Daily Forty-Niner; March 25, 2024

Daily Forty-Niner

1250 Bellflower Blvd., LA4-203 Long Beach, CA, 90804

Editorial Office Phone (562) 985-8000

El Nicklin

Multimedia Managing Editor multimedia@daily49er.com

ASI's new Vice President of Finance Andre Achacon (left), President Nikki Majidi and Executive Vice President Matt Melendrez embraced each other in celebration as the Election Reveal Party came to a close. Achacon said he felt "privileged and honored" that students voted to elect his entire ticket.

Christal Gaines-Emory Editor in Chief eic@daily49er.com

Samuel Chacko Managing Editor

Kristina Agresta

Sam Farfan Director of Business Operations Community Engagement Editor business@gobeach.media community@daily49er.com

Juan Calvillo News Editor news@daily49er.com

Natasha Castanedo Arts & Life Editor arts@daily49er.com

Georgie Smith Opinions Editor opinions@daily49er.com

Davis Ramage Sports Editor sports@daily49er.com

Mary Catipay Design Editor design@daily49er.com

Jazmin Arellano Gallardo Copy Editor managing@daily49er.com

copy@daily49er.com

Naoki Gima Photo Editor

photo@daily49er.com

Maureen Linzaga Social Media Editor

socials@daily49er.com

Alina Ti Video Editor

video@daily49er.com

Aidan Swanepoel Podcast Editor

News Assistants

Arts & Life Assistants

Sports Assistants

podcast@daily49er.com

Elizabeth Basile

Acsah Lemma

Anthony Orrico

Linsey Towles

Samantha Cortes

Leila Alarcon

Opinions Assistants Cheyenne Elizarraras

Maya-Claire Glenn

Matthew Coleman

Alyssa De La Cruz

Matthew Gomez

Luis Castilla Design Assistants

Copy Editor Assistants

Photo Assistants

Nuelle Obaseki

Nick Broadhead

Jaylyn Preslicka

Khoury Williams

Mark Siquig

Marlon Villa

Social Media Assistant Maher Basharahil

Video Assistants

Zachery Durham

Steven Matthews

Ellie Creighton

Julia Goldman Podcast Assistants

Lei Madrigal

Izzy Ahmed Advertising Manager advertising@gobeach.media

Jennix Bien Creative Director

creative@gobeach.media

Leila Nuñez Web & Technology Manager

web@gobeach.media

Nicollette Combre PR & Promotions Manager

beach.pr@gobeach.media

Naoki Gima Distribution Manager

Editors Assistants Business Advisers

distribution@gobeach.media

Gary Metzker Design Adviser

Barbara Kinglsey-Wilson Content Adviser

Jennifer Newton Advertising & Business 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 Forty-Niner are expressed only in unsigned editorials and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the journalism department or the views of all staff members. All such editorials are written by the editorial board of the Daily Forty-Niner.

Meet Porto, UPD's newest detection dog

BY LINSEY TOWLES News Assistant

Since 2017, the University Police Department (UPD) K9-Unit has consisted of only golden Labrador, Avery. However, 3-year-old German shorthaired pointer Porto is shaping up to be the newest pup on the block, along with his handler Corporal Luis Rocha.

Porto works at the UPD as a detection dog, trained by Rocha to search for firearms, explosives and ammunition. His primary role on campus is to help provide protective sweeps ahead of large events and meetings, which are often conducted at the CSU Chancellor's Office and Walter Pyramid.

He shares his workload with Avery and her handler Sergeant Ray Gonzalez, who was an important resource for Rocha when he first received Porto.

"I went to the police academy with Sergeant Gonzalez and when he had Avery, I used to tag along with him now and then and pick his brain," Rocha said. Rocha put in an application to receive a detection dog and received then 2-year-old Porto.

"He came with no training and he was super energetic. He’s a sweet dog, a big baby," Rocha said. "His nose is extremely good and he loves working because he knows he's going to get a toy at the end when he does his job correctly."

According to Rocha, he travels to Anaheim, Orange County or Ventura to train with Porto weekly and often works with him on basic commands at home. Training consists of putting odors in different environments and teaching Porto how to signal

when he detects the smell of explosives, firearms or ammunition.

"I have to read his indicators, whether it's his body language or how he reacts. That is what I’m getting training on, how to read his body language," Rocha said.

Porto and Rocha work together to create a mutual language that helps Rocha know if there is a possible threat and where it's located. The process requires months of consistent practice and constant correction.

"Just like how you and I work, if he doesn't train he can forget how to do things. I got to make sure I’m doing everything I can as his handler so he can do the best job he can do," Rocha said.

While the work is constant and often tedious, Porto enjoys his days off by playing with toys and interacting with students on campus. Rocha said that he often takes Porto for walks around campus to get him used to students, as well as to use him as a tool to connect with the student community.

"He's a good bridge with the community. It opens up doors where I might interact with someone and our conversation lasts one to two minutes. But with him, it typically leads to an individual petting him and we start talking about random stuff and our conversation lasts 15 to 20 minutes," Rocha said.

Rocha plans to continue training and working with Porto in the future. According to him, detection dogs typically stay in police service for a long period of time compared to other police dogs due to lower stress levels on the job.

To learn more about Porto's appearances on campus, visit his Instagram here.

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.

LINSEY TOWLES / Daily Forty-Niner

3-year-old Porto works as one of two explosives, firearms and ammunition detection dogs for the University Police Department.

Results are in: Long Beach State elects new student leaders

While a majority of the votes counted showed clear favorites among candidates, students were split.

BY KHOURY WILLIAMS Copy Editing Assistant

Associated Students Inc. presidential candidate Nikki Majidi was announced as the new president-elect, winning alongside the entire joint ticket she ran with, including executive vice president Matt Melendrez and vice president of finance Andre Achacon.

With black and gold streamers in hand, dozens of students and faculty gathered around the University Student Union South Plaza to clap and cheer on the winners announced during the ASI Elections Reveal Party on March 21.

