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Professor’s art begs for interpretations at Alumni Art Gallery

Sam Villa
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Professor’s art begs for interpretations at Alumni Art Gallery

LBCC’s Alumni Art Gallery had its closing event in the K building on Thursday Dec. 5, with many of the featured artists stopping by to see the exhibition one last time.

The exhibition hosted artwork made by LBCC alumni, including some who graduated over 25 years ago.

One such alum, Mariah Cool, became a professor of sculpture and 3D design at LBCC, and her piece “Not Enough” was featured at the gallery.

“Not Enough” is a 3D art piece that was featured in the rear of the gallery, a pile of crochet blankets positioned in front of a television screen displaying static, all hidden away in a room behind metal bars.

“I don’t like telling people what it is, it’s not supposed to be anything, I just love hearing everyone’s interpretations,” Cool said.

Cool shared some notable interpretations that she received, and shared her idea for what motivated them.

“During the election season someone said it’s someone watching election results, during Halloween someone said it was a monster, I think in a lot of ways it’s a reflection of where people are in their life,” Cool said.

The art gallery’s director Karla Aguiniga curated the pieces for the gallery, particularly choosing artists that went on to receive their bachelor’s degree, and that have gone on to become professionals.

Aguiniga also had her own interpretations to share with Cool about her piece. 

“It’s inviting, if the gate wasn’t there, people would try to touch it. The gate makes it eerie, and unsure of if it’s even supposed to be there. With all those blankets, something that was made with love, that could have been made by somebody’s grandmother, and now it’s become a sort of pile of waste,” Aguiniga said.

Cool agreed with this sentiment of the piece having themes of consumerism and waste, sharing some of her inspiration.

“There were hundreds of thousands of hours put into the blankets, but they’re discarded,” Cool said.

Aguiniga mentioned three other former LBCC professors that were also featured in the gallery, those being Luis Moreno, Rachel Shimpock, and Christina Shurts.

Karina Colorado’s pieces “Weaves with Natural Fibers” (left) and “Ya Queremos Pastel” (right) sit on display at the LBCC alumni art exhibition. The exhibition concluded on Thursday Dec. 5, 2024. (Ryan Hixson)

Cool spent her first years in college at LBCC, before transferring to USC to receive her BA in visual anthropology, and then returning to LBCC to take art classes alongside receiving her masters in fine arts from UCI.

“Karla’s done a good job of creating a community hub, we have people coming in and just wanting to talk for the sake of it,” a student working at the gallery Lolita Mojica said.

Mojica also highlighted Aguiniga’s efforts to make the gallery more welcoming in contrast to previous years, such as making it free for all students.

“I love the energy here, it’s an exciting age of people to be around, and to help make their work,” Cool said.

Cool intends on making this piece part of a larger family of works, centering around the theming of the blankets and their overabundance being a visual representation of the wastefulness of consumerism. 

Opinion: Colleges should require a personal finance course for graduation

Sam Villa
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Opinion: Colleges should require a personal finance course for graduation

General education courses shape students to become more well-rounded educationally and assist them in their future careers, but an extremely important class is missing from the general education requirements: personal finance.

No matter what career path students decide to pursue, money is involved in every single one, therefore, students should be required to take a class that teaches them about everything involving money management.

Opening up a bank account, leasing a car, credit card debt, paying taxes and housing mortgages are all financial situations students will face, but there’s really no current system that requires them to actually retain those skills.

LBCC requiring a personal finance class for students will not only significantly aid them throughout their lives, but will also make younger people feel more confident in making real-world financial decisions. 

Making personal finance a required general education course will create a greater outreach of these skills to ensure that all students will have the knowledge to manage their funds, not just students in finance and math majors.

In a study by the Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America, only 16% of millennials demonstrated high financial literacy.

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority held a survey in 2022 that found many young adults struggled with budgeting, saving money and overall managing it.

It’s one thing to be making money, but it’s another to manage it and be smart about it. If that’s not done, your hard earned money pretty much goes straight down the drain.

This is why teaching financial skills and concepts to students while they’re young is critical to developing good financial habits, as they’re more likely to stick.

Requiring a personal finance course will allow students to learn the crucial skills of managing money as an adult.

With more young people contributing to the economy and making wise monetary decisions, they’ll become more confident while managing loans, paying taxes and building their credit score. 

