Monday, March 3, 2025
AFTER A SEASON TO REMEMBER BY WINNING THE BIG WEST CHAMPIONSHIP, THE MEN’S BASKETBALL TEAM HAS COME BACK TO EARTH, LOSING 13 GAMES IN A ROW.
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The Beach lose another overtime thriller at home versus the Roadrunners 88-87, they are now (3-10) at home as the regular season is coming to an end.
ICE ‘knock and talk’ policy goes into effect
BY JAYLYN PRESLICKA Solutions Editor
Ttion, residential neighborhood or public business a warning if they plan to visit, but the university is not currently aware of any agents planning to come to campus.
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he City of Long Beach may be included in front-door visits from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The policy will deploy ICE agents to public and residential properties to question individuals about their residence status.
ICE can ask questions about someone’s citizenship under any circumstance without warning, but individuals are not legally required to reply.
“I know this time is so frightening for our undocumented students and families. We are working hard to educate everyone on their rights. We have NO lists of undocumented students at The Beach,” CSULB President Jane Close Conoley said in an email to the Current. “We still offer immigration legal services. The Dream Success Center is active. We have no information that ICE agents will visit campus.”
The Dream Success Center has been handing out red cards, or tarjetas rojos, for anyone to keep on their person in the event an ICE agent does approach them.
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In residential neighborhoods, a warrant must be issued with a properly spelled name and a judicial warrant signed by a federal judge in order to enter a home.
In regards to Long Beach State, if ICE were to arrive on campus, they would have the authority to do so.
The Trump administration rescinded the Biden Administration’s guidelines for ICE agents visiting “sensitive areas” such as schools, hospitals and religious institutions.
“Criminals will no longer be able to hide in America’s schools and churches to avoid arrest. The Trump Administration will not tie the hands of our brave law enforcement, and instead trusts them to use common sense,” the U.S. Department of Homeland Security statement said.
ICE does not need to give any institu-
Although they do not offer any legal protection, the cards remind the cardholder of their rights regardless of status.
The Long Beach Police Department is not planning to work with ICE.
“LBPD policy generally prohibits the sharing of immigration-related information with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) obtained from individuals encountered during public safety or policing activities, such as routine traffic stops, calls for service, and those in custody,” a City of Long Beach guide titled Long Beach Values Act Resource Guide stated.
The Long Beach Current reached out to the LBPD for comment. They referred all questions to ICE.
land acknowlEdgmEnt
Here at the Long Beach Current 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.
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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.
Editorials: All opinions expressed in the columns, letters and cartoons in the issue are those of the writers or artists. The opinons of the Long Beach Current 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 Long Beach Current.
Monday, March 3, 2025
lEttEr Policy: All letters and emails must bear the phone number of the writer and must be no more than 300 words. The Long Beach Current reserves the right to edit letters for publication in regard to space.
Students debate pro-mass deportation content creators
BY CHRISTOPHER CANCHE CHAN News Assistant
Pro-mass deportation political commentators engaged in heated debates with Long Beach State students near the University Student Union and Friendship Walk amid growing tensions over immigration policy.
Conservative content creator James Klüg, known for his street interviews, captured exchanges on camera while fellow commentator Cam Higby stood nearby. Klüg held a sign that read, “We support mass deportation,” which quickly grabbed the attention of students who gathered around.
Among the students gathered was Alyssa Portillo, a psychology major, who observed the scene and said the demonstration was designed to evoke a reaction from the spectators.
“Obviously, being Hispanic and having a family who are, quote-unquote, illegal, it’s just hard to see people who are full of hate,” Portillo said. “You can see it in their eyes; they don’t want answers. They don’t want to be proven wrong. They just want to piss people off.”
Other students vocally denounced the demonstrators, with several expressing outrage and condemning their stance on deportation, emphasizing the impact such views have on immigrant communities.
In response, Klüg defended his presence on campus, stating that conversations about illegal immigration are what lead to debates at CSULB.
“We just experienced the worst border crisis in American history over the last four years, and people– predictably– are advocating, ‘Hey, absolutely no punishment for the people who came into the country illegally.’ Sorry, we are a nation of laws,” Klüg said. “We don’t want to be encouraging more illegal immigration.”
As the crowd grew, students began writing their own messages on paper to counter Klüg and Higby, showing their support for immigrants in the crowd.
One of those students, Xavier Esparza, a psychology major, offered his perspective on the topic, relating it to his family’s immigrant background.
“My family comes from a long history of immigrants. We are a Mexican family
Photo credit: SAMUEL CHACKO/Long Beach Current
Amid an increase in immigration enforcement, debates and conversations swirl around the subject. Signs across campus showed support for or against President Trump’s mass deportation policy.
and a Mexican household. I had grandparents who struggled coming here, struggled to get their papers and fought for their rights to be here,” Esparza said.
Nevertheless, Esparza noted that if students had been given time to prepare
for such demonstrations, they would have been ready to counter-argue.
“Anybody who was to come up and go against these guys in a conversation or a debate will lose,” Esparza said. “They come prepared already. We literally just
come out, see the signs and want to argue automatically. So them coming out without giving us a sense of notice, for us to be able to be like OK, if you want to debate give us a time to give you a debate.”
Second floor of bookstore to be revamped into student recreational area
BY ADRIAN MEDINA, JASMINE CANADA, ANDREW AMAYA
Contributors
The second floor of the Long Beach State Bookstore will be renovated to become a hangout area for students during the University Student Union reconstruction.
Due to the USU construction, faculty and staff will be moved to different locations all over campus in a two-year process, as outlined by CSULB President Jane Close Conoley during an Academic Senate meeting last December.
The USU is set to start construction this summer with an end date of summer 2028. The bookstore renovations are expected to begin during this semester with the anticipated completion being summer.
The merchandise placed on the second floor of the bookstore will be moved down to the first floor, according to Associated Students Inc. communications manager Shannon Couey.
“The second floor will feature seating and tables for students to lounge, study and meet,” Couey said. “There will be some convenience store offerings on the second floor.”
According to the Future U website, the food service Fooda located between the University Bookstore and the Nugget Pub and Grill will remain in the same area for all students to grub and relax.