Hosted in collaboration with ASI and Beach Pride Events, ASI Government Elections and Recruitment Assistant Josephine Nguyen grabbed the focus of the crowd to thank them and introduce them to the flow of the event.

She was followed by Associate Vice President of Student Affairs Jeff Klaus, who took to the stage as the master of ceremonies.

Klaus said 3,532 students voted in ASI’s general elections and thanked students and ASI for the work they did leading up to the reveal party.

“The voice of the students is so important,” Klaus said. “Many of the great initiatives and changes that occur on this university are because of the voices and ideas of the students, so we really applaud all the effort that [ASI] did to connect with all the students around the campus.”

The vote count for president-elect went through three rounds of close runoffs, with Majidi beating out candidate Johnny Baeza by 66 votes in the final tally.

The Daily Forty-Niner interviewed ASI’s new executive cabinet following the reveal party. Majidi said she looks forward to serving Long Beach State’s student body as president-elect.

“I feel eternally grateful. I really really hope that I won’t let down the student population,” Majidi said. “My motto is, with my friends, that I’m for the people

and I want to be for the people of Long Beach and honestly. I’m so honored to have been chosen.”

Achacon said he feels privileged to have won the election alongside Majidi and Melendrez and is eager to continue working with them to move the Long Beach State community forward.

“Nikki, Matt and I, we know that there’s issues on campus. We’ve heard the concerns from students…we’re trying our hardest to address these issues and we hope that we can build the relationship between ASI and the larger CalState Long Beach student community,” Achacon said. “The relationship is missing and we will do our best to work on that.”

Melendrez is happy to be elected along with his ticket but said they must get together and address the needs of the students.

“It’s time to start working to make sure that we get students on board and making sure they feel heard,” Melendrez said.

As the general elections come to a close, Nguyen will be working with ASI to recruit students for any vacant positions in late April.

“That includes positions like any unfilled Senator or trustee at large positions and positions for our lobby care, judiciary and our presidential cabinet,” Nguyen said. “The senator and trustee positions are voted on by students but all other positions go through an interview process.”

Full Results:

• President – Nikki Majidi

• Executive Vice President – Matt Melendrez

• Vice President of Finance – Andre Achacon

• Senator at-Large – Sonny Ciampa, Katherine Erian, Carlos Orozco, Larissa Santos and Lexi Thicksten

• Trustee at-Large – Laura Camacho and Saniya Debose

• Senator, College of the Arts – Dylan Garcia

• Senator, College of Business – Pranvat Kaur

• Senator, College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics

– Christina Do and Richie Pham

• Senator, College of Health and Human Services –Mannat Tiwana

• Senator, College of Engineering – Andrew Paredes

• Senator, College of Liberal Arts – Nicholas Nieto and Isaac Obert

KHOURY WILLIAMS / Daily Forty-Niner Attendees at the ASI Election Reveal Party congratulate new President Nikki Majidi for winning against three other candidates. The president-elect vote went through three rounds of close run-offs with Majidi beating out candidate Johnny Baeza by 66 votes in the final tally.

Long Beach State community divided over integration of AI technology

BY NATE MARTINEZ & AVA DOMENICHELLI Staff Writers

Whether the Long Beach State community will perceive technology based on generative artificial intelligence (AI) in the classroom as a beneficial asset or a barrier to learning remains uncertain.

The AI Steering Committee was formed at CSULB “to provide guidance on the exploring, evaluation, and implementation of AI technologies,” according to their website.

Long Beach State Provost Karyn Scissum Gunn, who also serves as a Cochair on the AI Steering Committee, explained how the university’s stance on integrating AI is reflected in the committee’s decisions.

“In essence, faculty members should communicate with students how AI will be used in a classroom environment,” Gunn said in an email sent to the Daily Forty-Niner.

According to Gunn, the university is still in the process of determining the specifics of how this will manifest in the classroom.

In the meantime, the decision on AI implementation will be left to individual professors.

“We are still in the early stages and are having critical conversations about what AI implementation could look

like,” Gunn said. “As of now, we have launched campus-wide access to Copilot, which uses GPT-4 and comes with an added layer of data protection for all campus users.”

Beth Lesen, vice president of Student Affairs and co-chair of the AI Steering Committee, anticipates the expansion of AI technology at Long Beach State.

“There’s a lot of potential and it can be used in so many ways,” Lesen said in an email sent to the Daily Forty-Niner. “Personalized AI assistance may keep students engaged and motivated and lead to improved learning performance and greater academic success.”

Psychology professor Gabriella Hancock specializes in human factors psychology, focusing particularly on interactions between humans and machines.

“If you’re just going and clicking a few buttons, those aren’t the skills you’re developing,” Hancock said. “It comes at the cost of not practicing for yourself. It’s a disservice to the student.”

Hancock also raised questions of ethics that artificial intelligence may lack.

“I have a lot of concerns about safety, security and cultural sensitivity.”

Hancock is not the only one struggling to see how using AI is anything other than an easy way out.

“It hinders your process of learning,” said Lexi Thicksten, a third-year political science major and member of the AI Steering Committee. “The amount of times I’ve heard people using it is insane.”

According to Hancock, this reliance on AI without understanding how it produces its answers is another potential pitfall of utilizing the technology.

“We want to take advantage of those qualities where machines are superior to us, but if we don’t know how it’s doing, what it’s doing, we can’t evaluate the quality of what it puts out,” Hancock said. “That becomes dangerous.”

On the other hand, linguistics professor Sarvenaz Hatami has been a proponent of incorporating AI with teaching methods at CSULB and currently uses it to teach second languages.

On her faculty spotlight page, she posted multiple videos to educate people on the benefits of implementing AI.

“We all know that language learners typically have limited opportunities to practice using the language and to receive feedback,” Hatami said in her video How Chat GPT benefits language students. “ChatGPT however can be a wonderful tool addressing this limitation.”

