CURRENT LONG BEACH
LONG BEACH STATE’S NEWS SOURCE SINCE 1949
Vol. LXXVIII, Issue 10
lbcurrent.com
ALIVE WITH THE DEAD PAGE 8-9
Tuesday, November 3, 2026
Long1250BBellflower each Current Blvd., LA4-203
Long Beach, CA, 90804 Angela Osorio Editorial Office Editor-in-Chief Phone (562) 985-8000 eic@lbcurrent.com Skylar Stock Multimedia Managing Editor multimedia@lbcurrent.com
Leyla Crail Managing Editor managing@lbcurrent.com
Valentina Villarreal Community Engagement Editor community@lbcurrent.com
Monica Boerger Business Manager business@gobeach.media
ON THE COVER EDDY CERMENO | Long Beach Current Maria Flores is known online as La Muerte Maria for expressing her Mexican culture by performing as “La Calavera Catrina” an elegant female skeleton figure that has become a symbol of Dia de Los Muertos. Flores interacted with attendees of the Day of the Dead at The Beach event on Oct. 27 at The Pointe.
NEWS
Campus worker unions march for workers’ rights
Editors
News Editor
Josephine Robinson news@lbcurrent.com Arts & Life Editor Joseph Lee arts@lbcurrent.com Opinions Editor Christian Robledo opinions@lbcurrent.com Sports Editor Brianna Apodaca sports@lbcurrent.com Design Editor Gabrielle Lashley design@lbcurrent.com Chief Copy Editor Sasha Marantz copy@lbcurrent.com Photo Editor Rehansa Kulatilleke photo@lbcurrent.com Social Media Editor Bella Beltran socials@lbcurrent.com Video Editor Arianna Jackson video@lbcurrent.com Podcast Editor Bryan Viteri podcast@lbcurrent.com Assistants News Reporters Jayden Sandstrom Claire Morris Alexa Partida Josephine Kim Arts & Life Reporters Ni Baliness Dominic Maddan Mason Mangus Nataly Valencia Lila Mukasa Opinions Writers Tyler Kols Simone Godse Sports Reporters Dupree De La Peña Veronica Minogue John-Wyatt Cristan Ervin Alan Ibarra Design Assistant Ellie Nakamura Copy Assistants Ayah El Reda Annabelle Qi Isaac Cordon Maizi Merklein Staff Photographers Eddy Cermeno Diego Perez Charlotte LoCicero James Tinoco Jamie Garcia Social Media Assistants Eva LeBlanc Alexis Munoz Video Reporter Eli Vice Podcast Assistants Alejandra Guerra Gabriel Duarte Monica Garcia Victor Alcocer
Business Advertising Manager Jocelyn Baltazar advertising@gobeach.media Creative Director Alicia Taylor creative@gobeach.media Web & Technology Director Melanie Cativo web@gobeach.media PR & Marketing Manager Mikayla Hubbard pr@gobeach.media Distribution Manager SeIana Spencer-Kendrick distribution@gobeach.media
BY THEO BADER Contributor
U
nionized faculty, staff and campus workers marched across Long Beach State on Tuesday, Oct. 27, demanding increased wages, better working conditions and stronger guardrails on artificial intelligence in educational spaces. United Auto Workers Local 4123, Academic Professionals of California, Teamsters Local 2010, California State University Employees Union and California Faculty Association unions marched from the upper quad to Brotman Hall to voice their concerns for the high cost of living, classroom funding and Immigration and Customs Enforcement presence. Members also showed solidarity with unions that are in ongoing contract negotiations with the CSU, including Teamsters Local 2010 and the CFA. “They raise the fees on the students saying they need the money to pay their staff, then they give themselves raises and don’t pay their staff,” said Michael Harris, a Teamster Local 2010 union member. “Our team shows up to bargaining [with the CSU Office of the Chancellor], and it’s close to being spit on.” Harris said the livable wage is currently three times higher than campus workers’ pay, and the CSU is dismissing workers’ needs during contract negotiations. Workers are implementing steps to lead them on the path toward stronger workers’ benefits and salaries proportional to the cost of living.
