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ON THE COVER
ETHAN COHEN/Long Beach Current
A protester chants through a megaphone at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Los Angeles on Jan. 30. Protesters frequently gather at the federal MDC building since it is known to house immigration detainees.
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New president appointed at CSULB
BY ANNETTE QUIJADA News Editor
Loren J. Blanchard, a former CSU executive, will serve as the new president of Long Beach State.
The CSU Board of Trustees announced the appointment at their meeting this morning, confirming Blanchard will replace interim president Andrew Jones starting May 1.
In a statement released by the CSU, Blanchard said, “I am deeply honored and profoundly humbled to be named Cal State Long Beach’s next president.”
Blanchard is currently the president of the University of Houston-Downtown and has served there since 2021.
Previously, he worked as the CSU executive vice chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs for six years.
Blanchard is a first-generation college graduate, obtaining his bachelor’s in speech pathology education from Xavier University of Louisiana. He also has a master’s degree in education from McNeese State University and a doctorate in educational psychology from the University of Georgia.
Photo courtesy of LONG BEACH STATE WEBSITE
Former CSU executive Loren J. Blanchard to serve as Long Beach State president starting May 1, replacing interim president Andrew Jones who has served since August 2025.
“CSULB is renowned for being a student-centered university that fosters a culture of holistic support, community engagement and inclusive excellence,” Blanchard said. “I look forward to joining The Beach community in the transformational work it does every day to turn dreams into reality for thousands of diverse and talented students.”
In the statement, CSU Trustee Christopher Steinhauser said the committee was impressed with Blanchard’s “demonstrated strategic and inclusive leadership style and strong commitment to student success.”
Scan here for the video.
Here at the Long Beach Current we acknowledge that the school we report on is located on the sacred site of Puvungna, “the gathering place.” We are on the land of the Tongva/ Gabrieleño and the Acjachemen/Juaneño Nations who have lived and continue to live here.
We also acknowledge the Gabrieleño/Tongva (pronounced: GABRIEL-EN-YO/TONG – VAH) and Acjachemen/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. land acknowlEdgmEnt
Editorials:
Editorials: All opinions expressed in the columns, letters and cartoons in the issue are those of the writers or artists. The opinons of the Long Beach Current are expressed only in unsigned editorials and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the journalism department or the views of all staff members. All such editorials are written by the editorial board of the Long Beach Current.
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lEttEr Policy: All letters and emails must bear the phone number of the writer and must be no more than 300 words. The Long Beach Current reserves the right to edit letters for publication in regard to space.
Students walk out on campus to protest ICE, call for divestment
BY SKYLAR STOCK AND JOSHUA FLORES Video Editor and News Assistant
Over 100 students walked out of class to the central quad at noon on Jan. 26 to protest recent U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement actions and call for Long Beach State’s divestment from companies like Boeing, which they said are complicit with ICE and the genocide in Gaza.
Student organization CSULB Divest and student association La F.U.E.R.Z.A announced the protest on social media, posting on their respective Instagram accounts to encourage students to participate in the walkout.
The Current spoke with third-year business administration major Sarah Garcia, who serves as a media liaison for CSULB Divest.
“It’s been really hard to go to school every day without feeling like anything’s different, even though when I’m at home I know things are different,” Garcia said. “I’m seeing all this violence on my phone, my family is texting me and our family group chat, that they’re worried about me because I have brown skin; they’re worried about themselves.”
After hearing about the protest on Instagram, Garcia wanted to stand with students, both as an individual and a member of Divest. She described her grievances with the university administration.
“Our school has very close ties with Boeing, and Boeing provides the plans for ICE deportation flights, so it’s a contradiction,” Garcia said. “While CSULB claims to be a Hispanic-serving institution, there’s a lot of nice posters that say ‘we stand with immigrants,’ but with their other hand, they are doing business with people that provide technology to ICE.”
Speakers from Divest and associated student organizations, including Anakbayan Long Beach, spoke at the rally on a megaphone, condemning ICE for targeting minorities and for the killings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good.
Students joined in several chants,
DELFINO CAMACHO/Long Beach Current
Students and other members of the campus community gather in the CSULB central quad at noon on Jan. 26, in anticipation of an impromptu student walkout protest rally against recent ICE activities. Some event organizers/speakers wore face masks to keep their identities anonymous in fear of retaliation.
including “Shame,” “F*** ICE,” and “Chinga la migra.”
“I said ‘F*** ICE’ because I believe that the things that have happened in the last year and the years before that have kind of gone beyond a tipping point, and I feel this kind of sentiment and resentment for the people in power and how they choose to use that,” fourth-year film major Cedrix Lontok said.
Lontok said he thinks the community cares and opposes what ICE is doing, and that many people think about saying something but don’t often go out enough to do anything about it, himself included.