Students can engage in as many conversations with ChatGPT as they like, whenever and wherever. According to Hatami, they can choose their learning environment to help eliminate any fear of making mistakes.

Hatami also said students can specify their desired areas of study and proficiency level by providing the AI with guidelines.

Usually, these kinds of tasks require one-on-one sessions with a teacher,

which is why Hatami believes ChatGPT can be a time saver and a huge benefit for educators.

“There’s some evidence that ChatGPT can help reduce instructors’ daily workload by facilitating certain time-consuming and repetitive tasks,” Hatami said in her video “How language teachers benefit from ChatGPT.”

In a few sentences, teachers can instruct ChatGPT to simplify reading texts, generate tests, quizzes, grades and provide feedback for students.

“While I still needed to review and revise the outcome of these tasks, it still saved a significant amount of time,” Hatami said in her video “How language teachers benefit from ChatGPT.”

While using ChatGPT and other generative systems has presented mutual benefits for both student and teacher, the recency of the technology leaves room for questions.

“While current studies indicate ChatGPT’s effectiveness in language teaching and learning, the evidence is still very limited and so there is still need for further investigation,” Hatami said in her video “What interests Dr. Hatami about the future of ChatGPT.”

Lesen also expressed caution about using AI technology in the future.

“Remember that AI is still evolving and what you get out of it can be unreliable and incorrect, so we need to use it carefully,” Lesen said. “It’s meant to help us, not replace us.”

Photos

MARLON VILLA /

Owner

La Dolce

From foundation to relaxation: La Dolce Vita Spa continues to rise

What started as a doctor’s office has been transformed into a space of tranquility.

BY LEILA ALARCON Arts & Life Assistant

Located on East Broadway Street, La Dolce Vita Spa has evolved from a hair salon into a spa offering various massage, facial and body scrub treatments. Opening in 1997, owner Laura Osuna purchased the building, once a doctor’s office, and got straight to renovation.

“I remember when I got here my mom said, when she saw the property, it will take you 20 years to fix this place yourself,” said Osuna. “And then I said, but mom, it’s gonna take 20 years for this neighborhood to improve. So we’ll just be like, ready.”

Osuna had been interested in playing with other people’s hair, enjoying the physical aspect. Paired with her interest in esthetics, the women in Osuna’s family inspired her with their entrepreneurial work.

Her family moved to Los Angeles in 1840 and have been entrepreneurs since. Both of Osuna’s grandmothers had businesses as did her parents.

front door, converted the doctor’s rooms into spaces for massages and dealt with plumbing issues.

“You don’t know that there was a drain back there or something. So because it was a doctor’s office, there was a sink, like in every room,” Osuna said. “Then one leeks, one pops and there we go, we find it.”

Despite the issues, Osuna stays positive and shares her knowledge with others. Osuna has a program called ‘Out of the Hood’ where she teaches young adults job skills, primarily in the culinary and hospitality industries.

“We’ve always had a really great relationship with Hilton, Hyatt, Westin, Renaissance. So many of our former front desk here, after I’ve brushed them and polished them a little bit, they can definitely go and slide right into that environment,” Osuna said.

Attending Long Beach State made Osuna fall in love with the city leading her to open her business in Long Beach.

“I had a friend and his mom had a salon and he was like, Oh yeah, my mom was always on vacation, and she had all

However, Osuna’s mother wanted her to complete university first. Osuna started at Rio Honda Community College, then transferred to Pacific Coast College before attending Long Beach State to study art.

these friends and she had a lot of fun and I was like sign me up,” Osuna said.

“And so then I was really lucky enough to be able to go to school; some girl gave me the number of the school and I called them.”

Since buying her building, Osuna has completed numerous renovations. She transformed a window into her

As Osuna continues to offer her professional insight, she plans to continue growing her salon space. Her next project will double her space as she expands to her roof.

La Dolce Vita Spa is approaching 28 years of operation, and Osuna’s passion for her trade and her community shines. La Dolce Vita Spa is open 1 to 9 p.m. Thursdays to Saturdays and 1 to 8 p.m. Sundays.

by

Daily Forty-Niner

of

Vita Spa in Long Beach, Laura Osuna has had her location go undergo remodeling over the past year.

Laura Osuna comes up with different concepts for each room in her spa which she takes around a year to execute.

Appu’s Turmeric Cafe: An off-campus haven for students

Affordability meets flavor in a welcoming atmosphere at this vegan cafe. ”

Everybody loves tacos, but ours have a unique twist with the Indian flavors, especially the paneer tacos … best-sellers.

Surya Iyer

Co-founder of Appu's Turmeric Cafe

BY JULIA ALLEN Guest Writer

Nestled near Long Beach State, Appu’s Turmeric Cafe is a restaurant that offers a wide variety of vegetarian and vegan cuisine. Founded by father-and-son duo VR Venkataraman and Surya Iyer, the cuisine is a fusion of Indian and Mexican food which Nelly Lerma, chef and long-time nanny to Venkataraman’s children, helped refine.

Iyer, a former student himself, understands the struggles of balancing academics, budget constraints and hunger all too well. During his time pursuing a master’s in technological entrepreneurship at Arizona State University and a mechanical engineering degree in India, he navigated the challenges of student life with creativity and resourcefulness.

“I tried to cook as much as I could,” Iyer recalls, but his culinary repertoire during those days included everything from Taco Bell’s spicy potato tacos to homemade stir-fries loaded with veggies and soy sauce. Other staples like bananas, protein shakes, peanut butter straight from the jar and plenty of ice cream and beer were also part of the rotation.

Drawing from his own experiences, Iyer ensures that Appu’s Turmeric Cafe offers a warm and inviting environment tailored to students’ needs. From spacious tables and cozy booths with convenient outlets, to soothing music and tantalizing aromas wafting from the kitchen, every detail is carefully crafted to foster a positive and inclusive atmosphere.

Iyer reveals that the most popular items among college-aged customers are the Maharaja burrito and the tacos.

