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Jewels Long Beach poses for the camera while taking the center stage in the courtyard at the Kleefeld Museum for the launch of the “Drag Show” art exhibition. She is popular in the area, regularly performing at Hamburger Mary’s, pride events and other LGBTQ+ spots.
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BY ACSAH LEMMA News Assistant
versity of Southern California. “It’s gonna hurt my wallet,” she said. Despite that, she believes the cost would be worth it.
Nuelle Obaseki
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Students gathered around the Speaker’s Platform for the Graduate and Professional Schools Fair on Sept. 14, where program representatives from over 100 universities and colleges were present to encourage students to go to graduate school.
Various program representatives expressed similar opinions on understanding why students never pursue higher education due to the rising cost of tuition.
“Unfortunately, I do think that rising costs produce issues, however, the return on investment for some of these programs offered in different schools can offset that initial fear,” Elizondo said.
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Letters Policy: All letters and emails must bear the phone number of the writer and must be no more than 300 words. 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.
“Graduate school has the potential to not only develop the person but develop society,” said Ernesto Santiago Elizondo, an enrollment services officer at Pepperdine University, Graduate School of Education and Psychology.
The fair opened some students’ minds to the possibility of going to graduate school.
Yahya Al-Sharif, a 23-year-old fourth-year fashion major with a minor in business, was walking out of his car when he saw all the tables and decided to look around. He’s currently putting himself through his undergraduate degree and the thought of graduate school never crossed his mind due to the hefty price tags. At the fair, he saw Long Beach State’s booth and commented on how cheap a master’s degree in business can be at the Beach. 22-year-old kinesiology major Eren Avila shared Al-Sharif’s financial concerns.
With hopes of becoming an occupational therapist, she said she would love to attend the Uni-
Brittany Dorow, senior associate director of admissions for the Leavey School of Business at Santa Clara University, has the same perspective, saying that although graduate school “is another commitment students would have to make,” higher-paying positions in the job market require specializations that an undergraduate degree alone won’t provide.
Tina Le, a 21-year-old fourth-year psychology major, has always known she wanted to go to graduate school. Le, who works for the Psychology Resource Office (PRO), was at the fair to grab some flyers and brochures that would be useful for psychology students at PRO. She also took the time to also learn about graduate programs for herself, however.
She listed finances and getting into the graduate programs as things that worry her. “But I know by taking the first step in coming to the graduate fair and being in PRO, I’m more knowledgeable in how to prepare myself for my future,” she said.
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.
LINSEY TOWLES / Daily Forty Niner
09/23/2023 - Long Beach, Calif: Hundreds of students gather to carry signs, flags and banners to oppose the multi-year tuition increase that is being on by the CSU Board of Trustees.
On Tuesday morning members of multiple student and faculty organizations crowded the courtyard outside the CSU Board of Trustees meeting in Long Beach.
The proposed multi-year tuition increase was introduced in June 2023 by the CSU institution, which would increase tuition for all 23 campuses by 6% every year.
CSU police and security stood watch at the building entrance as students were let in one by one after being cleared in a security screening. Most protesters remained outside, chanting, “let the students in.”
“We’re about to disrupt this meeting and a lot of people are about to see it,” said Gary Daniels, a masters student at CSULB. “You all are fighting for 450,000 students in California, plus future generations.”
The meeting opened with nearly three hours of public comment, yet many protesters were forced by CSU police and security to stay outside.
“I was trying to help a disabled student into the building so he could be heard but I was pushed and shoved by CSU police,” said CSULB student Dorhean Gaffiey.
Karla Montavo, who works with CFA at Cal State Northridge, said that she hadn’t seen this kind of push-back in a
meeting before.
“They usually allow people in but there are so many people today and it’s so loud that I don’t think they’re letting us in,” Montavo said. Despite this, Montavo added that this was the best turnout in over a year.
Gaffiey also said that the energy and passion of the protest was “beautiful.”
“This is not a black or brown or white issue. This is an issue of class, of just being able to get by,” said Gaffiey.
Police only let about 20 to 30 people in a time, but the trustees did extend the public comment beyond its normal 90-minute limit to over two and a half hours.
Students, faculty and union representatives from the Teamsters and the California Faculty Association (CFA) rose to speak during the public comment. ASI Presidents from nearly every CSU campus also came to oppose the increase and all spoke.
“Education is the cornerstone of progress and prosperity and should be accessible to all regardless of their financial background and institutions are an integral part of the community they serve,” CSULB ASI President Mitali Jain said during public comment.
Some speakers expressed their concern about how this increase will affect future generations of students, while others lambasted the administrator’s salaries suggesting that they should take a cut to their salaries to make up the budget gap rather than raise tuition.
“Currently the money is going into as we see, higher-ups are getting paid
increasingly more and more and we see their wages constantly increasing compared to what our faculty are currently getting,” said Vaughn Wilbur, a thirdyear sociology major at California State University, Fullerton.
