Daily Forty-Niner; April 18, 2022

Weekly Digital Print Edition

DAILY FORTY-NINER EST p 1949

Vol. LXXXIII, Issue 44

www.daily49er.com

Monday, April 18, 2022

Tomisin Oluwole expresses herself in the abstract Please see ARTIST pages 4 and 5

New exhibit highlights tattoo and fine arts communities

By Sebastian Perez Special Projects Assistant

Long Beach State cancels winter commencement ceremony plans

By Ulysses Villa Photo Editor

“Out of Step/Out of Line” debuted on April 8 at the Downtown Long Beach campus of the Long Beach Museum of Art. Museum officials hosted a private reception from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. for museum members and then was opened to the general public at 7 p.m.

Please see ART page 7

RENZO POCASANGRE | Daily Forty-Niner

Works from over 20 different tattoo artists are showcased at this museum.

Long Beach State President Jane Close Conoley announced via email on Monday, April 11 that the winter commencement ceremony at the Walter Pyramid would no longer happen due to “a number of logistical considerations.”

Conoley told the Daily Forty-Niner on Thursday, March 17 that CSULB had intentions to cre-

ate a name reading and stage walking graduation for students who were “unhappy” with the Angel Stadium arrangement.

“While we will continue to explore possibilities for future years, a number of logistical considerations, including impacts to our NCAA Division 1 athletics programs, will not allow for us to proceed with Winter ceremonies in the short term,” Conoley wrote in the email.

Please see PLAN page 2

2 NEWS

MONDAY, APRIL 18, 2022 | DAILY49ER.COM | @DAILY49ER | EIC@DAILY49ER.COM

ON THE COVER Photo by Julissa Villalobos Artist Tomisin Uwuole poses with some of her artwork outside of her home in Long Beach.

Daily Forty-Niner 1250 Bellflower Blvd., LA4-203 Long Beach, CA, 90840

Editorial Office Phone (562) 985-8000

Ashley Ramos Editor in Chief eic@daily49er.com

Sai Zin Phyo Lwin Business Manager business@daily49er.com

Business Office Phone (562) 985-1740

Leila Nunez

Multimedia Managing Editor multimedia@daily49er.com

Kevin Caparoso

Managing Editor managing@daily49er.com

Editors

News Editor Lauren Ramirez news@daily49er.com Arts & Life Editor Christal Gaines Emory arts@daily49er.com VINCENT MEDINA | Daily Forty-Niner

CSULB will host a series of commencement ceremonies to honor student diversity, acknowledge racial identities, and celebrate college careers.

Long Beach State’s cultural graduation ceremonies Chicano/Latino Graduation Celebration Session one: Sunday, May 15 at 10:00 a.m. at the Walter Pyramid Session two: Sunday, May 15 at 4:00 p.m. at the Walter Pyramid

Black/Pan-African Graduation

Undocu Graduation Saturday, May 14 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the University Student Union ballrooms

American Indian Graduation Celebration Sunday, May 15 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the University Student Union ballrooms

Sunday, May 15 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the University Student Union ballrooms

Wednesday, May 18 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the University Student Union ballrooms Pilipino Graduation Celebration

Sunday, May 15 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the University Student Union ballrooms

Vietnamese Cultural Graduation Saturday, May 14 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the University Student Union ballrooms

Lillian Li Ulysses Villa Reyn Ou Kristina Agresta

Podcast Editor Cindy Aguilera Public Relations Editor Kaitlyn Rowell Community Engagement Isabel Silagy Editor News Assistants Hannah Shields Vincent Medina Arts Assistant Julissa Villalobos Opinions Assistant Jonathan Bigall Sports Assistant Matthew Brown Graphic Design Assistant Eunice Barron

Cambodian Graduation Celebration

Pacific Islander Graduation Celebration & Luau

Deputy Copy Editor Rosaura Montes Special Projects Editor Photo Editor Video Editor Social Media Editor

Assistants

Saturday, May 14 at 2:00 p.m. at the Walter Pyramid

Lavender Graduation Celebration

Opinions Editor Christina Merino opinions@daily49er.com Sports Editor Thomas Murray sports@daily49er.com Creative Director Gisele Robinett design@daily49er.com Chief Copy Editor Ana Acosta

Saturday, May 14 at 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the University Student Union ballrooms