The Current also spoke with firstyear undecided major Marco Aguilera on why he came to the protest.
“So many innocent lives have been taken by ICE, either directly taken away
from their families, even if they have papers or people who have been innocently killed by ICE,” Aguilera said. “I think Cal State Long Beach should take the initiative and realize that we’re all out here in direct offense to ICE … so I think Cal State Long Beach should take some self-reflection and look at their students.”
During the walkout, speakers condemned the university’s association with Boeing and called for the administration to divest from it. Speakers pointed to ICE purchasing planes from Boeing to be used for deportation flights as a reason to divest.
Speakers also mentioned the HILL network, which opposes ICE and serves immigrant communities in Hawthorne, Inglewood, Lennox and Lawndale.
The organization is active on Insta-
gram, providing links to fundraisers and instructions for volunteering.
“I see events like these as a way for people to become more aware and connected, but this is far from the last step; we need divestment, we need the university to approve the ASI resolution for divestment,” Garcia said. “The students already decided and now what I want to see is the university listen to its students.”
Scan here for the video.
A city in motion: ‘National Shutdown’ protests against ICE flood Los Angeles
LOS ANGELES – Students walked out of schools, workers left their posts and protesters readied their signs as thousands gathered in downtown Los Angeles to participate in the “National Shutdown” day of protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Friday, Jan. 30.
The march began near the Los Angeles City Hall, where crowds filled the streets holding signs in protest of recent ICE immigration operations in the community and across the country, which led to a series of fatal encounters in Minneapolis.
By mid-afternoon, thousands of protesters marched through the streets of downtown Los Angeles and over the Cesar Chavez Ave-
nue Bridge into Boyle Heights before making their way back to downtown.
Throughout the day, the protests re mained largely peaceful as demonstrators marched in waves, hosting homemade signs and waving flags representing Latin Ameri can nations.
One protester even hoisted up the infa mous One Piece flag, a long-running Japa nese manga series, symbolizing Gen Z pro tests across the globe.
As the evening approached, hundreds of protesters gathered at the Metropolitan De tention Center in Los Angeles, which houses immigration detainees, to clash with federal agents.
What began as a confrontation with words turned violent as protesters and federal agents exchanged blows.
Protesters threw water bottles, rocks and anything they could get their hands
STORY AND PHOTOS BY ETHAN COHEN
Photo Assistant
on. While federal agents used a slew of chemical crowd control measures, including pepper spray, pepper ball and tear gas, to disperse the crowds.
The crowd was unrelenting and eventually rolled a dumpster in front of the vehicle loading dock at the MDC, blocking agents inside the garage. Agents attempted to continue to disperse the crowd by shooting from the rooftops of the building, through side doors and gates.
The crowds eventually were pushed back by the Los Angeles Police Department with the use of less lethal munitions, including rubber bullets.
These images capture small moments throughout the day, documenting the demonstrations, interactions and clashes that unfolded across downtown.
Clockwise from the left: Thousands of people march through the streets of Boyle Heights in participation with the “National Shutdown” days of protests across the community and country on Jan. 30.| A protester screams in pain after being pepper sprayed by federal agents as others attempt to help her during clashes at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Los Angeles on Jan. 30. Countless protesters were targeted with crowd control munitions including pepper spray, pepper balls and tear gas which cause irritation to the eyes, skin and airways. | Multiple Los Angeles Police Department officers fire less lethal munitions at protesters as they attempt to disperse the crowds on Alameda and 1st Streets on Jan. 30.
Campus resources to ease students’ ICE concerns
BY ETHAN BROWN News Assistant
As anti-ICE demonstrations carry on and unrest continues, worried and potentially compromised students can access support services at the Beach.
From campus walkouts to citywide demonstrations, opposition to Immigration and Customs Enforcement has surged locally and nationwide.
At Long Beach State, various resources are available to support students experiencing stress or concerns about ICE.
The California State University system leads the nation in supporting undocumented students, with almost 10,000 enrolled across its 22 campuses.
On Jan. 20, Long Beach State provost Karyn Scissum Gunn sent an email to campus faculty regarding recent ICE activity at the local and national levels.
“At The Beach, we remain committed to cultivating a campus environment grounded in dignity, care, and belonging,” Gunn said. “I want to reaffirm both my support and the university’s support for those who may be experiencing stress and concern during this time. Please know that you are not alone.”
Melissa Norrbom Kawamoto, executive director of Strategic Initiatives at CSULB, said students can use campus resources regardless of immigration status to “help in times like this.”
Here’s a list of on-campus and local resources for those affected by ICE’s presence in the community and nationwide.
Counseling and Psychological Services provides confidential services, and staff are trained to support students facing mental health or personal issues, Kawamoto said.