Advertising & Business Adviser
Gary Metzker Barbara Kingsley-Wilson Ashley Hopkins Jennifer Newton
REHANSA KULATILLEKE /
Long Beach Current
CSUEU protesters march through Beach Drive chanting “What do we want? Fair pay! When do we want it? Now!” on Tuesday, Oct. 27. The CFA Long Beach chapter contains up to 29,000 CSU employees who stand for accessible high quality education. According to the CSU website, CSULB tuition has increased almost 22% over the last five years; however, union workers believe this increase in revenue is not evenly dispersed amongst CSU staff. CFA union member and chemistry professor Elaine Bernal held a sign that read “Fight Zombie Wages.” “We want our students, and our whole community to join us in this fight, because it’s going to take all of us to win this,” Bernal said. Click here to read the full story.
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 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. 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.
Advisers Design Adviser Content Advisers
For story concerns email: news@lbcurrent.com
2
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.
Tuesday, November 3, 2026
NEWS
A legacy of labor and love: Long Beach reflects on the life of Dolores Huerta DAMIAN DOVARGANES / Associated Press
Dolores Huerta, 95, the labor leader civil rights activist and co-founder of the National Farm Workers Association, speaks at the California Democratic Party’s 2025 State Convention at the Anaheim Convention Canter in Anaheim, Calif., on Saturday, May 31, 2025.
BY JOSEPHINE KIM News Reporter
L
abor leader, civil rights activist and feminist Dolores Huerta leaves behind a legacy of her lifelong fight for workers’ rights, equality and justice following her passing on Oct. 28. Huerta’s foundation and family announced her death in a statement released last Wednesday. “We are deeply saddened to announce that our beloved mother, Dolores Huerta, has passed away today at the age of 96,” the statement said. “This is an incredibly difficult time for us, and we ask for privacy as we grieve this incredible loss to our family.” Huerta was a pioneering MexicanAmerican labor leader, co-founding the United Farm Workers Foundation alongside Cesar Chavez in the 1960s, which was the first nationally recognized union for farm workers.
lbcurrent.com | @lbcurrent
At Long Beach State, students are remembering her legacy and the mission Huerta stood for. “Her voice and her unwillingness to be silenced and continuing to speak up for what she believed in adversity was so important,” said Guadalupe Castillo, a third-year criminal justice major. “She continued to fight for [justice] because it wasn’t about recognition. It wasn’t about fame. It was fighting for what she truly believed in and being the voice for the voiceless.” Huerta’s activism began in the 1950s in Stockton, when she left her teaching career after seeing farm workers’ children coming to school hungry and without proper clothing. She realized she could do more by organizing and fighting for the rights of the children’s parents, who were working long hours for very little pay. Huerta advocated for better wages and safer working conditions, solidifying her legacy as a powerful organizer and activist in the modern civil rights movement. Her presence was crucial
during a period when there were few female, Mexican-American lobbyists and political leaders. “She didn’t just demand change, she built the path for it. Her courage and relentless pursuit of justice are the reasons I stand before the people of Long Beach today,” Councilmember Mary Zendejas wrote in a social media statement. “Dolores Huerta will live on through generations - in every voice she empowered, every movement she inspired, and every leader she helped shape.” In March, Huerta revealed that she was sexually abused by Chavez during their UFW work in the 1960s. The news shocked the Latino community, as Chavez had been posthumously celebrated as a civil rights hero for his work in the union. Chavez’s birthday was observed as a holiday in California, but following the allegations, California lawmakers renamed it to “Farmworkers Day.” “Despite being pushed into the shadow of Chavez, she stood up for what
Tuesday, November 3, 2026
she believed in, and she always continued fighting despite everything that people were throwing at her,” said Sonya Curiel, a third-year pre-production animation major. Huerta was the first Latina inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame in 1993, and she later received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from then-President Barack Obama, the highest U.S. civilian award, in 2012. Huerta also remained politically active well into her 90s, often seen marching and speaking in various cities nationwide to advocate for racial equality, as well as women’s and LGBTQ+ rights. “She will be remembered as a hero and role model to generations of current and former California State University students, a powerful and respected voice for the transformative power of a college degree and an uncompromising advocate for equity and opportunity in education,” the CSU wrote in a statement.