The convenience store, which is attached to the bookstore, will not be affected by the second floor renovations.
Along with the merchandise, ID services and LBS Financial services will be moved to the first floor to make space for the second floor renovation.
Additionally, the first floor of the bookstore will be renovated to have a Beach Pride theme.
The finalized layout of the second floor’s renovation is still being worked on to ensure that the layout meets the Office of the State Fire Marshal and American with Disabilities Act compliance requirements, Couey said.
“The priority for the space is student seating and study areas,” she said. “However, there may be opportunities for vendors to set up in other locations.”
Some students are in favor of the proposed new lounging area, such as
The second floor will begin to move its merchandise, such as CSULB shirts and plushies, and
the first floor when renovations begin in the upcoming months.
Shannon Couey ASI Communications Manager ”
Raylina Kong, a first-year healthcare administration major.
The second floor will feature seating and tables for students to lounge, study and meet.
Kong said adding an additional recreational would make finding a place to relax more accessible. “I am in hopes of adding napping spots as I find them rare on campus,” Kong said.
Some students like Meadow Le, a second-year pre-psychology major, feel like there is no need for renovations. She said that her concern is that the second floor does not have enough space to become a good hangout spot for students.
“Personally, I don’t really think there’s anything that needs to be changed in the bookstore since it’s mostly just a place that sells books, but I don’t think it’s a bad idea to renovate the floor into a hangout spot,” Le said.
Photo credit: ADRIAN MEDINA / Long Beach Current
services such as LBS Financial, to
Trump takes aim at higher education, schools must eliminate DEI initiatives
BY ETHAN COHEN News Assistant
Cultural graduations, thematic housing and financial aid are all at risk under President Donald Trump’s potential plans to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education, arguing that control over education policy should be left to individual states.
With few details on how the proposal would actually work, the White House’s push has sparked confusion among education officials and college administrations who would be responsible for filling the gaps left by a disbanded or downsized department.
The uncertainty has only grown in the wake of a Feb. 14 letter from the department’s Office of Equity instructing universities to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion programs.
Schools that fail to comply by the beginning of March face federal investigations and potential funding cuts, leaving administrators scrambling to assess the impact on scholarships, student services and faculty positions.
The letter, sent out in mid-February by Office of Equity acting assistant for civil rights Craig Trainor, laid out a broad interpretation of the Supreme Court’s 2023 ruling in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard, which struck down affirmative action in college admissions.
While limited to admissions practices, the Trump administration argues it applies to all race conscious funding, programs and initiatives at campuses nationwide.
“These institutions’ embrace of pervasive and repugnant race-based preferences and other forms of racial discrimination have emanated throughout every facet of academia,” Trainor said in the letter. “In a shameful echo of a darker period in this country’s history, many American schools and universities even encourage segregation by race at graduation ceremonies and in dormitories and other facilities.”
It is unclear how the California State University system plans to navigate this growing debate, especially as challenges to race-based policies continue to intensify.
In response to Trump’s initial proposal on the Department of Education, Chancellor Mildred García initially emphasized the university system’s preparedness in a Feb. 7 email, assuring students the CSU would act if federal actions negatively impacted the community.
“The landscape is indeed evolving –and it is vast. But please be assured that if federal action is taken that negatively impacts the CSU community, we will be prepared and we will respond quickly and appropriately,” García said in the email.
The Current contacted the CSU system for clarification on its response to the Office of Equity’s recent letter, and Director of Media Relations and Public Affairs for the CSU Amy Bently-Smith provided an emailed statement.
“Considering the broad scope of the letter, the CSU is still working to obtain more information regarding the legali-
ties and potential impact. However, the CSU remains committed to fostering an inclusive learning environment that is in compliance with university policies and both state and federal laws,” the statement said.
William Jeynes, a professor of education at Long Beach State, said there is a general uncertainty behind the Trump administration’s efforts to both shift federal power away from education but also reign in DEI.
“It’s really difficult to know precisely how this is going to play out, because [Donald Trump] told us what he wants to do generally, but the specifics are definitely lacking,” Jeynes said.
Jeynes, who has spoken for the White House, the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of Education on previous occasions, said administrators are doing the best they can in addressing the flurry of executive orders coming from the White House.
However, despite the Trump admin-
istration’s efforts to curb federal spending and shift education policy back to the states, he remains skeptical about the long-term viability of these changes.
“I doubt very much that he can totally pull this off because it requires the approval of Congress,” Jeynes said. “I would imagine, even if he does, some other president, and not merely Democrats, but Republicans, will resurrect it at some point.”
Nevertheless, he sees an opportunity for issues like education funding and DEI initiatives to be debated more openly in the public sphere, potentially leading to meaningful solutions.
“I’m hoping that there’ll be more of a conversation about this, just like on the student loans [issue],” Jeynes said. “I think on a lot of issues, people talk past each other, and whether it be on student loans, [we need] to have a broader approach on this conversation. I think we need to really not just talk at each other, but really listen to each other.”
Photo credit: ETHAN COHEN/Long Beach Current Long Beach residents came out to support the Teacher’s Association of Long Beach on Saturday, Feb. 8, in fighting back against President Trump’s proposed cuts to the U.S. Department of Education.
As their terms near the end, ASI executives share insights and advice
BY MAYRA SALAZAR News Assistant
With upcoming student government debates and elections happening this March, the current Associated Students Inc. executives give their thoughts on their experiences throughout the year and their hopes for the rest of the semester.
Matt Melendrez, who first came to the Long Beach State campus as a nineyear-old for piano lessons, is now the executive vice president as a junior.
Throughout his position and time at CSULB, he emphasized that having a real passion for community and advocating for them is what makes a difference.
According to Melendrez, one quality that is crucial to being in that position is the ability to listen and then do the work to make change.
Melendrez highlighted that the friendship and the willingness to be communicative advocates for students is what made collaboration between the executives, centers and organizations so effective.
Vice President of Finance Andre Achacon was the first freshman to be elected into an executive position in student government. Now a sophomore, his proudest moments so far in his position have been leading policy revisions that got students and student organizations more funding, and the making of the Financial Empowerment Conference.