This personal finance course requirement would be beneficial to college students because it prepares them for their next financial decisions during and after college.  

Vikings football ends with overall successful season

Isabel Murty
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Vikings football ends with overall successful season

The Vikings ended their season on Nov. 27 with a close 39-33 loss in the Beach Bowl against Ventura College but finished with a 6-5 winning record.

“I’m incredibly proud of their resilience to keep pushing back,” said Head Coach Brett
Peabody. 

After a rough start, going 0-2 against Riverside and Bakersfield, they had a five-game winning streak. 

“Instead of putting our heads down, we battled through and became a family,” starting quarterback Jett Peddy said.

The Vikings are a family on and off the field, whether it was messing around before and after practices, laughing and just having a good time with one another, or hyping one another up to keep the momentum going. 

“The defense and offense used each other’s momentum through key moments in games, and it really showed the chemistry and that we played hard for one another,” said Peddy, “this team had heart and didn’t panic when adversity hit us.”  

Overall, the team improved from last season, where they finished 4-6.

Their run game improved on the offensive side of the ball, and they had more rushing yards than the ‘23-’24 season.

Defensively, they improved on yards allowed during pass attempts compared to last season by about 85 yards. 

 “We always have our heads up,” said Michael Salinas, an offensive lineman. 

“Over the season, we got closer each week, which translated for more success during the season,” defensive end Carson Moore, said. 

The team had some close wins and losses where the score was just a couple of points, but one of their biggest games came in a 38-30 double-overtime win over Cerritos when the Vikings were able to keep the Crosstown Cup. 

Those in the locker room believe they are close to bringing home a state championship for the first time since they won a national championship in 1995.

LBCC receives $1 million for student housing with help from Congresswoman

Ryenne Jolliff
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LBCC receives $1 million for student housing with help from Congresswoman

U.S. Congresswoman Nanette Barragan and members of LBCC’s Board of Trustees celebrated the school receiving $1 million in federal funding to build housing for low income students in North Long Beach on Dec. 2.   

The complex, which will have 36 units, aims to provide low income students with affordable housing and access to essential resources. 

“What we know is that a large portion of our students are struggling with housing insecurity, and one of the biggest barriers to staying in school is affordable housing,” LBCC Superintendent-President Mike Munoz said.

According to Munoz, the housing units will be vastly different from traditional dormitories, which will benefit students with dependents.

“If you think of the traditional dorm setting, you have two people sharing a room, and there’s usually a bathroom in a long hallway. These units will be more of the traditional apartment style where you have the restroom and the kitchen contained within the unit,” Munoz said. 

Another critical element to this project is ensuring rent prices are affordable for low income students. 

“We’re not working with a private entity, we’re not outsourcing this. We really get to set what the rent prices are. We want to make sure that whatever housing options we provide to students would be below market value, which would hopefully incentivise them into our units,” Munoz said.

The location of the unit in North Long Beach will also give students the opportunity to access free educational resources. 

“The new units will be within walking distance of the state of the art North Long Beach Learning Center, which we just opened months ago,” Board of Trustees President Vivian Malauulu said. 

The importance of the new housing unit was made abundantly clear by the Trustees in attendance. 

“It’s a big day for us. I’ve been on the Board almost seven years now, and I’ve been working on this project for seven years,” Trustee Uduak-Joe Ntuk said. 

A poster displays concept art of the exterior of the new student housing complex that will be built in North Long Beach at an event held on Dec. 2. (Ryenne Jolliff)

“Most community colleges don’t provide housing. It’s something you see at four year universities. Our Board of Trustees made the bold decision to prioritize affordable student housing, and I think we’re gonna continue to make ourselves a destination college,” Munoz said. 

Malauulu expressed her gratitude to Barragan, who played a critical role in securing this funding for LBCC.

“It’s so important to have advocates at the city, county, state and federal level. It’s so important to have friends who care about Long Beach City College, who strive to provide opportunities for our students,” Malauulu said.

Barragan spoke to the small audience in attendance about the importance of education being accessible to all. 

“I’ve heard so many students say that they can’t afford to go to college. You can’t afford not to go. Students should not have to choose between being able to afford textbooks, housing, or transportation,” Barragan said. 

Barragan also addressed concerns regarding president elect Donald Trump’s recent comments about wanting to dismantle the Department of Education. 

