Photo credit: MARK SIQUIG/Long Beach Current Freshman setter Moni Nikolov hoists the NCAA Men’s Volleyball Championship trophy in the air surrounded by his teammates. The Beach swept the UCLA Bruins on Monday, May 12, at the Covelli Center in Columbus, Ohio to win their fourth title in school history. Moni has won NCAA Men’s Volleyball Player of the Year, NCAA Men’s Volleyball Newcomer of the Year, NCAA First Team All-American, Big West Player of the Year and Big West Freshman of the Year.
Papal conclave elects first
Juan Calvillo News Editor news@lbcurrent.com
Julia Goldman Arts & Life Editor arts@lbcurrent.com
BY NASAI RIVAS, JORGE HERNANDEZ & ALAN ALEJANDRO IBARRA
News Assistant & Contributors
The first pope born in the United States was elected on Thursday, May 8, by 133 cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church. The new pope, former Cardinal Robert Prevost, chose the name Leo XIV.
Leo XIV succeeds Pope Francis, who, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, died on April 21. Now, Leo has taken over the reins in leading the church’s 1.4 billion Catholics.
“I’m delighted to welcome Pope Leo the 14th and honor to pledge my love and obedience to our new holy father,” said Archbishop of the Los Angeles Archdiocese, José Horacio Gómez.
Gómez spoke on a YouTube livestream at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels.
The new pope now has some hot-topic issues to face stepping into the position including ordained women in the church, the LGBTQ+ community, sexual abuse scandals and global issues such as the wars in Gaza and Ukraine, and rising tensions between India and Pakistan.
Prevost was born in Chicago, Illinois, on Sept. 14, 1955. Early in his church career, he
was a member of the Order of Saint Augustine and served in Peru as part of an Augustinian mission during the ‘80s and ‘90s.
He was made a cardinal in 2023 by Francis. Before his appointment, he served as the Bishop of Chiclayo in Peru from 2015 to 2023.
Screenwriting major and Catholic student, Jacob Gogue, said he believes the election of Leo XIV was a sign from the church about the United States.
Gogue said it feels like there is “...a suggestion within the Catholic Church, that America is in dire need of guidance.”
He said if the new pontiff leans in Pope Francis’ direction, it could help transform Catholicism in the United States away from regressive beliefs.
Carlos Elias Avila, a 20-year-old second-year computer engineering major said, Catholic-Americans would probably feel more represented and seen with the election of Leo XIV.
“I feel like seeing Pope Francis was a big deal, and I feel like for Americans, they will see a lot more of a different perspective that maybe we could relate to, for sure,” Avila said. Joshua Ruiz, a fourth-year mathematics major, said he hopes the new pope can follow in his predecessor’s footsteps.
“I just hope that the Pope is more, how can we say, his values align more along with, like Pope Francis, for example, who is more open and more forward thinking, if you will,” Ruiz said. “As opposed to conservative thinking.”
land acknowlEdgmEnt
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 Acjachamen/Juaneño (pronounced: AH-HACH-AH-MEN/JUAN-EN-YO) as the traditional custodians of the Los Angeles region along with the Chumash (pronounced: CHOOMOSH) to the north and west, and the Tataviam (pronounced: TAH-TAH-VEE-YUM) and Cahuilla (pronounced: KAH-WEE-YAH) Nations to the east.
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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.
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Monday, May 12 , 2025
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Conservative commentator Charlie Kirk visits CSULB
BY ETHAN COHEN News Assistant
American political activist Charlie Kirk, known for challenging college students on controversial political issues, drew crowds of students and outsiders to Long Beach State on Monday, May 5.
During his noon to 2 p.m. event on The Outpost lawn, Kirk touched on various hot-button political issues, including the economy, immigration, global conflicts and the LGBTQ+ community.
CSULB was one of Kirk’s last stops on his “American Comeback Tour,” which saw him hosting similar debates with college students and faculty nationwide.
The events are affiliated with “Turning Point USA,” a national conservative student organization co-founded by Kirk.
It was not Kirk’s first time at CSULB. In October 2018, his “Campus Clash” tour sparked protests outside the University Student Union Beach Auditorium, where demonstrators voiced opposition to his conservative views.
The university preemptively sent emails to students, faculty and staff ahead of the event, emphasizing its commitment to free speech and expression on campus while noting the University Police Department would have a strong presence.
“Today, one of our student organizations has invited a speaker who will be on campus,” the statement said. “The student organization and their speaker have followed all stipulations of the campus Time, Place and Manner policy, so their event will proceed as planned.”
UPD Chief John Brockie said the event drew in more than 1,000 attendees. While small and scattered protestors were present, their numbers remained relatively limited throughout the event.
Emma Spirescu, 21, president of CSULB’s TPUSA chapter, played a key role in planning and organizing Kirk’s appearance, highlighting the extensive effort involved in bringing it to the campus.
“It was a long process,” she said. “But the school was gracious with us, and we were able to figure everything out. As
long as we followed the policies.”
Spirescu, a senior and liberal studies major, viewed the event as a valuable opportunity for campus-wide discussions and debates on controversial political issues.
“I think there were a lot of great discussions that were had, and students that disagreed and had differing opinions were able to come up and ask someone who’s very involved in politics and get to just hear different ideas,” Spirescu said. “I think that’s what college is all about, hearing different ideas and being exposed to different viewpoints.”
The event attracted numerous spectators from outside the university community, including local residents, political supporters and curious onlookers who came to hear Kirk speak or observe the discussions firsthand.
Katy Leona, 35, a two-time CSULB
alumna and Long Beach local who lives about a half-mile from campus, came as a fan to hear Kirk speak.