As vice president of finance, his role is to push for financial literacy initiatives. The Financial Empowerment Conference, with its numerous partnerships,
was the first of its kind last semester at CSULB and it doubled student engagement with financial literacy workshops.
He trained about 660 student organization officers throughout 14 training sessions to become more aware of grant funding to help fund their needs and wants.
“Every single day is something new, everything is moving so quickly; literally yesterday felt like the day I won my election,” Achacon said. “It’s incredibly fast paced and there’s so many moving pieces, you’re meeting so many different people across campus.”
He said age, experience and major are not the most important qualities to have to succeed in the role of vice president of finance but having grit, relentless curiosity and remembering your story, are.
Achacon hopes that the next vice president of finance takes on the initiative to provide tailored financial literacy resources for working class students and continues to work with Basic Needs and Student Affairs to get this information
out to students.
Current ASI President Nikki Majidi, works as a liaison for students, administration and ASI. She bridges the gaps and brings the right people to the table.
“With my role as president, I essentially fit as kind of as a bird’s eye view on many different boards– I think I attend like 12 to 15 meetings a week, it’s crazy but I love it,” Majidi said.
Her proudest moment as ASI president was when they won Secretary State Ballot Bowl for the highest number of students registered to vote, which was 2100 students at CSULB.
“I’m proud to say that we’ve touched on most of our promises, if not all; we’ve created plans for the future, either addressed them or are looking into them right now,” she said.
In the year, she kick started the Menstrual Products Committee again and increased menstrual products and advertising throughout campus. She also started the first Housing Coalition, which partnered with local housing resources to help with access to housing
for students.
Something she said she wants to put more focus on is getting drug-testing kits on campus so that students can check their drinks for roofies or date rape drugs when they go out.
It is something she has been working toward even before she was elected. She hopes to complete this goal or at least get some groundwork done so it can be passed onto the next president.
“Not everything happens overnight, there’s a long process for everything,” Majidi said about what she learned during her term.
All three executives emphasized that strong passion for this type of work and position is needed in order to successfully bring about good change and good work for students.
“I hope the next executive officers take on a fierce style of leadership that will not stop advocating for what’s best for students,” Achacon said. “It’s important that we are electing people with good intentions to [these] roles to make tangible impact on students”
Photo credit: SAMUEL CHACKO/Long Beach Current
(From left to right) Andre Achacon, ASI vice president of finance, Nikki Majidi, ASI president and Matt Melendrez, executive vice president, located outside of the USU back in 2024 when they were announced as the next ASI leaders.
How a recent Long Beach graduate helped curate a Getty exhibit
BY DELFINO CAMACHO Arts & Life Assistant
In a dimly lit Getty Center gallery, high above the Santa Monica Mountain foothills, rests 17 hand-crafted, medieval manuscripts – some over 700 years old.
A part of the new “Our Getty, Our Voices: Reflecting on Manuscripts” exhibit, the ancient texts were curated by a team of 16 college students from across the state.
“I always enjoyed museums, but I never thought of it as a career thing because I wasn’t really exposed to them growing up,” Long Beach State graduate Meagan Kim, who helped curate the exhibit, said. “That’s why I enjoyed my time at Long Beach, I got to explore my interests and make a career.”
Unified by a theme of nature, the exhibit features texts that vary from ancient prayer books with golden margins
to 16-century calligraphy guides with expert inkwork.
Titled “Alexander The Great Consulting the Oracle of the Tree,” Kim’s pick is a mammoth of a manuscript from about 1475.
“I was able to really see my manuscript up close, the inscriptions next to it and see everything in detail,” Kim said. “It’s nice being so personal and close with it, because it’s a different type of experience when it’s encased in glass.”
The experience was a dream come true for Kim, whose interest in art history was first piqued while visiting an exhibit of Flemish painter Paul Ruben at the Getty Villa.
The Getty Marrow Undergraduate Internship Program
In 2024, Kim, a CSULB senior, took part in the Getty Marrow Undergraduate Internship program, which provides paid summer internships to California
university students from “underrepresented” backgrounds.
First started in 1993, the Getty Foundation backed program provides real world internship experiences at numerous art centers across LA, including inhouse internships at the Getty Center and Getty Villa.
“Basically it’s a cohort based internship where you are paired up with a mentor and you just explore that department,” 21-year old University of Southern California student Bartholomew Chu, who also took part in the program, said.
Chu was paired with Elizabeth Morrison, senior curator of manuscripts, who said the work of managing interns is worth it to keep interest in the arts alive.
“I wouldn’t invest the time and effort that it takes to do that if I didn’t believe that part of my responsibility as a curator is to excite the next generations about following in our footsteps,” Morrison said.
Intern Curated Exhibits
As only the second cohort group to participate in an exhibit like this, the interns got the opportunity to select manuscripts from a pool offered by the Getty.
Student curators then worked with museum staff to research and craft a reflective text on why each particular student chose their manuscript.
Chu, the intern project manager, was able to pick two pieces and was trained on how to handle the delicate works.
“I was actually able to pick them up and interact with them and it just really transports you to a different time, just feeling the animal parchment, hearing the pages move,” Chu said. “Seeing these objects up close, seeing the gold in sunlight, and these textured pigments is an amazing thing.”
Chu and Kim are pursuing museum careers and both plan on going to graduate school, with Chu continuing his focus on medieval arts.
“That people like you and me could actually join the art world and that we could actually contribute to it is amazing,” Chu said. “I think this internship gave me a lot of confidence and tools that I needed to actually break into this world.”
As for Kim, she hopes someday return to the Getty Villa.
“I feel like the undergrad internship was the first step and it really opened my eyes to museums and I just really got into it,” Kim said. “So 10 weeks was too short for me, I’m going to be honest, it was too short.”
The exhibit is available until April 27, 2025 at the Getty Center, now open.
The Getty Villa is currently temporarily closed, due to damages to the grounds from the Palisades Fire.
Photo credit: DELFINO CAMACHO / Long Beach Current
Young students on a field trip to the Getty Center excitedly rush past a sign for the exhibit “Our Getty, Our Voices: Reflections on Manuscripts.” Our Voices: Reflections on Manuscripts” exhibit.