3
NEWS
CSULB organization supports women engineers
JAMES TINOCO / Long Beach Current
The Society of Women Engineers sign hangs in front of the chapter’s official room, located within the Hung Family College of Engineering complex. SWE is a student-run organization that helps uplift and encourage women in engineering, as well as giving members opportunities such as networking and obtaining internships.
BY ALEXA PARTIDA News Reporter
L
ong Beach State’s Society of Women Engineers empower female engineering students through professional workshops, internship opportunities and career outreach programs. As part of the larger national nonprofit, SWE advocates for making the engineering field a more diverse and inclusive environment.
4
“I have learned not to be afraid of reaching out to resources and having the confidence to ask them if we can get an idea of interviews,” said first-year precomputer engineering student Breanna Ontiveros. During their general body meetings every Thursday in Engineering 2 Room 107, SWE hosts companies like Granite Construction and Southland Industries for networking opportunities, resumewriting and interview workshops. “That was really helpful to me when
I was struggling, just hearing [someone’s perspective] in the industry,” said SWE CSULB chapter president and fifth-year civil engineering student Samantha Catacutan. “In order to be a successful engineer, you’re going to realize it requires a lot of sacrifice and a lot of your time, but in the end it’s all worth it.” Board members get opportunities to go to SWE local and national conferences and career fairs, which are hosted every year with other university chapters. Elena Bourbour, an engineering
Tuesday, November 3, 2026
professor at CSULB said she feels there is a transitional phase, and that there are more women pursuing a career in engineering now. “We have a lot of capable and knowledgeable female engineers, in the teaching industry, companies and universities,” Bourbour said. “This is very inspiring, I think if any women are interested in this major they should not hesitate because they feel it’s male dominated.”
lbcurrent.com | @lbcurrent
NEWS
There are 18 new speed cameras in Long Beach. Here’s what you need to know BY ELIJAH MILLER Contributor
T
he City of Long Beach recently approved the installation of 18 automated cameras near school zones and high-collision and pedestrian areas, with two additional cameras along the Pacific Coast Highway, in an effort to reduce speeding. Students who drive to campus may encounter one of them, as the closest camera is located one mile west of campus on Seventh Street, and another is about a mile north on Bellflower Boulevard. What happens if I get caught speeding? The city implemented a 60-day warning period starting Oct. 7, during which only warnings will be mailed to violators who are caught speeding. After Dec. 7, however, the city will begin to issue citations. How the cameras work The new cameras are activated by a vehicle going 11 mph or more above the speed limit, at which point it automatically takes a photo of the
vehicle’s rear license plate and sends it, along with the date, time, location, and speed, to be reviewed by the Department of Public Works before a mail-in citation is issued. “I feel like there’s a time and place for going above the speed limit— not that I’m a big speeder myself, but if it’s nighttime and you’re going like 50 in a 40, I think that’s okay,” said Zach Odom, a fourth-year student. Some background on the bill The program was implemented through California Assembly Bill 645 in 2023, which allows Glendale, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose, and Long Beach to establish pilot safety system programs (speed through 2031. Long Beach had lobbied to be included, with Mayor Rex Richardson publicly supporting the program. The decision to implement the program follows Long Beach’s deadliest year for traffic collisions in the last decade, with 53 fatal traffic collisions in 2025. Fatalities have ranged from 40 to 49 annually over the past five years, with an exception in 2023.
