Daily Forty-Niner; February 26, 2024

CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY

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The Daily Forty-Niner reserves the right to edit letters for publication in regard to space.

Editorials: All opinions expressed in the columns, letters and cartoons in the issue are those of the writers or artists. The opinons of the Daily Forty-Niner are expressed only in unsigned editorials and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the journalism department or the views of all staff members. All such editorials are written by the editorial board of the Daily Forty-Niner.

CSULB staff member killed in Downtown Long Beach vehicle collision

Rodger Lee

Watkins died of multiple blunt force traumas in a fatal car crash at the intersection of Atlantic Avenue and Anaheim Street.

BY SAM FARFAN Community Engagement Editor

Long Beach State employee Rodger Lee Watkins was found dead by police at the scene of a fatal car crash on Tuesday night.

A 31-year-old Long Beach resident was driving their 2012 Lexus IS250 northbound on Atlantic Avenue when they broadsided 60-year-old Watkins in his 2012 Ford Focus traveling eastbound on Anaheim Street. The cars collided at the street intersection.

The force of the crash caused both drivers to lose control, according to the Long Beach Police Department's preliminary investigation. The Ford struck the traffic light as well as an abandoned building. The Lexus struck a bus bench. Both the building and bench are located on the northeast corner of the intersection.

Police officers responded to the collision around 11:48 p.m. shortly before finding the victim trapped inside his vehicle. Officials of the Long Beach Fire Department declared Watkins dead upon arrival.

The Los Angeles County Department of Medi-

cal Examiner responded to the scene, later confirming Watkins’ identity. Deputy Medical Examiner Dr. Raffi Djabourian determined the victim's cause of death was multiple blunt force traumas.

LBPD Public Information Officer Richard Mejia said detectives have not officially stated the sex of the 31-year-old driver.

“The driver was released from the hospital. We don’t know when, but it was sometime between when the incident occurred and today,” Mejia said.

Watkins was an active member of the CSULB campus community working as a custodian for Beach Building Services, as well as a steward for the Long Beach Chapter of the California State University Employees Union.

Neither Beach Building Services employees nor CSUEU Long Beach Chapter stewards responded to the Daily Forty Niner's request for comment.

Authorities said the Lexus driver was cooperative with the investigation as they remained at the scene before being transported to a local hospital to treat their non-lethal injuries.

The collision investigation is ongoing, and investigators are considering potential factors such as speed, distracted driving and impaired driving as the cause of the collision. However, the state of the Lexus driver during the collision is still unknown.

Land Acknowledgment

Here at the 49er we acknowledge that the school we report on is located on the sacred site of Puvungna, “the gathering place”. We are on the land of the Tongva/Gabrieleño and the Acjachemen/Juaneño Nations who have lived and continue to live here.

We also acknowledge the Gabrieleño/Tongva (pronounced: GABRIEL-EN-YO/TONG – VAH) and Acjachamen/Juaneño (pronounced: AH-HACH-AH-MEN/JUAN-EN-YO) as the traditional custodians of the Los Angeles region along with the Chumash (pronounced: CHOO-MOSH) to the north and west, and the Tataviam (pronounced: TAH-TAH-VEE-YUM) and Cahuilla (pronounced: KAH-WEE-YAH) Nations to the east.

We respect and value the many ways the Tongva/Acjachemen cultural heritage and beliefs continue to have significance to the living people and remind us about the sacred and spiritual relationship that has always existed here at what we now call California State University Long Beach.

Performers and event attendees join forces center stage to perform a traditional West African dance originating from the Mali empire. The studio hosting the dance ceremony is located in Long Beach at 1321 E. Anaheim St.

SAM FARFAN / Daily Forty-Niner Long Beach Police Department officials rushed to the scene of a car crash downtown where 60-year-old Rodger Lee Watkins was found dead upon arrival.

EOP, Guardian Scholars alumni panel highlights Black excellence

BY LINSEY TOWLES News Assistant

In celebration of Black History Month, the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) and Guardian Scholars hosted an alumni panel of first generation students to discuss their unique journeys and provide advice to students.

Wednesday’s panel consisted of four Long Beach State alumni with experience in EOP, Guardian Scholars or the Black Resource Center. The EOP program offers support services to “historically low-income and first generation college students” while Guardian Scholars assist current and former foster youth.

Panelists included Justin Hatchett, Kyari Cail, Cynthia Ray de la Vega and Deondray Woods, who all shared their personal challenges when arriving at The Beach.

“I’m a nontraditional college student and something that could’ve taken me four years took me much longer because I faced many challenges and setbacks,” Woods said. He is a fall 2022 graduate with a bachelors in sociology. “I didn’t know what kind of resources were avail-

”

School was my escape, my outlet. I just needed to find a community and for me, it was my village that got me through.

Kyari Cail Panelist, 2017 graduate

able to me.”

Cail, a 2017 graduate with a bachelors in political science and a masters in counseling, shared how her first years of college were impacted by her experience with housing insecurity.

“[Homelessness] was something I always kept to myself,” Cail said. “School was my escape, my outlet. I just needed to find a community and for me, it was my village that got me through.”

Finding community was a big theme

touched on by the panel, as many of the panelists found resources through EOP and Guardian Scholars to help their education journey.

