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Students learn Japanese recipes at final ‘Chop it Like it’s Hot’

Addie Farris
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Students learn Japanese recipes at final ‘Chop it Like it’s Hot’

Long Beach City College’s Basic Needs program and the Community Advancing Student Achievement (CASA) program introduced students to Japanese recipes, teaching students how to make fried rice and jasmine milk tea boba as the final interactive cooking experience on Friday.

The program was created to educate and encourage students to incorporate meal preparation in their lives, with recipes that are designed to be prepared at home, serve multiple guests and to encourage students to cook together.

“Cooking with CASA class experience is a really great way for people to not only feel connected as a group and break bread with food, but it also introduces people to different recipes that they may not experience in their regular lives,” Basic Needs assistant Christian Davis said.

The last installment of Chop it Like it’s Hot cooking series this semester featured a Japanese Hibachi cooking style with ingredients provided by the Viking Vault.  

While cooking their fried rice, participants were given the option of spam as their protein, giving students the chance to incorporate ingredients they wouldn’t normally use into their meals. 

“What a different way to see how spam can be utilized to make different types of food,” student Christopher Kosareff said. 

This was the first year LBCC has hosted an interactive cooking series designed to educate students on easy, at-home recipes. 

“I like the Chop it Like it’s Hot Series and the community that it builds. We are all together learning how to prepare a meal and getting some of the items to prepare the meal at home,” student Marja Needham said.

The CASA success coaches plan on continuing the Chop it Like it’s Hot series in the future since it has proved to be beneficial for students and provided them with healthy and easy meals that can be prepared at home. 

“We hope this program continues next year and allows more students to try out new cultures and to make new friends. It has been such an enriching experience,” said CASA Success Coach Luz Diaz.

Latinx Grad Celebration will feature mariachi along with folklorico performances

Enrique Martinez
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Latinx Grad Celebration will feature mariachi along with folklorico performances

LBCC’s Latinx Cultural Grad Celebration, specifically called RAICES, will take place this Saturday May 31 from 9-11:30 a.m. at the LAC Hall of Champions located in the R Building and will include performances, speeches and a food reception. 

Student registration for this event has closed due to the event reaching capacity, however students who didn’t get to register are still encouraged to attend the event. 

“We’re not going to turn anyone away,” said James Ceja, the lead organizer of the graduation. Supplies for medallions and other goodies are available only to students who have RSVP’d. 

This event will be bilingual, meant to accommodate both English and Spanish speakers, and its purpose is to celebrate the accomplishments of graduates and to celebrate all Latinx cultures. 

At the beginning of the event mariachi performers will welcome students and their families. Attendees will also have access to pastries and coffee in the morning.

Staff members and graduating students will have time to give inspirational remarks.

Folkorico dancers will perform halfway through the celebration and students will walk the stage and receive a medallion shortly after. 

The medallions will have the words “Si se pudo” which translates to “Yes we did it,” these words are inspired from the popularized Latinx phrase “Si se puede” meaning “Yes we can.”  

After the walking ceremony, a food reception will take place for both students and their families. 

A DJ will also be present at the reception to play dance music from various Latinx cultures. 

“We welcome any recommendations from all different cultures, preferably dance music so people can start dancing and stuff, yeah like reggaeton, cumbia, salsa, so ranging from all of our different cultures,” Ceja said. 

Families are encouraged to bring celebratory items like balloons, gifts, face cutouts and flowers to show support to their graduates. 

Students are encouraged to bring two family members, but there is no definite limit as organizers understand that Latinx families are usually large in numbers. 

Two student graduates who plan on attending the RAICES Grad Celebration shared what the event means to them. 

“This graduation means a lot like we’re representing our ancestors and our people that didn’t finish their educational journey and we’re finishing it for them to demonstrate the new generation and inspire others,” said Evelio Gandara. 

Graduate Miguel Zavala also shared his perspective. 

“I guess for me it’s just one step forward and moving on to the next part of my academic journey, so I’m happy to share that with my community,” said Miguel Zavala. 

LBCC reinstates counselor fired over commencement incident

Sydney Love
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LBCC reinstates counselor fired over commencement incident

A Long Beach City College counselor who was previously fired for “elbowing” a student during the 2022 commencement ceremony has been rehired. 