Location: Brotman Hall, Room 226
Phone: 562-985-4001
The Beach Crisis Text Line (text BEACH to 741741) offers critical support and crisis intervention in English and Spanish, and can be used by family members.
For Underrepresented Empowered Leaders (FUEL) is a student organization that advocates for, educates and empowers the undocumented campus community.
The Dream Success Center provides holistic services, resources and support to members of the Beach community impacted by immigration policy.
Location: Student Success Center, Room 290
Phone: 562-985-5869
The Immigrant Legal Resource Center provides the Dream Success Center on campus with “red cards” that list your constitutional rights. The center also provides guidance on what to do if ICE agents enter university spaces.
CARECEN Los Angeles helps with low-cost legal services for immigrants and works to change unjust policies in defense of immigrant rights in the age of ICE.
Location: 2845 W. 7th St., Los Angeles
Phone: (213) 385-7800
Additional services that do not require disclosure of immigration status include Student Health Services, the University Library, the Writing Center and other academic and wellness-fo-
cused departments.
“All students are encouraged to utilize the full range of campus support services available to assist with their well-being and academic journey,” said Daria Graham, associate vice president of Student Success and Engagement.
Anti-ICE demonstrations have increased over the past few weeks as tensions have escalated over the Trump administration’s pursuit of undocumented immigrants. In Minneapolis, ICU nurse and U.S. citizen Alex Pretti was fatally shot by ICE agents on Jan. 24.
Pretti, who worked for the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, joins at least seven others who died while in detention or in encounters with ICE this year, according to a news report. This includes Renee Good, who was killed in Minneapolis by an ICE agent on Jan. 7.
On Monday, more than 100 students participated in a walkout on campus to protest ICE and call for divestment.
On Friday, Long Beach Unified School District students also participated in a walkout against ICE, with hun-
dreds more gathering near City Hall in downtown Los Angeles.
As of Jan. 16, 73,000 individuals have been detained by ICE at more than 200 detention centers nationwide. At least 32 people died in ICE custody in 2025, according to several news reports.
CSULB would comply with the requirements of Senate Bill 38 if ICE agents were to make their way onto campus grounds, according to Graham. Senate Bill 38 underscores the free speech rights of students and a university’s obligation to protect these rights.
According to Graham, the university’s free speech guidelines “emphasize safety, respect, and the use of designated public areas for demonstrations while prohibiting actions such as blocking walkways or using certain forms of amplified sound during specific hours.”
“In all scenarios, students, faculty and staff are encouraged to prioritize safety, utilize campus resources and engage in activities that support both their well-being and the broader campus community,” Graham said.
DELFINO CAMACHO/Long Beach Current Students gather at the central quad on Jan. 26, in anticipation of an impromptu student walkout rally against recent ICE activities locally and nationwide.
Soul food, culture to kick off Black History Month on campus
BY MONICA GARCIA Arts & Life Assistant
Grab a plate and fill up on Black history at CSULB’s annual Black History Month Cookout set to take place Monday next week.
Long Beach State will host its Black History Month Cookout on Monday, Feb. 2, from noon to 2 p.m. at The Pointe. Attendees can find free food and a variety of student organizations and games.
The cookout is a collaborative event hosted by the Black Resource Center, Associated Students, Inc. Beach Pride Events and Beach XP.
“The Cookout has been a traditional Black History Month event for CSULB for some time now, and also a reflection of one of the ways we as Black folk build community,” Jakeel Harris, assistant director of the Black Resource Center,
said in an email exchange. “We celebrate with connection, community and a good old-fashioned cookout.”
Harris said there will be music expressing Black culture, entertainment from various Black organizations and family-friendly games for attendees to play.
“This event is a way for us to not only come together as a community to connect folks to our different Black organizations and faculty … but also is a way for everyone to be humanized beyond their role on campus,” Harris said.
Following the cookout, CSULB officials will host a wide range of Black History Month events in February, including the 27th Annual MLK Celebration on Feb. 5 and a film screening honoring Miss Major and Trans Black Legacies on Feb. 10 in collaboration with the LGBTQ+ Resource Center.
YOUR GRADUATE CONGRATULATE
GRAM GRAD GRAM
ARTS & LIFE
Meet 3 enduring talents at the Festival of Human Abilities
STORY AND PHOTOS BY
JASON GREEN Arts & Life Assisant
In 1985, then-24-year-old Tommy Hollenstein landed in the hospital for a neck injury after a mountain bike accident, and found himself with a roommate with a broken back.
His hospital roommate was Glenn McIntyre, who would go on to become one of the subsequent founders of the Aquarium of the Pacific’s Festival of Human Abilities.
Hollenstein later became a wheelchair artist, painting colorful art on canvases with his wheelchair tires.