“I think that he’s an incredible leader of young people in North America,” Leona said. “As of today, he’s made a really big impact on Gen Z and across college campuses. [There are] now spaces and organized groups of people for conservative college kids.”
Leona said it was much harder for her generation of students to speak out and express their views as conservatives.
Another spectator, who stood in the front row wearing a signed MAGA hat Kirk had tossed to her during the event, drove nearly an hour to hear him speak.
Mikayla Berns, 18, a senior at Westlake High School, traveled from Thousand Oaks with her father to get a chance to see Kirk, whom she largely credits with helping Donald Trump win
the presidency.
“I’ve been following Kirk forever,” Berns said. “I thought he did amazing and answered everyone’s questions. He’s so educated and shows that not everyone needs to go to college to learn about what’s going on in politics.”
Spirescu closed with a sense of success and expressed appreciation for the opportunity to help organize one of the largest public gatherings on campus this academic year.
“Events like these are just the beauty of free speech,” she said. “Having that on a college campus, we want to thank the administration for working with us and helping make this event happen. It was a great turnout, and we’re really happy with how it turned out.”
Arts and Life Assistant Editor Delfino Camacho contributed to this story.
Photo credit: SAMUEL CHACKO/Long Beach Current Conservative political commentator Charlie Kirk visited Cal State Long Beach on his “American Comeback Tour.”
Where are you most at risk for crime in Long Beach?
Not all parts of Long Beach face the same level of risk when it comes to both violent and non-violent crime, according to 2024 data.
BY JUAN CALVILLO & ELIJAH MULLER News Editor & Contributor
An analysis of 2024 crime mapping information shows sharp differences between Long Beach’s four districts—North, South, East and West—particularly regarding crimes targeting individuals.
Findings suggest that depending on where you live, park your car or even walk around town, your chances of being a victim of either violent or non-violent crime vary widely.
Breaking down the numbers: Nonviolent crime
The East District of Long Beach, home to Long Beach State, recorded the highest total number of non-violent crimes last year, with 966 reported incidents. These included motor vehicle thefts, thefts from vehicles and thefts of vehicle parts, as well as incidents of pocket picking and purse snatching.
Long Beach’s North District had 950 total incidents, followed by the South District with 757 and West District with 743.
Motor vehicle theft was the most common non-violent crime across every district. North Long Beach reported the highest number, with 552 vehicle thefts.
Despite being the “safest” district, the South District reported 361 cases over the course of the year. This district includes areas like Belmont Shore and other popular student hangouts.
According to data, residents who leave their cars parked overnight, especially in the North or West districts, face higher risks of vehicle theft. Thefts of vehicle parts and vehicle accessories were
also very prevalent in every district.
The heightened risk of petty theft in South Long Beach was an emerging trend in 2024. The South District led in reported incidents of pocket picking, with 14 cases, and purse snatching, nine cases, which was nearly double the totals seen in any other district.
Violent crime patterns across the city
Violent crime, including assault, robbery, sexual assault, kidnapping and murder, also showed distinct patterns differing from district to district.
South Long Beach recorded the highest total number of violent crimes in 2024, with 1,091 incidents. West Long Beach followed with 873, North with 858, and East with 794.
The violent crimes considered were aggravated assault, simple assault, robbery, kidnapping, murder and sexual assaults, which include forcible fondling, rape, sodomy and statutory rape.
A deeper look at total crime risks
When combining both non-violent and violent crimes, the numbers are even more striking:
South Long Beach had the highest combined total of reported incidents, while West Long Beach had slightly fewer crimes overall, but still reported significant levels of violent crime.
While the 2024 crime numbers are
Graphic credit: JUAN CALVILLO/City of Long Beach
There are four police divisions within the Long Beach City area. Locations like Blair Field and Belmont Heights are part of the East Division. The Virginia Country Club is in the Northern Division, while the West Division contains Memorial Heights and Willow Springs Park. The South Division is home to Downtown Long Beach, including the convention center and East Village areas.
concerning in a vacuum, there are simple steps residents and students can take to better protect themselves, both on and off campus.
In an interview, University Police Department Sergeant Gino Rodriguez said while crime on campus is relatively low, theft of bikes and scooters remains a common issue due to the open nature of the university grounds. Data for these crimes will be a part of the next Jeanne Clery report, which is usually released in the fall semester. Rodriguez encouraged students to
report suspicious behavior quickly, including taking pictures when it is safe to do so and contacting the UPD immediately.
“Get a picture and call 911,” Rodriguez said.
While the campus is “about 98% safe,” according to Rodriguez, he warned that students can be at greater risk when they leave campus to visit Downtown Long Beach, Second Street and other nightlife areas, also stressing the importance of using rideshare services rather than risking a DUI.
CSULB narrows down potential food vendors for Future U
BY ADRIAN MEDINA, ANDREW AMAYA & JASMINE CANADA
Contributors
In August 2025, students will watch as a wrecking ball demolishes the University Student Union into pieces to make space for a $315 million, threeyear-long renovation.
The dust will eventually settle and students will wonder what potential food vendors will inhabit the newly renovated USU.
Last month, Associated Students Inc., approved a list of possible food vendors that will be on campus after the USU construction, including two current franchises that are not on the list.
Three of the nine food vendors that were approved are vendors that are already on campus, including El Pollo Loco, Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf and Shake Smart.
The other six food vendors, which have been approved for further exploration conversations as potential food vendors on campus, are Cassidy’s Corner, The Halal Shack, Everytable, Higher Taste Plant-Based and the Habit Burger & Grill.
Of the nine potential food vendors, only seven will be picked to occupy a spot in the USU, as the new USU will have nine openings available. Two of the nine spots will be occupied by The Nugget Grill & Pub and a coffee shop.
Over the years, students have complained about the food on campus, including customer service and the speed of food service.
