DIG MAG October 2018

LONG BEACH LIFESTYLE • COMMUNITY • INSPIRATION

E-SCOOTER EPIDEMIC Handy mode of transportation or annoyance?

A CENTER FOR ALL The story and people behind Long Beach's LGBTQ Center

MONUMENTAL ART How Long Beach State became the spot for public art

OCTOBER 2018

JOIN US ONLINE

.

TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S

3

LB I NS I DER Read reviews of chef Arthur Gonzalez's Long Beach restaurants, get ways to enjoy nature at El Dorado Park, learn about skateboard style on campus, catch up with the president of Long Beach State's eSports Association, and more.

18

SC UL P T I NG A C AM P US Take a tour of the 1965 California International Sculpture Symposium that brought acclaimed artwork to the Long Beach State campus.

24

A N EL EC T RI C DEBAT E Get an in-depth look at electric scooters on the Long Beach State campus - why people are using them, how they work, and how they are changing transportation.

26

A LWAYS T H ERE FO R YO U Discover the history of The Center on Long Beach's Fourth Street and how it became one of the biggest LGBTQ centers in the country.

29

CRE ATIV E W R ITING Read poetry and short fiction written by Long Beach State students.

32

Q U I C K Q UEST I O NS : S UZ ANNE G REENBERG Get to know the English creative writing professor as she shares her experience and inspiration as a writer.

OCTOBER 2018

1

A

s an aspiring writer growing up in Northern California, I thought fall was an artist’s paradise. The grey-blue haze of foggy skies puts a balm over the mornings. Life becomes a hum of reverberant vibrations—fluttering leaves scattered about and puddles of water after the season’s first October rains. We explore the struggle of defining “too cold” and “too warm.”

It is a season of balance and reflection on how difficult it is to achieve it.

Needless to say, the season manifests a little differently in Southern California (never before did I associate pumpkin spice with humidity).

Whether fall is crisp and overcast or warm and bright, though, the artistic magnificence of a new season is present.

From murals on buildings to monumental sculptures, art seems to follow us wherever we go. Sometimes it is sneaky, tiptoeing its way into our thoughts and leaving subtle footprints. It can take us a while to realize the impact a piece of art has on our lives, if we ever realize it at all.

Some works of art, such as the campus sculptures from the 1965 California International

Editor-In-Chief Gillian Smit Art Director Tracy Keller

Sculpture Symposium, live for decades, surviving the innovations around them as they are preserved for future generations. Others, like a sunset over El Dorado Park, last for mere minutes, only memorialized in the minds of the few who were present to witness it.

Other art exists beyond visual aesthetics.

Faculty like Suzanne Greenberg, a published author and creative writing professor, create their own art while teaching students from personal experience. At DIG MAG, we want to highlight the creativity of Long Beach State. That is why, in this October 2018 issue, we are featuring short fiction and poetry in print for the first time.

Fall is the time of year when you slide your arms into a new coat, or maybe one you haven’t worn in a while. If nothing else, the transition from one season to the next provides an excuse to try something new. Don’t let the opportunity pass you by.

Features Editors Kristine Banuelos Alexa Moreno Brooke Torrez

Online Editors Carmen Aguila-Tornero Leslie Leon

Faculty Advisers Robin Jones Gary Metzker

Photo Editor Andres Tolentino

Business Manager Jennifer Newton

Social Media Editor Diana Martinez

Account Executive Andone Varela Mockon

DIG MAG is the insider’s guide to Long Beach for the LBSU community, inspiring readers to immerse themselves in the Long Beach lifestyle through in-the-know stories about the latest in food, arts, entertainment and culture; in-depth features about people and trends on the campus and in the city; poetry, fiction and literary journalism written by students; and beautiful photography and design. Published by the Department of Journalism and Public Relations at LBSU, it is produced entirely by students.

California State University, Long Beach, 1250 Bellflower Blvd., LA-4 203, Long Beach, CA 90840-4601 © DIG and 49er Publications Board 2018 DIG MAG is a publication of the DIG and 49er Publications Board.

2

OCTOBER 2018

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

FIND US ONLINE! digmagonline.com Instagram: @dig.mag Twitter: @digmag facebook.com/digmag Submissions: digmageditor@gmail.com Advertising: andone49er@gmail.com

ON THE COVER: Nine of the monumental modernist sculptures on the Long Beach State campus came from the 1965 International Sculpture Symposium.

The campus is currently working to make sure they’re standing for the next generation of students.

Story on page 18. Photo by Andres Tolentino.

ON THE BACK COVER: Artwork by Shag

Going Green

BY ROSLIN OJEDA | PHOTO BY MARIA ISABEL CUBILLO

The white pillars spilling over with leafy green vegetables outside the Nugget Pub and Grill aren’t just pretty. They’re also functional. Installed at the beginning of the semester by Lettuce Grow, an urban farming company from Playa Vista, the hydroponic towers are growing fresh produce, including lettuce, spinach, cucumbers and peppers, that will soon be harvested and served at The Chartroom, the on-campus food pantry and the Isabel Patterson Child Development Center.

OCTOBER 2018

3

Where To Next?

Orange Day Trip STORY AND PHOTOS BY ZACKARY MEJIA

Country Road Antiques 204 W. Chapman Ave., Orange

Country Road Antiques features a diverse range of early 20th century trinkets like vintage typewriters and radios. Check out the exotic plants for sale in their outdoor garden.