Ray de la Vega, a current masters student and graduate with a bachelors in social work shared the impact EOP had on her efforts to pursue work experiences.

“As someone who was previously incarcerated, it was difficult for me to figure out where I could get license, or internships,” de la Vega said. “There were

other people in EOP who had similar barriers. The most important thing that has helped me is that experience with other students.”

Project Rebound, a program to support formerly incarcerated students was also highlighted during the panel.

64-year-old Kenneth Sr. a current student and attendee of the panel spoke on how all aspects of his identity, including the 27 years he served in prison, have become his motivating force.

“Those vulnerabilities are my strengths,” Kenneth said. “I celebrate being in Project Rebound. I celebrate being a veteran. I celebrate these things because we can’t let them hold us back.”

The panelists also provided advice to current students as well as the ways they were able to make it far in higher education.

“I learned to walk around like I’m supposed to be here, to be able to go to campus with my head held high,” Hatchett, a 2020 graduate said. “I earned my way here and I understand the privilege of getting a higher education.”

“Find your rhythm,” Cail said. “It’s going to shift. I had to get comfortable with the uncomfortable. But now I’m comfortable with being in my own rhythm.”

SAMUEL CHACKO / Daily Forty-Niner

The psychology department at CSULB houses one of eight locations for the Black Resource Center. The Africana Studies Department is located in the Psychology building in room 306.

Students plan to protest CSU tuition hikes

BY CHRISTINE NADER Staff Writer

Aprotest against the California State University’s tuition increase will take place outside of Brotman Hall on Feb. 28 at 12:15 p.m.

The vote for the multi-year tuition increase took place on Sept. 13, 2023. Tuition for Cal State students will increase 6% every year for five years starting in the 2024-25 school year. It will total to a 34% increase.

Students Against Tuition Hikes, a coalition associated with the student organization La F.U.E.R.Z.A and the Long Beach chapter of Students for Quality Education, will lead the protest. SATH was founded in August 2023 to help students voice their opposition to tuition increases.

“It is my job to give all these students a platform to speak their minds,” Luis Ortiz, a student organizer for SQE and SATH, said. “This protest and this organizing that we’re doing, the strategies that we’re doing, are gonna help students get that.”

Via email, CSU Public Affairs Manager Hazel Kelly addressed students’ disappointment regarding the increase.

“The CSU recognizes that students would likely never be in favor of a tuition increase,” Kelly said. “But it was necessary to ensure the long-term financial sustainability of the CSU and its ability to provide students with an

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accessible high-quality education that prepares them for success in California’s fast-evolving workforce.”

The CSU’s Financial Aid Workgroup is exploring ways to expand the university’s financial aid structure to provide increased support for students.

“Approximately 60% of CSU students will not be affected by the tuition increase,” Kelly said.

In California, the cost of housing and food are rapidly increasing among college students. This makes sudden cost spikes difficult to manage. A report revealed that 10% of students experience homelessness throughout a year, while 41% of students encounter food insecurity.

“As much as we are an HSI, a Hispanic Serving Institution, we know those numbers are going to dwindle when the prices go up, because these kids come from low-income backgrounds so they won’t be able to afford to come here,” Ortiz said. “So what does that mean for the future of our organizations? We’re gonna see less membership, we’re gonna see our traditions die.”

Ortiz and La F.U.E.R.Z.A supporters hope the protest will remind Long Beach students their voices are needed and they can speak up frequently against changes they do not agree with.

“The way the institution is set up is not meant to benefit us,” Ortiz said, “So if the BOT (CSU Board of Trustees), the Chancellor or the governor of the state and this CSU system are not going to fight for us, then the students will.”

LUIS ORTIZ / Daily Forty-Niner Students for Quality Education joined forces with CFA to rally outside the Chancellor’s Office in Long Beach for a fair contract for lecturers in Nov. 2021.

EESA, a home away from home for students

The Eritrean-Ethiopian community comes together at CSULB to create a new community for each other to foster comfort and unity.

BY ACSAH LEMMA News Assistant

In the fall of 2022, Lydia Tesfaye, a transfer student from a Sacramento community college, left her hometown with the fear that she wouldn’t have a physical support system like she had growing up. After exploring club options at that year’s Week of Welcome, she stumbled upon the newly reactivated Eritrean-Ethiopian Student Association (EESA) and found a community to help her feel comfortable in her new home.

“I remember going to the first meeting and I was nervous because I didn’t know anybody, but it really helped me to have a sense of community with people of similar backgrounds,” Tesfaye said.

“It helped to give me that sense of home I felt like I had lost by leaving Sacramento.”

Now, a year later, Tesfaye is the EESA vice president and less than a semester away from graduating with a degree in journalism.

Eman Ibrahim, current president of EESA and a fourth-year healthcare and administration major, was one of the driving forces behind EESA becoming an active club again. The club had been deactivated from 2020-2022 due to COVID. Ibrahim grew up in Orange County where she was one of five black kids in her grade. Coming to Long Beach State and being a part of EESA helped her to feel less alone and to have a community of people she can relate to.