In 2003, almost 20 years after they met, McIntyre asked Hollenstein to participate in the first festival, and he agreed. Hollenstein led workshops that demonstrated his creative process, and over the past 23 years, he has continued to teach and inspire others.
The annual festival continues to make an impact on the Long Beach community every January, showcasing talent in the disabled community.
This year, the 23rd annual Festival of Human Abilities took place from Jan. 24 to Jan. 25.
The event featured several exhibitors, performances, demonstrations and workshops, primarily by disabled individuals. Here’s a spotlight on three disabled artists and performers from the festival.
Tommy Hollenstein –Wheelchair Painter
Hollenstein has been painting for over 25 years, and his work has been featured in several art galleries.
“The first to inspire me [was] my first service dog,” Hollenstein said. “I just wanted to roll through paint one day, and my dog walked through a couple of puddles of paint.”
He has assistants during the art process who help him get paint, position the canvas and clean his wheelchair wheels.
At a festival workshop, Hollenstein demonstrated his creative process to an audience. His assistants helped participants create similar art at the event.
“I love helping the kids,” Hollenstein said. “I love inspiring children and adults and just anybody with a disability, letting them know that they can do anything they want if they put their mind to it.”
At his San Fernando Valley studio, Hollenstein has a caregiver who has helped him with his art for 13 years. She’s developed a deep understanding of his art and process, picking out certain colors before he even asks.
Hollenstein has lost count of how many gallery shows he’s been a part of. His first show was at the Bernards Wine Gallery in Calabasas in 2007, and in 2024, his work was featured at Artverse Gallery in Paris.
The Rollettes – Dance Team
McIntyre, one of the event’s founders, became a wheelchair user later in life and died in 2010. The aquarium honors his legacy by presenting the annual Glenn McIntyre Heritage Award to individuals or organizations for their contributions to people with disabilities.
The 2026 Glenn McIntyre Heritage Award was bestowed upon the Rollettes, a Los Angeles-based organization for women and girls who use wheelchairs.
They have a dance team and offer dance classes, mentorship programs and the Rollettes Experience, a summer disability-empowerment event hosted by the Rollettes Foundation.
The dance team has performed at the aquarium for over 10 years. Chelsie Hill, who became a wheelchair user after an injury, founded the team in 2012 to connect with other women like her and provide a space to dance.
Accepting the award on behalf of the
group were dance team members, team captain and content and marketing director Conner Lundius, Kaylee Bays and Danika Whitsett, respectively.
“We are just so incredibly honored, we love what we do,” Lundius said to the crowd at the Honda Pacific Visions Theater on Jan. 24. “And it’s really not about us, it’s about the community and everyone that we impact.”
Lundius, 33, joined the Rollettes team in 2017 part-time, after becoming a wheelchair user from a car accident in Illinois when she was 22.
Her occupational therapist introduced her to the team and she connected with them on social media.
“As someone in their early 20s, I wanted to continue on living my life, and since my injury, I’ve just tried to be as positive as
possible,” she said.
Lundius first practiced this new dance style through an online tutorial uploaded by Hill, the founder of Rollettes. Because of her dance background, she found wheelchair dancing natural and the movements easy to adapt.
The Illinois native moved to L.A. to become fully part of the team in 2019. By 2020, she was team captain and performed in the festival ever since.
Before her Rollettes venture, Lundius had been dancing since she was 5 years old. She competed through college as a member of the dance team at Fontbonne University.
“I think then when it came to dancing, I only focused more on how it felt and what I could do and translating movements and finding new ways to do
The Rollettes hosted workshops at the Aquarium of the Pacific’s Watershed Classroom on Jan. 24 and teaches participants dances to the song “Golden” by HUNTR/X.
things instead of reflecting on maybe what I would have done prior to becoming disabled,” Lundius said.
Bays, 29, is a newer member of the dance team, joining just two years ago. She participated in the festival for the first time this year.
Living with spina bifida, Bays was a dancer in Disney’s parades from 2015 to 2018.
She started to lose mobility following an Ehlers-Danlos syndrome diagnosis in 2018 and began using a wheelchair during the pandemic. Her last project before using a wheelchair full-time was dancing in Steven Spielberg’s 2021 movie, “West Side Story.”
During the pandemic, Bays practiced adaptive dance in her home before becoming a wheelchair dancer. Similar to
Lundius, she found the Rollettes online and watched their videos.
She met the team at the Festival of Human Abilities the following year and was invited to join the team in 2024.
“I was 12 years old, I was given five years to live due to lung compression from a really severe, rare type of scoliosis, and so for two years of my life, I danced sitting on the floor of my house,” she said.
Having already experienced a disability, Bays credits the experience for instilling core values in her and for “showing her the ropes” of what a disabled life can be.
“I had a big, bulky hospital chair at the time, long before I ever knew I’d be a fulltime wheelchair user,” Bays said. “[But] that gave me a glimpse into what it meant to adapt to movement and to adapt to life.”