Less than a half-hour drive from the Long Beach State campus, Old Towne Orange makes a great day-trip destination for anyone who likes to browse through antiques and get a feel for what California was like in the early 1900s. The downtown district, much of which was built in the 1920s, is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Woody's Antiques 173 N. Glassell St., Orange

Stop by Woody’s Antiques, a 1950’s antique shop that is stocked with refurbished furniture sets. It’s a great place to find pieces for furnishing an apartment if you are willing to pay the high-end prices.

4

OCTOBER 2018

Watson's Soda Fountain & Cafe 116 E. Chapman Ave., Orange

Opened just before the turn of the 20th century, Watson’s Cafe has been catering to customers for more than 100 years.

The diner features an appetizing 24-hour breakfast menu that is great for large parties.

Plaza Square Park 1 Plaza Square, Orange

Plaza Square, a ring-shaped park at the center of a roundabout connecting the four main streets of Old Towne, offers benches where you can have a picnic or study. The park perimeter is shaded by a row of large trees and is home to the historic sago tree, a slanted palm tree propped up by two rods.

Mr. C's Rare Records 148 N. Glassell St., Orange

Nostalgia music lovers should stop by Mr. C’s Rare Records. Opened by Helen Caldwell and her late husband, Everett Caldwell, in 1977, the store holds hundreds of thousands of pristine vinyl records.

OCTOBER 2018

5

Students Vs. Faculty ROSEMARY, PSYCHOLOGY MAJOR

“My boyfriend and I love Star Wars and planned to dress up as Han and Leia for a costume party.

Another couple snagged our idea, so we had to be a bit more creative. We decided on the comedic route of dressing up like Barf and Lone Star from Spaceballs.”

Students

“I dressed up as Jason one year when I worked for Hot Topic. It was simple, but I made the costume effective by getting into character. I scared employees and customers and even kids. It was really fun, but it wasn’t the best sales day.”

CHRIS, BIOLOGY MAJOR

“I like the ‘wow costumes’ that blow my friends away.

So, last year I dressed up as a pimp. I went to a thrift shop and got the purple jacket with white leopard fur lining on the inside and modified one of my grandpa’s canes. It went well because I already rocked long hair and my mustache and goatee.”

What was your craziest Halloween costume?

TODD HENNEMAN, JOURNALISM PROFESSOR

OCTOBER 2018

KRISTA CORIATY, PUBLIC RELATIONS PROFESSOR

I had pretty tame costumes as a kid. My best costume as an adult, though, was when my husband and I went as competitive table tennis players.

Faculty

When I was in third grade, my mom dressed me up as a kite flying a kid. She used wire and fabric to turn me into a kite, and I carried around a baton with a baby doll attached to the end. The other kids didn’t really get it, but the parents thought it was hilarious!

6

FABIAN, THEATER MAJOR

Bottoms Up

49rs Tavern, Reborn

BY RYAN LEUTERITZ PHOTOS BY JARON COFIELD

After 70 years of business, the 49rs Tavern has found a new owner. Captain John Frisch is an interesting man, having earned his nickname with a very illustrious nautical career. “People call me Captain John because I have 45 years and probably have over 300,000 miles wrapped around the world,” Frisch said.

After a long career on the water, Frisch has decided to go into the service industry by buying the bar, at 5560 E. Pacific Coast Highway, he’s frequented for almost 20 years. Since acquiring the bar, Frisch has made some serious changes. For one, he’s installed handicap seating at the bar, making the tavern much more accessible to those with disabilities. He’s also quite proud of the beautifully polished, 1,500-year-old piece of redwood that he’s converted into a table for larger parties.

Those features, along with a newly redone floor, brand new carbon-fiber bar, and bigger

and better TVs (with every major sports package, of course), have left Frisch very confident that the tavern will be successful.

“I have no doubt in my mind that this place is going to pop off,” he said with a wry smile.

"People call me Captain John because I have 45 years and probably have over 300,000 miles wrapped around the world," Frisch said.

He’s working on specials and a new happy hour menu. He’s very focused on the culinary side of the tavern and is currently throwing around the idea of “happy hour treats,” which would include complimentary food items with happy hour beverage purchases, and promises to “barbecue the best burgers in Long Beach.”

OCTOBER 2018

7

Nature Is Calling

On Golden Pond STORY AND PHOTOS BY MARIA ISABEL CUBILLO

With a name that means "the golden one," it is no surprise that El Dorado Park can brighten your day.

Looking for some relaxation time in your fast-paced semester? It’s closer than you think. El Dorado Park is a short bus trip or a few minutes drive from campus. Relaxing in nature, a practice known as “forest bathing,” is known to help overall health. With almost 500 acres, El Dorado Park lets you create your own adventure.

8

OCTOBER 2018

East Duck Pond From Canadian and Egyptian geese to mallards, this pond is home to a variety of wildlife. Keep an eye out for Einstein the Duck, who was pecked by other ducks and has an afro-like bun of white feathers in his head. The ducks in this pond will come up close to you, especially if they think you will feed them. If you choose to feed the ducks, beware, because they may peck at each other’s feathers.

Nature Center The park’s three trails range from one-quarter mile to two miles, giving you the freedom to choose how much of a workout you get. The view of the lake from the two-mile trail makes the shaded walk a pleasant one, and the benches along the way give you the option to relax and absorb the calm surroundings.

Boat Pedaling Bring a friend to help pedal the boat, because you will feel the exercise. While you are out, look for a few ducks and get the views only available from the middle of the lake. The panorama may even inspire you to do some storytelling.