The mission of EESA is to “Educate, enlighten… and just come to together,

enjoy our time and coexist,” according to Ibrahim. Tesfaye and Ibrahim both emphasize that you don’t have to be Ethiopian, Eritrean or even African to join the club.

“Just appreciate what our cultures have to offer to others and have a desire to learn more about it,” Tesfaye said.

At club meetings, the officers host game nights, movie nights, dance workshops and more. All the activities have the purpose of educating the members about Ethiopian-Eritrean culture and letting them have fun as well.

An example of one of those activities was the Jeopardy night EESA hosted last week. Members competed against each other to correctly answer questions relating to Ethipoian-Eritrean culture and history. Another popular activity is eskista workshops. Eskista is one of many tribal dances of Ethiopia, and while it has several variations, all of them require shimmying your shoulders rhythmically.

CSULB’s EESA doesn’t just connect its members with the Long Beach community, but with the greater Southern California community as well. Day trips to Little Ethiopia to experience authentic Ethiopian-Eritrean food and joint events with UCLA’s EESA, UC Riverside’s EESA and more are always on the club’s upcoming agenda.

A big event is “EESA weekend,” hosted by UCLA. This is a three-day event that all surrounding EESA clubs attend. Members are provided with networking workshops, a soccer tournament and a showcase where students perform cultural dances that represent the ethnic diversity present in Ethiopia and Eritrea.

Now in their second year of reactivation, EESA’s membership has grown. Tesfaye says that in 2022, the average member turnout was 15 students per meeting, but now there is an average of 20-30.

Tesfaye attributes the growth to

word of mouth and newcomers attending meetings, enjoying it and spreading the word.

Tsion Teklegiorgis, a first-year film student, was one of those new members, and joined EESA because she wanted to “find a community within the school.”

Teklegiorgis says one of her favorite things is seeing non-Ethiopian and non-Eritrean members be engaged and excited to learn about the culture because, “Growing up, no one ever really knew what Ethiopia or Eritrea was.”

She says that because CSULB has such a big campus and student body it’s hard to feel like you fit in. However, being a part of EESA connects her to the school more than just going to class.

“It’s something you look forward to in my week,” she said.

Follow EESA on social media or attend any of their meetings held every other Tuesday to see what the club has to offer.

I remember going to the first meeting and I was nervous because I didn’t know anybody, but it really helped me to have a sense of community with people of similar backgrounds.

Lydia Tesfaye EESA Vice President

Photo courtesy of EESA Club Eritrean-Ethiopian Student Association (EESA) members pose for a photo at the Horn Center after a Jeopardy Night club meeting in September 2022.

The Power of Five exhibit presents strong message during Black History Month

BY SAMUEL CAREY Staff Writer

Larry D. Stokes, 73, is an African American sculptor from Jonestown, Mississippi who has uplifted the Black community through his art. Stokes' exhibit, The Power of Five, features a series of sculptures that is open to the public at the Loiter Galleries in Long Beach. The exhibit is open from 6 - 9 p.m. on Thursday through Sunday until March 23 at 9 p.m.

Stokes' creative art gallery, Immortal Creations, doubles as a nonprofit organization that welcomes visitors to come and experience his work. The Mississippi native has been creating art for over 40 years and even taught an art class in 1975 at Long Beach State.

People in attendance had a strong reaction to his sculptures. Stokes’ art motivated many attendees to speak with him on how he made such artwork.

His precise figure-drawing skills play a major role in his ability to shed light on unknown historical figures that have impacted Black history.

Embracing all elements of spirituality at The Elemental Shop

BY LEILA ALARCON Arts & Life Assistant

Opening its doors on March 31, 2023, The Elemental Shop is a passion brought to life by owner Tracy Williams.

“Sometimes on my day off I would like drive all the way to Joshua Tree just to find a store like this [The Elemental Shop] and I was looking for products, you know, decks or candles, oils that I didn’t see at other shops,” Williams said.

“And so after doing that for probably a year, I decided to create what I couldn’t find.”

Out of all the places she’s traveled, she is most inspired by New Orleans and Puerto Rico. Williams assembles the inventory for The Elemental Shop with the mission of having inclusive items of nationality, origin and topics.

She looks for books written by Black and other authors of color about protection and shadow work, Kemetic (Ancient Egyptian) topics and dream dictionaries. Along with looking for spiritual items she normally couldn’t find, Williams wanted to include parts of spirituality that others normally would not.

“This store to me, I tried to highlight the less glamorized parts of magic, right everyone, you know, like we’re taught that the dark, dark things are bad,” Williams said.

“It’s kind of how I feel about my skin tone, to be honest, you know, growing up like a little chocolate Black girl, you know, we’re taught that it’s not as pret-

Stokes uses bronze on a granite foundation to create his sculptures. The gallery showcased figures like Muhammad Ali. However, Claudette Colvin, 15, Mary Louise Smith, 19, Aurelia Browder, 37, Susan McDonald, 77, and Rosa Parks, 42, were the highlight of Stokes’ art gallery.

The sole purpose of Stokes' art gallery is to bring more attention to these major figures and show why they were so influential in sparking the Civil Rights Movement.

Stokes excitingly discussed how the Montgomery Bus Boycott began on Dec.

1, 1955 and ended on Dec. 20, 1956 and why it was so important to the Black community.