In order to participate in any ceremony, graduates must register by Friday, April 22 Contact CSULB Cultural Grads at culturalgrads@csulb.edu for more information and visit daily49er.com

Special Projects Assistant Sebastian Perez Photo Assistants Felicia Petrocelli Renzo Pocasangre Social Media Assistants Krystal Ordonez Michael Carcano Podcast Assistants Aziza Gomez Cristian Vasquez

Business Advertising Manager Reilly Jonna Guzman advertising@daily49er.com Account Executives Zayra Rodriguez Purva Rao Graphic Designer Aaray Amano Webmaster Zenilkumar Vaghasiya PR & Promotions Manager Kate Michel Distribution Manager Darlene Malolos Distribution Analyst Jacob Patrick Mitchell Creative Director Wendy Rangel Web Assistant Vidyadhari Raghunadha Naid PR & Promotions Intern Alyssa Cristina Canales

PLAN

Continued from page 1 Conoley also wrote that the current model for graduation was not ideal due to the increase in graduation numbers, the “complexity” of May ceremonies, and the type of program components which included name reading and stage walking.

“Should an approach for a winter commencement remain a viable solution in our overall planning for how we can best celebrate our Beach graduates, we will keep our community updated,” Conoley wrote.

For additional commencement ceremony information, visit https://www.csulb.edu/commencement/winter-commencement

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

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

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

Nadia Melina Vazquez

Advisers Design Adviser Gary Metzker Content Adviser Barbara Kinglsey-Wilson Advertising & Business Jennifer Newton Adviser Letters Policy: All letters and emails must bear the phone number of the writer and must be no more than 300 words. The Daily Forty-Niner reserves the right to edit letters for publication in regard to space.

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

NEWS 3

MONDAY, APRIL 18, 2022 | DAILY49ER.COM | @DAILY49ER | NEWS@DAILY49ER.COM

How Blake Krawl is making changes to support formerly incarcerated students The Long Beach State student spent a number of years in and out of jail for heroin usage and stealing property. Now, he spends his time assisting others in completing higher education.

By Ana Acosta Chief Copy Editor

W

hen Blake Krawl was 12 years old, he had his first drink of alcohol. At 16, he started experimenting with drugs. At 18, he became addicted to opioids and was living on the street and was in and out of jail.

Now, 28, he’s majoring in psychology at Long Beach State and plans to go to law school to become a public defender.

Krawl currently works as a lead student assistant for Project Rebound at CSULB. He is one of 51 students involved with the program dedicated to supporting formerly incarcerated students.

Krawl grew up in Idaho and remained there until he turned 18.

When he was younger, Krawl felt alienated from his peers for having feminine attributes and his attraction to men. Despite having never experienced outward attacks for his sexuality, Krawl felt singled out by others.

“I couldn’t do anything about it,” Krawl said. “That’s what was shitty. You know, if it was something like a behavior that I could change I totally would do that to fit in with my peers. Not now, but back then.”

He hadn’t been out of the closet in high school, but people often singled him out, spread rumors about him, and uttered slurs.

Those actions prompted him to drink and use drugs to relieve the anxiety that surrounded those emotions.

Krawl wanted others to focus on his “bad kid” behavior as opposed to wondering whether he was gay or not.

When Krawl was 15, his par-

ents became aware of his drug use and sent him away to a rehabilitation program.

Krawl knew his parents had good intentions when placing him in the program, but after spending 15 months undergoing odd therapy tactics and soundproof rooms, he grew resentful when he returned home at 16.

“That’s when the hard drug use started,” Krawl said.

When Krawl returned home, he became addicted to opiates such as oxycodone and heroin. He graduated high school and moved to California in 2012 for college.

Krawl struggled to stay in school. He said there were times when he was able to maintain sobriety and get good grades, but then he would start slipping into his old habits of drug abuse, which would lead him to fail his classes and drop out.

Krawl had been in and out of nearly nine different academic institutions, and his parents eventually gave him an ultimatum. He could either allow them to financially support him through school and rehabilitation in an effort to maintain sobriety or he could go do drugs on the street.

Krawl chose the latter.

While living on the streets without any family to turn to, Krawl started up a history of repeated incarcerations. Most of his crimes included property theft, stealing, and drug possession.

Krawl’s first major arrest in California was for identity theft and for having possession of stolen property.