Cost: $8 for 30 minutes

El Dorado Frontier This one-mile train ride is a great adventure for kids. As the train approaches the station, folk music plays from the speakers. During the train ride, young kids can follow along with a makebelieve story.

Cost: $4 per person

OCTOBER 2018

9

Dig The Look

Campus Cruisin' STORY AND PHOTOS BY PETE ESCOBAR Skateboarders on campus have the luxury of getting around quickly, and what they lack in safety gear, they make up for in unique style. Skate fashion was practically nonexistent in its early days; surfers adopted their sport to the concrete and it grew from there.

Now, skateboarders and their look vary. It has even controversially run its course in high fashion. At Paris Fashion Week in 2017, Dior Homme surrounded its runway with skateboard ramps to try to capture the youthful boldness of the style. Skaters at Cal State Long Beach aren’t exactly interested in high fashion, but they still have their own unique styling characteristics that set them apart from the crowd.

A quick look at skateboarding style on campus

Vincent Tiziani is a senior geography major from Huntington Beach who has been skating for about 12 years. Shopping for big-brand clothing like RVCA or Altamont can be expensive, so Tiziani sticks to thrifting.

But he’s got it where it counts the most for skateboarding: the shoes.

He rocks Clear Weather shoes, a brand from Santa Ana that has an exclusive line for skateboarders. Their shoes are designed with a unique suede patch on the side of the shoe to protect it from the wear-and-tear of grip tape.

10

OCTOBER 2018

Grant Christensen’s style has been influenced by skateboarding since he was young. The senior consumer affairs major says he always “idolized” the fashion and lifestyle.

He doesn’t have a lot of time to skate anymore, but he still likes to represent the brands he likes, which include Stance Socks, RVCA and Vans.

Ethan Ramos, a junior and film major from Torrance, rides a Numbers deck with Venture Trucks, Bones Wheels and Red’s Bearings. Ramos likes to stay comfortable rather than be flashy, but two brands he does like to stick to are Vans and New Balance.

Mind Your Health

The Skinny on Fasting

BY RYAN LEUTERITZ

Popularized by the internet, intermittent fasting is the newest diet trend to gain steam in the nutritional world. It’s a diet that aims to curb caloric intake through periods of fasting, and fasters have claimed that when paired with exercise, it produces results that speak for themselves.

Many fasters state that they are growing muscle and/or burning fat at a faster pace than usual. Juan Chara, a student from Irvine, is one of them.

“I’m gaining so much muscle,” Chara said.

“It’s like the fat is just falling off of me.”

He believes that in addition to lifting and maintaining a healthy diet, intermittent fasting has accelerated his progress and kept him very disciplined in his diet. He said that he could not see himself giving up fasting any time soon.

"I'm gaining so much muscle," Chara said.

"It's like the fat is just falling off of me."

Some people fast for two days, then eat normally throughout the week. Others, like Chara, eat for only six hours a day and fast for 18 hours. And while there seem to be many positive stories surrounding intermittent fasting, the jury is still out on whether it’s safe.

“My first concern is, are they able to get enough nutrients in that time period?” said Dustin Moore, a CSULB professor and registered

dietitian with a master’s degree in nutritional science. “If you are able to ensure that you are getting all of your nutritional requirements within that window, I suppose that would be all right.”

He also raises a concern about the body’s energy requirements, while still facilitating a proper diet.

“It’s a good thing to have discipline in your diet and routine to your eating habits,” Moore said.

“But, at some point in the day, your body will need certain food items, and if they are not provided it won’t have any effect.

“If you have a routine, and cram it in a certain time frame, theoretically [intermittent fasting] could work,” he said. “But if you exert yourself heavily at random intervals throughout the day and don’t feed yourself in the moment that energy is needed, that is when it could detract.”

OCTOBER 2018

11

DIG In!

The Guide to Chef Arthur Gonzalez STORY AND PHOTOS BY ISAURA ACEVES Chef Arthur Gonzalez is the owner and executive chef at Panxa Cocina and Roe Seafood in Long Beach. He combines the worlds of comfort food and fine dining through the food and ambience at his restaurants. His aim is simply to deliver a superb dining experience using local and sustainably sourced ingredients. Gonzalez recently was a part of Long Beach’s food and music festival Music Tastes Good, where he shared his food with the community. If you missed out on attending the festival or tasting his food, don’t worry! We’ve compiled a quick guide to each of his Long Beach establishments which, hopefully, will inspire your next restaurant outing.

Panxa Cocina 3937 E. Broadway, Long Beach panxacocina.com

Panxa Cocina was opened in 2014 to celebrate Gonzalez’s love for Latin cuisine and to support the locally sourced food movement. As you walk through the doors, you’re welcomed by the aromatic smells of spices and the lively chatter of people enjoying themselves. One of the most popular dishes is the enchiladas that contain chiles grown in New Mexico; however, no matter what you pick, you can’t go wrong. If you’re looking to try some reasonably priced, delicious food and drinks, they have happy hour every day from 3 to 7 p.m.

Remember to grab a margarita while you’re there (it’s their most popular happy hour drink).