"Black people were relegated to sit in the back of the bus," Stokes said. Even if there were no white people on the bus, Black people still couldn’t sit in the front.

He also mentioned that all five women fought back against racism by refusing to give up their seats.

Though Rosa Parks is well-recognized for her efforts, the other four women's contributions to the Montgomery Bus Boycott became a little-known fact to the public and are a big reason why Stokes chose to include them in his sculpture series.

"The young lady Ms. Colvin was outspoken too, she insisted that she had a right to her seat like everybody else who paid the fair," Stokes said.

Moving forward, Stokes hopes to continue educating anyone who wants to learn more in-depth details about Black history.

The artist also shared that he wishes to make these five women's statues 12 feet tall and have them featured all over the country, from cities to parks.

ty or not as wanted and things like that, and I kind of feel like that when it comes to magic.”

When she would go to other metaphysical stores, Williams found the decor to be ‘boho chic’ paired with white walls, the complete opposite of the dark colors and dark wood featured in The Elemental Shop.

“There’s peace, there’s lessons to be learned in everything. So I wanted to embrace that darker side and still show that beauty in it.”

The Elemental Shop came about because of Williams’ passion for inclusive spirituality and she looks for ways to contribute to the inclusive community that made her open the store in Long Beach.

“They wanted to hear about where I was from. They wanted to hear about what brought me here, and that experience of being inclusive, you know, from the LBGT+ community, the artwalk, even the way that I’ve been accepted as

a Black-owned business and literally celebrated by everyone as a Black-owned business, that translates into what I’m trying to do in the spiritual world for the store,” Williams said.

The Elemental Shop has an upstairs loft that Williams has set up to resemble a classroom to host formal training in herbalism, candle magic, tarot and oracle reading, mediumship and even a Reiki certificate program.

These programs, as well as yoga and meditation classes offered in the spring, are a part of the community service Williams does.

“We’ve been able to work with other practitioners and either allow space for them to come and work from here so they’ll do their host readings from here, or host events from here as well,” Williams said.

“And so that’s just, you know, part of the Long Beach way I have to, you know, continue to build community and

so that’s one way that we’re doing that. We’re super excited about that.”

As The Elemental Shop approaches its first anniversary, Williams continues to hold inclusivity and wisdom as values to her store’s environment. Her travels have helped her realize that people’s ‘higher powers’ will be different if they come from different backgrounds and is something she keeps in mind when curating her shop.

“Of course, our gods will look different. Our parts of the world do, right? And so I want this to be a very collective and inclusive space,” Williams said.

“...regardless of your denomination, regardless of your description meaning what you look like, where you come from, we should be able to come here and find some alignment, at minimum, we can learn from each other.”

The Elemental Shop is located at 312 Elm Ave., Long Beach.

SAMUEL CAREY / Daily Forty-Niner

A sculpture in The Power of Five exhibit depicts Rosa Parks, one of the most recognizable figures for the fight against racism in America.

LEILA ALARCON / Daily Forty-Niner

Spiritual books covering various topics such as candle magic, dreams, tarot, manifesting and herbs can be found at The Elemental Shop.

BY KHOURY WILLIAMS Copy Editor Assistant

Aquarium of the Pacific’s African American Festival makes waves with a sea of cultural celebrations

Percussionist Chazz Ross welcomes the the aquarium with smiles and a warm “Welcome, everyone! Make sure to a drum!”

Ross lays down two big duffle bags drums on each side of the theater room and adults to grab.

What starts as loud out-of-tune bangs from the audience an in-sync chorus of beats being played from the direction an entire room of drummers.

Ross’ captivating “jungle” drum circle is just one of ment programs on offer during the Aquarium of the Pacific’s African American Festival.

Culture, community and marine life wonders collide festival event where Aquarium visitors were allowed to in Black, African and African American cultural entertainment Black History Month.

Community and Events Manager Chelsey Coleman

Running from Feb. 24 to 25, the festival featured vendors Black artists and organizations, as well as 15 to 20-minute-long tions that ran in congruence with the Aquarium’s normal

Clockwise from top left: Art vendors were lined along the Great Hall of the aquarium where artist, Pia Ojiako, held a display for her beaded portraits of Black figures. The drum and dance ensemble, Dembrebrah, performed a traditional West African ceremony center stage at the Honda Pacific Visions Theater. A traditional dance rhythm called Kuku was played on two djembe drums, while women danced with woven baskets to form a circle. Trio jazz ensemble, Music in the Moment, has performed at the festival for the last 20 years. In front of the Honda Blue Cavern, the trio could be found playing jazz classics accompanied by bass and saxophone solos. The African American Festival is open to all attendees of the aquarium with purchase of a regular admission ticket. Many families stopped to admire the fish, sea creatures and other interactive activities offered by the aquarium between events.

Photo by NUELLE OBASEKI

Daily Forty-Niner

The session lineup for both days featured multicultural dancing and line dancing, live jazz, hip-hop and soul performances, West African drumming, traditional African storytelling and an interactive “Gratitude Tools” experience.