ARTS & LIFE
Satirical commentary takes center stage in Cal Rep’s steamy
‘Yoga Play’
BY DANTE ESTRADA
Editor
Amid the chaotic office space of an athleisure wear company, issues like cultural appropriation and exploitation are carelessly flung around by clueless, corporate suits like so much cheap spandex.
Playing in the Long Beach State Studio Theater, California Repertory Company’s second show of the spring semester “Yoga Play” was guest directed by regional theatre regular Reena Dutt.
Originally written by Dipika Guha in 2017, “Yoga Play” chronicles the goings on at the headquarters of a triumphant athleisure wear company; one responsible for filling its environment full of appropriation, exploitation, consumerism, fat shaming and (of course) yoga swag.
The comedy dives deep into questions like whether true authenticity can be achieved in a world so focused on selling peace for a price.
While adapting the script Dutt knew the story touched on heavy matters had to be done properly and was inspired by personal experiences as a South Asian-American being raised in North Carolina.
“A lot of assumptions about who you are if you look like a particular culture… and that’s really tricky because being American means there’s a whole global diaspora of everything that we live, eat and breathe,” Dutt said. “It’s important to recognize nuances, and it’s important to recognize that we’re all different and we don’t come from the same exact culture, despite the country of our motherlands.”
Dutt acknowledged the satirical aspect of this play while emphasizing that intention is key when building off that specific, comedic tone.
“So much of satire and making fun of something, poking fun at something depends on the questions the actors and the design team are asking in the room, and if a person, if a creative person is not asking questions that will lend to an authentic representation, the chances of it becoming a caricature are exponential,” Dutt said. “But, like this cast and design team, they’re very aware of what is appropriation versus what is actual belief.”
Ved Banerjee, first year theatre arts major, earned his first ever stage credit with his portrayal of Raj Kapoor.
Banerjee believes the play is intelli-
gently written with good social commentary on the exploitation of Asian-American culture. He thinks the comedy helps digest the painful reality of it.
“I think it’s nice because in my first role, I don’t have to play like a taxi driver, which is really cool,” Banerjee said. “I like that I’m not being used for pure comedic relief.”
Second year theatre and philosophy major Cole-Dahlia Prekoski said despite a few similarities to her character, influencer Lauren Lily Clark Rose, the student actor found her own way to connect with the play.
“I really resonate with the general search in the show to find what truth and authenticity means, especially when you bring in the aspect of social media and [how] brand ambassadors and the influencers are really, truly trying to make their fans feel like they’re a part of some fake family,” Prekoski said.
Despite the show tackling serious matters like cultural appropriation and exploiting ethnicity for the sake of profit, the story balances itself well with comedic performances on both a physical and verbal front.
Aidan McGuiness, fourth year the-
atre arts performance major, plays three characters in the show. He trained and learned skills to separate each character, not just physically but vocally.
McGuiness is eager for audiences to experience the comical satire and social commentary the play has to offer.
“Playing the extremes and playing the absurdity while still having a balance between the message and the sincerity and the peacefulness that the play has makes for a great show,” McGuiness said.
Assistant directors Jazmine Cordero and Chloe Ward worked close with Dutt to ensure the show remained, “true to the script and not goof around.”
Kayla Lincoln, first year theatre performance arts major, plays two characters in this show and earned her first stage credit as well.
“I think it does a perfect job of integrating comedy with such real life aspects that everybody [can] deal with, or some people can resonate with, especially if you’re a person of color,” Lincoln said. “That’s why I enjoy the art of storytelling.”
The “Yoga Play” show will run from Feb. 28 to Mar. 8 at the Long Beach University Theatre.
Video
Photo credit: DANTE ESTRADA/Long Beach Current
Left to right: Olivia Truninger (Nooyi) alerts Joan, played by Amelia Priestley and Fred played by Terance Kissel of their short deadline as they rush into their publicity meeting as their jobs are on the line during the Feb. 26 dress rehearsal.
Gospel Music Week strikes chord in collaboration with CSU choirs, local churches
BY NIA WILLIAMS Contributor
Two hundred students, faculty, staff, alumni and members of 23 churches across Long Beach will join together for a shared love of gospel music on March 1, as Long Beach State celebrates their first Gospel Music Week.
Gospel Music Week began on Feb. 24, with rehearsals for the event running until Feb. 28 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the Bob Cole Consevrvatory of Music.
The choir features Long Beach State’s university choir, and welcomes any singer of any skill level to join the choral group, with no auditions required.
Associate Vice President of Student Success and Engagement at CSULB,
Daria Graham is one of the main members responsible for bringing Gospel Music Week to life.
According to Graham, the week is an outgrowth of Super Sunday, an event held by various California State Universities on the last Sunday of February, where faculty and staff visit Black churches to recruit students and promote CSU education.
Graham, and others desired to extend Super Sunday beyond a single day.
“And we had an idea last year - how could we do it differently,” Graham said.
“And then, ‘how could we make it longer than just that Sunday?’ And so, we thought about doing a concert.”
Graham then shared the idea with the head of CSULB’s choral department
Jonathan Talberg, who was interested in incorporating gospel music to his reper-
toire to extend the genres of music his department covers.
In addition to Talberg, Ananias “Markey” Montague is another asset to making the event a success.
Montague, a well-known gospel musician, has worked alongside gospel artists like Richard Smallwood, Ricky Dillard, Kim McFarland and Lyle Lovett.
Montague will be directing the choir, while Talberg will feature two of CSULB’s choral groups in the overall group.
The week carries a lot of significance to Graham, especially for its timing during Black History Month.
To her, gospel music goes beyond just religion - it is a way to celebrate communities that are underrepresented.
“Gospel music is a way for us to again, recognize history, particularly in a time where our underrepresented pop-
ulations, our targeted populations, need to continue to be seen and celebrated and recognized,” Graham said. “And so, we’ll do that [in] lots of ways this month, but we’ll do it at the concert.”
Graham also stresses the importance of the message behind gospel music, and said the genre can speak to people regardless of their religious beliefs.