12

OCTOBER 2018

Roe Seafood and Xpress 5374 E. Second St., Long Beach roeseafood.com

If you’re a fan of seafood, then Gonzalez has the perfect place for you. Nestled right next to the water in Belmont Shore, Roe Seafood and Xpress opened in 2016. Roe Seafood is always busy, and the restaurant is constantly abuzz with chatter from customers. It’s not a mystery why it’s so busy; their fish is locally sourced and their most popular dishes, the shrimp and rockfish ceviche, keep customers coming back. If you’re looking for a drink, the Lavender Detox is worth your buck. But if you’re looking to buy your own fresh fish to cook, then Roe Xpress is for you. Right next to Roe Seafood is Roe Xpress, where you can choose from a variety of fresh fish, like their bestselling salmon. Or, if you want to grab a quick bite, their calamari fries and poke ceviches are always great choices.

OCTOBER 2018

13

Problem-Solution

Changing the Game STORY AND PHOTOS BY PETE ESCOBAR

The campus ESports Association is addressing gaming's reputation.

Competitive gaming is on the rise. A report from Newzoo, a market intelligence company for eSports, estimates that the sport’s global revenue will top 900 million in 2018. In fact, the sport itself is still developing.

ESports Association members, including president Anthony Pham (right), introduced students to their organization at Week of Welcome Sept. 5.

Evolving technology and new video game releases with a potential for competitive tournaments will have to be adapted for eSports, and some companies might even develop their games with eSports in mind.

The eSports reputation is something that is still evolving, too, but gaming has had a troubled past in terms of mainstream perception. The narrative that gaming causes an increase in aggression in the people who play has been pushed countless times, and the shooting in Jacksonville at an eSports tournament last August only added more fuel to that fire.

Long Beach State’s ESports Association is well aware of the stigma, and Anthony Pham, president of the association, is working to remind people that the gaming community on campus is safe, evolving and, with some big changes, about to be more inclusive and involved than it’s ever been.

14

OCTOBER 2018

Q: WHEN YOU FIRST HEARD ABOUT THE NEWS IN JACKSONVILLE, WHAT RAN THROUGH YOUR MIND?

A: I was shocked that it happened.

When I heard that it was at an eSports event, I instantly connected with it more because of my eSports background.

It was sad to see something so tragic happen to an industry that I love and that obviously doesn’t stand for that.

Q: DID YOU DISCUSS IT AT ALL

WITHIN THE ESPORTS ASSOCIATION, AND HOW DID YOU ALL REACT?

A: We are going to go off topic at

our first meeting. We’re going to put something on our presentation that says “Hey, we want you guys to know that this is a safe and welcoming environment for all gamers.” We want it to feel like a family. We don’t want to mention Jacksonville specifically, we just wanted to address the issue in general.

Q: DO YOU THINK THE TRAGEDY

WILL LEAVE A LASTING EFFECT ON GAMING’S REPUTATION?

A: I was scared for the industry

because there is the stigma that gaming [creates] violence. From an outsider’s perspective, I think that a lot of people might still have that stigma about gaming, but I feel like the people inside the industry have been so understanding and welcoming. They’re putting out GoFundMes, charities and stuff to support these victims. In a way, it does hurt our community because it feeds that stigma, but actions from people in the gaming community are so kind.

Q: IS YOUR CLUB DOING ANYTHING DIFFERENT THIS SEMESTER TO COMBAT A NEGATIVE VIEW ON GAMING?

A: One of our biggest changes that

I’ve been advocating for this year is changing our name from CSULB Esports to CSULB Esports and Gaming.

In the past we’ve been CSULB Esports, which basically implies that we only play competitive games, and if you’re not good at a game, you can’t play. I’ve been pushing this so hard because I want people who like games and enjoy games, even if they’re not good at it, to just come play and hang out. I want everyone to feel included.

Q: WHAT DOES THE FUTURE OF THE

ESPORTS ASSOCIATION LOOK LIKE AT CSULB?

A: We’ve been planning a lot of things.

We’re going to start advertising more; we’re going to have events, like at the gym; we’re going to have an NBA 2K tournament; we might want to set up something in the Stix Lounge, because everyone knows that it’s the place to game. We’re just looking to gather our community, get more members and make our presence known on campus.

Q: WHAT IS THE ESPORTS

ASSOCIATION’S ULTIMATE VISION/ GOAL FOR THE CAMPUS COMMUNITY?

A: At the end of the day, we just want to play games. We want to compete, we want to win, but I think the ultimate goal as a club is to be successful in our games, be competitive against other teams, and just provide a family for people who want to get away from home or want to kill some time from studying. College is hard, people stress out from exams and homework, and we’re just here to relieve that stress.

OCTOBER 2018

15

Report Card

A

Undertale (Game)

B

Iridescence by Brockhampton (Album)

D16

BY DIG STAFF WRITERS

OCTOBER 2018

Indie gaming studio Toby Fox’s extremely popular RPG (role-playing game) Undertale for Nintendo’s latest console, the Switch, came out in mid-September.

Despite finally being released for Nintendo’s portable game console, Undertale still holds true to its original gameplay that debuted three years ago. The characters are still distinctly different from one another, so players can relive their best memories playing as their favorite character. More importantly, Undertale’s signature dark humor that permeates the plot line remains unchanged. With new storylines for players to discover, Undertale really teaches players that it’s not about the destination; rather, it’s the journey that matters the most.

The self-described “hardest working boyband in show business,” BROCKHAMPTON’s first major-label release dropped late September after months of delay. The hip-hop collective has had its fair share of setbacks prior to the release, from multiple album name changes to the departure of one of its founding members due to sexual misconduct allegations. Despite all the complications that the group faced during the recording process, BROCKHAMPTON’s major-label debut is a strong, consistent effort that will please old and new fans alike.