The main subject matter in these complaints is the consistent request for affordable and healthier options.
Students including Carlos Rodriguez, a third-year electrical engineering major, and Andrea Lozano, a fourthyear studio art major, believe the school should focus on incorporating healthy foods at affordable prices.
“I think both are important, but a wide variety of options so people can choose between healthy and something
quick is important as well,” Rodriguez said.
ASI and the Student Recreation & Wellness Center Board of Trustees has noted these complaints in their search for new food vendors in the USU.
“Both nutrition and price were important factors for this selection,” said ASI Director of Programs and Communications Taylor Buhler-Scott. “The committee took into consideration the quality of food, ingredients of food, menu offerings, as well as affordability. Additionally, other factors included success on a college campus, speed of service and throughput of product.”
During the most recent consultations with students for feedback, ASI used online surveys, smaller pulse surveys, in-person interviews and social media responses regarding the topic of food.
“While we do our best to address these concerns, most of the USU vendors have fixed nationwide menus, making it
more challenging for them to alter their offerings,” Buhler-Scott said. “Along with that, the consistent increase in expenses, increase in minimum wage and rising food costs ultimately impact their menu prices.”
Carl’s Jr. and Subway, two food vendors currently serving in USU, will continue to operate throughout the construction period, but will be relocated to temporary kitchen trailers over the summer.
However, neither vendor was on the approved list of potential vendors in the USU.
According to ASI Communications Manager Shannon Couey, the contracts with Carl’s Jr. and Subway are set to expire in the summer of 2028, which is around the same time that the reopening of the USU is anticipated.
As ASI continues its conversations with potential food vendors, students will have to stick with getting food from
vending machines, the farmers market and food trucks.
CSULB has made efforts to bolster the school’s limited food options while the USU is under construction.
The Future U website highlights the temporary food alternatives that were implemented and lists the current food services still available to students.
As of April 2025, hot food vending machines and kitchen trailers, which are located across campus, are alternatives available to students while the USU is under construction.
Additionally, the on-campus farmers market has been increased from two days a week to four days a week
Though the USU is still in operation, food trucks have already begun to pop up around campus in recent months.
The food trucks on campus are operated under the company Curbside Bites, with which CSULB has an agreement to provide food from various vendors around Long Beach, according to Buhler-Scott.
“Additionally, ASI will introduce permanent food trailers to accommodate some of our existing USU food vendors. These trailers will be stationary structures throughout the three-year construction period, unlike the food trucks that move on and off campus daily,” Buhler-Scott said.
The food truck locations on campus include The Nugget Grill & Pub and Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf trailers at the Health & Human Services lawn, the Subway trailer outside of Peterson Hall 1 and the Carl’s Jr. trailer across from Fine Arts 1.
“They have helped in bringing variety into what is available to eat, but in terms of affordability, it’s about the same as the on-campus food spots,” Rodriguez said about the impact food trucks are having on campus.
Some students, including third-year mechanical engineering major Emily Temblador, are not too fond of the idea of food trucks on campus.
“The food trucks never have food that I would want,” Temblador said. “Also, the prices are honestly really expensive. They definitely could make the prices more college-student friendly.”
Photo credit: ADRIAN MEDINA/Long Beach Current The Crepes Bonaparte food truck serves students in front of the LA-5 Building. These food trucks are expected to remain on campus throughout the USU construction period.
A collection of books to be donated to the “1,500 books for kids in need” drive, as captured by organizer Quinn Bentley on April 27. Bentley estimates a total of 475 books were collected, with the goal to give three to each student.
Student-led book drive hopes to boost local elementary school readership
BY NI BALINESS Contributor
Foundation for business graduate student Quinn Bentley is giving back, with a goal of collecting 1,500 books for students at Carl E. Gilbert Elementary School in Buena Park.
From April 28 to May 16, Bentley has designated the first floor of the University Library, the campus housing villages and the Associated Students, Inc. government offices in USU-229 as donation drop-off locations.
The inspiration behind the drive, Bentley said, was from the 10 years he spent working in public education, including at Gilbert Elementary.
During his time working with stu-
dents, he taught in Title I schools, which are schools that are federally funded and serve a low-income population.
“Out of all the schools I’ve worked at, this was one where I thought there was the biggest need,” Bentley said. “But the school community itself is a thriving community.”
Along with community partnerships that help students find food, shelter and housing, Bentley thought he could contribute academically by boosting the school’s reading scores and providing students with books of their own.
For Bentley, the book drive is personal, as he considered himself “functionally illiterate” until he was 19 and 20 years old. Having ADHD, it was hard for him to focus.
“I kind of had to learn, to learn,” Bentley said.
Due to this, Bentley said he has spent a lot of his career helping kids “learn how to learn,” which he feels is an extension of giving back.
The drive’s focus is on transitional kindergarten to fifth grade levels, with Bentley calling for more early reader books, picture books and books that interest students including those about dinosaurs or sports.
Aside from teaching, Bentley has been able to harness what he has learned as a business student into the book drive.
Learning about business development and its teachings of partnering with others to further your own brand, Bentley hopes to implement that idea between Long Beach State and Gilbert Elementary.
“If [the students] do decide to go to college, CSULB is going to be top of
their list because it’s going to be what they can afford,” Bentley said. “So let’s get in there now and make a presence in these communities now.”
Planning the drive alongside Bentley, is fourth-year molecular cell biology and physiology major, Huy Pham. Pham teamed up with Bentley because of his own history of growing up and not having enough books to read.
For Pham, the book drive is not just to give books to children– it’s to provide opportunities for children to disappear in the world of reading and “erase the gap” in education inequality.