Gospel music highlights, “hope and connection and the importance of community right, and the celebrating of one’s identity and their uniqueness in the world,” according to Graham. “Those messages are universal, and they are across any religious belief system.”
Gospel Music Week officially kicked off at Super Sunday on Feb. 23. Their full concert, after a full week of rehearsal, was performed on March 1 at the Bethany Church in Long Beach.
Photo credit: BRANDON DORSEY/Long Beach Current
CSULB’s Choral Department Head Jonathan Talberg leads a choir rehearsal at Long Beach State on Feb. 20.
ARTS & LIFE
The student-driven public relations team behind a campaign to support local libraries
BY NI BALINESS Contributor
Uniting people through books is the driving cause for this year’s Long Beach State’s Bateman Team.
A club for students majoring in public relations on campus, the Bateman Team competes in different competitions yearly, putting their education and experience to the test through the development of PR campaigns for real clients and causes.
This year, the team consists of five women: Sara Cardenas, Arely Ocampo Bartolo, Karolina Rios, Karla Virgen and Lucia Bianchi.
Together, they are Libros Unidos LB. “Reading LIBROS while staying UNIDOS,” or “Reading books while staying
united,” is the statement that powers the team’s mission.
The name is a reflection of the team’s roots, according to fourth-year political science major and the team’s head of social media, “SJ” Cardenas.
“We’re either Latina or Hispanic so we wanted to really emphasize the importance of those communities of where we come from,” Cardenas said.
This year, the Public Relations Student Society of America is challenging students to create a campaign for a pro-library organization called EveryLibrary and EveryLibrary Institute.
According to PRSA’s website, their mission is to “support public libraries on election days, stabilize school library budgets, guard against book bans and engage with state legislatures alongside partner organizations.”
At a time when censorship is being enacted, Cardenas believes that Libros Unidos LB will guard the connection be-
tween stories and readers.
“It’s important for our mission to help uplift the different stories and also the characters that represent,” Cardenas said. “Even though the story is the bigger picture, specific characters have a lot of different meanings with others and you can see yourself.”
Second-year public relations major, Karla Virgen, is the team’s head of writing.
After being connected by a friend, she joined the team and now gets to experience being part of a group that believes in creating impact.
“The goal of the team is to spread knowledge about the influence of libraries and ensure that the people are aware of how they’re voting and how their contributions to voting affect libraries,” Virgen said. “We’re also spreading knowledge of the consequences when books are banned.”
For Virgen, the chance to be part of a team encapsulates her strong belief in communities coming together and uplifting each other’s voices.
“I believe in the equal opportunity of everybody receiving education and [how] libraries help that,” Virgen said. “Banned books are written by people who have diverse points of view from those who are banning the book so I do believe in amplifying diverse voices.”
Arely Ocampo Bartolo is a third-year public relations major who decided to join the team after discussing with her advisor and liking the mission of Every -
Library. Now, she is the head of event coordination.
Growing up with Spanish as her first language, reading books helped her learn English.
“My parents worked really hard all my childhood so a lot of the time it was me with my cousin or me with my siblings and books were that bridge between English and Spanish for me,” Ocampo Bartolo said.
Although she said that she does not see many people that look like her, being on the team empowers her to change that. Her inspiration comes from her sister, a Latina woman with a master’s degree.
“I’m doing this for my family and I’m doing this for my sister so that when there is a little girl in elementary school and she wants someone to advocate for her, I’ll be there for her,” Ocampo Bartolo said.
Now within their “implementation phase” throughout the month of February, Libros Unidos LB will be setting up events and creating media alerts surrounding their campaign.
Some events the team has put on so far were a Banned Book Drive where the community can donate some of their own banned books, and a “Petals and Pages” event, where they went around campus giving flowers to people on campus and educating them on their campaign.
On Feb. 27, the group invites the campus to a roundtable discussion about censorship from 6 - 10 p.m.
Photo credit: NI BALINESS/Long Beach Current
Members of Long Beach State’s Bateman team pose during their Loteria Event on Feb.18.
Visitor or invader: Recent visitors, their attack on this safe space
BY DIEGO RENTERIA Arts & Life Assistant
Long Beach State, like many other universities or colleges, aims to create a safe environment for students and faculty to exchange ideas and perspectives.
The operative word, or words, in that sentence being “students and faculty.”
For the past couple of weeks, CSULB has been visited by outside individuals and groups who also want to join in on this exchange of ideas.
Without platforming any of them, it first started with the usual so-called “anti-abortion activists.”
It then escalated some more when a trio of misguided individuals armed with a “pro-mass deportation” sign and a couple of Youtubers made a surprise appearance on campus.
Then the day after that there was a man yelling bigoted and homophobic obscenities “in the name of God” to students who were walking by.
As much as these visitors believe they come in peace, they usually invoke a not-so-favorable reaction in the student population that is within earshot.
Henceforth, I do not believe that these people and groups have a right to be on campus or access our safe space to share ideas.
I understand that the CSULB campus is public property and that anyone can have access to the campus. However, the presence of many of these types of
groups and individuals can be hurtful to this exchange of ideas and information.
Everyone in the United States has the undeniable constitutional right to exercise their freedom of speech. However, the ideas and concepts these people bring are borderline or complete hate speech.
For example, holding a sign that says “pro-mass deportation” in itself is an attack on a substantial population of people on campus.
These recent groups that have visit-
BY JAZMYN DE JESUS Social Media Editor
ed our college are spreading messages, ideologies and ideas that are targeting marginalized populations of individuals and groups on our campus.
Allowing these outsiders to spread these messages of bigotry, xenophobia and anti-feminism turns that safe space of sharing ideas that CSULB tries to create into a hostile environment.
Students and faculty of CSULB come from diverse backgrounds and walks of life. CSULB is made up of LGBTQ+ and undocumented students and faculty and
Record/vinyl collecting in recent years has become a trend that competes with streams as being Gen Z’s preferred way of consuming music.
What exactly is attracting this surge in desire for physical media?
Visiting my family means going through all my old CDs at home, reminiscing on the era of my life where I got the “Yearbook Edition” of the newest One Direction CD each year for Christmas or the Usher, Lauryn Hill and Cranberries CDs that were passed down to me from my mom when I got old enough to work the boombox we had on my own.