“Everybody loves tacos,” Iyer chuckled. “But ours have a unique twist with the Indian flavors, especially the paneer tacos … best-sellers.”

In addition to these crowd-pleasers, Appu’s Turmeric Cafe offers protein bowls packed with 45 grams of protein, catering to health-conscious students looking for a nutritious meal on the go. Additionally, every dish at the cafe is vegetarian. Some are even vegan to accommodate diverse diets.

When it comes to affordability, Iyer pulls out all the stops to ensure students can enjoy a hearty meal without breaking the bank.

“We offer a 10% student discount every day, with no restrictions,” Iyer said. The student discount applies to anyone with a CSULB identification card, including faculty and staff, and can be stacked with other deals, like the Taco Tuesday promotion.

To accommodate busy schedules, the cafe offers takeout, delivery through Grubhub, Doordash and Uber Eats, and online ordering with a quick turnaround time of 10 to 15 minutes for freshly prepared meals.

However, Iyer doesn’t stop there. He stays ahead of the curve by subscribing to restaurant email lists and observing industry trends.

So, what’s next for Appu’s Turmeric Cafe? Surya hints at even more enticing promotions and events geared toward students, including monthly discounts and loyalty rewards. With a blend of delicious food, student-friendly prices and a welcoming atmosphere, Appu’s Turmeric Cafe is poised to remain a favorite among the Long Beach college crowd.

The cafe is located at 2211A Palo Verde Ave. and is open from 11 a.m. - 8 p.m. every day.

Photo courtesy of SURYA IYER

Paneer Tikka Tacos are a popular option for customers of Appu's Turmeric Cafe. The vegan restaurant's menu offers guests a selection of Indian and Mexican fusion foods.

Dive Into marine life

CMA and often posted on social media; This tank featured bat stars, found from Alaska to Baja California. They usually have five webbed arms with suction-cup arms; The salema fish travel in large schools and are usually found around rocks, kelp forests, docks and piers. They are featured in tank No. 24.

(Clockwise from left) A sheep crab is the largest species in the family of California spider crabs. It is one of four crustaceans that is featured in the tank; The Cabrillo Marine Aquarium features a mini tide pool habitat outside where visitors are allowed to touch sea stars, sea anemones and urchins; The Moon Jelly has a complex life cycle and is part of the featured research at the aquarium. It is one of the most popular tanks at

Photos by MARK SIQUIG

Daily Forty-Niner

BY MARK SIQUIG Photo Assistant

Located in San Pedro, the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium (CMA) presents hundreds of marine species with indoor and outdoor exhibits and is open to the public free of charge.

Operated by the City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks, the aquarium has three main buildings that visitors can walk through.

The Susanne Lawrenz-Miller Exhibit Hall displays different environments including open ocean ecosystems, rocky shores and sand

and mud. The exhibit is very interactive and includes a tide pool tank where visitors can touch the organisms.

The CMA Exploration Center allows visitors to use all of their five senses and scientific tools to learn and explore the habitats of Cabrillo Coastal Park.

The center has information on coastal habitats using maps and photos. It also provides a hands-on look at the Los Angeles watershed flow into marshes and the ocean and a crawl-in aquarium that visitors can walk through to be surrounded by ocean life like rays, octopuses and other creatures.

The Mud Walkthrough is also a great way for visitors to get a "worm's eye view of the

mud," simulating an interaction between organisms found in mud.

The Aquatic Nursery is a working laboratory that visitors can observe. There, scientists undergoing training conduct active scientific research under the supervision of CMA's professional staff.

The nursery exhibit is used to focus on growing and caring for young animals. It showcases open research benches displaying more than 40 marine species.

The Cabrillo Marine Aquarium is open Tuesday through Friday from noon to 5 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, visit the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium website.

Women in Gaza cut up tents for menstrual products

BY FATIMA DURRANI Staff Writer

Palestinian women in the Gaza have resorted to taking period-delaying pills as they continue to face unlivable conditions. These conditions include lack of access to water, menstrual hygiene products and overcrowded living conditions with little to no privacy.

Independent journalist Bisan Owda from Gaza shared the horrors on an Instagram reel, documenting women urgently requesting pads stating, “[...] but there are none.”

Pharmacies are lacking sanitary pads, putting women and adolescent girls at risk of reproductive and urinary tract infections, according to the United Nations.

Wafa Abu-Hasheish, a healthcare worker in Gaza, said the situation is causing psychological and physical problems to the population as they’re being internally displaced.

“The shelter is suffering from a shortage of water and lack of medical care,” said Hasheish. “Women are reporting menstrual disturbance and those using contraceptive pills are sharing their supplies with others.”

According to Al-Jazeera, women are also reporting irregular bleeding and heavy bleeding along with being in a, “[...] constant state of fear, discomfort and depression.”

With more than 1.4 million people being internally displaced, Gazans continue to live in cramped and unhygienic conditions.

“We’re suffering from being hungry, from being thirsty, from being bombed. We’re suffering from being displaced,”

”

said Owda on Instagram. “Now we’re suffering also because there’s no pads. It’s just a new suffering.”

Juamana Shahin, a women’s rights activist in Gaza, says as the scale of the humanitarian crisis continues to increase, women’s needs are being neglected.

“This situation is not simple. We’re talking about a woman’s needs,” she told NPR. “This situation does not have a solution. The situation is harder than you can imagine.”

Advocating for access to menstrual products for individuals in Gaza is not only a matter of basic human dignity, but it also demonstrates solidarity in recognizing how health and hygiene should be promoted for everyone who menstruates - regardless of who they are.

“They are using parts of the tents of fibers to use it as pads,” said Riham Jafari, the coordinator of advocacy at ActionAid Palestine. “Opening safe routes

and humanitarian borders will ensure the delivery of products to the women.”

It is so painful to have to see women go through this and still see people take the side of the oppressor. As someone who’s part of a minority ethnic group at CSULB, it feels sickening to know that some professors and students on campus don’t speak up for women’s rights where it truly matters.