“Once I started getting arrested and got in the system, it seemed like it kind of just got worse,” Krawl said. “I continued to use drugs, and I don’t know, I guess my self-esteem definitely started dropping at that point.”

Krawl was aware that his habits of stealing and running in and out of people’s lives was unacceptable, but he was “so addicted to the drugs that [he] really wasn’t thinking about that or considering other people.”

FELICIA PETROCELLI | Daily Forty-Niner

Blake Krawl outside the Project Rebounds office on campus.

Krawl said that the last time he went to jail it was because he cut off his GPS monitor.

He looked at his life and recognized that no one but himself was to blame for his situation.

“As crappy as it was to be there, this is like, this is all me,” Krawl said. “All the decisions that I’ve been making. You know, I can’t be mad at my PO [probation officer]. I can’t be mad at my family. I can really be mad at no one but myself.”

So Krawl called his probation officer, Tiffani Milstead, at 7 p.m. one December night, and asked to be picked up by the police so he could begin the steps to sobriety.

“Anytime someone has to go back into custody, that’s not a pleasant experience,” Milstead said. “Some of Blake’s struggles are because of things that happened while he was in custody.

Knowing that he had to go back to that place was difficult.”

Krawl returned to drug court in Orange County, where he remained sober and returned to school.

While attending Santa Ana College to study psychology, Krawl became a founding member of the Project Rise student community, a similar organization to CSULB’s Project Rebound.

That’s where Krawl met professor Mark McCallick, who accepted the role as faculty adviser

for Project Rise.

“Blake really created this movement to help other people, and it’s really caught fire,” McCallick said.

McCallick said his proudest memory of Krawl was when he gave his valedictorian address to the classes of 2020 and 2021 at the Santa Ana College graduation.

“When I found out he was going to be named valedictorian, I was almost as proud as if he was my son,” McCallick said. “Seeing him give his valedictorian speech, that was the highlight of my teaching years.”

Krawl graduated from Santa Ana in June 2021 and transferred to CSULB where he now majors in psychology with a minor in political science.

In December 2021, Krawl graduated from Opportunity Court, a voluntary program for non-violent drug offenders.

Milstead said she remembers when she would visit Krawl in his apartment and find him surrounded by flashcards. Krawl was studying for the LSAT. Milstead said Krawl was in court one morning when he received his passing score and said members in court clapped and cheered for Krawl.

Krawl’s goal is to study criminal justice in law school to further support others who have stories just like him.

“I feel like there are so many things wrong with the criminal justice system,” Krawl said.

“Some people may be like, ‘Oh, well, you’re just saying that because you were incarcerated.’

But it’s like something needs to change about it. Because the prison population continues to grow, and if nothing changes, nothing changes.”

Krawl said he was fortunate to have such a supportive probation officer and attorney, because that wasn’t always the case.

“Some of the stuff that I’ve been told by public defenders,” Krawl said. “Like, ‘you belong in jail’… it’s crazy. If this dude’s not willing to fight for me, then am I going to change?”

He hopes to be that support to other incarcerated individuals so they can make changes, make amends, and find opportunities in life.

“No one should ever be given up on, you know, no matter how many times they’ve been in prison, no matter how many times they’ve been to jail,” Krawl said.

“They’re just people, people that are stuck in their own thing and stuck in a system that is really not trying to help them.”

4 ARTS & LIFE

MONDAY, APRIL 18, 2022 | DAILY49ER.COM | @DAILY49ER | ARTS@DAILY49ER.COM

The many creative outlets of this CSULB artist

By Christal Gaines-Emory Arts & Life Editor

B

orn and raised in Nigeria, Tomisin Oluwole relocated to California alone at 17 years old in order to pursue a degree in Fashion Merchandising from California State University, Long Beach.

Seven years later, published poet and abstract artist Oluwole is continuing her education at CSULB to obtain her master’s degree in Linguistics, eager to take the next steps in her life.

“Coming to Long Beach from a foreign country alone wasn’t always easy,” Oluwole said. “I faced cultural differences, language barriers, social differences, homesickness, but I’m proud of the person I’ve become as a result. I get to study what I love in a beautiful and welcoming community.”

Oluwole’s love for the arts first began when she was eight years old, in the form of abstract doodles and makeshift fashion shows featuring clothes taken from her family members’ closets.