The average salary of a CSU President in 2023 is $436,284 per year. The highest being Adela de la Torre of San Diego State making $533,148 annually and the lowest being Richard D. Yao of Cal State Channel Islands making $362,210, according to the California State University website.
CSULB President Jane Close Conoley is set to make $479,505 this year. The Interim Chancellor Jolene Koester is set to make $625,000 this year.
During their Aug. 30 meeting, the ASI Senate finalized a resolution to formally oppose any tuition increases.
The meeting concluded with the remaining students chanting inside the au-
ditorium, “Up up student rights...down down tuition hikes,” as they exited the chamber.
Chair of the Board of Trustees Wenda Fong concluded the public comment by thanking the speakers for their comments.
“To all of our speakers, we appreciate your participation and we extended our 90-minute public comment to over two and a half hours so we could hear your voices and hear your voices we did,” Fong said.
Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis addressed the protesters outside after the meeting offering her support against the proposed tuition hike.
“The fact of the matter is your elected officials can speak for you but nobody speaks better for you than you do. The trustees, the public and the press needed to hear your voice today,” Kounalakis said.
BY ANTHONY ORRICO
The California State University Board of Trustees voted on Wednesday to approve their proposed 6% tuition increase over the next five years.
The increase will raise tuition 6% per year starting in the 2024-25 school year for the next five years for all 23 CSU campuses. The program will sunset in 2029. Tuition has only increased 5% in the last 12 years, in 2017.
The final vote was 15 yes, five no and zero abstentions in favor of the increases. The vote was lopsided in favor of the tuition increases, with notable no votes including Gov. Eleni Kounalakis and California State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, along with student trustee Diana Aguilar-Cruz all voting no.
The increase is an attempt to close a $1.5 billion budget gap laid out in the report published by CSU back in May.
According to Executive Vice Chancellor & Chief Financial Officer for the CSU Steve Relyea, the increase will generate $148 million in new revenue in the first year and $840 million over a fiveyear span.
Relyea added that of the $148 million generated in the first year the CSU would increase financial aid by $49 million.
“If you look over the five years of the tuition plan, the proposal would generate $840 million of new revenue. This would increase financial aid by $280 million, which again is equivalent to 1/3 of the system wide tuition revenue generated from the rate increase just over the five years,” Ryan Storm, assistant vice chancellor, said.
Across all CSU campuses, 60% of students have their tuition fully covered by non-loan based financial aid such as university grants and federal Pell grants according to the CSU. 18% have their tuition partially covered by non-loan financial aid.
Relyea says students that fall under that 60% will not be affected by the tuition increase due to the increase in nonloan financial aid support and he hopes that the increase will help grow the number of students covered under non-loan financial aid.
“What we want to do is actually expand the availability of non loan aid. Those students who have the greatest need are not going to be affected by this tuition increase,” Relyea said.
CSULB ASI President Mitali Jain expressed her concern at the trustee meeting on Tuesday for the 40% of students who are not covered under non-loan financial aid.
“I think the 40% are the ones that are going to be the most impacted. That includes international students and stu-
dents who don’t receive any governmental aid. They are paying out of pocket and have to take jobs and it’s just a lot for those students,” Jain said.
Even with this increase, the gap in the CSU budget is still not completely closed.
“We’re proud of our affordability and our accessibility so this is a difficult day. We’ve only had one tuition increase in twelve years, that’s not a business model that’s going to work long term,” Jack McGrory, board of trustees member, said.
McGrory also addressed the notion
that reserve will be eaten up over the next three years,” McGrory said.
Lt. Gov. Kounalakis continued to voice her opposition to the increase during her address to the trustees. She was advocated for a delay in the vote to have time to gather more information about the full effects of the increase and to also let the new chancellor take office.
“We wait until the newly appointed chancellor of the CSU system can get here and truly do her job, which is to understand what the largest decision that the CSU has taken in 10 years will do to the system as a whole,” Kounalakis said.
Trustee Aguilar-Cruz also offered an amendment to the policy changing the time frame from five years to four years but it was defeated by a vote of eight yes to 12 no.
Students for Quality Education attended the meeting and expressed their disappointment with the outcome.
According to the CSU there will still be a $322 million gap. This is taking into account the proposed 5% yearly general salary increase offered to some collectively bargained faculty and staff.
The vote was not without its share of debate among the trustees with members speaking both for and against the increase.
that the CSU can use reserves to cover the gap in the budget.
“We heard a lot yesterday ‘just dip into the reserves and take some money.’ When you really come down to it we have $766 million in reserves. That’s the rainy day reserve that the system is operating under. With everything we have on the table with the unions, almost half
“It’s just depressing. We’re disappointed in CSU and the Board of Trustees,” Luis Ortiz, a third year communications major at Cal State Long Beach, said. “They haven’t managed financially the CSU correctly, they haven’t shown an effort to get funding and they show up to these meetings and they’re OK with how the system is.”