Insatiable (Netflix Original Series) Insatiable is a Netflix original series with a star-studded cast headlined by Debby Ryan and Dallas Roberts, yet it falls short of expectations. Depending upon who you ask, the reviews for Season 1 have been all over the map. The word insatiable, as defined by Merriam-Webster, is simply incapable of being satisfied. Rightfully so, the entire season leaves the audience wishing the show had a sense of direction. Initially, the show seemed to be an attempt at redemption for characters Patty Bladell and Bob Armstrong to overcome character flaws in their back story; however, these redemptions fall short and are seemingly satirical in nature. The main problem for Insatiable is it is simply a “hot mess” with no real plot structure or character development to enhance the show.

Campus Events

The Carpenter Center, for Cheap

BY ROSLIN OJEDA

Ever wanted to attend a performance at the Carpenter Performing Arts Center but thought the tickets were above your price range? Now is your chance to catch one of the upcoming performances on the grand stage. CPAC will begin offering student rush tickets this fall.

These last-minute tickets will be sold one hour before each performance until doors close, which is at the start of the show.

For certain performances, however, the discounted tickets will be sold a full week in advance. The discounted rate depends on the show, but most tickets will be $20. They must be bought in person with a student I.D., and only one ticket will be sold per student.

Here are details on two upcoming performances.

More information about the full season is available at carpenterarts.org.

October 13: Cirque Mechanics takes the thrill of attending a circus performance to another level.

They are a premier American circus that combines inspiring storytelling and innovative mechanical staging. This experience includes strongmen, acrobats, aerialists and even a galloping mechanical horse.

November 10: CONTRA-TIEMPO will be teaming up with Las Cafeteras to bring a dynamic experience to theatergoers as they combine salsa, Afro-Cuban, hip-hop, and contemporary dance with theater, compelling text, and original music. They explore joy as the ultimate expression of resistance.

Student rush tickets for this performance will be sold the entire week leading up to the show.

The Carpenter Performing Arts Center is located at 6200 Atherton St., Long Beach.

OCTOBER 2018

17

Sculpting a Campus How the 1965 California International Sculpture Symposium shaped the view at Long Beach State STORY BY KRISTINE BANUELOS PHOTOS BY ANDRES TOLENTINO

18

OCTOBER 2018

W

e walk past them every day, often in too much of a hurry to really notice them. Even when we do take the time to admire them, most of us don’t truly understand their importance.

That’s because the sculptures scattered around the Long Beach State campus are more than just decorative artwork. Many broke new ground in sculpture when they were installed.

That’s particularly true of the nine works that were brought to campus for the 1965 California International Sculpture Symposium. The first of its kind in the United States, the seventh worldwide, and the first on a college campus, the symposium resulted in nine monumental modernist works of art. It was featured in The New York Times, The National Observer, Los Angeles Magazine and Arts & Architecture, along with other publications. It led to more art installations over the years, forming the basis of what is now known as the CSULB Outdoor Sculpture Collection.

Weather and time took a toll on the 1965 collection, so in 2014, the University Art Museum announced a formal collaboration with the Getty Conservation Institute to conserve the sculptures. Since then, they’ve completed six conservation projects, and a seventh project is under way.

Rosa Lowinger, a respected objects conservator and the head of RLA Conservation of Art and Architecture, works with scientists from the Getty and UAM’s researchers to create treatment plans for each work of art.

The projects, which are mainly funded by grants from the Long Beach Navy Memorial Heritage Association and the Institute of Museum and Library Services, take months, and sometimes even years. Because the works are so large, they must be conserved on site, which creates some interesting challenges.

OCTOBER 2018

19

“It is both a challenge and a lot of fun to figure out how to work on these projects on site,” says Maria Coltharp, registrar/ curator of the permanent collection at the UAM. “The UAM works very closely with the CSULB facilities department to make sure that everything is done with the students’ best interests in mind – safety first. Providing educational opportunities alongside these projects is another important goal.”

Here’s a tour in photos through the nine works created for the 1965 symposium.

Gabriel Kohn used the traditional methods of a master carpenter to create Long Beach Contract from laminated redwood. The abstract geometric form was the artist’s first large-scale work. Fabricated at the Fellows and Stewart shipyard in Long Beach, it has been shown at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

20

OCTOBER 2018

Duet (Homage to David Smith) by Robert Murray is a sculpture composed of three sheets of one-inch-thick steel, carefully balanced against each other to form a geometric shape. The pieces were fabricated at the Bethlehem Steel shipyard in San Pedro.

Originally painted a soft yellow, the sculpture was repainted several times over the years and was a deep red shade when the Getty Conservation Institute began restoring it. Now, it is painted in a shade closer to its original color.

The white bell tower in the center of the quad near the science buildings is Andre Bloc’s Carlson/Bloc Tower (page 19). Bell towers, known as a symbol of communication, were constructed by many universities in the 19th century. Throughout the day, music can be heard from the bell tower through speakers on the McIntosh Humanities building and in other locations.

Kengrio Azuma’s MU 484, an etched, engraved and anodized aluminum column, signifies the intersection of three principles: earth, man, and sky. It weighs close to 3,000 pounds and has been moved twice since it was installed for the symposium. Since 1984, it has stood near the western entrance to campus on Bellflower Boulevard.

OCTOBER 2018

21

Canadian artist Rita Letendre’s mural Sun Forces, painted on the corridor adjacent to the LA-1 building, is an important piece to the North American mural movement, as outdoor wall paintings were rare at the time of the symposium. The Long Beach Navy Memorial Heritage Association recently provided a grant to conserve the mural, and this summer, microscopic samples of the paint were taken to the Getty Conservation Institute in Los Angeles to be analyzed in preparation for restoration work to begin in the summer of 2019.