“I want to make sure it doesn’t just stop with Gilbert Elementary either,” Pham said. “I want to start trying to see if there are other low-income or less fortunate elementary schools that may also need some books.”
Photo courtesy of Quinn Bentley
ARTS & LIFE
Meet the cat ladies of Terminal Island
BY JULIA GOLDMAN Arts & Life Editor
Floating between San Pedro and Long Beach, the ghosts of long-gone fish canneries remain in the largely artificial, man-made Terminal Island.
But between warped wire gates, asphalt sink holes and rocks on the ocean, evidence the island once produced the most tuna in the world throughout the ‘40s lives on, in the shape of 50-70 feral cats.
Many are thought to be the descendants of a rodent-control strategy used during the island’s booming fishing industry days, while others believe newer populations are introduced due to people abandoning and dumping them there.
No matter how they got there, each one is promised a meal and personalized name with the McClellan mother-daughter duo: 90-year-old Doris and 61-year-old Jeanne.
“We’ve had a lot of interesting things happen, I feel like we are supposed to be there,” Jeanne said. “There is something looking over the cats there. I know some people think it’s Terminal Island, [there are] a bunch of
cats’- but on certain days, it’s pretty magical.”
Jeanne said cats first entered her world nearly three decades ago, when her coworker presented her a cardboard box containing four 3-week-old kittens that required around the clock care.
Never taking their leave, the New Jersey-natives have volunteered their time and money to help cats in need across Long Beach, picking up their duties at Terminal Island three years ago.
Now, every Friday and Saturday, felines on the island, like Up and Over, 007 and Shamrock await options of fish or chicken cat food from the pair.
The menu’s variety is a choice Jeanne attributes to her and her mother’s time spent volunteering at the Seal Beach Animal Care Center 22 years ago, where Jeanne learned that not all cats like fish, that Doris was a natural at restraining cats who needed medical care and that she loved caring for them- whether they were friendly, or feral.
“I had a soft spot, being an introvert, being the shy kid, being in the shadows, to help a cat that felt that way,” Jeanne said. “I always had a soft spot for them, I would’ve liked someone to do that for me.”
Preparations for the next feeding begin as soon as the
pair returns from their last.
Jeanne, who works over 40 hours a week in the hospital business operations industry, credits Doris as the backbone of the operation.
It all starts with Doris washing last week’s stacks of ceramic and plastic plates, intentionally leaving rings of dish soap on the edges during the summers to help stop the ants from coming in.
Then, she visits PetSmart, where she said a staff member recognizes her and expects her return, retrieving cases of wet food and bulk bags.
For the menu, Doris clears cases of chicken and fish wet food each into two large clear plastic tubs and refills 15 old milk quarts with water.
Lastly, she loads everything into the car.
“When I come home on Fridays, everything is ready to go,” Jeanne said. “She’s doing the labor.”
The response was simple for Doris.
“Well, I’ve got the time,” she said.
On the other days of the week that Jeanne and Doris are not present, The Port of Los Angeles Cat Alliance Team and their volunteers feed the cats.
However, the care does not stop there.
The two, who work alongside animal hospitals and
ARTS & LIFE
rescues, will go on missions to trap and release the cats, to get them spayed, neutered or seen for medical crises.
“If we have an animal who has medical needs, [POLACAT] will share the costs sporadically,” Jeanne said.
The work however, has its challenges.
Originally, in the first year of feeding, Jeanne said they visited the island three to four times a week, but the cost of food, medical expenses and the labor on Doris was unmanageable.
“I feel bad that I’m not able to do as much medically, from all the work that we’ve been doing, I still have a $17,000 vet bill,” Jeanne said. “I’m limping along. I’m not good at fundraising, I’m not good at Facebook.”
Patting her gently on the back, Doris leaned over to Jeanne and said, “my little introvert.”
Despite the debt and hardships, Jeanne said it is the cats that keep them going.
But with each new medical crisis, and an ongoing issue of cats being dumped, with some being intact and creating even more cats, the demand for volunteers, resources and additional help increases.
To learn more about how to support and the ways to volunteer, check out Jeanne’s nonprofit, the Healing Heart Haven for Animals.
From far left: Deanne and Doris stand beside the pier in Terminal Island, where the pair feeds a population of about 70 feral cats every Friday and Saturday. 90-year-old Doris McClellan and her daughter, 61-year-old Jeanne take a pause during their bi-weekly feral cat feeding at Terminal Island. Monkeyface, right, was one of Jeanne’s favorite cats from the Terminal Island colony. During their feeding on May 2, the pair found him after he had been hit by a car; despite efforts to save him at an emergency vet, Monkeyface passed away that night. Angus is one tom in the in the Terminal Island feral cat colony. Described as a gentleman by Jeanne, Angus is typically one of the first cats to run out after the pair arrives, in search for a meal.
Photos by JULIA GOLDMAN Long Beach Current
Learning how to theater manage with CalRep
BY DELFINO CAMACHO Arts & Life Assistant
In a basement meeting room inside the Long Beach State Theatre Arts Building, a motley crew of master’s students craft magic out of the mundane.
Once a week, students in CSULB’s Theatre Management graduate program gather for the lab portion of their Theatre Arts 502: Seminar in Theatre Management class.
AKA Practicum.
“Practicum literally means the practical application of what our degree is, which is a dual degree, MFA and MBA,” said Robert Williamson, AKA “The Bob,” a second-year member of the manager cohort. “We are learning to operate a Theatre, and we are learning to manage a business at the same time.”
The students help run the business side of all main stage
productions at CSULB.
“As a group, we figure productions out. We run with a general manager, which is Claire, and then we rotate responsibilities,” said Perla Barajas, a graduate student in the MBA/MFA Theatre Management program.