Now, Oluwole expresses her creativity through abstract paintings, vivid poetry, and styling fashion.

“My eyes have always been drawn to bright colors, they communicate so much and they inspire me,” Oluwole said. “I wouldn’t be true to myself if I worked with dull colors. I like to create paintings that are captivating and warm, but my work also reflects the feelings of self.”

Her paintings depict delicate outlines of human faces and bodies with brightly colored backgrounds and unique contours of the subject.

As an abstract artist, Oluwole hopes to evoke a feeling of familiarity in her audience.

“I always want my work to provoke some kind of thought, but everyone’s responses can be different,” she said. “I want people to feel something strong everytime they see my work, whether that be warmth or familiarity, I want it to evoke strong feelings within.”

Oluwole’s desire to inspire thoughts in others can also be recognized through her poetry. Her poetry book “Half Past in the A.M.: A Conversation Amongst Selves” was published in the summer of 2020, illustrating the many thoughts and voices Oluwole has.

The book consists of poetry about her experiences, scenarios created in her mind, and the thoughts and perspectives of others. Capturing human vulnerability and self discovery, “Half Past in the A.M.” was curated to inspire deep thoughts in readers.

One of her published poems reads: “the brooding solitude of an artist’s mind mystifies the reality that they are simply wallflowers eavesdropping on the silent conversation nature continues to present its pedestrians.”

Oluwole also hopes her poetry inspires others to see the arts in a new light.

“Language is art,” she said. “I notice how impactful language can be, and there is an art to it. Language is all we have as human beings, it’s an understated form of art. It’s so common and its beauty is so overlooked.”

To honor her love for language, Oluwole is currently working towards obtaining her master’s degree in Linguistics, and she is also working part-time on-campus teaching international students English as a Language Tutor. In her spare time, she continues to write poetry and create new abstract paintings.

As a multi-faceted artist, Oluwole encourages other creatives to take care of themselves and recognize the beauty of their own pieces.

“Never compare your work to someone else’s or doubt your own talent,” she said. “Art is anything if you really choose to see it. You don’t have to produce art for anyone other than yourself, you can create because it’s therapeutic. Create art just to create something beautiful.”

To learn more about Oluwole, visit https://www.tomiluw.com/ Her poetry book, “Half Past in the A.M.: A Conversation Amongst Selves” is available for purchase online on Amazon, Authorhouse and Barnes and Noble.

Artist Tomisin Oluwole poses with some of her artwork outside of her home in Long Beach

h.

MONDAY, APRIL 18, 2022 | DAILY49ER.COM | @DAILY49ER | ARTS@DAILY49ER.COM

“

ARTS & LIFE 5

My eyes have always been drawn to bright colors, they communicate so much and they inspire me.

I wouldn’t be true to myself if I worked with dull colors. I like to create paintings that are captivating and warm, but my work also reflects the feelings of self.

Tomisin Oluwole

Published poet, abstract artist, CSULB Linguistics major

Photos by

Julissa Villalobos

Paintings, above, by Tomisin Oluwole and other artists hang inside the artist’s home in Long Beach.

Unfinished work, below, by Tomisin Oluwole sit next to a completed painting inside the artist’s home in Long Beach.

6 ARTS & LIFE

MONDAY, APRIL 18, 2022 | DAILY49ER.COM | @DAILY49ER | ARTS@DAILY49ER.COM JOCELYNN GARCIA | Daily Forty-Niner

Dian Sukarso, a third year chemistry major at CSULB, landing a trick at Caruthers skatepark.

Finding a community through skating

By Jocelynn Garcia Staff Writer

N

ineteen-year-old Natalie Sarai Monzon and 21-yearold Dian Sukarso are fairly new to the Long Beach area but were quickly able to feel a sense of belonging when they joined the Cal State Rollers club on campus.

The two CSULB students had never imagined themselves at a skatepark and had no idea what was in store for them when they bought their first pair of roller skates. They were intrigued by the community that is full of bruises, sweat, but most importantly, sisterhood.

Skating serves as their personal outlet and source of connection to the Long Beach community.

Monzon, a first-year student from South Central LA majoring in Graphic Design, picked up skating in February of 2020. It was a period of loneliness and self-doubt, but roller skating had brought new excitement to her life. It was a newly found passion that brought Monzon a feeling of self-fulfillment, community, and confidence.