Tuition will now be set to go up from its current $3,330 to $3,528 for students taking six units or less. The full chart of increases can be found on the CSU website.
News AssistantANTHONY ORRICO / Daily Forty-Niner 09/13/2023 - Long Beach, Calif: The CSU Board of Trustees (left to right) Trustees Wenda Fong Jack B. Clark Jr, Jonathan Molina Mancio and Julia I. Lopez discuss the proposed tuition increase.
The CSU Board of Trustees voted to raise tuition in hopes of closing a $1.5 billion budget gap.
We’ve only had one tuition increase in twelve years, that’s not a business model that’s going to work long term.
Jack McGrory Board of Trustees Member
”
JUAN
Those attending the Sept. 13 public meeting for California State University Long Beach’s presentation of the Campus Master Plan’s Draft Environmental Impact Report, EIR, were displeased university staff didn’t take in person comments. After the presentation of the Draft EIR, about 30 minutes in length, the public was instructed to fill out comment cards or use an online tool to submit comments.
According to the Beach Building Services website the California Environmental Quality Act asks for government agencies to inform on possible environmental issues to projects through an EIR. The Master Plan EIR was released on Sept. 1 to begin the public review and comment portion of the project.
The EIR is meant to inform the public and decision makers about projects’ possible environmental impacts. CSULB’s Master Plan, approved in 2008, guides the necessary physical development of the campus to support the needs of students, faculty and staff.
Fareeha Kibriya, a Michael Baker International consultant on the project, said there would be no question and answer session during the meeting. She said comments on the EIR would be collected in writing. People in attendance were told they had a few ways to comment. These options included a QR code leading to an online commenting tool, physical comment cards provided at the meeting and a survey via a link.
“Why no Q and A?” a member of the
public asked.
Kibriya said comments would be accepted, but they needed to be done in writing. Members of the public were distressed, they wanted to be heard.
“We can do both,” Anna Christensen, a local resident and CSULB alumnus, said. “This is a public meeting.”
Christopher Reese, University Relations associate vice president, said some good public comments were expected from the meeting and explained the reason for written comments.
“The reason why we are asking to put them [comments] in writing, they’re public comments and we need to make sure that the whole public hears the answer,” Reese said.
In an emailed response Jeff Cook, Strategic Communications associate vice president, explained the thought process of written comments further.
“The EIR process calls for a 45-day public comment period. Public comments must be documented, responded to and made available per California law. Submission of comments in writing is the appropriate way to ensure campus compliance with CEQA. This method provides access to each comment, allows response to every member of the public and ensures our administrative record accurately and completely reflects comments by members of the community,” Cook said.
After Reese’s statement the people at the event had an open forum where they expressed concern over various parts of the Master Plan. Members of CSULB staff remained on site to have one-onone conversations with stakeholders. The comment box was empty at the end of the event.
Christensen said it was offensive that
a question and answer session was refused by CSULB members at the meeting.
“What kind of a host is this school to the community?” she asked.
Jan Sampson, a local home owner for 40 years and alumnus, said she had heard rumors around her neighborhood about what was coming from the CSULB Master Plan. She thought the meeting would be a chance to get clarity on the proposed changes. She had issues with the lack of connection with members of CSULB at the meeting.
“I am always disappointed…and it makes the community and the neighbors not feel like the school is being friendly to us. We always feel like they’re hiding things and not being transparent,” Sampson said.
Sampson is concerned with what will happen to Puvungna. Soto said Puvungna has been placed in a restricted covenant.
“There will be no development whatsoever in perpetuity within that conser-
vation,” Soto said.
Christensen said details on the in-person meeting were buried online. Beach Building Services’ website has the information for the in-person Sept. 13 and the Zoom Sept. 14 meetings under the California Environmental Quality Act Compliance section of their website.
The BBS’ website section for the Campus Master Plan has a link to additional information on the Master Plan and a link to the CEQA Compliance webpage.
“CEQA requires only one form of noticing, but the campus conducted multiple forms of noticing which included publishing a notice in a local newspaper, sending notices to adjacent homes and businesses, and sending emails to tribal leaders and council members with the intent to broadly solicit feedback on the adequacy of our Environmental Impact Report,” Cook said.
The next step for the Master Plan would be a final EIR in Fall/Winter of 2023. This would include comments with responses and mitigation monitoring.
Whether it’s navigating a physical separation that spans thousands of miles or a blown power fuse at a sold-out headliner show, the up-and-coming band Nitefire continues to amaze audiences with their unique rock sound and electrifying stage presence.
Coming from humble beginnings, Nitefire began when Nico Geyer and Luke White started jamming together in high school on the weekends. It wasn’t until both went to college on opposite coasts; Geyer in New York and White in Santa Barbara, that the two really started writing music together.
“We did kind of a postal service thing back and forth for a little bit,” Geyer said about their songwriting technique before COVID-19.