Claire Pearson served as general manager for most of the 2024-25 academic year, including eight main stage productions, including: “An Evening at the Beach,” “Urinetown,” “Small Mouth Sounds,” “Clyde’s.,” “Frantic/Tempest,” “Yoga Play,” “Red Bike” and “Alice In Slasherland.”
Every week, for two hours, Pearson facilitates the “Practicum” meetings with the entire cohort, focusing on company management, marketing, education and community programming.
With long meetings, late Theatre nights and lots of unseen footwork, the seven students who make up the 202425 CalRep Theatre Management cohort sacrifice a lot of their time, all for the love of Theatre.
“They’re learning how to run Theatres, run cultural institutions,” said Head of Directing and Interim Head of Theatre Management at CSULB Jeff Janisheski. “A major part of that is the work they do for CalRep.”
What is CalRep?
The California Repertory Company is the producing arm of the university’s theatre ares department.
“We produce Theatre, which is acted by undergraduates, directed by faculty or guest directors, designed by undergraduate students, sometimes guest designers or faculty designers,” Janisheski said. “So the Theatre we do, our performances, that’s CalRep. The Theatre management cohort … they produce and help run CalRep.”
Years ago, CalRep operated off-campus and was performed by graduate acting students. By 2016, it shifted on campus and began serving undergraduate performers and technicians.
The exception: Theatre managers, who are all graduate students.
How unique is this program?
The Long Beach Theatre Management cohort is part of a rare graduate program, one of only a few in the country that offers a dual Master of Fine Arts and Master of Business Administration in Theatre Management.
While similar programs exist on the East Coast, CSULB’s program is the only one in the CSU system.
“We are the only program in America where you can get a dual degree, an MFA and an MBA [in Theatre Management] in three years at a CSU tuition price,” Janisheski said.
The program attracts a small, selective group of students with varied theater backgrounds.
“It’s so specific in being a joint MBA/ MFA that usually people have a particular idea of why they want to be here,” cohort member Paula Eagleman said.
Photo credit: DELFINO CAMACHO/Long Beach Current
Amanda Anderson (left, green pants) speaks with a production technician during a rehearsal for Alice in Slasherland on April 17. Anderson along with a fellow Theatre Manager student acted as manager for the play.
Arts Council for Long Beach strives to keep public art alive with microgrants
BY FRANCINE CORDOVA
Contributor
The Arts Council for Long Beach launched a new grant program in early 2025, titled the “Public Art Maintenance Microgrant,” to support the restoration and preservation of existing public murals and utility box artworks.
Microgrants are available to the public on the 15 of every month, and applicants can request a maximum of $1,000 to cover the costs of materials for restoration.
The creation of the program comes at a time where modern architecture development has meant less opportunities for murals to be displayed across the city, according to the Art Council’s Director of Programs Lisa DeSmidt.
Through maintaining the public artworks, DeSmidt seeks to preserve the city’s diverse identity and help Long Beach remain vibrant for future generations.
“Public art is a defining culture for Long Beach, adding color, culture and creativity to our neighborhoods,” DeSmidt said. “Supporting artists from various backgrounds promotes cultural representation, inclusivity and a deeper community connection to the artworks.”
Applicants who previously won are eligible to re-apply in the future, and applicants can not use a business property to display an advertisement, as stated in their guidelines.
The reason that maintenance grants are on a monthly basis, DeSmidt said, is because defacement of murals and utility boxes happen quickly, so the council wanted to give out grants as fast as they can.
According to Arts Council Programs
Associate Sergio Alan Díaz, the trend of public art defacement increased throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. He said that once the artwork is fixed, however, it often does not get touched again.
The Public Arts Department works with the Long Beach Public Works Department, so they know which utility boxes can be used for artwork and which can not, since it could become a safety hazard.
As far as funding the microgrants, DeSmidt said it is dependent on three factors: how much funding is available, how many applicants they get and what their scores are.
All applicants must pass the council’s qualifications and are graded through a scoring rubric, which can include criteria like damage level of the artworks looking to be restored, site accessibility, materials needed and visibility of the artwork.
Giving out grants is not a new concept to the Arts Council, as their grant program has been established since the organization was founded in 1976.
One grant program is Creative Corps, which was made to bring awareness to civic support and activism groups around the city, varying from LGBTQ+ to environmentalism communities. From there, the council pairs 35 artists individually to these non-profit communities for one year, with the goal to create art that supports the group’s target community and missions.
Amy Bauer, a recipient of the Creative Corps grant in 2023 and 2024, worked alongside the the Jewel Box Children’s Theater.
Originally from New Jersey and now residing in California for a decade, Bauer registered as an artist seven years ago
Olivia Sawai, a former microgrant recipient, painted this utility box to represent her culture, family, and heritage as a “proud Cambodian.” This piece in front of the Khemara Buddhikarama Buddhist Temple on Willow Street has faced damage from possible public interference or natural elements.
and began to apply for grants in 2022.
Through the council’s microgrants, Bauer said she was able support her community art show, Fun-a-Day-LA, which allows people to design and showcase
their own art project, such as a painting or a fashion piece.
To apply, support or learn more about the Arts Council of Long Beach, visit their website.
Photos by: FRANCINE CORDOVA/Long Beach Current
The work of Amy TanAKA, who was a recipient of a microgrant from the Arts Council for Long Beach, lives on the front walls of the A&F Filipino market.
ARTS & LIFE
Despite USU setback, Re:wild continues green space preservation
BY GRACE LAWSON Arts & Life Assistant
As the end of the school year approaches and the University Student Union’s final days loom over the student body, the Re:wild club on campus is saying goodbye to their pilot project.
Focused on the advocacy of ecological sustainability at Long Beach State since their formation three years ago, the Re:wild’s pilot project removed the invasive plant species, English ivy, and re-planted native species across plant beds on the upper floor of the USU across from the Bell Tower.