Being gifted these CDs is not only something I look back on now as a privilege, but it was homework
this school is a place for the campus population to escape from all of that.
The manner in which they conduct themselves is not productive to the exchange of ideas they are trying to have.
Yelling obscenities is not a productive way to convert someone to your religion. Telling someone they are going to hell because they got a medical procedure done to save their life is not how you start a conversation.
Showing up to our campus to make shock value content for the Internet about a devastating and unconstitutional crime that is happening to millions of undocumented Americans is not only pathetic, but is a spit in the face to students of color, students who are immigrants and children of immigrants.
They believe they are acting accordingly to the message they are trying so hard to pass on, yet their lack of decorum and nuance shows us aggressively otherwise.
Now this begs the question, is their presence on campus a violation of any of the Time, Place, Manner rules of CSULB?
This question is met with a surprising “no.”
The locations on campus in which these groups operated in were listed as “public places,” or in the case of the abortion archconservatives with their poster boards showing extremely graphic and necessary photos: their acts are listed as “tabling.”
for little me to study these albums and develop my taste through them.
What I love about CDs and vinyls is that you’re not only experiencing the sound of the album, but you get to understand the look, concept and feel of the body of work.
On Feb. 26, 22West held their 22West Nights at The Nugget at Long Beach State, which featured an all-vinyl spin set by DJ Havani and a set by Pulso Plástico, the outlet’s all-vinyl radio show.
“I would have never met my friends here if it weren’t for vinyls,” Havni Rami, the spotlight DJ of the night, said. “It’s an expensive hobby so it can be hard to collect, but there’s so much more of a connection and a way to find community.”
Long Beach is not a stranger to all-vinyl DJs or celebrating physical media. We are fortunate to live in a city full of many independent record stores, with Retro Row housing a number of record stores and Downtown Long Beach’s iconic Fingerprints.
Bars in Los Angeles such as El Prado also feature DJs that only spin vinyl weekly, showing that the people still yearn for physical media.
Graphic credit: EL NICKLIN/ Long Beach Current
Photo credit: SAMUEL CHACKO/Long Beach Current
YouTuber James Klüg debates with CSULB students about mass deportation at the Friendship Walk on Feb. 24.
OPINION
Every
sport includes traits that make it uniquely hard, but some of the
What is the hardest sport to play?
BY DAVIS RAMAGE, MATTHEW COLEMAN, MATTHEW GOMEZ, ALYSSA DEL LA CRUZ, JACK HASLETT Sports Desk
Many athletes and sports enthusiasts have long debated which sport is the most challenging. Each discipline presents unique physical and mental demands. The sports editors of the Long Beach Current share their perspectives on the most challenging sports and detail the reasons behind their selections.
Baseball - Matthew Coleman
Hitting a baseball is the hardest thing to do in all professional sports. Given that the average velocity of a pitch in Major League Baseball is north of 90 miles per hour, with different variants of pitches that make the ball break in unique ways, predicting and reacting is extremely challenging.
A .300 average, indicating a 30% success rate, is considered the best. The mental fatigue of repetitive failure throughout a 162-game season makes
the psychological aspect of the game so rigorous.
Baseball players are often more equipped to transition into other sports because of their throwing mechanics and the skills they develop—even super athletes from different sports struggle to make contact with the ball during batting practice.
Hockey - Matthew Gomez
At 4 years old, I started playing hockey. I did nothing but learn to skate and practice my stick handles with every free hour. By the age of 10, I had my own mini rink pieced together on my driveway.
I thought I could keep playing forever and reach the highest levels, but the reality is that hockey is the most demanding sport there is.
There are various reasons for this.
Starting hockey involves learning to skate, often beginning with roller skating before transitioning to ice skating.
Aspiring hockey players must also learn how to adapt to balancing on the tiniest of edges while avoiding constant contact and controlling a piece of vulcanized rubber moving at 50-80 mph on any given pass.
Being the best at the top level does not only require learning to play hockey
anymore. The newest trend is practicing figure skating while young to give you an extra advantage when it comes to being good on your edges.
Basketball - Alyssa De La Cruz
Basketball demands a unique combination of athleticism, intelligence and endurance, none of which come easily.
Players must be fast and strong, but physical ability alone won’t make you great. Mental strength is just as essential.
Beyond the physical and mental challenges, basketball is among the hardest sports to gain global recognition.
The struggle is even more intense for women, as many seek higher salaries overseas due to limited opportunities in the WNBA.
Basketball is a relentless pursuit of greatness, both on the court and globally.
Track & Field - Jack Haslett
To succeed in any sport, you must either run fast, far, jump, lift or throw; track and field asks athletes to do all of these.
Track and field encapsulates all these traits, which is why other parts of the world call it “athletics.” The events that define track and field are the foundation
of every other sport.
The world champion in the decathlon, an event that combines most of the major track and field events, is unofficially referred to as the “World’s Greatest Athlete.”
The person who is the best at 10 different events that cover all the major skills that an athlete could use has to be the best athlete there is.
Golf - Davis Ramage
In the MLB, it is often said that you will be in the Hall of Fame if you get a hit every three out of ten times. In golf, if you execute your shot every three out of ten times, you will never step foot on the PGA Tour.
To succeed in golf, a near-perfect swing must be executed every time. Hitting the ball anywhere but in the center of the clubface or at the wrong angle can send the ball hundreds of feet in the wrong direction.
Golfers frequently encounter varying playing surfaces with each stroke, whether teeing off, playing from the fairway, or navigating the rough. Not to mention the wind that is almost always in play as the ball is launched high in the air on most swings.
The mental stability required to calculate every shot, execute it flawlessly in whatever the conditions are, and do it at least 60 times a match is why golf is the most challenging sport to play.
Photo credit: DEVIN MALAST & ETHAN COHEN/Long Beach Current
hardest include baseball, basketball, golf, track & field and hockey.