Bryce’s interactive exercise was meant to get as many kids involved as possible, however, when Bryce invited 5-year-old Dash White to the stage, his presence and uplifting personality became the highlight of the entire segment.

the anxious crowd of eccentric voice. to come and pick up bags full of African room for both children audience soon turns into direction of Ross as he leads many live entertainPacific’s 22nd annual during the two-day immerse themselves entertainment in honor of vendors and tables with 20-minute-long live presentanormal activities.

The second day of the festival included the addition of a “Heritage Award Ceremony,” honoring achievements in Black history.

A group of performers known as the Fantasia Dance Ensemble kicked off early celebrations wearing Mardi Gras-inspired outfits while doing ballet, hiphop and tap dance routines.

The Fantasia Dance Ensemble eventually got the crowd involved in their dance routines after playing with DJ Casper’s “Cha-Cha Slide” dance.

Two of the four Fantasia dancers, Alicia and Darina Littleton, are a mother and daughter who have performed around Los Angeles County for over 20 years.

Darina Littleton said events like the African American Festival help to inspire the community through Black and African culture.

“This is when a lot of the kids get to see and get exposed to the culture and talent and they get inspired. I know whenever we would go to shows when I was little too and see the older kids, I always wanted to aspire to do that one day,” Darina Littleton said.

“When you have the heart and love for it, you just continue on and then you are there to inspire the next generation.”

Toward the end of the festival, one of the final live segments was an interactive “Gratitude Tools” experience hosted by “Yogi” Melvin Boyce. The gratitude tools experience teaches kids about mindfulness, positive affirmations and meditative breathing exercises.

“He remembered every word and followed every move I made. Dash is amazing,” Bryce said.

Dash’s mother, Tifhanie White, said after seeing an advertisement for the aquarium’s African American Festival on Facebook she was excited to bring Dash and her newborn baby to the event.

“This event is amazing. I love seeing our African American culture being represented like this and Dash is always incredible, it was incredible to watch [Bryce and Dash] interact with people. He’s such a talkative kid,” Tifhanie White said.

The Aquarium of the Pacific will be hosting more cultural festival events every month leading into the summer, including an event honoring Juneteenth.

Community and Events Manager Chelsey Coleman said cultural events, including the African American Festival, are meant to allow the Long Beach community to feel a sense of place and belonging at the Aquarium of the Pacific.

“Long Beach is an incredibly diverse place; we want to make sure that everybody who visits and lives here knows that this is their aquarium, this is their space,” Coleman said.

“We want them here; we want them to take up space and feel like they are a part of our community.”

Cultural architects: The eternal influence of African Americans artists

BY ADRIAN MEDINA Staff Writer

From everything we see, watch and hear, the impact of African American culture has an imprint on it all.

The impact of this influence has been gravely under-appreciated and deserves its flowers.

The Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) has picked this year’s Black History Month theme to be “African Americans and the Arts,” to highlight the expansive history and lifestyle of African American artists.

This is a perfect theme. African American influence on the arts has been a staple in American culture and has greatly contributed to today’s society.

Without this rich culture, society as we know it wouldn’t be where it is today.

The first thing that my mind gravitates to when I hear African American influence on the arts is one man, Michael Jackson.

Regarded as one of the most successful artists in the world, “The King of Pop,” was truly a spectacle of his time.

Jackson was not only influential to African American art, but he also changed the landscape of both pop culture and music as a whole. Jackson’s presence is still felt within the music scene.

I remember being a kid and my father introducing me to his album, “Thriller.” It completely changed my viewpoint on music and my own personal taste. Jackson quickly became my favorite artist of all time.

I cannot begin to imagine the number of people and artists Jackson influenced with his music.

From timeless classics to riveting performances, no matter where you are from, the everlasting impact Jackson had on the world cannot be denied.

Just like Jackson, Jean-Michel Basquiat was another artist who played a pivotal role in my creative life, ultimately changing the way the art world interprets art itself.

Basquiat single-handedly changed the art scene during the 1980s and was a dominant figure in the Neo-expression-

ism movement. Historical African American figures, including jazz players and sports icons, mainly inspired his art.

Known as a leper of his craft, Basquiat was never one to shy away from tackling the social issues of police brutality and blatant racism that he had witnessed or experienced himself.

Last year, I had the opportunity to experience seeing his artwork in Los Angeles. I was fully immersed in his work,

utterly speechless by the fact that I was surrounded by my idol’s artwork.

Although I only mentioned two great African American artists, countless amounts of Black artists in the community have changed the landscape in which we see the world.

For every song, mural or artistic performance, a hint of African American culture and art will always be present.

Kendrick Lamar, a modern icon of Black history

BY THEODORE TAYLOR III Contributor

Kendrick Lamar is a Compton born artist whose music transcends boundaries and has made him an icon and inspiration.

“Alls my life I has to fight, n***a” are the opening lyrics to a song entitled “Alright,” which has served as an unofficial anthem for the Black Lives Matter movement.

The artist behind that song, Kendrick Lamar, is someone who has acted as an inspiration for both myself and many others, as he has become considered a modern icon in Black history.

Lamar was born in Compton, California. In fact, his childhood home is a ten minute walk from mine.

A lot of the music that he has made relates to me on a level that I don’t have with any other artist. It talks about his experiences as a Black man, faith, upbringing and struggles with identity.