No one deserves to have the fear of their career being put at risk simply for being against the ethnical cleansing happening in Gaza. You do not have to be Muslim or Palestinian to stand up for women in Gaza, you just have to be human.

Palestinian advocates encourage calling local representatives to call for a ceasefire, attend daily protests and generally spread awareness on social media. Silence only gives power to the oppressor in times of tragedy.

We’re suffering from being hungry, from being thirsty, from being bombed, from being displaced. Now we’re suffering also because there’s no pads. It’s just a new suffering.

Bisan Owda Independent journalist from Gaza

Courtesy of AYESHA DURRANI

Pro-Palestinian supporters in Los Angeles continue to advocate for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza. Many advocates show up with a face mask in fear of their security being seen against Zionism.

Pain Letters - An alternative approach to a cover letter

Tired of sending dozens of job applications and not receiving a response from an employer? Try sending a pain letter.

BY STEPHANIE ARROYO Guest Writer

In a gig economy and during a time when job hopping is common, we will often compete with other candidates for a position. A pain letter is a way to stand out in a sea of resumes and cover letters.

According to Forbes, a pain letter is like a cover letter, but it is much more powerful. It focuses on the challenges and needs of the employer as opposed to focusing on your own personal achievements.

Candidates identify an area they think the company might need to improve. This is often a pain point that a company may come across by having an open position for too long or by not filling a role they have yet to create.

More than ever, artificial intelligence is a major part of recruitment. Tons of candidates go unseen if certain keywords are not listed on their application, as a way to weed out anyone who does not have the experience listed on the job post.

Based on Aptitude Research conducted in 2022, 63% of companies are investing or planning to invest in AI solutions this year compared to 42% in 2020. Companies are looking for ways to improve overall efficiency, lift the administrative burden and create a simpler process for recruiters and candidates.

You can have the best resume and references, but what good is it if the hiring manager never physically reads your

STEPHANIE

application. If you can avoid sending your pain letter through a popular job search site, you will have better luck getting a response back.

As stated by Indeed, there are five basic steps to complete a pain letter: identify the hiring manager, develop a hypothesis, show you know the company, provide a personal experience and add a call to action.

Just as you would with any job application, make sure to follow up. As someone who used this approach to land a position in the entertainment industry, I followed up nine times within three months before I received a response to meet in person.

Within a year at 1AM Creative, I became a tour manager for an artist who is signed to GOOD Music. Being persistent

and thinking outside the box can get you far. Nine emails may be excessive for some, but I never received a “no,” which is why I continued to reach out. Always be professional when sending follow-up emails.

A pain letter is not always the best approach, but knowing what it is and when it would be beneficial to use it is invaluable.

Beneath the ink of tattoos and their meanings

BY MANUELA PASTOR Staff Writer

As time goes on, more people are becoming accustomed to the idea of tattoos and body modifications. Tattoos have become so familiar to us, that designs such as red fiery dragons, black and white roses and cursive letters stating ‘c’est la vie,’ are all common tattoos we wouldn’t be shocked to see if someone showed them to us.

Although the practice of inserting ink into the skin was used mostly for subcultural and religious practices, during the 20th century it transitioned to being a mainstream form of self-expression and art. According to the Pew Research Center, 32% of Americans have at least one tattoo, including 22% who have more than one.

But what are the reasons that compel people to get a tattoo? Do they necessarily have to be personal or have they become so common that they don’t need a specific meaning?

I have two tattoos: one which is meaningful to me, and another so fool-

ish that it sometimes makes me regret even getting tattoos. When I was young, I remember being mesmerized any time I saw the huge red, green, and blue eagle design that spread across my dad’s back. His tattoo served as a poignant reminder of the essence of rebelliousness and freedom, showcasing the power of personal choice in selecting meaningful symbols and transforming them into works of art.

I loved the idea of being able to design something, anything your mind desired, and place it carefully on any place of your body.

I was so eager to get one, that the same day I turned 18, I took myself to the tattoo parlor and got my very first design; the date of the year my sister was born along with my own birth year. After a couple of years, I got my sec-

ond one. I will spare you the details of what the design is, but take my word when I say it was foolish. I believe I got so excited about the idea of getting tattoos, that it crowded my judgment while getting my second one.

“Any tattoo is a good tattoo, right?” Is what went through my head after getting my first tattoo.

Although many people would tell me that after you get your first tattoo it becomes like an addiction, after my second one, I decided that maybe the idea of getting body art wasn’t necessarily for me.

Though there are many reasons why people get tattoos, such as religious, personal, aesthetic or simply because they think they look ‘cooler,’ there is no doubt to say that tattoos have become more commonly accepted by society.

Therefore, if you have been thinking of getting one, maybe this is your sign to do something creative and to express yourself in different ways. But, always remember that if you make the same mistake as me, tattoos aren’t as easy to remove as other kinds of body modifications.

Graphic

/

MANUELA PASTOR / Daily Forty-Niner

Picture of my first ankle tattoo, Roman numerals referencing the year my sister was born (1998) and the year I was born (2000).

Dan Monson: The players' coach out of a job, yet leading his team to the dance

BY MATTHEW GOMEZ Sports Assistant

Monday morning, a week after being fired and three days before what could be his last game as Long Beach State men’s basketball coach, Dan Monson played wiffleball with his team during what he called ‘Mental Mondays,’ still yet to do any preparation for Thursday’s game vs. Arizona.

Monson was quick to mention that during his tenure, the coaches and managers remained undefeated against the players in the yearly contest, telling his team that their, “heads are getting too big. So we’re going to bring them down a little bit.”

That’s the type of coach Monson is, he comes across as very personable, yet is still leaving a substantial impact on his players and staff.

Those ‘Mental Mondays’ were noted by the co-founder of the sports media outlet The562, JJ Fiddler, who spent the entirety of Monson’s time at The Beach covering everything to do with Long Beach sports.