Claire Falkenstein’s ‘U’ as a Set was designed to adorn the flowing pool of water outside the McIntosh Humanities building.

Made from twisted copper tubing tangled into a dramatic, unconventional shape, it was fabricated on site with the help of a group of Long Beach State students.

Dutch artist J.J. Beljon dedicated Homage to Simon Rodia to the artist who created the Watts Towers in Los Angeles. Installed at the corner of Seventh Street and East Campus Drive, it consists of 19 white concrete elements that cover 130 feet. To create the imposing structure, workers poured 260 pounds of cement into wooden forms.

A Long Beach Navy Heritage Association grant allowed conservation work on the sculpture in 2015.

22

OCTOBER 2018

PHOTO BY TRANG LEE

Hardfact by Kosso Eloul, a concrete and stainless steel monolith attached to a painted concrete wedge cut into the grassy knoll behind the Hall of Science, presented some issues during construction, as a narrow piece at the back portion of the mouth caused the sculpture to collapse a couple of times before it was completed.

Now by Piotr Kowalski, a curved stainless-steel sculpture next to the University Student Union, was one of several pieces in the symposium to use new industrial materials and new technologies in its construction. In collaboration with North American Aviation, Kowalski used underwater dynamite blasts to create the unique shape of the three panels.

OCTOBER 2018

23

An Electric Debate STORY BY SETH PATERSON | PHOTOS BY KRISTOPHER CARRASCO

T

wo large delivery trucks pull to the side of the road at the same time next to the Pyramid. The drivers both stop, get out of their vehicles, and begin unloading dozens of rentable electric scooters.

They’re dropping off two different companies’ products, Bird and Lime, the leading competitors in the world of e-scooters. Kickstands in place on two symmetrical sets of eight scooters each, the drivers speed off, leaving the trendiest new form of transportation ready for use.

All of a sudden, rentable electric scooters like these are seemingly everywhere in Long Beach. Whether it’s on the corners of streets, on campus, downtown, or anywhere there is heavy foot traffic, you can bet on seeing one in the area.

It’s easy to see why they’re popular.

They’re easy to use and inexpensive. The process to rent is simple: All riders have to do is download the application of the scooter they want to use, locate the scooter using the GPS provided in the app, use their phone to scan a code on the scooter to turn it on, and they’re good to go.

An Easy Way to Get Around

Electric scooters have many practical uses, but a major one on the Long Beach State campus is student transportation.

Because this is a commuter school, a large percentage of students commute from more than 10 miles away, leaving them almost no choice but to purchase a parking pass or take public transportation. Parking passes for a semester cost around $140, and the university is notorious for selling more passes than spaces.

Dr. Lily House-Peters, a Long Beach

24

OCTOBER 2018

State geography professor who specializes in sustainability, feels like with the right adjustments, these scooters could be an extremely beneficial alternative to driving a car.

She cites the “first mile-last mile” dilemma, which originally described the

issues around getting to and from a train station. Now it is more of an umbrella term for any transportation that takes place directly before and after reaching a destination. She believes that the e-scooter may be the answer to this conundrum. “[E-scooters] may not be the long-term answer to the ‘first mile-last mile’ problem, but having these scooters that are readily available and ecologically sound is a step in the right direction,” House-Peters said.

Electric scooters also allow students who live within a few miles of campus to avoid parking fees and limited spaces, all while reducing the number of cars on campus. Kirstyn Goldman, senior at LBSU, said she uses electric scooters because

they are about five- times less expensive than an Uber from her apartment to school. She says she also saves money using e-scooters because she doesn’t “have to buy a parking permit or extra gas.”

“My favorite part about using these scooters has to be the conveniency,” Goldman explains.

You literally open the app and you can see the location of all the scooters near you, then speed off.”

For other students, using e-scooters means not waiting on public transportation or carpool, allowing them to be independent for their own transportation.

An E-Scooter Epidemic?

As practical as they seem, however, electric scooters have become controversial. For instance, Santa Monica has implemented an electric scooter ban because of the issues that came when riders drove them in traffic and left scooters on private property. More and more cities in Southern California are frowning on the rising number of stray scooters their citizens have to look at everyday.

Long Beach State is no different. Bird and Lime scooters started appearing on campus in the summer of 2018 and have been rising in numbers since. Though there has not been as much of a fuss here in Long Beach as there was in Santa Monica about the scooters, not all students are that pleased about the epidemic of speeding scooters.

Fifth-year student Darius George, for one, is concerned about safety.

“I’m already annoyed enough by skateboarders who fly past me who know how to skate,” George says. “Now I have to worry about students who don’t even know how to ride the scooters properly.”

Devising a New Set of Rules

The new addition of rentable scooters has forced the university to improvise when it comes to LBSU’s transportation rules.

Starting fall semester of 2018, the parking and transportation department released an “Electric (or Motorized) Scooter Policy” due to overuse and disregard for the electric scooters.

The first section of the code clearly states: “CSULB prioritizes the safety of the campus community and therefore prohibits the use of these types of scooters on campus.”

Though the campus parking and transportation department created and released the code, campus security has been enforcing it. They handle the policies involving transportation issues at our school, from parking and bus routes to e-scooters.

Campus security has been impounding scooters that students have left outside classes, hallways, and even in the middle of bike lanes. The scooters, as clearly stated in the code, have to be picked up and brought to a “scooter dock” to keep them organized.