Confined to a shared living space starting late 2019, Geyer and White had a “productive pandemic” as they laid the foundation for Nitefire’s artistic vision: an indie-rock sound heavily inspired by British rock and roll.
“We were living together and we spent the whole time writing music,” White said. “When COVID ended, we hit the ground running.”
Jumping to current day, Nitefire has a well-received discography of expressive soundtracks not only incorporates ‘70s rock music like intense guitars and powerful drums, but also a myriad of instru-
mental sound bites and voice memos.
Listening closely to “That’s the Way It’s Gonna Be”, there is a short personal sound bite, which is White’s grandma asking for help to move a TV from guitarist’s voicemail box.
For Katrina Nunez, a fourth-year marketing student, Nitefire’s unique compositions such as “Dumb like Daisies” invokes the energy perfect for dancing.
“I feel like I’m partying in my room when I listen to them,” Nunez said.
The same dynamic energy that makes students like Nunez want to “rock out” translates into exciting concert experiences even in unlikely times.
On Sept. 8, when Nitefire was playing at Genghis Cohen, a popular live music venue that shares a space with a Chinese restaurant, a fuse blew out.
They quickly relocated to the dining area, and in a true “the show must go on” fashion, Nitefire delivered an thrilling concert where audience members moshed with Geyer, danced to energetic
guitar riffs and sang along to the lyrics of their favorite songs.
At a show, listeners can not just expect musical talent, but captivating and unique performances. A testament to the engaging stage presence of the group, Geyer often adds stand-up in between songs when he’s not jumping into the crowd during shows.
“If there’s too much time in between songs, I get really comfortable up there and I start telling jokes,” Geyer said.
Genesis Mata, a third-year psychology student, added that their performances are an entertaining way to spend an evening with friends and expand the musical palette of Long Beach State students.
“This is a very intimate type of show that not a lot of people can say they experienced,” said Mata. “It gives a different outlook on a lot of different music.”
Popular songs “Dumb like Daisies”, “Uptight” or “I’ve Been Taking Walks (La La Song)” encapsulate the ‘classic’ rock feel that the band started with.
However, Geyer and White stated that listeners will find many different songs from the usual on their new EP that releases the end of 2023, that will change up their current work.
“I think that all of us [the band members] agree that the best is yet to come,” Geyer said.
Looking forward to new music and uniquely engaging shows, fans of Nitefire can expect a blossoming musical career full of innovative compositions and exceptional performances.
Clockwise from right: Inside the exhibit at Kleefeld Museum is a body of text describing “Drag Show” and explaining its inspiration. Big Dee performs for the crowd with Dean Royce W. Smith of the College of the Arts at CSULB in attendance. Bowie Harvey, 4, creates her own art piece at the interactive table. Tom Welsh reads the art description as he observes work inside the exhibit.
BY RENZO POCASANGRE Arts & Life Assisstant
The courtyard was bustling with students, alumni and faculty from the bar to the activities table. As drag queens captivated the crowd, visitors were also able to peruse the main gallery to catch a glimpse at some of the artworks within the “Drag Show” fine art exhibition.
Shruti More, a senior majoring in criminology with a minor in sociology, works security at the Carolyn Campagna Kleefeld Contemporary Art Museum.
“We allow students to come in on Thursday nights and create their own artwork. It kinda gives them the time to step away from their homework,” More said.
Upon entering the museum, visitors step into the Constance W. Glenn Court, named after the founder of the university art museum, where they may leave be-
longings at the desk and experience the first installation.
Walking past an interactive art installation which may easily be mistaken for spilled candy, visitors are invited to take a piece of candy from a pile on the floor. The visitors who take candy are completing an exchange between themselves and the artist Felix Gonzalez-Torres.
This spilled candy is one of Torres’ famous candy-spill works, Untitled (LA), 1991, acting as an introduction before entering the main gallery exhibit. Torres’ art often invokes viewers to interact with his installations and may exist across countless museums at one time varying in weight and configuration. As visitors take candy from the spill, the visual is intended to function as a representation of the way AIDS wilts the human body.
The main gallery features polaroid images from photographers Linda Simpson, David Yarritu and a few others. The featured artists, like Nan Goldin, use their
work to represent the period of history when AIDS disproportionately affected the LGBTQ+ community in the ‘80s and ‘90s.
Melina Riviera, a first-year transfer student and anthropology major, expressed the emotions she felt when confronting some of the pieces.
“It definitely evokes some feelings of realizing how lucky I am to be LGBT now versus back then,” said Riviera. “I feel a lot of gratefulness, and it’s just so beautiful to see that it’s being recognized on a university scale.”
Visitors who walk through the main gallery also have a chance to view a section of the AIDS Memorial Quilt. The quilt is a mixed-media art piece woven together by panels of fabric, part of a huge community folk-art project. The quilt celebrates the lives of the many individuals who died due to AIDS-related illness.