“I’ve always been the type of person to give up easily, but this was something new that really pushed me outside my comfort zone,” Monzon said.

“Skating makes me feel like I can do anything, as if anything and everything is possible.”

Sukarso is a third-year chemistry major and began skating during her first year of college in the fall of 2019. Originally from Daly City, CA, adjusting to a new environment all on her own was very difficult at first.

Skating allowed Sukarso to feel not only more confident in herself, but also made Long Beach feel like home with the help of creating close friends within the skate community.

“Skating has helped me connect better with Long Beach,” Suksaro said.

“Coming into this skate community has allowed me to connect to the culture and its people here.”

MONDAY, APRIL 18, 2022 | DAILY49ER.COM | @DAILY49ER | ARTS@DAILY49ER.COM

ARTS & LIFE 7

Long Beach Museum of Art’s newest exhibit, “Out of Step/Out of Line” highlights tattoo artists who also have a focus on traditional fine art.

ART

Continued from page 1

The exhibit was co-curated by Paul Loya, the museum’s deputy director of exhibitions, and Southern California based artist Nathan Kostechko. The exhibition serves as a bridge between Long Beach’s fine art community and the tattoo community, both having a rich history in the city.

Throughout the evening museum staff, artists and guests mingled while drinking wine and beer. Guests snacked on the fruit board and conversed about the fine art adorning the gallery.

Other guests leaned close to the walls, hovering inches away, admiring the paintings of different sizes and different mediums.

Others were captivated by the sculptures carved from paper currency or by hand painted ceramics.

Many guests were tattoo enthusiasts, some opting for short sleeves and deep necks to show off their tattoos. Others wore long sleeves and buttoned up shirts that could be seen overflowing with body ink.

As a curator for Long Beach Museum of Art, Loya curates galleries at both the downtown location and the main Ocean Blvd. location. He often recruits a co-curator for the downtown location where he said he can take a more experimental approach.

Co-curator, Kostechko has been tattooing for over 18 years and currently tattoos primarily in Echo Park, LA. These deep ties within the tattoo community and the fine art community made him the ideal candidate to co-curate the show. “[We] were having this talk about a tattoo artist that shared a tattoo studio practice and fine art practice,” Loya said. “The way the craft of tattoo overshadows the fine art practice of a lot of these contemporary artists and the stigma around that within the commercial art world.”

Although he considers himself a tattoo collector, Loya says that he is not deeply embedded within the tattoo community. In Loya’s own words it was important for the museum to provide an institutional platform for artists.

He also “wanted a voice from the tattoo community to be a part of it, I didn’t want to borrow.”

Ron Nelson, the executive director of the museum, highlighted the importance of tattooing in Long Beach’s history.

Aside from being the home of the longest operating tattoo studio in the United States, Long Beach has a forgotten past as a tattoo hotspot. It’s close ties to the Navy made the Pike a popular tattoo spot for sailors in the 1900s.

“That history is now being appreciated. I think that’s something we are all thrilled to be able to embrace,” Nelson said. “It’s such an amazing city, so many diverse languages, ethnicities, sexualities everything. Tattoos meld together this unifying effect.”

The Long Beach Museum of Art located at 2300 East Ocean Boulevard Thursday-Sunday 11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Monday-Wednesday Closed “Out of Step/Out of Line” will be on display until June 26, 2022 For more information, visit lbma.org

Photos by Renzo Pocasangre

A visitor gazes at Ed Hardy’s contribution to the Out of Step/Out of Line exhibit.

Coulter Jacob’s contribution, above, to the exhibition at the Downtown Long Beach Museum of Art. A man, below, admires a painted plate while having a drink at the opening reception.

8 OPINIONS

MONDAY, APRIL 18, 2022 | DAILY49ER.COM | @DAILY49ER | OPINIONS@DAILY49ER.COM

LEILA NUNEZ | Daily Forty-Niner

No. 26 Colton Herta during the Saturday qualifying session.

What the Long Beach Grand Prix means to me Being one of the few women in the media center turned the fire in me into a full-on inferno.

By Kristina Agresta Social Media Editor

W

ithout motorsport, I wouldn’t be a journalist.