This still causes an issue, though, since riders tend to drop the responsibility for taking care of a rented scooter after they arrive at their destination.

What’s more, when campus security impounds a scooter, they take it away from the “last known location” of the scooter, and that makes it impossible to find. This is another issue for users, since the scooter they may have wanted to use is now impounded and therefore not at the location anymore.

An Ongoing Debate

The electric scooters that have swarmed Long Beach State can be seen as a blessing or nightmare, depending on who you ask. Many

see them as an eyesore and feel uncomfortable when those scooters go zooming past; they consider them a safety hazard that never should have been allowed to come onto our campus in the first place.

For others, though, the idea of having a transportation option as simple to use as this one makes college life just a little bit easier. No matter which side you are on, the enormous spread of these scooters is just the start of cheap, self-serving transportation.

OCTOBER 2018

25

ALWAYS THERE FOR YOU STORY BY JORGE PANIAGUA PHOTOS BY GILLIAN SMIT

The Center provides a safe haven and fundamental hub for its community in the heart of Long Beach's iconic Retro Row.

26 26

OCTOBER OCTOBER 2018 2018

T

he building stands on Long Beach’s historic Retro Row — a stretch of Fourth Street featuring vintage shops, hipster-centric restaurants and historic sites like the Art Theatre. It simply reads “The Center” and features decorative artwork across the building. At the very top, two flags fly high — the LGBTQ Pride flag and, directly beneath it, the Transgender Pride flag. Welcome to Long Beach’s LGBTQ Center.

In the late 1970s and early ‘80s, Long Beach’s LGBTQ Center began, primarily, as a social organization supporting the LGBTQ community, according to The Center’s executive director, Porter Gilberg. During that time, the organization helped people find housing and jobs and engage in social activities.

The Center went on to provide HIVservices, mental health counseling and youth programs during the mid-1980s.

“The Center has grown into one of the largest LGBTQ centers in the country,” Gilberg says. “In fact, according to a recent study released by CenterLink and MAP [Movement Advancement Project], we’re in the top 20 percent.

“Today, our programming [is] the most diverse in history, with a staff of over 20, supporting everyone from LGBTQ and allies, children and families, to seniors, victims of domestic violence and the trans community.”

The Center is widely known in the Long Beach community for its healthcare services; however, it has evolved to provide an array of resources.

“Because of mainstream heteronormativity and cis-normativity, it’s really difficult to find services that are speaking to the particular experiences of LGBTQ+ individuals,” Joel Gemino, manager of The Center, said. “It’s really important that this place stays open so that not only are we a

hub for the community, but we are a place that celebrates and can serve the community in a very direct and very meaningful way.”

All of the services provided at The Center are trauma-informed and intersectional, according to Gemino. In a nutshell, this means that The Center’s employees and volunteers are trained to

deal with specific problems that LGBTQ people may experience.

For example, The Center now provides legal services for people who have fallen victims to hate crimes.

“Earlier this year, The Center launched comprehensive legal support services for LGBTQ victims of crime,” Gilberg says.

The Center also provides legal support for victims of domestic violence, family violence, sexual assault and stalking.

“One of the most shocking things we discovered once we launched this program is that there are so many victims of crime that do not report what they’ve experienced to the police,” Gilberg continued. “As a result, we are

OCTOBER 2018

27

often the first people they have talked to about what they’ve gone through.”

The Center also provides mental health counseling for the community. Currently, this counseling program is the largest it has ever been, "It's really important that according this place stays open so to Gilberg.

The Center that not only are we a hub employs 20 for the community, but we therapists are a place that celebrates ready to and can serve the provide both community in a very direct counseling and and very meaningful way." educational –JOEL GEMINO, MANAGER workshops for OF THE CENTER mental health counselors who are eager to learn more about supporting their LGBTQ clientele.

“Let me be very clear, the disproportionality of mental health issues in the LGBTQ community is not because of the identity, it’s because navigating an LGBTQ identity in a cis-normative or heteronormative world can

28

OCTOBER 2018

spark the development of mental health issues,” Gemino says.

Aside from mental health counseling, legal services, educational resources, cultural programs and events, The Center is happy to provide free HIV-testing and STI-testing to everyone, regardless of whether they identify as LGBTQ. These health resources remain free-ofcost at The Center thanks to funding from the federal government, private foundations and the community.

“The support from our community in the form of donations and attendance at our special events is absolutely essential to our work,” Gilberg says. “It ensures we are able to do things like offer free meeting space for groups and community organizations, host workshops and run some of our programs that don’t receive government funding.”

The Center will host AIDS Walk Long Beach on Nov. 11. The event will raise funds for HIV services provided by The Center and six other organizations in Long Beach. For more information, go to centerlb.org.

The Sadness that Lingers

BY SAVANNAH HO

Like morning haze This too shall fade Through sky's smooth shades of gray Dark morning time Come evening fine A crisp and cold Monet

twenty candles

BY BROOKE TORREZ

it had to be today the day you're embarking on adulthood and they're barking out every curse in the book

1756 pacific coast highway tension thicker than the syrup that drips onto the napkins that you cried into

emerald street they call your name and close the door ask if you get why they act like this eyes to the tan carpet you say, "of course."