During the commencement ceremony, Kashara Moore mispronounced LBCC graduate Carmina J. Barraza’s name.

Moore’s elbow appeared to make contact with Barraza after the student corrected the pronunciation of her name, which caused Barraza to tell then Board of Trustees representative Herlinda Chico, “she elbowed me,” referring to Moore. 

LBCC’s investigative report summary showed that Moore mispronounced Barraza’s name, and the physical contact was intentional. 

Despite online petitions and faculty support, Moore was fired in a 3-2 vote by the Board of Trustees on September 14, 2022.  

Among these supporters is LBCC professor Annahita Mahdavi, who confirmed that Moore won an unlawful termination case against LBCC.

“I know that she got her job back, she is back as a counselor,” Mahdavi said. 

Moore declined an interview with the Viking News. 

Moore took a full-time position at Saddleback College in 2023, but it is unclear why she decided to return to LBCC. 

Superintendent-president Mike Munoz also confirmed Moore’s status, saying “Kashara Moore is employed,” but declined to give any information as to what led to her reinstatement. 

“When we fight, we win. Let this be a lesson to the board and the administration,” Mahdavi said.

LBCC’s Native grad recognizes students with cultural celebration

Jose Rivera
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LBCC’s Native grad recognizes students with cultural celebration

LBCC’s Native grad promoted the importance of community and representation for its graduating students on May 16.

Seating was arranged in a semicircle for the event and food and refreshments were provided before the graduation began. 

The event started off with the director of Basic Needs Justin Mendez presenting a land acknowledgement of the Gabrielino and Tongva people.

LBCC graduate and Native American Indigenous Collaborative (NAIC) affiliate Ezra LoBianco expressed the importance of holding these land acknowledgments for Native people.

“It’s important for all of our cultures to be represented, I would say the extra significance for our Native-Indigenous students is because we are often an overlooked population simply because of numbers. We don’t have a lot of representation numerically but it doesn’t take away the importance of us being represented at all levels,” Mendez said. 

Director of Student Equity Eric Beccera helped organize the event with NAIC and presented parting gifts for graduates, including a tobacco leaf wrapped in a cloth and turkey feather tassels.

Native grad was first hosted on campus two years ago and Beccera noted this year’s large turnout.  

“The first time we had a gathering it was a lot smaller, it was a couple of students. This is one of those events that we do that really ensures that our students feel seen, heard, and loved,” Beccera said.

Thomas James Reed also hosted the celebration dressed in Native regalia to represent his Oneida heritage.

“Having that time to come together and to lift one another up and to heal in ourselves, for past generations, and generations to come,” Reed said. 

Reed also performed a dance with performer Michael Runningwood who sang and played drums. 

“We put them together to express ourselves as a living motion, also to encourage motion around our peers and the environment around us,” Runningwind said regarding the music performed.

LoBianco stressed the importance of celebrations like Native grad. 

“I just want to see all of them, I just want them to feel like they’re welcome here and that they are part of this, that this for them, whether or not they feel connected, or reconnecting, or they are connected no matter where they come from,” LoBianco said.

Students and families were given time to hold a small speech expressing gratitude for each other. 

LBCC will be holding its official commencement ceremony for graduates on June 5.

LBCC alumnus makes directorial debut film, ‘Blazers Stained in Burgundy’

Jose Rivera
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LBCC alumnus makes directorial debut film, ‘Blazers Stained in Burgundy’

Former LBCC student Jackson Wilfong will host a premiere for his upcoming film “Blazers Stained in Burgundy” on May 29 at the Long Beach Art Theatre from 7 to 9:30 p.m. 

Guests can begin purchasing tickets at will call at 7 p.m., with doors to the theater opening at 7:30 p.m. The film is set to begin screening at 8:15 p.m. 

“The film is a reflection on power, loyalty, and unraveling under weight you thought you could carry,” Wilfong said. 

Wilfong took his inspiration for the film from 1980s and 1990s crime films, drawn specifically from “The Sopranos,” Martin Scorsese and the Safdie brothers.  

“The title, ‘Blazers Stained in Burgundy,’ is a dark-styled short film centered on Madam K, a powerful mob-boss whose grip on her power begins to slip after a tense encounter with an FBI agent…as the pressure melts so does her control on her world and mind,” Wilfong said. 