These are all things that I relate to, but seeing and listening to someone who has similar experiences to me be able to

Wikimedia Commons

leased in 2017. The 14 track album won multiple awards and accolades, including the prestigious Pulitzer Prize. It is the first and only hip hop album to ever win that award.

Although successful in the studio and on the charts, his impact extends further outside of music.

make it by doing something that he loves is truly inspiring. It shows me I can do anything and that I am not alone.

One thing that I truly admire about Lamar is his dedication and unwavering commitment to his craft. In an era where commercialism reigns supreme, he has never strayed away from making vulnerable and thought provoking art that still feels true to himself.

An example of this is his third studio album titled “To Pimp A Butterfly.” In

my opinion, this is the album that made Lamar an icon. It tackles complex topics like race and inequality, yet still highlights African American culture and provides hope and resilience.

While there are plenty of “woke” and “conscious” artists, this was an album that truly impacted mainstream music as certain songs served as a rallying cry for Black people.

Following the iconic “To Pimp A Butterfly” came “DAMN.,” which was re-

In 2016, Lamar sat in the oval office and met with Barack Obama, the 44th President of the United States, to discuss inner city problems and help the youth. He has donated thousands of dollars to help schools in the Compton Unified School District, hosted Christmas toy drives with his former record label Top Dawg Entertainment, and has been honored with a key to the city of Compton.

Some of my favorite songs by Lamar are “The Blacker the Berry,” “HiiiPower,” “XXX,” “FEEL,” “The Heart Part 5,” “u” and “Compton.”

Hip hop is a genre synonymous with Black culture that has spanned for over 50 years. Over this span of time there have been a multitude of great artists to emerge, but in my opinion, the greatest to ever do it is Kendrick Lamar.

ADRIAN MEDINA / Daily Forty-Niner

Jean-Michel Basquiat's art piece titled “Unknown” is located at The Broad in Los Angeles. This art piece was first presented at his first debut solo gallery exhibition in New York City.

Lamar performing on his DAMN tour in 2017. The album, “DAMN,” was the first ever hip hop album to be awarded the Pulitzer Prize.

Dorm life at CSULB

BY JUSTIN GANZ Staff Writer

Merton Morgan, a third-year construction management major, loves pretty much every aspect of the dorm experience.

“I like everything about the dorms,” Morgan said. “Living in them is pretty fun, especially because the community is nice and it’s cool to make new friends.”

Paige Cruz, first-year business marketing student, appreciates how convenient it can be to live on campus.

“I love the proximity of the dorms to the campus because I am able to walk to all of my classes,” Cruz said. “I also think that it’s nice because I can easily meet up with my friends. When you live in the dorms, some of your closest friends could live right next to you or even down the hall.”

Ameen Timani, a second-year mechanical engineering major, has lived in two different dormitories on CSULB's campus, Parkside North and Hillside.

“Last year when I lived in Parkside North, the building was really nice and modern,” Timani said. “The only thing is that it was super far away from everything.”

“I like that Hillside is a relatively shorter distance to things, especially if you are going anywhere on lower campus,” Timani said.

Long Beach State University offers three different dorm buildings for students to live in: Parkside, Hillside and Parkside North. There is also Beachside, which is off campus about 1.5 miles away.

Here is what students living in the various dormitories had to say about their experiences so far.

Krish Malhotra, a third-year finance major, likes living in the dorms because it grants him the opportunity to connect with people and build lasting relationships with other students.

“I definitely enjoy living in the dorms because it gives me the chance to meet new people,” Malhotra said. “I have met a few really great people.”

Faith Pacillas, a first-year liberal studies major, has appreciated her dorm experience mainly because of the fact that she already knew her roommate.

“I like living in the dorms because I get to room with my best friend since sixth grade,” Pacillas said.

Besides that, Pacillas also shared how she likes that Hillside has both a kitchen and common area for students to spend time in.

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The Beach's winning streak extended to five with win over CSU Bakersfield

BY MATTHEW COLEMAN Sports Assistant

Aclosing burst of offense catapulted by sophomore guard AJ George and a favorable whistle that sent The Beach to the line 28 times helped LBSU secure a grueling double-digit win over Cal State Bakersfield.

The final score did not accurately depict the result of the game on Thursday night at The Walter Pyramid as Long Beach State ended up with an unusual win against the Roadrunners with the final score of 79-66.

“I think that was one of the tougher 13-point wins we’ve had in a while,” head coach Dan Monson said. “I thought AJ George and Lassina [Traore] were huge for us when we needed baskets, both of them dominated their matchup.

The first half of basketball for Long Beach State was one that they'll try not to remember, from an offensive perspective. Going 11-30 from the field in the half showed that there was little to no consistency or flow in the offense.

Even with the Roadrunners having nine more turnovers than The Beach, they still had managed to capture a twopoint lead going into halftime. Bakersfield had also won the rebounding battle

22-10 and their seven offensive boards led to nine second-chance points.

The Beach’s leading scorer, senior guard Marcus Tsohonis, would leave the game in the closing minutes of the first half with what appeared to be a groin injury. He left tied as the team's leading scorer in the game with just six points in the first half.