In light of finding out that the club will be losing all the work they had put into the project, Alicia Newland, club president and fourth-year environmental science and policy major, said they are not focusing on the losses.
Instead, they seek to use the unfortunate circumstances as a way to further push their ambitions of environmental education on campus, to teach about the harmful pesticides on campus and the integral nature of keeping native plants around the school.
“The benefits of native plants are the reduced water usage benefits and pollinators such as native bumble bees, native butterflies,” Newland said. “Also, [they] improve soil quality, so you don’t have to use as many synthetic outputs like fertilizers or pesticides.”
Newland also noted that CSULB’s Climate Action and Adaptation Plan, which outlines the university’s goals for climate neutrality and mitigating carbon emissions by 2030 and 2040, focuses little on the use of native plants around campus.
The plan does highlight the use of drought-tolerant plants, which could exclude native plants.
Over time, with the established native plants in their pilot project, the club has documented the significant reduc-
tion in the water usage on their plot, compared to the English ivy that was planted in the spot prior.
“I believe they’re on the right path for the most part,” Newland said. “But, I don’t think, you know, native plants have really, like, become the center of the discussion.”
As the closing of the USU is affecting the placement of Re:wild’s native plants, they are faced with the dilemma of finding a temporary home for the native plants they have to re-pot from the plot at the site of their pilot project.
Though Newland said they have some possible options, the club is still looking for something permanent.
The club hopes to continue hosting their regular events, like hikes and beach clean-ups. Additionally, Re:wild hopes to engage with more students, expand and continue their partnerships with the Thrift Club and Bird Watching Club.
Other members of the club, including fourth-year Treasurer Bani Rice and third-year Webmaster Rigoberto Rodriguez, are looking towards the future of the club’s advocacy and education towards the student body.
“I think more people that, you know, understand the cause, might want to join it,” Rice said.”I think then we’ll be able to have more rewilding space– that would be the ultimate goal, with spreading awareness.”
Rodriguez, who will be next year’s president, seeks to spend more time tabling, using signage around campus and collaborating with other clubs.
“And if there were to be a lot more native gardens, a lot more native plants, there could be a lot more educational aspects that people can learn from, even the school itself,” Rodriguez said. “And that’s something people could take back home to incorporate there themselves.”
Re:Wild will host a replanting event on May 26-30 to re-pot forty native plants from their pilot project.
Find out more about Re:Wild’s club events on their instagram @rewildcsulb.
The benefits of native plants are the reduced water usage benefits and pollinators such as native bumble bees, native butterflies.
Alicia Newland Re:wild club president
Photo credit: GRACE LAWSON/Long Beach Current From left, Re:wild’s club Treasurer Bani Rice, club President Alicia Newland and Webmaster Rigoberto Rodriguez stand in front of their pilot project.
Who’s in charge of ethics on campus? Should they be?
BY EL NICKLIN
Multimedia Managing Editor
The first search engine result for “CSULB ethics” is Ethics at the Beach, an annual seminar. This pay-to-enter event is run by the Ukleja Center for Ethical Leadership within the College of Business.
The UCEL was founded in 2005, with a substantial portion of its $2.5 million endowment donated by Mick and Louise Ukleja.
With millions in funding and a strong presence on campus, the UCEL has become the university’s pillar of ethics.
Onto the second question: Should the UCEL and the College of Business be trusted to teach students about ethical leadership?
Signs point to no.
For one, the institution’s namesake, Mick Ukleja, has a public record of homophobia. Before his life as a leadership consultant and philanthropist, he was a pastor for 20 years.
Ukleja’s thesis, “A Theological Critique of the Contemporary Homosexual Movement,” was published in 1982.
The next year, he published a work arguing for an anti-gay biblical interpretation.
Conflating bestiality with gay sex, Ukleja wrote, “It has always been wrong to murder, rape, steal, to have sexual relations with animals, and to have sexual relations with persons of the same sex.”
Individuals have a right to their private beliefs; but when someone has a documented history of homophobia, he may not be the kind of person we should name ethics institutions after.
The Current received the following comment from Ukleja regarding his past.
“Actually, I have modified my view significantly. In the last 45 years (almost half a century), I have changed or modified my views on numerous topics,” Ukleja wrote.
“This is one of them, which is not
only reflected in the makeup of the UCEL’s governing council, but also in the recipients of our most prestigious award (the Nell and John Wooden Ethics in Leadership Award),” he wrote in the email. “A 30-year-old often has morphed in their outlook by age 77!”
While it is encouraging that Ukleja might have changed his ways, the comment did not explicitly condemn his past writings nor make his present-day views clear, and the Current was denied an interview.
Ukleja continues to attend UCEL events, having recently attended the organization’s award ceremony for its Nell and John Wooden Ethics in Leadership Award in November 2023.
Questionable funding aside, there is a larger problem with ethics at Long Beach State.
Applied ethics addresses real-world,
practical issues. Driverless cars, for example, make quick “decisions” on the road with human lives at stake. Technology ethicists can help us program these vehicles.
Naturally, one would hope that the UCEL’s ethics programming would teach students about moral dilemmas and mitigating harm in a given field.
Instead, the annual Ethics at the Beach forum often resembles a motivational speaker panel.
The most recent March 2025 seminar was titled, “Be True To You: Branding Yourself Authentically.” The year before, attendees received a free self-help guidebook.
While pop psychology, networking and corporate engagement might be important to students, these topics do not sufficiently cover ethics on campus.
Good has come from the UCEL. Each
year, the institution awards stipends to students and faculty studying ethics across academic fields.