Using his inspiration from “The Sopranos,” Wilfong chose to shoot the film in locations he thought would be interesting or unexpected, using local locations like the Long Beach Marina, Skylinks Golf Course, a high School in Torrance as well as other locations provided to him by his friends and family. Some other locations included his grandfather’s house, his fathers warehouse and his friends boat. 

Wilfong wrote “Blazers Stained in Burgundy” in the winter of 2022 and began filming in the summer of 2023, with final edits made in the fall of 2024.

Director Jackson Wilfong poses while he sits in a director’s chair with the official poster for his short film, “Blazers Stained in Burgundy,” May 20. (Kay Pham-Nguyen)

When finding his cast and crew for this film, Wilfong turned to his friends and family, recruiting people he thought would be good fits for the roles. 

Most of the cast was also found online via ads for more technological positions such as sound design, editors and colorists. 

Madeline Popovich, who plays Tonic, one of Madam K’s employees, connected with Wilfong through a previous acting job she had done. 

In the past, Popovich had been involved in various small films and passion projects, which helped prepare her for her role in this film. 

Popopvich believes she and this film collided at the perfect time and said, “I began this at a time in my life when I was just stepping into pursuing acting and this confirmed it for me.” 

Jerffrey Gaynor, who plays Tommy Spoons, stepped into his role naturally. His character has an inherent nervous energy about him, a feeling Gaynor is no stranger to. 

 “I was finding my own natural mix of my own personal anxieties, and felt like I was playing a version of myself,” Gaynor said. 

Gaynor had previously been involved in other short films, but the shooting of this film was different for him. 

“You can tell a lot of planning and passion went into this one, this is the first shoot that felt well prepared,” Gaynor said.  

Opposite from Gaynors familiarity with his role, Anthony J. Reyes, who plays Jimmy Blonde, had to work to understand his character. 

“I had to take myself out of my own person and step into someone who is made fun of and dumb,” Reyes said.

Originally brought in as wardrobe assistant, Reyes was presented by Wilfong the opportunity to be featured as an actor in the film.

Though it was his first time in front of the camera, Reyes used it as a chance to test his acting capabilities. 

Wilfong’s push to make “Blazers Stained in Burgundy” was to see what his film potential was before going back to school. 

After taking a few classes at LBCC, Wilfong decided to take an academic leave to focus on his passion of film-making.

This decision drove him to gather the community around him and get his film into motion. 

After finishing the film, Wilfong transferred to CSULB where he is now pursuing a degree in film. 

The official premiere for “Blazers Stained in Burgundy” will take place at the Long Beach Art Theater on Thursday May 29, at 7 p.m. 

Immigration attorney Nicholas Mireles speaks on immigration laws

Kay Pham-Nguyen
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Immigration attorney Nicholas Mireles speaks on immigration laws

CORRECTION: A previous version of this article incorrectly attributed the organization of this event solely to the Undocumented Student Club.

LBCC alumnus and attorney Nicholas Mireles spoke as a guest for the Undocumented Student Club at LAC to discuss​ immigration stories and politics that have affected lawmaking.

The History and Political Science Student Association (HPSSA) organized this event in collaboration with the Undocumented Students Club.

Students were able to hear Mireles’ perspective as an attorney with years of experience and got some of their questions answered.

Mireles said immigration law is complicated due to government terms having various ideas and the continuous change in laws depending on who is in office. 

Mireles further explained that the current socioeconomic situation of the U.S. makes it difficult for families and individuals to go through the immigration process.

“My cousin’s wife immigration process has taken over five years and about $30,000 in expenses,” LBCC student Adrian Motley said.

Mireles also encouraged students to work hard even if the path to a green card or naturalization isn’t clear.

“When you do more and achieve more it gets addicting to do more, but it’s the same for doing nothing. It also gets addicting to do nothing,” Mireles said.

Mireles noted that each immigration case is unique and must be evaluated individually, but shared several potential pathways that may assist in the process, including Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), Temporary Protected Status (TPS), and Deferred Enforced Departure (DED).

“One of the most important things anyone could have to go through this process is patience. For some people it could be quite long,” Mireles said.

Mireles assured that under constitutional law, everyone in the United States is entitled to due process, regardless of immigrant status and anything beyond that is a violation of the Constitution. 