The exhibit is expected to stay open during the fall semester through Dec. 15. More information can be found on the Kleefeld Contemporary Art Museum website.
It definitely evokes some feelings of realizing how lucky I am to be LGBT now versus back then.
Melina Riviera CSULB Student
”
Stuart Sidwell’s vibrant stand on upper campus has attracted crowds of eager students for the past 30 years, drawn in by his vast assortment of eye-catching jewelry and collectible items.
Sidwell, a 78-year-old veteran, decided to settle down on the west coast after he spent much of his early adulthood in continuous flux. He moved to California in 1969 after a 13-month tour in Vietnam, and worked as an independent auto damage appraiser.
However, the swift rise of technology in the early ‘90s threatened his appraisal career and forced him to reconsider his line of work.
“Things kind of slowed down because we were switching to computers,” Sidwell said. “I could see that this job was probably going to go away.”
After a friend of Sidwell’s introduced
him to the silver jewelry business in 1992, he decided that he wanted to take part in the growing demand for these products at flea markets.
“I loaded up the credit card and I wound up with this stuff - a couple tables of jewelry,” Sidwell said. “That started my vending world.”
For a few years, Sidwell only sold silver jewelry, but he eventually expanded his inventory to include decorative posters and CDs of every genre and decade. By the mid ‘90s, he dropped out of numerous street fairs due to high booking costs and the rampant theft of his items.
He instead joined vendors at colleges across California and Oregon, including California State University, Long Beach. Sidwell said he has always felt welcome at the college by the administration and students alike.
“Some schools think vendors are the enemy and they just don’t want that kind of action going on campus,” Sidwell said. “Cal State Long Beach is just the opposite.”
Despite the takeover of music stream-
ing services, Sidwell has seen some of the greatest success in sales with CDs because of the growing interest in physical media.
“They’re [customers] not particularly after the songs on there,” Sidwell said. “Because of the fact that everything is digital, they’re also after the fact that it’s a collectible they can put on a shelf and listen to when they want.”
Although some days have slow foot traffic, Sidwell said he has seen consistent sales on campus because of its population of over 35,000 students.
First-year business major Samantha Alonso enjoys having various vendors on campus and has begun to regularly shop at Sidwell’s stand. Posters of The Velvet Underground and Amy Winehouse caught her eye as she sorted through his large collection.
Third-year kinesiology major Valentina Enriquez also likes to browse Sidwell’s posters of popular musicians and bands, including Tyler, the Creator and Kanye West.
“I’m a transfer student so I wasn’t
used to seeing stands at my last campus,” Enriquez said. “I really like how alive this campus is.”
Sidwell enjoys listening to the classics by The Beatles and Pink Floyd, as well as music by newer artists like Arctic Monkeys. He said the most popular genres among students are rap, hip-hop and alternative, however.
“I’ve sold hundreds of Frank Ocean posters,” he said. “It seems like the rappers that have been around a while keep recreating themselves and coming out with good stuff. I do very well in that area.”
Sidwell hopes to one day own a toy hauler and travel around the country, vending at some of the biggest colleges along the way. Despite these aspirations, he remains content with his career and he is glad to be pursuing his passion.
“At my age now, I’m just comfortable with being in Long Beach,” Sidwell said.
Sidwell will spend the next few weeks vending at colleges in Oregon and will return to CSULB during the third week of October.
Some schools think vendors are the enemy and they just don’t want that kind of action going on campus.
Stuart Sidwell Campus Vendor
”
Tattoos and tattooing have early evidence dating back 5,000 B.C. and have been part of society ever since, but with lots of people criticizing and underappreciating the art, as it became more mainstream from generation to generation.
However, Millennials and Gen Z are the two most inked generations. According to the Statista Research Department, 41% of millenials have at least one tattoo and Gen Z with 23%, so far as of 2021.
Tattoos have not been as of taboo lately due to the new generations normalizing and becoming more accepted in society, especially with Millennials and Generation Z increasing the tattoo numbers over the last years.
Cole Strem, 39-year-old tattoo artist from Port City Tattoo at Long Beach, has been tattooing people since 2007 and attributes the increase of tattoos acceptance in society to TV shows, celebrities and normalization.
“As back like in the ‘70 and ‘80s, it was more like an outlaw, only gang members and prison people had tattoos... now with social media, your favorite rapper has its face tattooed and it’s more in your face,” Strem said. “Cops have tattoos, firefighters, nurses, doctor, lawyers... It’s something for everybody.”
Strem said that even though it’s becoming more accepted in society there are people that still dislike.
Older religious people still sees it as a taboo, Strem said but he hopes to see more of the younger generations taking over the culture and normalizing it in society.
He said that lots of teenagers from Generation Z over 18 are coming into the shop, with the most frequent tattoo requests being names, quotes from songs or books and names of authors.
Even though Strem likes the new generation’s appreciation of tattoos, he encourages them to get something that you won’t regret later in life.