Director of the UCEL Jane Roeder said over email, “All of us connected with the Ukleja Center for Ethical Leadership have a shared vision – having an ethics module in every course at CSULB.”
In line with this goal, the UCEL rewards faculty with a $3,000 stipend if they integrate a 3-hour ethics module into their course(s).
All the while, the department with ethics already in its curriculum lacks support.
Cory Wright, a professor in the CSULB philosophy department, explained the importance of having experts teach ethics at CSULB.
“[J]ust as it wouldn’t make sense to pay instructors with no proficiency or training in physics or linguistics to instruct students on thermodynamics or phonology, so too would it be a pedagogical blunder to do this for philosophy and ethics,” Wright said over email.
Wright explained that the ethics courses taught through the philosophy department are regularly assessed and taught by experts.
Ethics is everywhere, but institutional support for ethics should start in places like the philosophy department, where ethics is a sub-discipline and several courses on applied ethics are taught. With a careful eye, other ethics-related resources can be found scattered throughout campus with events like the Comparative World Literature Conference.
The UCEL does not employ or fund any actual ethicists; nor does it support the Applied Ethics Forum, “the university’s primary intellectual venue for extracurricular ethical programming,” which has not hosted an ethics talk since last year.
With improved funding and support for ethics outside of the College of Business, students and faculty alike will be better equipped to actually become ethical leaders.
Photo credit: EL NICKLIN/Long Beach Current
The Ukleja Center for Ethical Leadership, housed within the College of Business, claims “to enhance the integration of ethics in everything we do” on its website.
Graphic credit: JAZMYN DE JESUS & EL NICKLIN/ Long Beach Current
2025 sounds of the summer
BY JAZMYN DE JESUS Social Media Editor
As the temperature rises and and we begin to meet, dance, drink and bask in the sun, artists are releasing their summer projects to get us energized for the summertime.
Fancy That - PinkPantheress
Technically a mixtape and clocking in at about 21 minutes, PinkPantheress’ recent release from this past weekend brings back her signature Euro-electronic bounce with even more clever wordplay and a more flirtatious flair to each track compared to her past works.
PinkPantheress has given us a short, sweet and sexy collection of songs that can be bumped on the beach.
LOVE ON DIGITAL - Destin Conrad
“Everyone that’s saying they don’t have a song for the summer ain’t heard ‘Kissing in Public’ yet I’m convinced,” said Conrad on X about his latest single.
The lead single and the rest of this pop R&B album are dripping in summer romance and fun.
ANGIE - spill tab (Releases May 16)
spill tab’s upcoming debut album opens up with “PINK LEMONADE.”
The lead single is a distorted and dreamy track that feels like melting away on the swings at a park knowing you don’t have school the next day.
A playful and experimental alternative album is underway from the singer-songwriter.
PRINCESS OF POWER - MARINA (Releases June 6)
MARINA, formerly known as Marina and the Diamonds, has been producing some of the most visceral alt-pop of the last two decades, establishing herself as an icon of the “Tumblr era”.
Coming back after three years with a new album, singles like “CUNTISSIMO” and “BUTTERFLY” shows that she is having fun lyrically over girly and energetic beats to strut to.
Tuff Times Never Last - Kokoroko (Releases July 11)
The London-based music collective recently released their lead single “Sweetie,” which has been met with TikTok virality for good reason.
A perfect mix of jazz and Afro-beats, this album is on track to sounding like how a backyard barbe-
Final season of ‘Andor’ is best franchise series in years
BY DANTE ESTRADA Video Editor
Star Wars has been in nothing short of a drought of good TV series or movies, with lackluster shows like season three of “The Mandalorian” and “Ahsoka,” since the debut of the rebellion prequel series, “Andor.”
“Andor” made its way to Disney+ in 2022 with its first season, set before the events of “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,” both co-written by Tony Gilroy.
Now with the return of season two and its final chapter for the rebel, as the season is in its middle, it is a masterpiece written so well not only for its characters and in-universe story, but is a reflection back to a dark reality of an oppressive government and abusive authority figures.
The new season holds 12 episodes again, but instead, every three episodes take place a year apart from each other, with the three episodes being released together weekly consisting of one singular connected story arc.
I’ll never see.”
The character has grown even more desperate with enforcing tricks that the Empire sees coming.
The series has shown that the rebellion which has been steadily growing since the first season means nothing without a hopeful direction, free of violence.
Diego Luna and Adria Arjona continue to demonstrate that they are a powerful, loving duo whose bond pulls Andor to the ground and spirals whenever Bix is in any danger.
“Andor” co-stars Diego Luna and Adria Arjona continue their tradition of providing the Spanish translation in the series for their own respective characters, something that is not commonly done by Latino actors.
Right from its first three episodes, an imperial worker helping Cassian Andor sneaks into a Tie Fighter ship asks, is it worth losing her job and life too for the rebellion?
Luthen Rael, played by Stellan Skarsgård, is known for his cold moments of delivering lines like, “I burn my decency for someone else’s future. I burn my life to make a sunrise that I know
Ben Mendelsohn reprised his role as Orson Krennic from Rogue One in this season, delivering a performance that some fans online compared to a role Sir Ian McKellen would usually partake in.
Mendelsohn shows his inner killer instincts and playful banter when he toys with the lives of innocent people, as per usual.
In regard to how the timing of the newest season of “Andor” related to current events, the main cast of protagonists are actively hiding from the Empire as they go whether the citizens of the planet possess visas or not, with them facing imprisonment and lethal consequences if they do not.
A common theme that can be found is each character’s violent nature coming out, whether it’s from Syril’s riddance of a rebellion forming or Bix dealing with her abusers in her own way.
Both seasons of “Andor” can be streamed on Disney+ with new episodes releasing every Tuesday at 6:00 p.m. PT.