In addition to the Glenn McIntyre Heritage Award, the dance team was also awarded a Certificate of Recognition from the Councilwoman Mary Zendejas’ office for District 1.
This month, a prominent ambassador for the Rollettes Experience, Addie Wisniewski, died at 25 from flu complications. The Rollettes dedicated their dance to her during the award presentation.
“We were always grateful to have her at Rollettes experience, and I know the memory of her will live on for many years to come,” Lundius said.
Zendrea Mitchell –Sign Language Performer
Zendrea Mitchell is a Deaf woman who has performed sign language since she was 16, and has performed at the festival for 17 years.
At the festival, Mitchell signed popular songs in American Sign Language at the Honda Blue Caver.
Every signing performance is unique, as is the person who signs a song.
That individuality in sign performance prompts Mitchell to reminisce about the first time she saw poems signed in her youth. She felt a different dimension to Robert Frost’s poem “Fire and Ice” when interpreted through sign.
Growing up in Oceanside in the 1980s proved challenging for Mitchell, as no one else knew sign language.
Click here for full story.
and 25 during the Festival of Human Abilities, as seen here as Kaylee Bays Zendrea Mitchell, a deaf woman and sign language performer, signed to several songs at the Aquarium of the Pacific’s Festival of Human Abilities.
ARTS & LIFE
Meet the clubs that pack the quad during Week of Welcome
BY NI BALINESS AND DELFINO CAMACHO Arts & Life Assistant and Arts & Life Editor
Upper campus was brimming with tents, tables and students as the last week of January signaled the Week of Welcome for those arriving and returning to campus this spring semester.
Taking place Jan. 28 and 29, the biannual festival encourages students to go beyond their daily classes and participate in extracurricular activities, including those offered by resource offices and student clubs.
The Current caught up with just a few of the over 200 clubs that participated in the bustling event to see what it takes to table at Week of Welcome.
Anime Club
Now the club’s event coordinator, second-year transfer and sociology major Jessica Tran, first heard about Anime Club during her first Week of Welcome.
“At community college, there wasn’t any anime or special interest clubs; it was
all academics clubs,” Tran said. “I got here and I walked down during Week of Welcome and there they are. I’m like, ‘They got anime club here! This is for me.’”
This year marked her second Week of Welcome as an Anime Club board member but her third overall. Tran described the club tabling process, which includes using a QR code provided by Associated Students, Inc. to reserve a table via Eventbrite.
Cambodian Student Society
Under the blazing sun, various country flags were displayed along the cultural section of the quad. Along with their flag, Cambodian Student Society showcased two poster boards filled with memories, smiles and past events.
Tasha Kijbumrungsilp, a third-year kinesiology major, historian and marketer for Cambodian Student Society, was elected to the board last spring. As it was her first time tabling, she said it was intimidating to start but now sees it as a way to interact with all kinds of students.
“You try to recruit people no matter what background they are because at
the end of the day, we’re just trying to preserve our culture and let people know we exist,” Kijbumrungsilp said.
Video Game Development Association
Club president and computer science major Matt Orbita said there is much value in Week of Welcome for a more niche club like the Video Game Development Association.
“For a niche club, if we didn’t have
an event like this, at some point, our club would just be officer meetings every week,” Orbita said. “So we definitely need something like this.”
Unlike a general video game appreciation club, the association gives a space for students interested in the development and creation of original games. Click here for full story.
‘What Price is Freedom?’ Asks the Vampire
BY DELFINO CAMACHO Arts & Life Editor
Ireally liked “Sinners.” A 1930s-set, afro-gothic horror movie where old-school gangsters and bluesmen fight vampires? Yes, please.
Even the minor critiques I had –like some performances being too contemporary, or clearly dubbed ADR lines – only added to its charm.
“Sinners” reminds me of the kind of big-budget, high-concept original action-horror movies we used to get in the ’80s and ’90s. Audiences and critics seem to agree. The film pulled in $368 million at the box office and landed a record-breaking 16 Academy Award nominations.
In an era when studios only spend blockbuster money on well- worn IP –
superheroes, Barbie, even Pop Tarts – there’s something extra impressive about what writer-director Ryan Coogler pulled off.
Coogler, no stranger to corporate IP himself, leveraged his “Black Panther” and “Creed” success to make an original story entirely his own.
While nominations don’t guarantee wins (just ask “Killers of the Flower Moon”), I really hope “Sinners” brings home Best Original Screenplay.
Beyond its impressive visuals and bombastic style, the film is thoughtful and at times blunt about its central theme: freedom. Who has it? Who wants it? Who or what defines it?
I keep thinking about when villain(?) vampire Remmick (Jack O’Connell) tries to bargain with hero Stack
(Michael B. Jordan).