“They wouldn’t practice on a Monday to just like talk to a sports psychologist or have one of the players talk about something they’ve gone through,” Fiddler said. “That dedication to the mental part of the game was actually a little bit ahead of its time.”

Finishing the year at 21-14 was an improvement from the year prior and just a tick behind 2021-22’s 20-13 record that boasted a minuscule advantage in terms of winning percentage.

However, this year’s record was clouded by a sense of urgency to make a change after an end-of-the-year collapse.

It was a sizeable decision to relieve Monson of his duties just days before the tournament was set to begin and it created a sense around the team that they had already been written off.

The discussions of parting ways were initiated by Monson after the team’s fifth loss in a row to close out the regular season on March 9 against UC Davis.

“I think, Dan and everybody else would tell you that it was disappointing because of the caliber of student-athletes on the roster and the results that we were achieving,” LBSU Athletic Director Bobby Smitheran said.

A statement made by LBSU Athletics announcing the two parties’ separation on March 11 thanked him for his 17 years in charge and celebrated his contributions, namely becoming the winningest coach in program history.

“I told them if we couldn’t turn it around at the tournament that I was going to resign after,” Monson said. “The only thing we disagreed on is that they wanted to do it last Monday, and I wanted to wait ’till afterward.”

While bittersweet, Monson was just grateful for the opportunity to finish the year, noting how easily it would’ve been to relieve him immediately. It gave him a chance for one last run with this team, one last dance, all in with nothing to lose.

His tenure at The Beach was a valley

of highs and lows as described by Fiddler, a tale of coming up short in the three games that matter each year in the conference tournament, and the everlasting need to build on 2012’s trip to March Madness.

“I think there was an unrealistic expectation of results from the Long Beach State basketball community because of the immediate early success,” Fiddler said.

“Other than the results, I think I look at it as a program that like I would want to send my son to because he brought kids in and got them graduated.”

As of the end of The Big West tournament, Monson has tallied 547 total games at the helm with 275 wins, 272 losses and a .503 winning percentage. Four Big West Regular Season Championships and now two NCAA tournament invitations bolster his resume.

The stats don’t show all the student-athletes whose lives he influenced and all the staff members he inspired to move on to the next level. Throughout his coaching career, Dan Monson has elevated those around him.

Earlier in the season, Monson’s team paid a visit to a Saint Monica Preparatory basketball game. It was a rainy weekday, but the team was there showing support to its former assistant coach Allen Caveness who left at the end of last season. For Caveness, it showed that LBSU was still producing fruit in terms of the relationships from his time there.

Caveness is a prominent figure in both Long Beach and basketball in his own regard. The former assistant coached at St. Anthony High School for seven years and is a former Drew League MVP and champion. To him, “Coach Monson is a staple in Long Beach.”

“Doing it for almost two decades is unheard of —- He’s been incredible for the city,” Caveness said.

Joel Murray is another member of last season’s team who left The Beach, but he returned in a new capacity.

In two years at The Beach, he shined averaging 16.4 points per game. Monson gave him a chance at the D1 level after having recruited him from Division II school West Texas A&M.

As Murray’s final season was cut two months short due to injury, Monson again brought him into the conversation, saying he wanted him around in some capacity.

“He just, he took me in as his own like he did two years ago, three years ago,” Murray said.

Monson is a players-coach because of who he is, and to Murray, “Dan, the human is one of the best. He’s one of the best people I’ve ever been around.”

“Dan, the person is somebody that I feel like everybody should experience at least once in their lifetime,” he said.

In the run-up to the Big West tournament, Monson made sure his team could remain in lighthearted spirits despite the circumstances, speaking volumes about his leadership.

According to a CBS news interview done by CBS morning, Monson said that while the team was watching film and after he announced that he resigned, he pointed to one of their defensive clips and said, “that kind of play would get a coach fired.” This evoked laughter from his players and strengthened the bond that allowed them to rally around him.

After the semi-final win against UC Irvine, Monson worried the tanks might have been running empty after playing back-to-back nights. He thought out of

the box and painted a picture for his team of what the next 24 hours could look like if they beat UC Davis before breaking down emotionally.

Then he let junior guard Jadon Jones take over, who echoed to his team that the moment was not too big.

“I said to him, ‘you know, a good parent always learns from their kids and a good coach always learns from their players and Jadon [Jones] when you put stay in the moment this afternoon it really hit home to me,’” Monson said.

It was sentimental after the moment when Monson became emotional for the first time all week in front of his team while talking about what Selection Sunday for the NCAA Tournament could look like. At that moment, he got emotional because he wasn’t in the moment.

Monson never asked for his team to play for him, it’s not what he wanted. The moment was theirs. After the win against UC Davis, Monson was embraced by his team, something he warned them against.

Despite all that unfolded in the last week, Monson is seemingly as content as ever. He plans to play the cards he’s been dealt and stay in the moment. What comes next is in the future, but he still aspires to continue coaching.

That said, with whatever happens in the tournament, don’t expect Monson to act any different. With all eyes set on his team’s game against Arizona on March 21 in Salt Lake City, one of the most captivating Cinderella stories is being led by a man who seems content.

“I wouldn’t trade my life for anybody in the world. I don’t know where it goes from here. I’m not auditioning or anything like that. I am who I am,” Monson said.

NAOKI GIMA / Daily Forty-Niner

Long Beach State Men’s Basketball head coach, Dan Monson, lectures the team on putting in more effort on defense and making appropriate reads off the ball during the team’s practice on Monday.

March sadness: The reality of the NCAA Tournament

BY DAVIS RAMAGE Sports Editor

Madness is the perfect superlative to describe the month of March for Long Beach State men’s basketball, but the NCAA Tournament showed how quickly March Madness can turn to March sadness.

There is a 15-minute grace period from the end of the game until the losing team has to go and speak to the media. 15 minutes to cope with the fact that you are going back home with no trophy and no basketball until November, and for some, never again.

