open to it, for example, getting my Master’s degree. I feel so blessed and happy that he won.”

Vargas celebrated with her sister who is also an undocumented student. 

“All my hopes and dreams have a happy ending and now and I can see it,” said Vargas.

Vargas referenced the Spanish phrase, “Querer is poder,” a common phrase which translates to “Where there is a will, there is a way.” 

Vargas said, “I strongly believe that if you want something, you can definitely do it. No matter your race, no matter your ethnicity or your status, you can do it.”

For more info on DREAM services at LBCC, click here.

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