He isn’t racist, he says – not like the mortal Klan members – no. He insists that while he’s an undead vampire, he too has been wronged by “Christian men.”
In that twisted logic, he offers our heroes a deal: join him, shed this “feigned humanity,” and gain a kind of harmony, maybe even revenge against the true evil of the world.
While not ideal (no sun and no garlic, ever?) It’s not a bad deal either. And in that conflict lies the thematic genius of “Sinners.”
Of course, Remmick’s definition of freedom isn’t real.
He isn’t offering true liberation; he’s offering his version of freedom. One that, while perhaps better than
the alternative, is still a compromise. Is escaping prejudice by becoming undead truly free?
The script understands how oppressors – even competing ones – weaponize the language of freedom. How they twist it and rebrand it, until the oppressed fight against their own interests.
We’re living in a moment when institutions promise “more freedom” through acts that remove past ones. New laws or new databases that ask for just a little more of ourselves in return.
Maybe that’s the real horror Coogler tapped into: monsters aren’t seductive because they offer power, they’re seductive because they offer a version of freedom that’s easier to attain than the real thing.
DELFINO CAMACHO/Long Beach Current Anime club event coordinator Jessica Tran cosplayed as the character Oguri Cap from the horse girl racing anime Uma Musme during the Wednesday portion Week of Welcome on Jan. 28, both for fun and to attract potential new members.
Can we still buy ‘stylish’ clothes while also staying on budget?
BY JOSEPHINE ROBINSON News Assistant
Shopping feels weird right now.
On one hand, fast fashion and overconsumption have completely taken over daily life. On every corner of the internet, there is this notion that if you don’t get the latest this or the trending that of the week, you’re automatically falling behind on what is mainstream. It’s a never-ending stream of “buy, buy, buy,” except all those trending items that everyone seems to have, the ones influencers swear by, require that you spend insurmountable amounts of money to obtain.
As a college student who cares deeply about fashion expression while also staying on budget, I often feel stuck in this weird in-between.
However, I find a bit of reprieve in this idea: “Money can’t buy style.” It’s a short quote within a larger message that fashion and interior designer
Iris Apfel echoed throughout her career to remind people that wealth does not automatically equate to fashion sense. While her loud and eclectic designs were hardly for everyone, Apfel’s point that sustainability and fashion can go hand in hand applies to anyone.
It’s almost therapeutic, recognizing where wealth and style are at a crossroads.
I often find those four words leaving my mouth after stumbling upon upscale homes that look almost soulless, clothing pieces with high-end brands plastered on the front, or design choices that just look…cheap, even though the price tag says otherwise.
This line of thinking allows me to reshape my perspective and look back at the sustainability pioneers in my life, like my great-grandmother who wove her legacy in rag rugs made purely of old shirts my grandfather grew out of. One of them has laid across my living room floor since I was a baby.
I think about all the outfits I’ve gone out of my way to compliment that were proudly passed down to the wearer.
I reflect on the thrifting movement that has taken over the way people shop in the last six years, even though secondhand stores have always been around.
Reusing and upcycling, while not something you would hear in the same sentence as “trending,” is nonetheless impactful, not only on an environmental and economic scale but within a creative culture. I find that the stories of those who took the time to examine why something has been discarded and create something new, something that exceeds the lifetime of its intended purpose, are far more impactful and inspiring.
Take the Watts Towers by Simon Rodia, who cemented his legacy within Los Angeles culture through “found objects.” Or the young designers at Sage Hill High School, who held a fashion show featuring clothing made purely of
upcycled material in 2024, all of which was sold at the Melrose Trading Post.
Having money to spend does not mean you’re crowned “fashionable,” and in our current dilemma of mass-produced clothing piling up in landfills and oceans, it’s important to recognize that what you have is enough, that whatever you want added to your wardrobe already exists, and none of it should require you to spend over budget.
No one is immune to being influenced into buying the next new thing. Even I catch myself scrolling through an “upscale” brand I’d never heard of, just because I saw an influencer wear one of their pieces.
But we must remind ourselves: Do we actually need to spend this much money to achieve “style,” or do we need to reframe our thinking about what we already have and be patient that we’ll find what we need if we just take the time to look for it?
Graphic by GABRIELLE LASHLEY/Long Beach Current
Waves of Wisdom:
How do I become closer to my classmates?
BY LEYNA VU Opinions Editor
Practical advice from The Current’s staff—learn how to build friendships beyond the classroom.
Q: There’s someone I want to become better friends with, but I am super, super shy. The issue is: I don’t just want to be better friends with this person at school; I want to eventually spend time with them outside of lectures. How should I go about befriending them?
– Nervous Nancy
A: This is very sweet, and you’re not alone! When it comes to befriending people in your classes, a lot of it boils
down to making the first move. I am a shy person myself, so this is especially difficult for me. Still, I understand part of the experience is not tying yourself down to interaction, especially if they show no interest.