In 2018, I started casually following Formula 1, an open-wheel racing series similar to IndyCar, through Instagram and any YouTube clips I could get my hands on. It wasn’t until the end of the 2020 season that I started watching the races live.

Almost every Saturday and Sunday, I wake up between 4 and 7 a.m. to watch the qualifying sessions and races that are happening in Europe with a major time difference.

I met some of my best friends on the internet through our shared love of Formula 1. We ended up starting a motorsport publication titled Along the Racing Line where I became the Editor in Chief.

When I got the opportunity to cover the Long Beach Grand Prix for the Daily Forty-Niner, I was ecstatic. I was going to have a chance to experience my dream job.

The moment I first got my hands on that press badge, I never wanted to let it go.

I walked into the photographer meeting on Friday morning and was shocked. In a room of well over 60 people, I only saw two women other than myself and Leila Nunez, the Multimedia Managing Editor at the Daily Forty-Niner.

Motorsport is a male-dominated industry. The hit Netflix show about F1, Drive to Survive, featured women speaking on motorsport for 40 minutes throughout its four seasons; only one of these women was a journalist.

Similarly, in IndyCar, NBC’s six-person commentary team doesn’t feature any women.

I knew this discrepancy going into the weekend and knew that I would have to prove that I deserved to be there. I sat next to two writers from local papers in the press conference room. During the race, they asked me to explain who was in what position, the rules of IndyCar, and clarify anything they didn’t understand.

That moment felt so ironic to me. Here I am in a room full of men who have been in the journalism industry for years, yet they were asking me for help. I realized that I knew what I was doing, and I didn’t need to prove to anyone that I deserved to be there because I knew I did.

I didn’t let my fear of not being taken seriously change me. I wore dresses and did my makeup without worrying if I would look out of place among the men in khakis and polo shirts. I frantically took notes during the sessions, worked on three stories, and tried to tweet real-time updates simultaneously.

I had finally done it. For one blissful weekend, I was a real motorsport journalist.

I could picture myself doing this every weekend. Traveling around the country, or the world, living my life track to track, and writing about what I love. I got a taste of what my life could be, and I got hooked.

The fire that was already burning me grew into a full-fledged inferno.

Seeing the lack of women didn’t scare me anymore but instead made me want to work harder to find opportunities. I finally knew that when it came down to it, I am capable.

I can’t thank the Daily Forty-Niner enough for giving me this opportunity.

Covering the Grand Prix meant everything to me, and I can’t wait to go again next year.

SPORTS 9

MONDAY, APRIL 18, 2022 | DAILY49ER.COM | @DAILY49ER | SPORTS@DAILY49ER.COM

Making Magic: Slater’s legacy ends with Player of the Year award

Colin Slater’s last year in collegiate basketball ended with multiple accolades and awards.

By Nicole Hoff Staff Writer

C

olin Slater experienced perhaps the most dramatic highs and lows of any basketball player in recent memory.

The point guard was selected to be Big West Player of the Year and was a big part of a thrilling win to get into the Big West championship game, and also of the team’s heartbreaking loss to Fullerton in the final game March 12.

Police are investigating an Indiana man who allegedly threatened Slater, Long Beach State and the Fullerton team. Slater declined to talk about that incident which was a sad ending to an inspiring season for Slater, 24, who intends to register for the NBA draft in the coming weeks.

“I’ve learned that this team and coaching staff will sacrifice anything to win. Whatever we have to do to succeed, we will do,” Slater spoke on what he learned during his time spent at Long Beach.

Growing up in New Orleans, basketball was Slater’s last choice.

His parents placed him in every sport except basketball. He tried football, baseball and soccer.

It wasn’t until they found out he had an allergy to fresh-cut grass that they finally put Slater on a basketball court.

He moved out to Central California as a child. When high school came around, Slater continued to excel in the game.

At Immanuel High School, he became a four-year varsity player and broke numerous school records including most points in a game with 52 and most points in a season with 688.

His stellar seasons earned him accolades every year including being named Maxpreps Division IV Player of the Year in his senior year. Slater also maintained a 4.0 GPA while also playing the saxophone and participating in numerous clubs.

College basketball recruiters

“

After the buzzer sounded and it became real for me, I broke down in tears. This is all I wanted. This is all we worked for.

Colin Slater

LBSU basketball point guard

began to notice the player, and Slater’s hope was that he’d be able to go back home and play for Tulane University in Louisiana.