21800 hawthorne blvd. cry some more in the car your dad will ask how you are so you keep crying you can't stop

5101 calle de ricardo it got better then it was gone as quick as a polaroid flashes into your green eyes here's to forgetting here's to twenty-one

OCTOBER 2018

29

Smoke in the Room

A

BY ANDRES TOLENTINO

soft grey haze eclipsed the room in a foggy dream. He warped in and out of consciousness, forgetting he wasn’t alone. Puff. Puff. Another puff. They continuously pushed the smoke around. He scanned the beige room, setting his vision on the boy only three feet away.

His close friend, Manny, lit the bowl, quickly released another puff of smoke, and passed the pipe back. Frankie held the piece in his hand; he knew Manny liked to smoke joints or blunts, but Manny didn’t have any paper on him, and Frankie’s hands were always too shaky to roll anything. So they just had to use Frankie’s pipe. “Que lástima, tan nervioso …” was what his mom used to say when he was younger.

He continued to scan the room, jumping from Manny to the swirling ceiling fan that unevenly hung above their heads.

Its rotating blades created a faint hum in the background.

Every time his family would slam the door, the fan shook.

Drifting away from the ceiling fan, he looked around the creamy walls. An apple-sized dent had remained by the door for years. In elementary school, Frankie’s teacher told his parents about him holding hands with another kid. His mom didn’t care, but his dad did. He could feel the dent staring at him. Mocking him.

“Frankie!” Manny shouted. His gaze connected with Manny’s. He waved his hand in front of Frankie’s face, and said, “You’re gonna need to light it again.” He held the red lighter toward Frankie, but Frankie just kept staring at him.

Manny scratched the back of his head in confusion, brushing up on his smooth fade haircut. As he blinked his dark brown eyes and furrowed his thick eyebrows at him, Frankie remained mesmerized.

“Dude, are you okay? You’re acting weird.” The lighter was tossed into Frankie’s lap while Manny fell back onto the fuzzy carpet.

“Yeah, I’m fine man, sorry,” he responded, “just haven’t

30

OCTOBER 2018

gotten this high in awhile.”

It had been over two months since Francisco smoked anything. Naturally, the room was already twisting around him. The atmosphere felt distorted. All he could do was ponder. His imagination conjured up a situation similar to this one. The thought runs through his head every day: music with no lyrics plays in the background, smoke fogs up the room, just relaxing with a —- friend.

Frankie raised his head and watched Manny stretch his arms into the air, exposing his cut midriff in the process.

The lines and definitions of muscle that ran across his tan body were maps for Frankie’s eyes; Manny let out a yawn and lay back down on the carpet. Puffs of smoke shrouded him in the grey haze. But their eyes stayed connected, making Frankie feel like a cloud dyed pastel pink.

“Manny,” he said. A head perked up from the ground.

“Yeah?” He replied.

Every hair on the back of Frankie’s neck stood up.

“There’s something I have to tell you,” he said.

“Yeah man, what is it?” Manny said, switching from lying on his back, to facing his friend directly. Frankie’s right hand quivered as he brushed the dark curls out of his face.

“Sometimes … I -—” He thought about his past with Manny: a friendship a decade in the making had the potential to end with just a few words. “Sometimes I -- I feel that I … Never mind.”

“Nah, man, tell me. You feel what?”

He took a deep breath and let out a sigh.

Air swirled around them. The fan trapped the smoke in a perpetual cycle of rotation.

“Well, we’ve been friends for awhile. You know, like a long time …” Frankie said, “And I just feel that -—” “¡Oye! Take a hit first though, I been waiting,” Manny said.

Frankie looked down at the pipe. “Right. Sorry. You know, let’s just get to smoking. Maybe we can talk about it another time.”

Manny flashed a smile, and they smoked some more.

OCTOBER 2018

31

Get to Know Professor Suzanne Greenberg

BY ALEXA MORENO

WHEN DID YOU KNOW YOU WANTED TO BE A WRITER?

Long Beach State professor Suzanne Greenberg, a member of the English department, uses her own writing experience to guide students in her creative writing classes.

Her work, which includes the books Lesson Plans and Speed-Walk and Other Stories, ranges from short stories to children’s literature.

We sat down with Greenberg and discovered more about one of the university’s esteemed faculty members.

Read all of her responses at DIGMAGonline.com.

32

OCTOBER 2018

I can’t remember ever wanting to be anything else--except for little kid aspirations, like “maybe I’ll be a veterinarian because I love animals,” but I didn’t really have any aptitude for veterinary science and I always loved listening and eavesdropping when I was a kid and writing silly poems, but I became serious about becoming a writer when I went to college.

WHAT INSPIRES YOUR WRITING? Sometimes I’m inspired by something I see in the world.

It’s usually something that will kind of haunt me, not like a ghost haunts you, but like a “why do I keep thinking about that person that I saw at the park?” Sometimes I start with a couple of sentences that sound fun and play with it, but rarely anything more than that.

ARE YOU WORKING ON A PROJECT? I just finished a really big revision of a project...it was a book, so that’s off with my agent now. I am working on something else which is another kind of novel that I am writing as pretty independent stories that are connected.

WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE FOR PEOPLE WHO WANT TO BECOME AUTHORS? My advice is to also find other things you love because you can’t put your value on being published. Writers have so many pieces that get rejected...my advice is to make sure you really want to do it and work hard at it and be a good reader. Love writing, love reading, and love your life and don’t feel like your worth is associated with being published.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE BOOK RIGHT NOW? I read Little Fires Everywhere [by Celeste Ng] this summer...I thought it was hard to put down and well-written and explored some really interesting characters.

follow us @DIGMAG

Art by Shag