“I always wanted to study law but I don’t know what branch, but after hearing Attorney Mireles I might be leaning toward immigration law,” LBCC student Katherine Williams said. 

Mireles encouraged students to persevere, stating that while some changes to immigration laws are unprecedented, hard work and serving as positive contributors to society can support their path toward legal documentation.

Live jazz brought to campus through free outdoor concert at the coffee pavilion

Addie Farris
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Live jazz brought to campus through free outdoor concert at the coffee pavilion

The sound of fusion jazz flooded LAC’s E quad on Monday at 4 p.m. when a free live performance was held by Burbank based jazz group, 6 Beats Apart outside the coffee pavilion to celebrate jazz appreciation month. 

The band played several jazz tunes including an uptempo version of “Puttin’ on the Ritz,” and were accompanied for a few songs by jazz studies professor Patrick Sheng on the soprano saxophone.

The performance was put alongside Sheng, who reached out to band leader and bassist Bruce Lett.

Lett and his band received a grant from the American Federation of Musicians to perform for jazz appreciation month.

“As long as it’s free to the public, we get paid by the musician’s union. We’ve done about seven performances in the last month and a half,” Lett said.

The American Federation of Musicians or AFM is a union that represents over 70,000 professional musicians.

“We didn’t have to pay a dime, it was all funded by the AFM grant,” Sheng said.

Over the course of the concert, members of the band kept the atmosphere light through sarcastic jokes.

“If you have any questions, keep them to yourself,” Lett said.

Lett started putting together the group in college, rotating through around 30 members and six name changes, until the latest version of the group solidified during the COVID lockdowns in 2020.

“I own the Burbank music academy, and so we played there every single Monday night during lockdown,” Ed Wynne, saxophonist said.

The current name for the group came from the “six feet apart” social distancing requirements that were in place during the pandemic.

Wynne is a Long Beach native who graduated Wilson High School, met his wife at Lakewood High School, and attended LBCC.

In a moment that came full circle, Wynne pointed out that during his time at LBCC, he had performed at the Bob and Barbara Ellis auditorium that was on the other side of the E quad from the concert. 

Softball Alum turned head coach gets SCC Coach of the Year

Isabel Murty
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Softball Alum turned head coach gets SCC Coach of the Year

Vikings softball head coach Megan Martinez has been coaching for 16 years, 10 at LBCC, her alma mater, and this past season she won SCC Coach of the Year. 

Martinez began playing baseball from a young age, but she eventually made the switch to softball. 

Martinez got a Division I scholarship out of St. Joseph High School, but due to problems at home, she did not go. 

“I signed a Division I scholarship out of high school, and it was a time in my parents’ life that they really couldn’t support me in any way,” Martinez said. 

Shellie McCall, the head coach of the softball team at the time, went and found Martinez and told her to come play at LBCC. 

In her two years as a student at LBCC, the team went 87-10-1, where they won the South Coast conference title. 

The first season ended poorly, finishing as the runner-up in the finals in 2000, but it won it all in 2001.

After LBCC, Martinez went on to California State University Dominguez Hills to close out her softball career, where she was captain for two years. 

After graduating, she went on to coach at three different colleges. 

“This is my tenth year at Long Beach City. Before here, I was at Compton College for three years, and before that, I was at Cal State Dominguez for three years,” said Martinez. 

Martinez also coaches a 14U girls softball team called “USA Athletics Martinez/Palafox.” 

This season the Vikings went 38-6 and made it to round two of the playoffs but lost to El Camino. 

“She (Martinez) pushes us really hard, and sometimes it’s tough love, but I think it’s what makes us good,” pitcher Hailey Harris said. 

Martinez does credit the other coaches on the staff for helping her receive the Coach of the Year. 

“I have compiled the best coaching staff in the country, I think,” Martinez said.

Martinez is a coach who cares so much about the game and the athletes she coaches. 

“Coach Megan is one of the most inspirational coaches I’ve ever met. I mean, every time she huddles us up together, she gets me going,” infielder Michelle Cervantes said. 

Not only does the team love her as a coach, but Martinez is like another mom to some of the players. 

“I truly love her, she’s like a second mom. I definitely found a second home with the team with her, she’s an amazing person,” said first baseman Anaya Togia. 