In the second half, Bakersfield con-

tinued to rely on senior guard Kaleb Higgins who finished with a game-high 23 points. It wasn’t until Monson made the defensive adjustment to put George on Higgins that the Roadrunner guard was slowed down.

“The last four or five minutes, AJ George was running Higgins around, and I don’t think he gave up a basket,” Monson said.

George was the driving force for The Beach's offense as they scratched and clawed their way back into the game, going 7-9 from the field with seven boards. His team-high 18 points made him one of the four players that would wind up with double-figures in scoring.

“I just let my game flow, I just find the creases on the court, my teammates get the ball to me and I just try to take the best shot I can,” George said.

During the midpoint of the second half, the two teams would get wrapped up in an altercation following a flagrant foul by CSUB junior forward Tom Mark as he close-lined junior forward Aboubacar Traore driving down the lane, this would lead to senior guard Messiah Thompson also being assessed a technical foul.

Tsohonis would re-enter the game from his injury and erupt with a ninepoint flurry within two minutes, giving him 15 points and iced the game for The Beach. The two teams combined for 48 free-throw attempts, with The Beach going 25-28.

The late-game attempts at the line would bring the final score to 79-66 and give Long Beach their fifth straight victory. Their next game is on Saturday at Hawai’i where they look to capitalize on a team near the bottom of the Big West standings and extend the winning streak to six.

Sophomore guard AJ George made a quick hesitation move to the CSU Bakersfield defender as he drove to the paint to give The Beach a comfortable lead. Long Beach State won with the help of George's team-leading 18 points.

Photos by SAMUEL CHACKO / Daily Forty-Niner Junior forward Aboubacar Traore drove in the lane for a layup against CSU Bakersfield as Long Beach State won at The Walter Pyramid 79-66. Traore played 29 minutes and scored 11 points, two steals, one block and two assists with all his 11 points coming at the free-throw line.

Jocylyn Vidal: From royal blue to Beach gold

BY ALYSSA DE LA CRUZ Sports Assistant

Growing up as a devoted Dodgers fan from La Puente, California, senior infielder Jocylyn Vidal's passion for softball was realized at an early age. Little did she know that her destiny would lead her to become a standout player on the college stage.

Vidal recalls how her introduction to the sport was unexpected. She and her family were driving past a park that had tee ball sign-ups, so she decided to sign up. Vidal never knew that it would ignite a flame that would drive her to play softball from that moment forward.

“I’ve played other sports but fell in love with softball so quickly,” Vidal said. “I remember when I first started playing I wanted the coaches to pitch me the ball

and not hit it from the tee.”

Initially, she embarked on her college career at San Jose State, showcasing her abilities as a great player and posting a career .259 batting average and hitting six home runs with the Spartans. She learned so much from their program and will forever be grateful for her experience there.

However, fate intervened again, leading her back to her Southern California roots as she transferred to LBSU.

“I had a great four years at San Jose, but for my fifth year playing I knew it was time for me to come back home,” Vidal said.

Her versatility on the field, coupled with her determination has propelled the team to new heights. Whether she's delivering clutch hits, making stellar defensive plays or providing leadership in the dugout.

“Jocylyn brings a lot of experience, especially offensively with her power which we felt like we needed a little more

ALYSSA DE LA CRUZ / Daily Forty-Niner Jocylyn Vidal waits to practice at On Deck Batting Cages in Long Beach. LBSU softball team's newest player, the dynamic transfer from San Jose State, has become a cornerstone athlete for the team in her fifth year.

depth in,” head coach Kim Sowder said.

Off the field, Vidal continues to inspire as a role model. Her dedication to her craft serves as a sense of hope for aspiring young athletes, showing them that with hard work and perseverance you can achieve your dreams.

“In my free time I coach, and as of now my plan after college is to become a batting coach,” Vidal said. “I love when the little girls come back and say ‘Coach

Joc, Coach Joc, this great! I did this…’.”

As she embarks on her final year at LBSU, Vidal remains focused on leaving a lasting legacy. With each game, she embodies the spirit of determination and resilience, embodying the essence of what it means to be a true competitor.

“The game will give back to you based on how much you give into it, I want to give a big smile and energy to the team,” Vidal said.

The Beach blank Toronto in the second half on their way to 17-3 win

A second-half shutout by defense improves the team to 7-3 with its third straight victory.

BY MATTHEW COLEMAN Sports Assistant

On a cold and rainy night at the Ken Lindgren Aquatics Center, the No. 12 ranked Long Beach State women’s water polo picked up their third win in a row behind a masterful defensive performance, allowing a season-low three goals in the contest.

The Beach fans in attendance, who bundled in heavy jackets and sheltered under umbrellas, were treated to LBSU’s biggest win this year. The 14-point victory over the Toronto Varsity Blues ties the largest margin of victory of the season thus far.

“Our focus has been defense, it’s the cliche saying that defense wins championships, and so that’s really been our focus,” head coach Shana Welch said.

“We allowed them to score two goals on us in the second, and that was the adjustment, that shift in the third, they came out and held them to zero and then again in the fourth.”

The Beach's offense got rolling early, grabbing a 5-1 advantage after the

first quarter. An aggressive Long Beach State defense led to some overstepping, resulting in ten power plays in the game for Toronto. All three goals for the Blues came with the six-on-five advantage that occurs in power plays, going 3-10 in those advantages on the night.