Photo courtesy of Disney+
The Beach regain volleyball crown
Clockwise from right: LBSU men’s volleyball celebrates after winning the 2025 NCAA Men’s Volleyball National Championship over UCLA 3-0 at the Covelli Center. The Beach only dropped one set on their way to their first title since 2019. The LBSU men’s volleyball team lifts up freshman libero Kellen Larson. Lasron was tied for the team lead in digs in the title game, with four. Freshman outside hitter Alex Kandev celebrates after a block in the third set of The Beach’s sweep of UCLA. Kandev recorded four blocks in the sweep. Senior outside hitter Sotiris Siapanis embraces teammate. Siapanis was injured for the team’s run to the title, but played a large role in the LBSU’s success before his injury.
Photos by MARK SIQUIG
Long Beach Current
BY DAVIS RAMAGE Sports Editor
COLUMBUS, Ohio - No. 1 seed Long Beach State men’s volleyball (30-3) swept the No. 3 seed University of California, Los Angeles Bruins (22-7) in a 2024 National Championship rematch, blocking a Bruin three-peat and taking back its spot at the top of the volleyball world.
With the stadium on its feet and LBSU up 24-21 with a 2-0 set lead, one of LBSU’s heroes of the tournament, redshirt senior opposite Nato Dickinson, held the ball and took a deep breath at the service line.
Dickinson fired in a high-speed serve, too fast for UCLA to receive correctly, that was passed over to LBSU. With the ball getting passed to freshmen setter Moni
Nikolov, as it does on most plays, he delivered the dagger into the heart of the UCLA to win the title only in the way he could, slamming it over on two.
“The feeling absolutely never gets old,” LBSU head coach Alan Knipe said. “I’m so proud of the guys and everything they did all season long.”
LBSU’s win blocked UCLA of its third National Championship in a row. Instead, The Beach won its fourth all-time and first since 2019.
With a packed Covelli Center, whose allegiance was split evenly between gold and blue, the match was started, but halted momentarily after the first point as Knipe challenged the ruling of a no-touch on Nikolov’s opening serve of the game.
The challenge was successful, adding to Nikolov’s NCAA single-season record 106 aces, and giving The Beach the momentum immediately.
In the ensuing plays, freshman outside hitter Alex Kandev picked up right where
he left off on Saturday with two kills in The Beach’s first five points to put The Beach up 5-3.
Kandev ended the match with 13 kills while hitting an efficient .450. His rise to glory in the NCAA Tournament has been well-noted, and he came up large again in the final set.
“I always had to be ready, and I was waiting for an opportunity, and I took it,” Kandev said.
An ace from redshirt junior opposite Skyler Varga sent the crowd into a frenzy and forced a UCLA timeout with LBSU leading 10-7.
Moments later, Varga came up large again as he floated from the back row for a thundering kill that caused him to fall to the floor and do push-ups in celebration.
Nikolov was having success deceiving the UCLA block and freeing up the high-flying LBSU attackers for one-on-one opportunities at the net with nine fist set assists. When he couldn’t set them up, he
was scoring himself, adding six kills in the match.
After an ace from freshman outside hitter Sean Kelly cut The Beach’s lead to three at 16-13, The Beach’s block became virtually impenetrable from that point on, with three blocks to end the set and four in the set in total.
Fittingly, UCLA’s sixth attack error of the set ended the set 25-17 in favor of LBSU.
The second set gave the opposite narrative of the first, as it was now The Beach struggling with attacking errors, with five errors to the Bruins’ one, and the Bruins up 18-13 and in control.
This is when it all changed.
A service error from senior service substitute Ido David gave The Beach life down 18-14.
Suddenly, down 20-18, Nikolov stepped up to the service line, and all eyes were on the phenom.
Arguably the best server in the history
of collegiate volleyball fired two aces to ignite the black and gold faithful and tie the match at 20.
“I just threw the ball and I knew that nobody can pass my serve,” Nikolov said. “When we need a serve, I’m the one that’s gonna get it there.”
The two volleyball powerhouses traded points until an attack error from Bruin junior outside hitter Zach Rama, followed by a Kandev kill, gave The Beach set up point 24-22.
The Bruins got one back, but senior middle blocker DiAeris McRaven closed the set out with a deafening kill, completing the five-point comeback and claiming the set 25-23, going up 2-0.
Up 8-6 in the third set, Nikolov stepped up to the service line again, this time changing it up from his usual NCAA record-breaking speed for an ace that completely fooled the UCLA defense and sparked a three-point service run to put The Beach up 11-6.
Keeping the Bruins in the match was redshirt junior opposite hitter Cooper Robinson, who, with The Beach up 14-11, added his ninth kill of the match to bring them within two.
However, another Bruin service error stunted their momentum, and The Beach’s two cornerstones of the match took over: defense and Kandev.
A Kandev kill and two blocks put The Beach up 19-15, and it felt in the building as if The Beach were about to win it all.
The Bruins got within one at 21-20, but two kills by Kandev and a kill from redshirt senior opposite Nato Dickinson put The Beach one point away from glory.
Nikolov’s aforementioned game-winning kill will be etched in history and is the cherry on top of all of the hardware the man coined “The Bulgarian Prince” took home in his freshman season.
‘It’s the most impactful season by one player that’s happened in NCAA volleyball history, in my opinion,” Knipe said.
Monday, May 12, 2025
Photo credit: MARK SIQUIG/Long Beach Current Freshman setter Moni Nikolov dons the flag of his home country, Bulgaria, while cutting the net after winning the 2025 Men’s Volleyball National Championship on Monday, May 12, at the Covelli Center in Columbus, Ohio. Nikolov posted 27 assists, six kills and four aces in the sweep of UCLA.