The Beach stunned by overtime buzzer-beater, extends losing streak to 12
BY TIMOTHY HESSEN
Copy Assistant
The sinking ship of the Long Beach State men’s basketball (722) 2024-2025 season reached further depths with an 88-87 loss in buzzer-beating fashion to the Cal State Bakersfield Roadrunners (13-17) in overtime at the Walter Pyramid on Thursday night.
Having now lost their last three home games by a combined four points, The Beach’s latest outing in this losing skid occurred heartbreakingly, blowing a late second-half lead before the overtime buzzer-beater.
“With defeat and losing games comes a lot of critics and a lot of people that are going to have things to say,” LBSU head coach Chris Acker said.
In a contest featuring the fourth and fifth leading scorers in the Big West, junior CSUB guard Jemel Jones and senior LBSU guard Devin Askew, it was Jones who came out on top in a big way, scoring 37 points and nailing the buzzer-beating midrange jumper to lead his team to victory.
“He [Jones] bounced up and made a big shot, so credit to him and their program,” Acker said.
Junior LBSU guard TJ Wainwright was electric to begin the first half, scoring 11 of The Beach’s first 13 points.
Up 20-17 early, The Beach allowed a crucial offensive rebound to Jones, who delivered an ensuing tough-and-one layup that sparked a 5-7 Roadrunner run.
The bucket sparked Jones, who went scoreless through the first nine minutes of the half, but was suddenly back into his typical rhythm, ending with a blistering 21 points in the half.
“We’re a first-year team, and we can’t afford to make small mistakes early on in the game,” Wainwright said.
Jones put an end to LBSU’s early momentum with a flurry of demoralizing
mid-range jumpers and second-chance layups to put CSUB up 40-33 at the half.
With Askew struggling early, Wainwright kept The Beach in the contest, scoring eight of their first 10 points in the period.
However, Askew came alive with a corner three and an easy layup off a steal to help give LBSU its first lead of the second half at 50-49.
Smelling blood in the water, Askew went on to lead an 18-5 LBSU run, scoring nine of LBSU’s 18 to take a 63-54 lead.
However, on the brink of sealing the streak-ending victory, The Beach’s offense cooled significantly, scoring just seven points over the next 9:14 of the game.
Tied at 70 with a minute remaining, Askew dribbled into a shot clock violation on a potential game-winning possession, sending the game to overtime.
“I saw a lane and I attacked the rim and tried to get fouled, but not every foul is going to be called, and the result was the result,” Askew said.
After a dismal end to the second half from both teams offensively, the overtime period saw a three-point barrage, with each team nailing three in the period.
Up 87-84 after a pair of made free throws by Askew, The Beach gave up yet another midrange jumper to Jones, cutting their lead to one.
On The Beach’s final possession, Wainwright had a rare miss from long distance before Jones managed to find just enough space to get up the dagger mid-range jumper to win it at the buzzer in shocking fashion.
In the loss, Wainwright led LBSU in scoring with 22 points on six-of-10 shooting from distance, and Askew finished with an inefficient 19 points on fourfor-14 shooting with eight assists.
“The reality is when you’re on the second half of the conference [schedule], players have got to make plays, there really is no game plan necessarily,” Acker said.
Photo credit: MARK SIQUIG/Long Beach Current LBSU senior guard Devin Askew drills a three-pointer and hits the 1,000-point career milestone. He finished the game with 19 points and eight assists in an overtime loss to CSUB.
SPORTS
The surge of international recruits at LBSU
There has been a recent uptick in international athletes at The Beach, but coaches preach that it is not on purpose.
Photo credit: SAMUEL CHACKO/Long Beach Current Freshman settter Moni Nikolov goes up for the serve when Long Beach State took on the UCLA Bruins on Feb. 7. The Beach beat the Bruins 3-1 at the Walter Pyramid as Nikolov scored seven aces and five kills in the match.
BY DAVIS RAMAGE & JACK HASLETT Sports Editor & Sports Assistant
Athletics at Long Beach State may be Long Beach-built, but its reach extends worldwide.
The number of international athletes playing at Long Beach State has grown 186% over the past decade, with athletes now from 27 different countries, including the United States.
The growth was up and down for a few years in the late 2010s but has been upward since the 2021-2022 season.
Some programs are more global than others, with teams like men’s volleyball, men’s water polo and women’s tennis being clear standouts.
LBSU men’s volleyball assistant coach and recruiting coordinator Nick MacRae said his team doesn’t target international players intentionally; they just want “the best and brightest throughout the entire world.”
That sentiment has been echoed by women’s tennis head coach Jenny Hilt-Costello, who has found combinations of talent and excitement for The Beach in the global recruiting pool.
“My philosophy has always been that we want the best available player who wants to be here,” Hilt-Costello said. “It’s not that we don’t recruit American kids, things like that, but it just happens to be; it kind of worked out that way.”
Over the last 10 seasons, the women’s tennis roster has been mostly— if not all— international, a rarity in college tennis.
Hilt-Costello, who plans to retire at the end of this season, feels confident
that LBSU women’s tennis will continue with its legacy of international recruiting.
MacRae said that head coach Alan Knipe’s name plays a large factor in international recruiting and recruiting in general, as he is the biggest face in the international volleyball world.
Knipe boasts a program where, in his time as the head coach of The Beach, he has produced six different AVCA National Players of the Year and reached 12 NCAA Championships— an attractive resume.
MacRae has been at the helm of USA Junior National teams and said that his primary focus is to represent his country at the highest level, but at those international tournaments, he is always “looking for the best and the brightest and for those that are interested to come [to LBSU].”
This year’s men’s volleyball team has eight total international players; four are from Bulgaria, and three are from the same school in Bulgaria: Vasil Levski Sports School.
Freshman setter Moni Nikolov was one of three Beach players to attend that school and said that the school is “made so you can study, but it’s made to fit your schedule of prioritizing your sport.”
It was an easier transition for Nikolov than most as the other Bulgarians on the roster made the transition smoother for Moni, and those same Bulgarians helped land him at The Beach.
“The best recruiting for Long Beach State is actually the guys who come and play here and they go out and word of mouth; that’s business 101, word of mouth is the best for any and all businesses,” MacRae said.
The most recent spike in LBSU international men’s volleyball players occurred from the 2022-2023 season where there were four, to the present 20242025 season, where there are now eight. Those players are from Bulgaria, Canada, Greece and New Zealand.