This can go one of two ways. Worstcase scenario, they are not interested in becoming friends; there is nothing that can be done about that. Or two, they are secretly shy themselves!
A lot of my classmates are like that, but every interaction with your person doesn’t have to culminate in a fulllength discussion, as much as we may want it to.
I had a professor tell me that the secret to selling anything is approaching a person at least seven times. I believe the same is true with friendship! Jeffery A. Hall, a professor from the University of Kansas’s Department of Communication Studies, states that the process
of friendship can span tens of hours for students and over a hundred hours for adults.
For those I wanted to become better friends with, success wasn’t guaranteed (partly because CSULB is a commuter school), but small, consistent attempts to talk to your person of interest will pay off.
Because you have classes with the person you want to befriend, this is easy, as you can talk about homework or exams. Asking about their weekend or what they plan to do after class is also a good option once you two are better acquainted.
Ideally, sitting next to this person can make all the difference in deepening your bond, especially if they sit next to you first as well. Still, I understand this can be difficult if they already sit with others during lectures.
For this reason, arriving a few min-
utes early or staying a few minutes after to catch this person matters.
Exchanging socials and texting outside of school is tricky, as digital correspondence can give way to overthinking. Still, in-person interactions are often more meaningful and can compound if you are consistent.
Additionally, practicing with others is always a good thing. When it comes to friendship, you don’t have to put all your eggs in one basket. Before talking to your person, it helps to warm up by trying these tips and tricks on other classmates.
Once you feel like you are better friends with your person and think they feel the same way, definitely exchange socials and ask if you two can hang out sometime. Best of luck to you!
REHANSA KULATILLEKE/Long Beach Current
LBSU women stuns UC Riverside, 75-72
BY JUNIOR CONTRERAS Sports Assistant
Adagger contested-three and 29 points from Long Beach State sophomore guard JaQuoia Jones-Brown led The Beach to a final second 75-72 victory over UC Riverside on Thursday, Jan. 29, at the LBS Financial Credit Union Pyramid.
Trailing by two with 1:45 left to play, LBSU (3-17) senior guard Khylee Pepe poked away a steal as LBSU freshman guard Brynna Pukis found Jones-Brown for a contested top of the key three to give The Beach a 73-72 lead just before the shot clock expired.
With 16 seconds left to play, LBSU freshman forward Rosie Akot pickpocketed the driving UCR junior guard Maya Chocano, forcing a turnover as the Highlanders intentionally fouled Pukis before she put The Beach up three points with nine seconds left to play.
UCR’s (6-14) overtime-forcing three was blocked by the lengthy 6-foot-2 Akot, stamping The Beach’s 75-72 victory as Pepe slammed the ball screaming with emotion as she celebrated with her teammates.
“I think this was a better performance than you’ve seen from us, but it wasn’t perfect, we have so much to grow, and I think that was just excitement,” Pepe said. “I was so happy to do it with them, and I was happy for them, because we show each other in practice what we’re capable of, but we finished, and we executed toward the end.”
Three-straight shooting fouls on The Beach gave the Highlanders an easy 6-0 lead to begin the game before Pukis ended the run with a corner three to begin a 7-0 Beach run to put them ahead after a tough defensive start.
A wing three from UCR sophomore guard and Big West leading scorer Hannah Wickstrom capped off an 8-0 Highlander run, with five-straight coming from her as UCR led 14-7.
The Highlanders went on to make three of their next four attempts from beyond the arc, extending their lead to double digits.
Trailing by eight to begin the second quarter, Akot had the tough duty of guarding the fellow Australian in Wickstorm, but handled the challenge as she held Wickstorm without a field goal through the entire second quarter, only
finding four points by way of the charity stripe.
LBSU head coach Amy Wright reflected on Akot’s seasonal development as a fast-growing “weed.”
“She’s just growing…[coaching] staff sees the potential, people see the potential, fans see the potential, so your eyes naturally go to her,” Wright said. “She’s still going to be the hardest critic on herself…and that’s what’s going to make her a really good player.”
Akot was doing it on the opposite end as well, as she finished through contact to seal an and-one lay to cap off a 9-0 Beach run, with five points coming from her as The Beach trailed 27-26.
The Australian native, Akot, continued to have a great second quarter as a three-pointer and a forced turnover led to a tough jumper from Jones-Brown to give The Beach a 31-30 lead.
LBSU’s defense was swarming in the second, holding UCR to just 11 points in the quarter, as back-to-back threes from Pukis contributed to another 9-0 Beach run as they went into halftime ahead 4036.
The Beach’s cold offense shot one for their last eight attempts with three
minutes left to play in the third as the Highlanders went on a 7-1 run, with five points coming from Chocano to extend their lead, 55-48.