Junior forward Aboubacar Traore, junior guard Jadon Jones and sophomore guard AJ George slowly walked up to the press conference stage followed by their head coach Dan Monson and the room went quiet when they entered.

When they emerged from behind the curtain shielding the view of the stairs, you could immediately see the sadness on their faces and through their body language.

After a wild past couple of weeks where Monson was fired and his last game with the team was unexpectedly prolonged until the NCAA Tournament, all you could do was empathize with them.

The moment seemed bittersweet for Monson as he reflected on all this team had accomplished after almost everyone wrote them.

“It was emotional in the locker room, but I made them look me in the eyes,” Monson said. “There’s no heads down because I can’t be more proud, this group needs their heads up high and I wanna thank them for the ride.”

After Monson’s powerful opening

statement, it was the players’ turn to talk. A group of players had just gone through battle against one of the top teams in the country, the Arizona Wildcats, but were defeated 85-65.

Jones is the player that Monson has credited with bringing this team together after they heard the news about their coach, and it was obvious on the stand that the players looked to him for leadership and guidance.

He was the first player to answer a question and he made sure to thank everyone from Monson to the janitor.

“Obviously, we’re a little hurt right now,” Jones said. “We didn’t go as far as we wanted to, but we know in a few days looking past it or looking back on it we’re gonna be really proud of this group.”

Traore could be seen looking off into the distance and he was visibly upset at the loss. He even declined to answer a question, something you can not blame him for after what he has been through.

What was not visible to the camera was Monson’s family huddled up with their arms around each other in the back of the conference room.

They were emotional and filming what could be the last time they would get to see their husband and father in a press conference.

“I’m the luckiest guy in this tournament and in the world to get to do what I got to do today with these guys,” Monson said.

A season full of peaks and valleys for LBSU has ended, and for whatever reason it will be remembered, the bottom line is that it will be remembered.

“Obviously it hurts this being our last game with him, [Monson] but it’s not truly a goodbye because like I said, we’re a family and that’s never gonna go away because love is unconditional,” Jones said.

Former LBSU men's basketball head coach ” There’s no heads down because I can’t be more proud, this group needs their heads up high and I wanna thank them for the ride.

Dan Monson

Photos by JOHN FAJARDO / LBSU Athletics

LBSU head coach Dan Monson with his arm around junior guard Jadon Jones in an emotional press conference after The Beach’s 86-65 loss to the Arizona Wildcats in the

Sophomore guard AJ George and LBSU head coach Dan Monson embracing as George was pulled out of the game due to the game being out of reach. LBSU would be eliminated by the Arizona Wildcats 86-65 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

LORI MIYAKODANI / LBSU Athletics

Dirtbags sweep Fullerton in 15-mile rivalry series

BY ADRIAN MEDINA Staff Writer

Long Beach State played their rivals, the Fullerton Titans, with a record-breaking attendance this series of 8,948 fans on Bohl Diamond at Blair Field.

The rivalry between the Dirtbags and the Titans began on a high note Friday evening as the Dirtbags took game one in a 5-2 win.

Sophomore pitcher Myles Patton is Friday night's starter for the Dirtbags, going seven shutout innings and striking out seven, which he was named Big West Pitcher of the Week.

Junior right fielder Kyle Ashworth and senior catcher John Newman Jr. each recorded three hits, which sparked the offense this Long Beach State team needed.

Newman Jr. slashed an RBI double driving in two, making it an early 2-0 Dirtbag lead in the bottom half of the first.

He crushed a solo home run over the left field wall, making it a commanding 5-0 lead in the bottom of the sixth inning.

The Titans avoided the shutout by scoring two in the bottom half of the eighth, making it a 5-2 deficit.

Junior pitcher Mike Villani shut out the Titans in the ninth, securing the 5-2 and taking game one of the rivalry series.

Saturday night’s contest saw the Dirtbags come from behind and beat the Titans 4-3.

Fullerton got out to an early lead with a solo home run over the left field

” Our boys played really well. When we did make mistakes we were able to overcome, and weren't looking back just looking ahead.

Bryan Peters Dirtbags head coach

wall by junior center fielder Moises Guzman in the top of the fourth.

The Titans got some help from Dirtbags' true freshman shortstop Adrian Lopez, who committed a throwing error on a throw home that allowed sophomore first baseman Luke Mistone to score from third, making it a 3-0 contest in the top of the seventh.

Long Beach State tacked on their first run with an RBI single by junior center fielder Alex Champagne but a throwing error scored junior designated hitter Cole Santander and Newman Jr., inching closer to Fullerton's 3-2 lead.

Senior second baseman Nick Marinconz tied the game with an RBI single that scored Champagne. Junior left fielder Connor Charpiot hit a sacrifice fly and gave Long Beach State a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the eighth.

Villani was tasked with getting the

Dirtbags' final three outs and he did that successfully, securing the comeback 4-3 win for Long Beach.

The series' last game saw the Dirtbags pull some late-game heroics and win 9-6.

Both teams started hitting strong early with the Dirtbags when junior first baseman Jack Hammond scored an RBI off a fielder's choice groundout in the bottom of the first.

Dirtbags' sophomore starting pitcher CJ Hood struggled with his command early and the Titans took advantage by loading the bases early. Fullerton tacked on their first run through a costly hit-bypitch that struck junior catcher Waldie Perez and tied the game 1-1 during the top of the second.

After a Fullerton two-run single, the Dirtbags responded in a big way with an Ashworth two-RBI double that tied

the game 3-3 in the bottom half of the second.

Fullerton freshman first baseman Tyler Holley slashed a two-run home run over the left-field wall and gave the Titans a 5-4 lead in the top of the third.

Marinconz hit a sacrifice fly in the bottom half of the third and tied the game for the Dirtbags 5-5.

The Titans continued their offensive outpour by adding a run in the top half of the fifth with an RBI single from freshman right fielder Alijah Ramos.