Student veterans honor the fallen with Memorial Day flag display

Rafael Gomez
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Student veterans honor the fallen with Memorial Day flag display

In preparation of Memorial Day, LBCC’s Veterans Services Office (VSO) placed over two thousand American flags at the LAC A Quad from Monday to Wednesday to honor fallen veterans. 

The VSO, which is mainly composed of student veterans under work study programs, offers assistance for veterans and their dependents. 

Student veterans and volunteers placed the flags from 6 a.m. until midday with a precise and linear formation guideline.

Andrew Thackerson, an Afghanistan veteran and student who arrived early in the morning to assist in flag placement, shared that the flags represented the bigger picture of veteran lives lost both on and off duty and their sacrifices.

“Being in the military, you do a lot of things where you’re going to suffer, but it’s never about the current moment, it’s always about what you’re building up to,” Thackerson said.

LBCC student and veteran Gabriel Zuniga, who has assisted with the flag placements for the past three years, discussed that the transition back to civilian life is something that some veterans struggle to overcome.

“I’ve had a few individuals who I’ve lost personally that are close to me that I served with, and they not only made the sacrifice on the line of duty, but have also suffered from PTSD even though they came back and they unfortunately took their own lives…even though they did their time and served, up until their last day on this earth were they still dealing with those kinds of mental health issues, it’s unfortunate,” Zuniga said.

Zuniga and Thackerson clarified that Memorial Day was more of a remembrance of life rather than a celebration. 

“It does sometimes kind of hit hard when there’s people who aren’t knowledgeable of what the day is about. Most take that day off, that’s understandable, but the main thing is that there’s a cost to freedom… doing the actual planting of the flags, you’re thinking about what you’re doing and how to show respect, so we do our best to make sure they’re placed in order and not broken or damaged,” Zuniga said.

Thackerson recounted his own mental health experiences as a combat veteran and believed that assistance for veterans such as the help provided by the VSO is crucial.

“There were some tough times when I was coming back… the unfortunate part is every vet is a different case. I was a mechanic, so when you’re serving, you have to do your job… this is how this works and you go apply it to 400 different vehicles. That’s how we were taught, and unfortunately it really sticks to you and it’s very hard when you have to do things like math for example where every step is just one line,” Thackerson said. 

A closing ceremony was held at the A quad at 11 a.m. on Thursday, and marked the end of preparations with a sounding of “Taps” over speakers at midday.

Vietnam veteran and student James Goodman and Zuniga voiced that the ceremony should have received more coverage from LBCC, citing an email sent out by the school for an LGBTQ flag raising at TTC on the same day as an example.

“It’s nothing against what they do, it’s their prerogative, but it’d be better with equality. Memorial Day is about veterans and what they fought for, so once we educate the community to understand that, that’s how we build a stronger community, especially because we veterans have lost a lot,” Goodman said.

The flags will stand over the weekend until Tuesday when classes resume.

Long Beach City College hosts Chili Cook Off

Addie Farris
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Long Beach City College hosts Chili Cook Off

Long Beach City College hosted a chili cookoff on the LAC A-quad on Wednesday from 12:00 p.m.- 2:00 p.m. where nine student-ran booths served different kinds of chili and competed for a $300 prize.

Students were able to purchase tasting tickets for two dollars at the check in table, near the B-building.

A live band performed a variety of songs from different artists and genres from the start of the event until around 1:30 p.m. 

“The chili was really, really good and the whole event was fun with the vibes from the music,” LBCC student Chris Moore said.

“This was absolutely worth my two dollars. I don’t think I really had a favorite to be honest,” Jonathan Aldaco said.

Even the staff seemed to enjoy themselves at the event, as they could be seen talking with students and clubs making chilli.

“You know, it’s really great that they’re having this event. This is really good weather. I’m in the music department, so I’m supporting the music table and just trying to get as much chili as possible,”  said music Professor Roger Przytulski.

LBCC raised over $200 from the cookoff which will go towards a variety of LBCC scholarships.

There were three categories that students and clubs could win money from, with the main category being the People’s Choice Category which earned a $300 prize for winners.

The other two categories were Judges Choice and Best Decorated Booth. 

The recipient of the prize money was the American Criminal Justice Association, winning with a classic chili recipe and the Judges Choice award went to LBCC student Juan Paulo. 

Not only did the ACJA take first place in People’s choice, but also in the Best Decorated Booth category. 

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