“Education is going to be under attack,” said Barragan. “We don’t know what the next several years will look like. We don’t know if these federally funded projects will be available during the next Congress.” 

Despite this, Barragan remained positive about the project and the impact it will have on the community. 

“I’m more proud than ever that we got this across the finish line. In today’s day and age, every day is a good day to celebrate,” Barragan said.

According to Malauulu, there is no official date for construction to start, but hopes the Trustees will announce one by the end of the year. 

LBCC dancers shine at “In the Heights” auditions

Darla Perez
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LBCC dancers shine at “In the Heights” auditions

The LBCC dance room buzzed with excitement as both experienced and beginner performers auditioned at LAC in room Q113 from Dec 3-5 for the upcoming musical “In the Heights” next semester. 

In the Heights, a musical production by Lin Manuel Miranda best known for writing the hit Broadway show Hamilton, has set off excitement as it is the first musical performance at LBCC in 18 years. 

Directed by Mark Anthony Vallejo, In the Heights explores the community of Washington Heights, a predominantly Latinx neighborhood in New York. 

The decision for this production was largely based on the college’s large population of Hispanic students. 

The story follows a character named Usnavi as he navigates his identity and place in the world, which can resonate with incoming students or students who’ve yet to find themselves. 

 “I believe that the musical ‘In the Heights’ can help connect people to the culture and representation it brings, as its story can relate to Latinx students in the school,” LBCC student Mathew Perez said.

It explores themes such as community, dreams, and a sense of belonging, making it relatable for such a diverse campus.

“This production will feature a blend of diverse cultural elements that include music, dance and fashion,” Vallejo said.

The musical is set to incorporate genres such as Salsa, Afro-Cuban, and Hip-hop which reflect the rich culture that surrounds the Dominican Republic.

Costumes will incorporate bold colors and accessories like rosaries and hoops, alongside baggy pants and bandanas.

The musical which is set to open in March will feature 22 performers, including both a lead and ensemble. 

Skye Angulo, director of Choral-studies, and involved with “In the Heights” mentioned that the major challenge they faced was the financial aspect. 

Large-scale productions include the rights of the musical which alone cost $5,000 and additional resources such as microphones and head mics. 

However, thanks to the support of Superintendent President Mike Munoz they were able to gather the necessary funds for the production. 

“He was incredibly supportive, and gave us the money we needed to make this production possible,” Angulo said.

Annual Toy Drive: Spreading holiday cheer to student-parents

Samantha Navarro
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Annual Toy Drive: Spreading holiday cheer to student-parents

Spread holiday cheer and make a difference this season at Long Beach City College by donating to the Annual Toy Drive from Nov. 12 to Dec. 13 to bring joy to student parents in need with donations that can help brighten the holidays for families on campus.

The toy drive is aimed at supporting student-parents on campus which offers a helping hand to those juggling academics and family responsibilities, ensuring that their children experience the joy and magic of the holidays.

The drive is gifting toys for ages newborn to 17 years old, asking for them to be new and unwrapped to distribute to their student-parents in need.

The drive is being run by Calworks, CARE, and Basic Needs collectively to gather both presents and even monetary donations to their cause.

Many student-parents balancing school and family will experience a little less stress this holiday season thanks to donation stations located across both campuses for easy drop off.

The TTC locations include the CalWorks Office in GG-217 and the Student Union in EE-102.

The LAC hosts 3 locations, the First Year Experience (FYE) Center in B-203, the Basic Needs Office in B-103, and Human Resources in T-1045.

The FYE Center had success coaches Christine Tran, Franklin Andres and Jennifer Cortez who took charge of the toy drive.

Christine Tran is a student success coach intern that just graduated from UC Irvine with her bachelors in counseling and now she is attending USC master of education in educational counseling program to become a counselor for community colleges.  

“The toy drive means a lot to me because when I was in highschool I did this also helping families with low income and I really enjoy the feeling of happiness kids and students get when they receive all the donations,” Tran said.

Franklin Andres is the male success initiative and student success coach that helps men of color find belonging and identity by mentoring directly with student aid and opportunities.

“I really want to give purpose to the toy drive this year for the student parents that need to alleviate stress and need that boost of hope that their holiday will be full of joy with the donations,” Andres said.

Jennifer Cortez is in her first year as a student success coach and is highly motivated to get as many donations for the toy drive and wants to spread the word to as many people as she can.