Finishing the quarter behind five, The Beach tied it up at 59 after an andone layup from Jones-Brown capped off a 5-0 run.
Wickstorm drove in and received a shooting foul call as she yelled, “Get off me,” towards the LBSU defense, bringing the energy to her team as Highlander sophomore guard Makayla Minshall finished a 6-0 run with a steal and lay as UCR led, 70-64.
Jones-Brown’s dagger three was her game-leading 29th point on a very special night where she was honored and recognized before the game for hitting 500 career-points at LBSU.
The Georgia native referred to Thursday night as “just another game.”
While LBSU lost its following game on Jan. 31 to the University of Hawai’i (67-44), Wright hopes her team will bounce back at home against UC San Diego (15-6) on Feb. 5.
LBSU senior guard Khylee Pepe celebrates the final score against UCR with redshirt freshman guard Tairat Samuel-Afolabi on Jan. 29. Pepe ended the night with three rebounds at the LBS Financial Credit Union Pyramid.
In sync with the fans, men’s volleyball veteran eyes repeat title
BY BRIANNA APODACA Sports Assistant
Entering his senior season fresh off a national title, Connor Bloom has blossomed into a fan favorite and underdog ace for Long Beach State men’s volleyball.
An outside hitter and opposite, Bloom may not always dominate the stat sheet, but his impact on the court runs deeper.
During last season’s championship run, Bloom played a critical role as a depth piece off the bench and a serve specialist, ending the year as one of six Beach players to record double-digit aces during the season.
Born and raised down the coast in Huntington Beach, Bloom grew up playing many different sports. With past experiences in soccer, baseball and football, volleyball was the one that stuck with him the most.
“Something about it was different from the other sports I played and the flow of the game really stuck with me and I kind of fell in love with it back when I
first started playing,” Bloom said.
After graduating from Orange Lutheran High School, Bloom came to LBSU to continue his love for the game and develop at a prestigious program under then two-time NCAA Champion head coach Alan Knipe and associate head coach Nick MacRae.
Through redshirting in 2022 and playing a bench role in his first several years at The Beach, Bloom grew as a player, becoming the serve specialist he is today.
The consistency in his development has carried over with MacRae’s promotion as the program’s head coach following Knipe’s retirement this past offseason.
“The proof is in the pudding,” MacRae said. “He puts in the work every single day; I think for the volleyball world, you’re able to now see [Bloom] and we’ve seen him like that for the past four years. He’s doing an excellent job on and off the court for us.”
Bloom’s most lasting impact on the LBSU faithful is his patented clap serve.
A personal tradition since his fresh-
LBSU senior outside hitter/opposite and serve specialist Connor
LBS Financial Credit Union Pyramid as fans clap along with him.
man year of high school, Bloom does an emphatic clap before every serve, which remains part of his routine to this day.
Eventually, Beach fans picked up on the tradition and decided to join in as well. According to Bloom, it started with
a few students in the student section one day, but by the end of the game, the entire section clapped along with him.
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Catching the Wave: Long Beach’s new baseball team has an identity crisis
BY TIMOTHY HESSEN Sports Editor
The city of Long Beach was none too pleased with the results of its new professional baseball team’s community-driven naming contest.
Fans began submitting potential team names when the contest opened in September 2025, resulting in three finalists: the Coast, Regulators and Parrots.
While the Regulators were the overwhelming fan favorite on social media,
the team announced its official name would be the Long Beach Coast on Jan. 13, with a slight caveat.
Once a week, the team will play as its “alter-ego,” the Regulators, with alternate uniforms and branding, in a move that Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson called “the best of both worlds.”
While there is precedent for alter-egos in minor league baseball across the country, this naming decision feels like an indecisive half-measure.
The majority of minor league baseball alter-egos, like the Wisconsin Frozen Pizzas and the Fresno Tacos, are
meant to celebrate some unique aspect of the city’s culture in ways that would not work as a permanent name.
What makes the Regulators a puzzling alter ego is that the name was chosen directly in opposition to the Coast’s consideration as the team’s official moniker.
This creates a conflict where one is clearly not the true name; for example, in the case of the Timber Rattlers and Frozen Pizzas, fans will be left confused by the lack of brand consistency.
This dilemma is not something you would want for an expansion team
building a fanbase from the ground up.
Back in November, this column predicted that the Regulators would not be chosen as the team’s official name.
The name is inspired by minority owner and rapper Warren G’s hit song “Regulate,” but the ownership of a team can easily change hands, so tying the name down to a minority owner was always unrealistic.
However, the Long Beach Coast should have stuck to its guns and just picked one name instead of this half-measure that harms the team’s developing brand.
Photo courtesy of LBSU ATHLETICS
Bloom prepares to serve at the