Eight city officials unanimously voted in favor of implementing the program, except for one absentee, Kristina Duggan. The philosophy behind the program Long Beach Public Works spokesperson Jocelin Padilla said the program is meant to introduce a new way of enforcing traffic laws — one that rewires behavior rather than expands physical enforcement. “Everything’s either been focused on enforcement or infrastructure change, which is expensive,” Padilla said. “A lot of times [people] aren’t malevolently speeding, so it’s just about getting that behavior to change, and hopefully at critical mass.” Although the systems have only been in place for about a month, the effects of these cameras may already be taking root. “I feel a little bit safer about it, especially as someone who doesn’t always drive my car around everywhere,” said Alex Russell, a fourth-year student who said he frequently uses his bike and scooter for transportation. “It makes me feel safer when I’m on my scooter
to know that someone isn’t going to slam into me at 60 mph because they’re running a red light.” Recorded effectiveness of speed systems in California The U.S. Department of Transportation conducted an analysis of San Francisco’s pilot program— the first program of its kind in the state— during its first year of implementation. During this timeframe, researchers found an overall 79% reduction in the number of vehicles speeding 10 mph or more above the speed limit on average. They also found that about two-thirds of drivers (65%) who received a warning or citation did not receive another one. Compared with data collected before installation, there were about 40,000 fewer instances of speeding every day across camera locations. Data concerns The California bill that authorized the program also prohibits the sharing of personal data with any external agencies, including the Long Beach Police Department or private companies. Provisions like this have eased some of the concerns held by students like Diego Herrera, a junior at CSULB who expressed mixed feelings about the trend of automated law enforcement: “It does make me feel better that it doesn’t get sent to law enforcement … but at the same time it has to be a private company that’s gathering it—and the high-tech systems that allow them to do that are a little concerning.” The city has clarified that the devices will only capture rear license plates and will not capture the faces of drivers, passengers, or bystanders. In accordance with California law, all records of violating vehicles are destroyed after a final payment or adjudication. The intersection between corporate int Click here to view the city’s list of all the cameras located throughout Long Beach.
Graphic by ELJAH MILLER & GABRIELLE LASHLEY / Long Beach Current lbcurrent.com | @lbcurrent
Tuesday, November 3, 2026
5
ARTS & LIFE
Elbee this, Elbee that: Long Beach punk band to perform at CSULB
Photo courtesy of KYLE NOCHE Skate punk band Snout, comprised of bassist Kyle Noche (left), drummer J.D. Trujillo (center) and vocalist/guitarist Marco Perez-Castro (left), has been doing live gigs across SoCal and will be performing at the Pointe at CSULB on Nov. 6. The band is made up of Long Beach natives and the trio incorporate the culture of the city in their music.
BY DOMINIC MADDAN Arts & Life Reporter
F
rom Sublime to Snoop Dogg, Long Beach has had no shortage of iconic artists that call the city home. Rising skate punk band, Snout, looks to join the list of the city’s musical icons. The band, which currently consists of vocalist and guitarist Marco PerezCastro, bassist Kyle Noche and drummer J.D. Trujillo, has been making waves as an emerging band in the local punk rock music scene for their energetic live show performances that literally and figuratively scream “Long Beach.” The band started in early 2025 with the original lineup composed of PerezCastro, Trujillo and original bassist, Aaron Lopez, who had left to fulfill other obligations. Alongside recently celebrating the anniversary of the band’s debut EP, “Blatant” on Oct. 17, Snout also celebrated the anniversary of the trio’s current formation a few days later, when Noche, fourth-year biology major
6