Strem’s style is more focused on American traditional tattoos. Tattoos that resemble sailor tattoos, with skulls, eagles, roses, natives, taking most of the symbolism of the style.
“We always try to convince them just to get something classic and timeless that will never go out of style,” Strem said.
For this new generation, the Cal State Long Beach campus is being well served. There are a bunch of students with tattoos.
Jennifer Diaz, 27-year-old accounting major has 9 tattoos, with a couple of
cartoon tattoos that represent her childhood, flowers and a hummingbird that represents peace.
Diaz said that people are getting more tattoos because it’s a way to represent themselves through art.
“It’s something that it’s becoming more acceptable especially in jobs... You don’t need to cover them anymore,” Diaz said.
Jess Whitten, 22-year-old vocal performance major, has 11 tattoos inspired by drawings that her and her friends would make on her arm when she was a child.
“I think more people are becoming open minded to it, and more open minded to form of expressions that they used to be especially in the workplace,” Whitten said.
Whitten also said that she believes this generation cares less about what others think. People are more likely to express themselves artistically through not only tattoos, but also in clothes, and hairstyles.
Tattoos are becoming a norm in today’s society, and most likely on the next generations taboos surroing tattoos will be gone.
Tattoos from generation to generation have become more mainstream and more accepted by people in society.
My experience with the religion of Spiritism and how it has affected my life.
Spiritism is a religion that doesn’t have much influence in North America, which means many people don’t know about it.
To put it shortly, Spiritism “studies the existence and nature of spirits, which are nothing more than the immortal souls of men, created by God,” according to the Spiritist Society of Chicago.
The principles of this religion are based on Jesus Christ’s teachings and principles, blending together “lessons of the Christian New Testament, Platonist philosophy and life sciences.”
The religion’s founder, Allan Kardec, explores the foundation on this belief system even deeper in his book “The Gospel According to Spiritism.”
The religion is popular in South American and European countries, and has accumulated a large following in Brazil, which is where I grew up.
Spiritism is not as traditional, but some of its aspects do take influence from other known religions. One example of this is gathering places used
as purification centers, where collective prayer sessions can be held.
However, it is not necessary to attend these places in order to be considered a follower, especially due to the lack of options here in the U.S. Many followers, including myself and my family, practice at home.
This is one of the main factors as to why I like this religion so much. It connects its followers from virtually anywhere, not just in a place of worship.
It also helps you explore yourself, not just as a physical individual, but as a spiritual being. This is done through the belief of reincarnation, the idea that the soul never dies. Instead, it’s believed to be reborn and to continue to live through different human bodies.
In Spiritism, the emphasis on reincarnation allows for the spirit to evolve, and once fully evolved, the spirit may rest in a heavenly place to help other spirits reach their true evolutionary potential.
This has always provided me comfort, especially because I’ve never been the biggest fan of heaven and hell, a common belief in my previous religion, Catholicism.
Reincarnation gives everybody a chance. Just like in life, everybody has the ability to redeem themselves of their wrongdoings. In the realm of Spiritism, it is no different.
Another factor that drew me in was
On September 8, 2023, Olivia Rodrigo released her second studio album, “GUTS.” Since its release, it has received worldwide acclaim, with Rolling Stone giving the album a perfect score, calling it an “instant classic.”
The album follows her debut album, “SOUR”, which won Best Pop Vocal Album at the 2022 Grammys.
Despite being a Disney Channel kid starring in shows such as Bizaardvark and High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, Rodrigo has had overnight success with her music career with the release of her debut single, “Drivers License,” in January of 2021.
The achievements from her debut single and album have led to a fanbase that consists of teenage girls and women in their early 20s as they relate to her music and the experiences she writes about.
This rise in fame has made her be seen as an “it” girl by many people on social media, as she is adored for her fashion and for speaking up on social issues such as the overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022.
Despite the love that Olivia Rodrigo receives on social media, some people believe her music is generic and rips off
older songs. Two singles off “SOUR,” “Deja Vu” and “Good 4 U,” have been criticized for mimicking songs such as “Cruel Summer” by Taylor Swift and “Misery Business” by Paramore with both artists receiving royalties for both singles.
Recently, I listened to the album in its entirety after enjoying both singles,
the spirits themselves. Based on your behavior in physical world, you attract spirits, good or bad. Many assume that it’s scary. However, I take it as an opportunity to reflect on my actions.
If you think negatively, it will be harder for you to lift and start your journey due to the bad spirits taking your energy away. If you’re always thinking positively, however, rewards will eventually come from good spirits. This is the case no matter what comes your way.
This idea motivates me to stay in a positive mindset even when I don’t always have the energy to do so.
Spiritism came at a time when my family and I were struggling with both financial and family issues. It was the per-
fect way for us to take a deeper look at ourselves and rebuild.
Since then, our lives have changed drastically. There have been many ups and downs, but our belief is bigger than ever.
