Latino economic power will be the agenda for the first summit on the subject in Long Beach on November 13, 2018. A wide range of leaders from education, government, nonprofits, as well as neighborhood leaders will gather at the Long Beach Convention Center to, as the organizers describe, “shift the community’s focus from disparities to…
Steven Chaparro describes himself as a Storyteller and Strategist who helps “visionaries redesign the future.” If you think that might be a little heady, then you haven’t spent any time with Steven. He has a clear grasp of what it means and in no time, so will you. It is a skill and a passion…
Brian Addison is a writer, journalist, critic, advocate, and in love with Long Beach. Brian is also not shy about the topics he tackles whether for the website he co-founded, Longbeachzie.com or for the Long Beach Post where he is an editor and columnist. The question for Brian was simple: if you had come up…
Journalist Jason Ruiz covers Long Beach City Hall amongst other beats for the Long Beach Post. In the current national toxic conversation with accusations of “making stuff up” and “fake news,” Jason Ruiz is clear about his own ethical obligations as a journalist reporting the news. “Like I’m not going to let somebody buy me a…
Dr. Christine Petit, Executive Director of Long Beach Forward, knows this is the worst of times for low-income communities of color and immigrants. “It also presents a lot of opportunities as a community organizer to have conversations…people are more aware of what is happening and how it impacts them personally and really looking for solutions…
If you spend any time with Housing Long Beach Executive Director Josh Butler, you are immediately struck by his fiery commitment to his principles. Justice, fairness, and a voice for those who can’t speak for themselves are just some of what drives and frames his mission in life. Ask him why he continues to push…
I first heard the spoken word of June “Jumakae” Kaewsith at a Homeland Cultural Center event. She blew me away. Since then, I’ve discovered so many of her voices. According to a bio she wrote up for this story, she described herself as “…a cultural worker using the arts as a way to engage and mobilize…
Joen Garnica is President of Garnica Interiors, Inc., a full-service interior design firm located in Long Beach. This year, she celebrates 15 years in business. Born in San Pedro but raised in Long Beach most of her life, interior design was not a career she set out to build at an early age. Garnica has…
Tracy Colunga, Director of the City of Long Beach Innovation Team (i-team), has an incredible and inspiring backstory. It is a story of immigrants, multiculturalism, middle America, hardship, and the power of courage and perseverance. The daughter of an Irish-American father and a Mexican-American mother, Colunga grew up in South Bend, Indiana. “I am the…
Long Beach Unified School Board Third District Candidate Cesar Armendariz came to the United States from Ecuador when he was ten years old. As he tells his story, Armendariz speaks about how he was challenged by language and culture. “Coming to the United States was a complete culture shock for me.” Bullied in middle school,…