at CSULB, joined the act as its new permanent bassist. Shortly after joining, Noche had to prepare for a live show by learning an entire project’s worth of recorded music from the band’s original lineup. “It was kind of on short notice, I had like three days to learn the songs,” Noche said. “It was like a rough learning curve, but after I had some time to really digest the songs. It was pretty easy to learn over time, you play them so much it just becomes muscle memory.” Snout’s live gigs have been gaining in popularity with dozens of dedicated fans screaming the lyrics of some of the band’s iconic songs. “I think it’s really cool and fun to play shows, especially in Long Beach when you have a lot of friends and family to be there for you,” Perez-Castro said. “Some of our best shows have been in Long Beach.” Despite joining the band later, there is no shortage of synergy onstage between Noche and the rest of his bandmates. “When the crowd’s having fun, [Perez-Castro], [Trujillo] and I are all
on the same wavelength,” Noche said. “I don’t know why, it’s just subconscious, we somehow agree on something and just somehow manifest it into reality.” A recent live show on Oct. 14 featured Snout performing an unreleased song titled “Elbee” with lyrics that may seem familiar to CSULB students. The track features a love allegory about The Beach. “I like to write songs about girls,” Perez-Castro said. “I’m a young man trying to talk to girls and how it never works out, but [Noche’s] like ‘How about we do something that’s not about a girl? Let’s do something that actually we can connect to, so how about we make it about Long Beach?’” Perez-Castro reminisced about the original bassist, Lopez, and his involvement in helping the band create the song, including elements of their favorite parts of the city such as the “skate parks” and “fishing at Seal Beach Pier” “It’s not a song about Elbee the shark, but we’re gonna make a song about a girl, but as a personification of Long Beach,” Perez-Castro said.
Tuesday, November 3, 2026
Long Beach is a recurring motif within Snout’s music and the band members represent the city with pride. “For us, we grew up in Long Beach, we’re always around … and it’s a pretty cool city. I feel like everyone wants to be either from Orange County or LA and we’re like, ‘No we’re from Long Beach,’ Perez-Castro said. “Why don’t we try to add to that repertoire of great artists, people are like ‘Oh, like Sublime and Snoop Dogg.’ It builds a culture.” Continuing the band’s recent string of live shows, the trio will be performing at a benefit concert at The Pointe in the LBS Financial Credit Union Pyramid on Friday, Nov. 6 at 6 p.m. in support of local Long Beach youth charity, Love Beyond Limits. “It’s pretty cool to perform at Cal State Long Beach,” Noche said. “I’ve done my music research on what prior artists have played at CSULB and you have residents like Sublime, Dinosaur Jr., The Doors. I just feel happy to be able to play at my own school. I think that’s pretty cool.”
lbcurrent.com | @lbcurrent
For story concerns, email: arts@lbcurrent.com
ARTS & LIFE
Asian and Asian American Studies remembers longtime professor emerita BY JOSEPH LEE Arts & Life Editor
W
hen Linda Nueva EspañaMaram passed away on Aug. 8 at age 67, the news stunned former colleagues, generations of students and a community of friends and family. Nearly three months later, on Friday, Oct. 30, about 100 people, a majority of them from the Department of Asian and Asian American Studies, gathered at the Karl E. Anatol Center to celebrate the life of the woman some of them affectionately referred to as “Momz.” Together, they combined to embody the living legacy of a woman whose influence extended beyond the classroom and into the lives of generations of students and colleagues. An award-winning author, Fulbright Scholar and historian, España-Maram taught for nearly three decades, influencing generations of students, scholars and colleagues during her extended tenure at Long Beach State. In 2004, she helped the Department of Asian and Asian American Studies establish an Asian American Studies major and shape the Asian Studies Master of Arts program as a long-time graduate advisor. España-Maram also developed popular and relevant new courses on sports in American culture and foodways in American culture. The ceremony closed with a posthumous certificate of recognition from the city of Long Beach, which was presented to España-Maram’s younger sister, May, in celebration of her lifelong accomplishments. The daughter of two chemical engineers, España-Maram was born in Manila, Philippines on Jan. 29, 1959, the eldest of three children. In 1970, when she was 11, her family moved to the U.S., settling first in Monrovia, then into two houses— one in Baldwin Park, the other in West Covina. Their West Covina house became known as the “Holiday Inn of the Nueva Españas” due to how frequently