My experience up to this point with this religion has never been bad, and I must credit it for making me a stronger individual in all aspects of my life.
I never felt like my previous religions were truly a part of my life, until Spiritism came and changed that. Spiritism has allowed me to finally feel like I can fully interact with a religion’s beliefs and develop a deeper, more personal connection to it.
“SOUR.” She still keeps the same themes of heartbreak, adolescence and yearning through tracks: “Lacy,” “Pretty isn’t Pretty” and “Teenage Dream”. “GUTS” keeps the same angsty attitude Rodrigo had on her debut with tracks: “All-American Bitch,” “Ballad of a Homeschool Girl” and “Get Him Back!”
In this album, she has more freedom in her songwriting now that she is 20 years old and has experienced new things compared to when she was 17/18.
When Olivia Rodrigo released her debut single, “Driver License,” in 2021, I was in my senior year of high school. So when she released “SOUR”, I related to her experiences as we are the same age. I understood her feelings of being a teenager in an age where everyone posted their entire lives on social media and the feelings of unrequited love for a high school crush who we would eventually forget in later years.
“Vampire” and “Bad Idea Right?” which I adored. After listening to the album, I can safely say Olivia Rodrigo has done it again after the success of her debut and can have more success with her sophomore album.
Although I enjoyed her debut album, her playful lyricism and overall production have improved compared to
With “GUTS,” I still related to her music as I am now in my third year and have had new experiences in yearning for people who do not feel the same way and how I view the world. Although not at the same level as the 20-year-old singer, there is some correlation that other teenagers and people entering adulthood could relate. Even with her second studio album, it is exciting to see Olivia Rodrigo grow not only as a woman in her 20s but also as an artist.
OliviaMARY CATIPAY / Daily Forty-Niner Olivia Rodrigo’s sophomore album “GUTS,” was released on Sept. 8. The new album sees improvements in her songwriting ability and production style compared to her previous album, “Sour.” IGOR COLONNO /Daily Forty-Niner Entrance of the Inner empowerment center in Torrance, which offers spiritual treatments, Spiritism based. It is also a temple for Umbanda, another Spiritism-based religion. BY MATTHEW COLEMAN Sports Assistant
The LBSU men’s basketball schedule was recently released and The Beach has some big-time games to mark on your calendars. The season first opens up with a visit from Cal Lutheran on Thursday, Nov. 2, which will be the only home game that month.
The Beach will embark on a long road trip starting on Nov. 6 in Portland, before they get set to visit some of the NCAA’s top teams. They’ll head south a week later to face off against San Diego State University on Nov. 14, who’s coming off of an impressive run to the Final Four from last March.
“I know Lamont [Butler], we grew up together, one of my good friends I am always excited to go up against him," junior guard Jadon Jones said. "Plus they have a great gym, and they had a great season last year. I am excited to get a chance to play them."
Later that same week, The Beach will travel to Ann Arbor for a date with the Michigan Wolverines on Nov. 17. It will be the second time they've faced off and the first time the two teams have met since 2013 and Michigan is coming off a down year to their standards, missing the NCAA tournament.
They also lost their star center, Hunter Dickinson, to Kansas in the transfer portal and forward Jett Howard to the Orlando Magic in the first round of the NBA draft. Nonetheless, this will be one of the more highly anticipated matchups of the year, as Michigan has revamped its roster in the transfer portal and always
there is an opponent he has already flagged and is looking forward to this year.
“Definitely Michigan and USC, especially USC, they’re ranked high this year. It sounds pretty big on social media," Yan said. “They got a couple of big names on their team this year, we know we have the ability to beat them every year, we just got to do it."
Conference play in the Big West starts out on the road on Dec. 28 against rival Cal State Fullerton.
“For me, personally, Fullerton every year, Fullerton and Irvine are definitely on our radar. Looking forward to beating them every time,”the Senior center said.
The Black & Blue Rivalry between The Beach and UC Irvine is also a set of games to look out for. The Anteaters come to Long Beach State on Jan. 25, and LBSU heads to UCI on March 2.
To be the best, you must beat the best. The two games against UC Santa Barbara will also be important. UCSB was both the regular season and Big West tournament champions this past year. Long Beach lost both closely contested games to them in the 2022-23 season.
has one of the best recruiting classes in the country.
“[I’ve] never been over there, they are obviously historically a very good team. So I am excited for the challenge,” Jones said.
From there, LBSU heads down to Fort Myers, Florida to participate in the Gulf Coast Showcase, where they will be playing three games. The first is against Illinois State on Nov. 20. The next two games of that tournament are yet to be determined.
The road trip comes to a conclusion on Nov. 26 against Montana State, before they head back home to the Walter Pyramid on Dec. 2 to face Sacramento State.
Just before conference play begins, The Beach will be met with arguably their toughest challenge, as they will travel up the freeway to battle USC. The Trojans are one of the nation’s most hyped-up teams, with some top NBA hopeful prospects in freshmen guards Isaiah Collier and Bronny James.