A goal by Toronto’s junior attacker Hannah Levin in the final seconds of the second quarter as the clock expired would cut The Beach's lead in half with the score of 6-3. This would be the last bit of offense the Blues would generate on Tuesday night.

The Beach would adjust during the break, which led to them out-scoring Toronto 10-0 in the second half. The offense was able to score in a variety of ways going 2-3 on penalty shots and converting on two of their seven power plays.

An offensive explosion by graduate student attacker Kathryn McCullough in the third quarter would propel LBSU to expand their lead to double digits going into the fourth. All three of McCullough's goals came within three minutes to close the third.

Senior utility player Anne de Kleer

would put the exclamation point on this game in the final minute as she scored a season-high fifth goal at even strength to go along with two assists. The senior put her stamp all over this game as the main catalyst on offense.

“Offensively we had a really quick vibe, we all went down really quick, had some counters,” de Kleer said. “It was really nice I [received] some good assists, so shoutout to my teammates as well to help me score the five goals.”

SAMUEL CHACKO / Daily Forty-Niner Senior utility Anne de Kleer scored four of The Beach's six goals in the first half to go out on an early 6-3 lead at halftime. Kleer would score five goals, seven points and two assists as the No. 12 ranked Long Beach State won 17-3 against Toronto at the Ken Lindgren Aquatics Center.

Dirtbags stay undefeated with series sweep over Omaha

BY DAVIS RAMAGE & JACK HASLETT Sports Editor & Staff Writer

The Long Beach State Dirtbags and the Omaha Mavericks faced off in a threegame weekend series on Bohl Diamond at Blair Field that resulted in three wins, (13-10, 6-0, 4-1,) where they showed that they could win with pitching or with their bats.

Friday night's 13-10 offensive explosion was capped off with an extra-inning walk-off three-run home run by the Dirtbags' junior designated hitter Cole Santander with two outs in the bottom of the 10th inning.

Junior right fielder Kyle Ashworth led the way offensively for Long Beach as he knocked in a season-high four RBIs, three of which came from his first triple of the year in the third inning.

Ashworth and the Dirtbags went on an offensive onslaught in the first four innings of the game scoring 10 runs with three extra-base hits.

Despite Long Beach seemingly running away with it, Omaha began crawling back up the scoreboard in the fifth and finally tying the game at 10 runs apiece in the ninth inning.

Defensive errors allowed Omaha back into the game as Omaha’s first two runs of the game were both unearned as the lead-off runner reached on a Long Beach State throwing error.

Thanks to their offensive versatility

with displays of power and small ball, The Dirtbags were able to will themselves to a tough win on Friday night.

After allowing 10 runs on Friday, The Dirtbags played a much cleaner game on Saturday that was headlined by the gem of a pitching performance thrown by sophomore Myles Patton in a 6-0 Dirtbag win.

Patton lived up to his nickname, "The General," as he went six strong innings only giving up four hits and recording seven strikeouts.

Sophomore third baseman Ty Borgogno and junior center fielder Alex Champagne lead the way offensively each recording two-run singles.

The Dirtbags had a productive day on the base paths with five stolen bases, two of which came from junior first baseman Jack Hammond.

After Patton's night was done, it was up to the Dirtbag bullpen to seal the game, and they did just that.

Freshman lefty Nick Williams was the first pitcher out of the bullpen and he would get into some trouble after giving up a hit and a walk. Still, junior sparkplug Alexander Mihalakis came to his rescue striking out both batters he faced and getting the Dirtbags out of trouble.

The eighth and ninth innings belonged to junior Jonathan Largaespada who only allowed two baserunners in his two innings of work before he secured game two of the series for the Dirtbags.

Sunday's 4-1 Dirtbag win completed the series sweep and would follow the script of Saturday's game, again being highlighted by a Dirtbag sophomore

starting pitcher, this time Kellan Montgomery.

Montgomery went seven innings with seven strikeouts and four hits allowed while walking zero batters and allowing one unearned run. His lights-out performance lowered his ERA to 0.75 on the season.

Junior Grant Cherry was the first and only pitcher needed out of the bullpen for the Dirtbags as he recorded a six-out save while striking out three batters and

only allowing one hit.

Santander and Ashworth wrapped up their successful series by both going 2-4 with an RBI at the plate. They both recorded four hits over the three games during the weekend.

Santander's tear to start the season has resulted in a .346 average with 10 RBIs.

Santander and the undefeated Dirtbags face off against the UCLA Bruins on Wednesday at 5 p.m. in Los Angeles.

Photos by SAMUEL CHACKO / Daily Forty-Niner Junior designated hitter Cole Santander had two hits and an RBI against Omaha at Bohl Diamond at Blair Field. The Dirtbags beat Omaha 4-1 and sweep the three-game series against the Mavericks.

Junior Long Beach State pitcher Grant Cherry went two innings and closed the game for the Dirtbags as he gave up four hits and recorded seven strikeouts. Long Beach State dominated pitching-wise as the Dirtbags won 4-1 at Bohl Diamond at Blair Field and swept Omaha in the weekend series.