lbcurrent.com | @lbcurrent
REHANSA KULATILLEKE / Long Beach Current
The Department of Asian and Asian American Studies hosted a Celebration of Life for Dr. Linda España-Maram on Oct. 30 at the Karl E. Anatol Center. Dr. Maram was a beloved friend, colleague and mentor to many as some even called her by the nickname, “Momz.” relatives would seek refuge there after fleeing from the Marcos regime, a 20year authoritarian rule of Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos from December 1965 to February 1986. In the early 1980s, as an undergraduate student at Cal State Fullerton, España-Maram was a student of Leila Zenderland, now a Professor Emerita in American Studies of the university. It was in Zenderland’s pop culture seminar that España-Maram first discovered the topic that would later become the subject of her book, “Creating Masculinity in Los Angeles’s Little Manila: Working-Class Filipinos and Popular Culture, 1920s-1950s.” Published in 2006, the book examines how working-class immigrant Filipino men established a community in early 20th-century LA centered on mutual support, leisure and pleasure. From gambling dens in Chinatown to boxing gyms downtown and taxi dance halls where Filipino men danced with white women, España-Maram traces how these public expressions of Filipino masculinity drew efforts by legislators, reformers and police to regulate their
presence. “Creating Masculinity” was honored the year following its publication by the Association for Asian American Studies with the 2007 Best Book Award in History and continues to be a groundbreaking work preserving the once-lost twentyyear history of Little Manila. In January 2024, she was featured in PBS’ “Lost LA: Historic Filipinotown” to speak on her research and preservation of the history of Little Manila. Following the loss of her late husband shortly after earning her Ph.D. in History from UCLA, she developed a close friendship with Zenderland. They remained friends for the rest of her life. Zenderland described her friendship with España-Maram as “not always easy” as she was “a very private person who could sometimes be hard to reach.” When España-Maram was diagnosed with cancer, she decided to fight it quietly. “She was very, very outwardly friendly, but she did keep a lot of things to herself,” Zenderland said. “For instance, a lot of people didn’t realize she was ill because she wouldn’t want to necessarily
Tuesday, November 3, 2026
share that to burden anyone. She was always very positive, and so that’s kind of why [her passing has], in a way, been a big surprise to people.” As reserved as España-Maram was about her personal life, she was equally as forthcoming when it came to her students and colleagues. “She came through for people in a very deep way, and I realized that too,” Zenderland continued. “I saw that, so I knew that [was] a rare quality. They didn’t call her ‘Momz’ for nothing.” When España-Maram joined the Department of Asian and Asian American Studies in 1997, it didn’t take long before generations of students would begin to know her as “Momz.” “The students called Linda ‘Momz’ because she was the adult they would go to and talk to and get support,” CAPS counselor and fellow Filipino-American, Ferdinand Arcinue said. “She knew what was going on in their lives. She had personal relationships with them. She gave them flexibility. She gave them leeway. She gave them support. She was their mom outside of home.” In the back of the auditorium and in the patio room next door, books from España-Maram’s personal library, many of which, academic texts on society, culture and politics, were stacked on top of tables, free for visitors to take. Alongside the stacks of books, Ghirardelli chocolate squares, a treat she frequently handed out to students, often appeared scattered nearby. In the patio room, platters of banh mi from a former student’s parents’ Vietnamese sandwich shop sat stacked beside lumpia and fruit. Even in death, España-Maram was still giving. “She’d always have food for us,” assistant professor of Asian American Studies & Asian Studies Ann Thuy-Ling Tran recalled. “She’d always be stocking the mailing room where we have food for the faculty and staff. Food was really meaningful to Dr. Maram and she always made sure that we were cared for, and she took care of us.”