MacRae said there is no deliberate plan to keep adding international players to the roster; The Beach just go out and get the best players available.
The men’s volleyball team at LBSU is only allotted four and a half scholarships to give out to players, but thanks to the non-resident tuition fee waiver, international students who get a 3.0 GPA or above qualify for in-state tuition instead of out-of-state tuition— an added incentive for international athletes to come to The Beach.
Taking on an international student-athlete comes with a few more extra challenges in comparison to American students.
There are several forms that international students need in order to study and compete in the U.S. The first form is the I-20, a form that determines whether a student is even eligible for a visa to begin with. Once an I-20 form is approved, a student is then able to secure one of several types of student visas.
The most common visa for student-athletes is the F-1 visa, which, in addition to permitting study in the U.S., also allows students to participate in on-campus work or collegiate athletics.
Student-athletes are also required to check back in and get special approval when they leave the U.S. to be able to re-enter the U.S. again.
For many international students, agencies and recruiting companies exist
to connect athletes with universities in the U.S. What follows is months of correspondence between coaches and players through international communication apps like WhatsApp to sell the students on the LBSU experience.
For students coming into the U.S., American colleges like LBSU can provide more professional opportunities post-graduation compared to continuing their education and career in their home countries.
Freshman Daisy Carpenter and doubles partner junior Paulina Franco Martinessi devise a plan in between points on Feb. 15. Photo Credit: Devin Malast
“I was stuck between coming to college over here and staying in the U.K.,” English freshman women’s tennis player Daisy Carpenter said. “But, I’d say, with the opportunities over here… they were too good not to come.”
According to Carpenter, the global nature of American college sports provides those opportunities. The standard of play is elevated when students from all over the world gather to compete.
Hilt-Costello said that LBSU has an advantage over other schools in the nation with its Southern California attractiveness and strong academic record.
While women’s tennis has consistently been a leader in international recruiting, LBSU as a whole has seen a massive uptick in international student-athletes on their teams.
In the 2015-16 academic year, there were just 30 international student-athletes across all LBSU sports; 10 years later, that number has nearly tripled, rising to 86 student-athletes rostered in the 2024-25 academic year.
A guide to Sports Basement’s free, affordable services for students
BY ALEX GRYCIUK Podcast Assistant
Sports Basement, located on Bellflower Blvd., serves as a hub for all things outdoors related, including team sports, running gear, surf and snow equipment and trendy outdoor clothes.
In addition to retail, the store fosters an environment where community and athletics mesh.
With accessible programs and provided spaces, locals and Long Beach State students can meet new people, try new hobbies and rent out gear at either free or very affordable rates.
Event Space
For clubs looking to host fundraisers and students planning their own events, Sports Basement offers a spacious location for the community that meets their needs.
Located on the second floor, the 1,600-square-foot room can fit up to 700 people. The room houses a PA system, bar/food service area, projectors, Wi-Fi, 50 tables and 200 chairs. The semi-private “Flight Deck” provides a free, comprehensive service to locals. To book the space, visit here.
Pickleball
Also located on the second floor of the store, five free pickleball courts are available for Basementeers to use once an activity waiver is signed.
With exception to event bookings, the courts remain open during the week from 10:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on the weekends. Rentals for pickleball paddles start at $15 per day and $60 for the month.
Events
Interested in trying yoga, joining a run club or meeting new friends? Every month, Sports Basement hosts a slew of free events that bring locals together for fitness classes, group bike/run sessions and other community engagement activities.
Some events coming up include: Long Beach Run Group on March 6 at 6:15 p.m., Sports Cards and Collectables Show on March 8 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Long Beach Game Night on March 19 at 5:30 p.m. and the Long Beach Ride
Group (biking) on March 22 at 8 a.m.
Access the event calendar here to learn more about upcoming event details.
Ski Bus
In addition to providing rental services, Sports Basement hosts day trips to Snow Summit and Mountain High Resorts in Big Bear. Every Sunday, a bus shuttles 44 skiers and snowboarders.
Departure for the mountain is set for 6:30 a.m., with an expected return at 7 p.m. At a reduced cost of $80, the last two available bus trips of the season are on March 9 and March 23. Although lift tickets are not provided, a discounted rate is applied at checkout. To reserve a seat, visit their website here.
“Basically Free” Rentals
Through the “basically free” rental program, any money spent on rented gear, excluding premium sport skis and boots options, will be given back as store credit for students.
CSULB students must show valid IDs at checkout. Furthermore, any money spent on a tune-up for skis, snowboards
or bikes at the Long Beach store is eligible for store credit too.
Rentals
If you intend to try out some new gear or need something for an upcoming trip, Sports Basement provides a comprehensive list of rental gear that encompasses every outdoor activity imaginable.
Tune Ups
Sports Basement also provides tuneup services for skis, snowboards and bikes. Included below are a list of services (based on gear) that the store offers:
* Skis/snowboards
– Edge and wax
– Premium tunes
– Major damage/epoxy repairs
– Binding calibrations
– Ski mounting
– Custom boot/liner work
* Bikes
– Bike maintenance/repairs
– Brakes, tires, etc.
– Bike builds
– Car rack installations
* Tennis
– Grommet replacement
– Re-stringing
– Re-gripping
– Grip build up sleeve
Rental Services
* Skis
* Snowboards
* Snow apparel
* Ice scrapers
* Ski/Snowboard travel bags
* Ski racks
* Snowshoes
* Bikes
– Hybrid, road, electric and mountain
* Surf
– Wetsuits, bodyboards, surfboards and surfboard racks
* Mountaineering and climbing
– Climbing shoes, hiking boots, helmets and crampons
* Camping/backpacking gear
– Tents, sleeping bags, camping stoves, easy-ups, camping chairs, hammocks and coolers
* Pickleball/tennis rackets
* Kayaks and paddleboards
Photo credit: ALEX GRYCIUK/Long Beach Current
Every third Wednesday, Sports Basement hosts a beginner bike maintenance class. At 6:30 p.m., participants learn about flat tires, adjusting brakes and safe transportation.