Senior center Jeffery Yan noted how
“The thing about our conference is that everyone is kind of different. So it’s just exciting to get different challenges and play different people. I see us as the top dog, so they should be excited to play us,” Jones said.
Long Beach State, with the addition of some newcomers via the transfer portal and returning pieces, looks to be a big threat to make a run this year, and to hopefully be dancing in March.
BY ALYSSA DE LA CRUZ Sports Assistant
Former LBSU basketball star and northside Long Beach native Larry Anderson has returned to the place he calls “home.” Earlier this school year, the school announced that Anderson would be taking the position as the assistant head coach for the men’s basketball team.
Growing up, he played every sport: baseball, basketball, soccer, and football, but chose basketball because it was played “year-round and kept me out of trouble.”
Anderson said he decided to take the position because the, “biggest thing for me was if it wasn’t for my mentors,” he wouldn’t be where he is today. He feels as if, “I am paying back my dues to them.”
Learning from his time at LBSU, An-
derson expresses how school was always a priority for him, “School will always be first because without school they cannot play. I have more insight on academics and I tell my players not to be too shy to ask for help and use all their resources.”
Getting drafted by the NBA and playing overseas gave Anderson a different perspective on playing the game of basketball, though it never changed his dedication to work.
He motivates his players and said, “If they want to play anywhere after college they have to take this as a job even if they are just in college, it is still a job though.”
Anderson described his main goal in his coaching philosophy as, “being a student and an athlete, everything else is second tier.”
If the time gets tough during this upcoming season, the Long Beach State alumni’s approach to the struggle will be
direct to the players.
“As a player, I was always direct and while I was here I was one of the leaders and I have always had the direct approach,” said Anderson. He also expresses how at times it feels as, “I am their big brother but I am also their coach.”
In essence, his expectations for this season are, “to win a championship and go to the dance (NCAA Tournament, March Madness).”
LBSU puts five past Northern Colorado on in the last non-conference game of the year.
After only scoring three goals in their last four games, The Beach took advantage of a defense that has
allowed 2.3 goals per game this season, and netted a high of five goals in a 5-1 win over Northern Colorado.
Winless Northern Colorado opened up the scoring in the 14th minute as sophomore midfielder Alex Michael put one past junior LBSU keeper Katarina Decaroli, making it 1-0 Northern Colorado.
Just after the half-hour mark, sophomore forward Cherrie Cox netted her first goal of the day for LBSU, tying the game at one and opening
The Long Beach State men’s water polo team gave the home crowd a dominating performance, defeating Long Beach Community College with a 25-3 win, and Biola University with a score of 18-9.
Things started fast against LBCC, with the opening goal coming from sophomore utility player Bruno Chiappini in the first minute of play. From then on, The Beach kept its foot on the gas, scoring one goal after another, leading to a final score of 25-3. This high-scoring game allowed for 11 different players to claim a goal.
The game against Biola started out
hot as well, with the opening goal coming again from sophomore utility player Bruno Chiappini just 48 seconds into the first quarter. The crowd went wild, and things quickly got heated in the water. Junior goalie Liam Ward committed a penalty that was followed by an ejection, allowing Biola to score their first goal of the game.
Top scorers freshmen attacker Marc Frigola and junior attacker Abdelrahman Soliman bolstered the offensive end with a combined total of six goals. Junior defender Nikola Jancic held down the defensive end, helping to control Biola’s primary scorers.
A total of 11 steals kept Biola from ever getting in striking distance, while LBSU earned 13 power plays and was able to capitalize on seven of them.
Being that LBSU committed 13 penalties, the team had to fight hard in the
up the floodgates for The Beach.
From that point on, it was all LBSU. Cox would score from the penalty spot just before halftime giving The Beach a 2-1 lead.
The Beach were dominant on Sunday outshooting Northern Colorado 23-8 with 15 of those shots being on goal.
This was a delightful sight to see as The Beach offense had been struggling to find success on the offensive end.
Sophomore midfielder Julia Moore, senior forward Elysia Laramie and junior forward Summer Laskey added their names to the box score with goals in the second half and made the score 5-1 at the end of regulation.
The Beach look to pick up their first conference win of the year as they take on the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos on Sunday, Sept. 24 at 12 p.m. at George Allen Field.
second half as three players were in danger of fouling out. Despite the ejections, LBSU’s defense held it down only allowing nine total goals to reach the back of the cage for Biola.
In the fourth quarter, it became clear that LBSU would come out on top, but five more goals were scored, making the final score 18-9. A total of eight different
players found success in their shots, and The Beach got back to its winning ways. LBSU holds an alumni exhibition game on Sept. 17 at the Ken Lindgren Aquatics Center. The team will also play in the MPSF Tournament starting on Sept. 22 at the Crawford Pool on UC Irvine’s campus.