“I want to encourage all students who can afford to donate gifts, even unwrapped gifts at your home please stop by so we can make families happy and help our Viking family reach our goals,” Cortez said.

The toy drive is made to make a meaningful difference in the lives of student parents on campus and ensure that their children can experience the joy of the holidays.

Students cram for finals at ASB’s coffee relief and academic mastering night

Darla Perez
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Students cram for finals at ASB’s coffee relief and academic mastering night

Coffee Relief and Academic Mastering (CRAM) Night, hosted in the student union, provided a space for students to get school work and studies done with refreshments provided for by ASB.

Snacks and drinks, such as coffee and sandwiches, were available to all in attendance.

Tutors for different subjects were also in attendance to help any students who wanted extra help reviewing before finals.

Student Kaylee Pizano came to the event in order to catch up on assignments for History 47 and music theory. 

Pizano chose the student union because other locations were insufficient for completing work. 

“If I’m at home, I’m not doing anything and if I’m at a cafe I’m also not doing anything,” Pizano said.

Other students were also there to study for upcoming tests on some of their more difficult classes. 

Korey Dunn and Robert Tognoli, both math majors, found that their most difficult class was calculus.

Dunn noted that it was the concepts of calculus that proved to be difficult. 

“It’s just a lot of conceptual ideas in it, so if you don’t understand a lot of the concepts being thrown at you, you’re just going to drown basically,” Dunn said.

Tognoli specified that much of the coursework involved testing. 

“80% of our grades are our tests, and we have 20% for homework. A lot of it is getting those tests down,” Tognoli said.

As a math tutor, Dunn was also on standby to assist students with whatever issues they were having with their course work. 

Geneyah Warren, a chemistry tutor, commented that a common problem for many chem students was the math aspect of the material. 

“I would say math is the main problem in chem, it’s a new language for some people,” said Warren. 

CRAM night ran late, up until 10 p.m. for students that needed the space and time.

Long Beach Kink Fest celebrates diversity and desire with spanking, wrestling, and wild fun

Darla Perez
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Long Beach Kink Fest celebrates diversity and desire with spanking, wrestling, and wild fun

A Kink Fest in Long Beach was filled with spanking, wrestling and howling on Nov. 23. 

A crowd of pups, fetishists, and many others gathered in downtown Long Beach to celebrate the kink community.  

Several attendees at the event identify themselves as pups which is part of a subculture where people engage in pup-play where the individual identifies as a dog and can even include having a handler. 

A handler would be someone who cares for their pup just like Lupe Uribe who is a handler for Long Beach City College student Violet. 

Dealing with the power exchange is an obstacle for a new member of the pup community such as Violet. 

“I come from a really closed minded family, ever since my mothers passing, being a handler has been a great way for me to open up my sexuality,” says Uribe.  

Violet and her handler Lupe Uribe attend the Long Beach Kink Fest on Nov. 24 2024. Violet identifies as a pup and is a member of the pup community where members participate in puppy role play such as dressing up, howling and barking. (Desiny Garcia).

Other attendees included drag performers such as Anne Archy who is a Long Beach local and performs at Hamburger Marys.

The event was hosted in Long Beach and had a better turnout than expected according to one of the organizers of the event, Reina Power Violet. 

“This specific event is for queer folks who get lonely around the holidays, a lot of us really feel isolated,” said Reina Power Violet, “being part of the kinky and queer makes you feel even more isolated, there is an underserved kinky and queer population in Long Beach”.  

There were two performances at the event, including a lesbian trans wrestling match and provocative sadist performance.                               

The first event was the trans wrestling match performed by Vanessa Ness and Fern Seraphine.

The second performance included a dominatrix punishing her submissive by spanking, pinching and slapping them accompanied by music. 

In the kink community, a submissive is someone who yields and engages in power exchange where they obey their dominatrices. 

Some examples of this power exchange include being kept on a leash, wearing straightjackets and engaging in physical sadomasochist activities such as spanking and whipping.

One attendee, Michelle Jackson who won Miss Leather San Diego 2005, has been a part of the kink community since the late 90s and is 68 years old and is still active. 

Michelle Jackson knew she had a love of leather since the age of five when she first smelled leather boots. 

After getting a job as an ASL interpreter, she was hired to interpret at a leather event and fell in love with the community and began to go to kink and leather events. 