“I have always wanted to go to Tulane ever since I was a kid,” Slater said. “I didn’t care how good they were, basketball-wise, but to just wear that name across my chest.”

Slater pursued that childhood dream of his and committed to Tulane. He attended Tulane for his first two years of eligibility, but Slater said he felt the coaches provided him with little to no confidence and support.

“There wasn’t a collective belief in who I was as a player,” Slater said. “So, I just continued to work hard. I am not a person that feels that everyone has to be on board with me, I maybe just need to work harder.”

His sister, Miz-Unique, said her brother has always been determined.

“Once Colin makes up his mind about something, that is what it is,” Miz-Unique said.

Slater spent all summer working on getting better to expand his role on the team and earn more playing time as an underclassman. Later, the coach told Slater that his 6 foot and 1 inch height

wasn’t tall enough for him to be selected as the starting guard. So Slater entered the transfer portal.

When he entered the portal, he received a variety of offers from various schools all over the country, but one person in particular reached out that stood above the rest: Long Beach State assistant coach Senque Carey.

“He reached out and was like ‘hey man, I got a guy who believes in you and you know I believe in you so you wanna make some magic?’” Slater said.

After the call, Slater went on a visit to Long Beach State and met head coach Dan Monson, where it became a “done deal.”

When Carey showed footage of Slater to Monson, he and the coaching staff felt Slater was a perfect fit for their team.

Moving across the country to Long Beach and a new team took some adjusting for Slater. However, because of the NCAA Division I rule, Slater was forced to sit out and redshirt the 2018-2019 season.

When he could finally play a season for Long Beach State, COVID-19 struck and forced Slater to miss another semester.

When Fall of 2021 rolled around, The Beach was picked to finish eighth in the conference.

Despite this, Slater shared that it was motivating.

“We had a sense of hunger,” Slater said. “We felt really disrespected that people didn’t believe in us. It wasn’t that we were trying to prove people wrong, we just knew who we were.”

Slater stepped up to the challenge and after a below .500 pre-season start, the team took a step back and had some needed conversations with one another to help figure out a strategy.

“As a team, we all rallied around each other’s sacrifices. We connected and everything went up from there,” Slater said. “Everyone was able to adapt to their needed role and connected with one another as one unit.”

Slater took the lead. He stressed the importance of having awareness of your teammates and showing every possession you have their back, and that’s what he did. He put his team first and led by example.

“He was just a great leader. And I think he led by example for a lot of years, just being a hard worker and doing the things coaches asked him to do,” Monson said.

Slater’s leadership led The Beach to an 11-game winning streak after losing their first con-

NICOLE ALBA | Daily Forty-Niner

ference game on Jan. 8. They ended up finishing first in the Big West with a conference record of 12-3.

The team clinched the No. 1 seed in the Big West tournament after defeating UC Riverside in the Walter Pyramid on March 5.

It was the team’s first Big West title since 2013. After an incredible season turnaround, all their sacrifices had finally paid off.

“After the buzzer sounded and it became real for me, I broke down in tears. This is all I wanted.

This is all we worked for,” Slater said.

A couple of days later, Slater was heading into the movie theater when he received notifications from Twitter congratulating him for being named the Big West Player of the Year.

“I clicked the link and I was like ‘Oh my God, I’m the Big West Player of the Year? This is incredible,” Slater said. “I bought an ICEE and some nachos and watched a movie.”

After hours spent putting in extra work in the Pyramid until 3 a.m., Slater has nothing but gratitude to those who have been there for him and believed in him.

“They finally see who I am as a player. It’s been gratifying. They see your sacrifice, your work, and your worth too. It still doesn’t feel real to me,” Slater said. “To be in the company of Long Beach legends like Casper Ware, I couldn’t ask for anything else.”

Slater’s next aspirations are to become a professional basketball player – something he has dreamed of since he was a little kid. After graduating this year, he plans to pursue this childhood dream and play professionally.

“I’m communicating with people, sitting down in meetings, and going over my next step,” Slater said.

He wants to pursue a career playing professional basketball, either overseas or for the NBA. He also mentioned plans to receive his master’s degree.

“I am going to enjoy it until the ball stops bouncing,” Slater said. “But it seems like it is just starting to begin.”