Champagne got his third hit of the ball game after he hit an RBI single, which scored Newman Jr. and tied the game at 6-6.

The highlight of the game came from the bat of true freshman shortstop Adrian Lopez when he crushed a threerun home run over the right field wall and put the Dirtbags up 9-6 in the bottom half of the eighth.

“To be able to come through for the team is just something you dream about coming here,” Lopez said.

Junior pitcher Grant Cherry pitched two and a third innings and gave up no runs. The Dirtbags turned to freshman pitcher Nick Williams to pick up the last out of the game and solidified the series sweep against Fullerton 9-6.

“Our boys played really well,” Dirtbags' head coach Bryan Peters said. “When we did make mistakes we were able to overcome, and weren't looking back just looking ahead.”

The Dirtbags look to keep their momentum going as they travel to Cal State Bakersfield in a three-game series starting this Thursday.

True freshman Adrian Lopez blasted a go ahead three-run homerun in the bottom of the eighth inning in Sunday's game on Bohl Diamond at Blair Field. Lopez's homerun secured the series sweep of Fullerton.

Pitching shines in weekend sweep of UC Davis Aggies

Long Beach State softball wins its sixth straight after a threegame series against UC Davis, including backto-back walk-offs and two complete games from Sophia Fernandez.

BY JACK HASLETT Staff Writer

Stellar pitching carried an otherwise lackluster offense as Long Beach State softball swept UC Davis in a weekend series sweep.

Senior pitcher Sophia Fernandez pitched 11 innings in a marathon first game of the Saturday doubleheader. The lefty was lights out, allowing just one run off a triple in the first inning and tying a career-high with seven strikeouts, tossing 162 pitches during the 11-inning crawl.

In game two, junior pitcher Eryka Gonzales got the start and was relieved in the second inning by freshman Kate Barnett after a scoreless first where Gonzales allowed two hits.

Barnett wouldn’t relinquish the ball for the rest of the game and shut the Aggies out in seven innings, striking out two while allowing just two hits.

“I was really just trying to rely on my defense… just trying to keep that energy from the offense going into the defense,” said Barnett. “Ryk [Gonzales] did a really good job from just the very first inning.”

Across two games and eighteen total innings, the Beach only scored three runs, one of them unearned.

The Beach amassed eight hits across 11 innings of the first game on Saturday. Despite this, they would not score until the sixth inning, where they tied the Aggies 1-1.

That would be their only run until the game-winning run in the 11th, when sophomore infielder Selena Perez singled with the bases loaded to drive home senior Sara Olson to win the game.

In game two of the double-header The Beach left eight runners on and the only run scored, which would be the winning run in the eighth, came unearned because of an Aggie fielding error.

Fernandez started the Sunday game just 24 hours after going the distance for 11 innings in game one.

Fernandez’s dominance continued in the series finale: the hurler went the dis-

tance once again, allowing just five hits while pitching all seven innings and securing the win.

“I had to grind through it,” said Fernandez. “I had to adjust my pitches; I was throwing slower because I threw so much yesterday,”

Both teams’ bats started the third game just as dormant as they had been in the first two. Neither team scored a run until the fourth inning.

In the second inning, junior Corissa Sweet ripped a double against the left field wall. Senior Jocelyn Vidal attempted to score from first but was called out at home in a controversial call by home plate umpire Randy Adair.

Head coach Kim Sowder was incensed with the call and argued with both Adair and first base umpire Bubba Ewald. Sowder was eventually ejected by Ewald after kicking up the infield dirt in a gesture toward the umpire.

“After yesterday’s extra-innings ball games… it’s emotional, we’re competing out here,” said Sowder. “We had a chance to score there and [I] just didn’t agree with the call but I shouldn't have

said anything and definitely… done a better job with that. No excuse on my part. Got caught up a little bit in the emotion of the game.”

Sowder then had to be blocked from re-entering the field by another umpire after Olson was also ejected from the game.

Fans from both the Long Beach and UC Davis sides of the stands broiled with tension and exchanged japes as the umpires ordered the situation on the field.

“Our team definitely got fired up, that’s something that brought us together and gave us a little bit more motivation to get some runs across,” said junior third baseman Carly Robbins.

“We definitely used that to our advantage and were able to pull out the W.”

The Beach offense began to show life in the fourth, when sophomore outfielder Makayla Medellin ripped a line drive double over the head of the Aggie left fielder. A squeeze bunt by Robbins scored Medellin from third for the run of the game for either team.

“Good adjustments, in-game adjustments,” said Sowder. “Finding a way,

doing the little things, a squeeze bunt to get on the board.”

A half-swung dribbler with the bases loaded from junior catcher Rebekah Duranzo went just past the Davis pitcher to drive home the second run of the inning and put the Beach up 2-0.

Fernandez allowed her first and only run off the game in the fifth, but the Beach answered right back. In the bottom of the inning, Robbins struck a line drive into the left-center gap, driving in another run to pad their lead 3-1.

Perez doubled in an insurance run in the sixth to put LBSU up 4-1. The team scored more runs in the first six innings of the Sunday game than they had across both Saturday contests.

The Beach wouldn't need any more insurance as Fernandez closed out the game for her second complete game in as many days.

The sweep against conference rivals improves LBSU to 5-1 against Big West opponents and 10-22 overall. A threegame series versus CSUN will start on Friday, March 29 at the LBSU Softball Complex.

Photo courtesy of LBSU Athletics

Senior pitcher Sophia Fernandez's dominant weekend in the circle against UC Davis earned herself Big West Pitcher of the Week honors. Fernandez has been an essential piece in The Beach flipping the script of their season after the early preseason struggles. LBSU is currently tied for first in conference standings with a 5-1 record.

Photos by NAOKI GIMA

LAST DANCE

What started with victories over Michigan, DePaul and USC but ended with a 5-game losing streak in the regular season, finished with a flourish with a Big West Conference title and a ticket to the NCAA Tournament.