“The biggest misconception is that it’s us and them, a lot of people are kinky and just don’t know it,” said Jackson. 

Donations were collected and went towards the National Indigenous Women’s resource center to help cover funds used by the organizers. 

High schoolers ride around campus as students sit in lectures

Kiomi Valdez
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High schoolers ride around campus as students sit in lectures

Popping wheelies and swerving cars in the parking lot are how these high school students from Bellflower choose to spend their Thanksgiving break, biking around the Liberal Arts Campus while others sat in their classroom receiving instruction. 

The group who calls themselves “The B Town Hittas” said Long Beach sits at the top of cities where they ride due to the large amount of bike lanes and bike infrastructure in the city.

Adrian Monte, a Bellflower resident and high school student, brought his friends to the city and chose the area for the campus and airport parking lots.

He started biking because he saw his other friends on BMX bicycles and was inspired by the tricks and stunts they were performing in the street. Not long after he was on two wheels and learning how to perform those same tricks. 

“Being on the bike provides a great exercise and it is very meditative,” Monte said, “when I get on the bike I feel peaceful and I get to get outside.” 

He shortly after began gathering friends to go on rides and explore the surrounding areas on their bikes. 

After spending close to a year and a half on bikes, Monte said he’s learned what to look for on others’ bikes to determine how they ride and what styles they like.

“Style is super important when it comes to a bike. You want your ride to look good and impress people you may come by,” Monte said, “if someone has their seat higher I can tell they are still learning how to wheelie and swerve. I never judge them though.” 

“It’s great riding down in Long Beach because there’s so many spots to explore,” said Monte “we ride on the beach path, downtown and second street a lot, everything is close together too.” 

As the group rode through streets and alleyways one cyclist, Jayden Rosas, led the group, lightly feathering his brakes as he rode one wheel off the ground ahead of the rest.

Rosas, like the rest, has a deep interest in bikes and wants to one day get a dirt bike when he has the money. 

“Learning how to do tricks was the most fun part,” Rosas said, “you definitely fall a few times but that’s all in the process of learning.” 

Jayden Rosas performs a wheelie on his electric bike on LAC on Nov. 26, 2024. The crew spent some time on campus before heading out to explore the surrounding areas. (Nick Eismann)

Eddie Gutierrez took full advantage of the break to spend all the time he could on his bike instead of staying inside like some of his classmates. 

“When I’m at home I get bored,” Gutierrez said as the crew rode down the street, “this gives me something to do and I also get to spend time with my friends while doing it.” 

Some in the group rode into oncoming traffic narrowly missing cars while performing a wheelie, a tactic known as swerving. 

While some drivers and passers-by may have seen the actions as reckless, the crew of cyclists ensured safety of themselves and others, often warning other riders of traffic behind them and stopping at red lights. 

They finished their ride at In N Out, parking their bikes outside and going in as a group to order food while they plan their next adventure. 

Dual enrollment workshops offer help for middle and high school students

Ryenne Jolliff
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Dual enrollment workshops offer help for middle and high school students

LBCC’s Early College Initiatives program is offering dual enrollment workshops, giving middle and high school students a chance to enroll in classes for the upcoming spring semester. 

The Early College Initiative offers application assistance on Wednesdays at LAC or TTC from 5-6 p.m. and sessions over Zoom from 4-5 p.m. 

Dual enrollment gives younger students the chance to complete their general education classes before they leave middle or high school. 

Dual enrollment also allows students to discover what major they might want to pursue in the future. 

“It helps benefit you and the goal that you are working towards,” Kara Coulter, a previous dual enrollment student, said.  

This year’s program had roughly 6,500 students apply for dual enrollment with 1,460 taking classes during this fall semester.

The dual enrollment program gives students the opportunity to familiarize themselves with college level courses, build confidence and save money and time. 

In addition to the dual enrollment program, LBCC’s Early College Initiatives offer three other programs for middle and high school students to receive credit for college courses. 

“It is a great idea for high schoolers because some classes can count for both your college degree as well as for your high school diploma,” LBCC career pathways coordinator Samantha Flores said.

The Early College Initiatives promote their workshops at events both on and off campus with flyers informing people on how to sign up at home.

“Start taking online college classes to set yourself up for your future college journey,” Lakewood High School student Prescott Frost said. 

The last workshops of the semester take place on Dec. 11 and 18 from 5-6 p.m. at LAC.

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