7
ARTS & LIFE
Remembrance at The Beach: Celebrating life, culture at Day of the Dead event
BY EDDY CERMENO Staff Photographer
A
s people enter The Pointe in the LBS Financial Credit Union Pyramid at Long Beach State, an elegantly dressed skeletal figure greets them. Walking slowly around the hallway filled with tables adorning colorful banners, flowers and figurines, the female skeletal figure stares back at those in awe of her presence. Maria Flores, a model performer known online as La Muerte Maria, wears black-and-white skeletal makeup with a dress to match the outlines of her bones and a giant sombrero made of orange flowers and feathers. After some people cover their mouths and gleefully react to her ornate and elaborate outfit, Flores allows those who want to come closer to talk with her and take pictures during the Day of the Dead at The Beach event on Tuesday, Oct. 27. At the event, people came together to honor those who have died
8
and celebrate life through cultural traditions of the Mexican holiday, Día de los Muertos. The holiday is celebrated yearly and dates back to Mesoamerican culture over 3,000 years ago. Rooted in indigenous rituals that fused with Catholic traditions after the Spanish conquest of Central America, Día de los Muertos’ unique heritage shapes how death is viewed today. Unlike other somber observances, Día de los Muertos treats death as a natural progression of human life while remembering loved ones who have died with warmth, humor and fond memories by exhibiting some of their personal items and sharing stories of their life experiences. “It is important to always honor your past loved ones, you don’t have to wait for a special holiday.” Flores said. “It’s important to remember every day.” Throughout the event, 10 traditionally decorated ofrendas, personally made altars that display items associated with the dead using decorations such as skulls and flowers, were displayed for people to view and learn more about those who have died.
Tuesday, November 3, 2026
Christian Bracho, an assistant pr at CSULB, had an ofrenda honorin The table had decorations and s of Bracho’s parents as a record pla singers his parents enjoyed, such a Pedro Infante. “It’s a way for people such as m know [my parents] to get to know t to see them and create those interAs people viewed and interacte song and dance filled the room. Mariachi Los Tiburones, a CSU popular Mexican songs such as “ “Cielito Lindo,” a more traditional Earlier in the day, people also Danza Azteca Xochioilli and a com CSULB American Indian Student C At various breaks in perfor
lbcurrent.com | @lbcurrent
ARTS & LIFE
Photos by EDDY CERMENO / Long Beach Current (Left) The ofrenda made by the Chicano and Latino Studies department at Long Beach State for the Day of the Dead at The Beach event on Tuesday, Oct. 27 at The Pointe featured various traditional Mexican decorations and figurines along with portraits and stories of people who died under the custody of ICE. One of the people honored was Roxana Hernandez, a transgender Honduran woman who died under ICE custody in one of its facilities notorious for freezing temperatures. (Above) Nancy Estrada, Long Beach State student, recites a literary calaverita, satire poem, as a member of Teatro al Sur, CSULB’s Spanish-language theater group, during the Day of the Dead at The Beach event on Tuesday, Oct. 27 at The Pointe. Estrada’s calaverita was about a husband who encounters death while working out at a gym. (Top right) Katie Zamudio, Associated Students Incorporated commissioner of cultural affairs, (right) decorates a calavera “sugar skull” with traditional Day of the Dead decorations during the Day of the Dead at The Beach event. (Right) Ethan Tarng, fourth-year molecular cell biology major, plays an acoustic guitar while performing the traditional Mexican song “Cielito Lindo” with other members of Mariachi Los Tiburones, a Long Beach State student-run band club, during the Day of the Dead at The Beach event on Tuesday, Oct. 27 at The Pointe.
rofessor in the College of Education ng both of his dead parents. skeletal figurines among the photos ayer spun vinyl records of Mexican as Maria Lourdes, Javier Solis and
my nieces and nephews who didn’t them, hear stories about them, get -generational bonds,” Bracho said. ed with the ofrendas, the sounds of
ULB student-run band club, played “El Rey” by Vicente Fernadez and l song. viewed dance performances from mmunity drum performance from Council members. rmances, people participated in
workshops that exemplified the cultural celebratory traditions of Day of the Dead workshops. They designed and cut papel picado, which translates to perforated paper and decorated calaveras, which are sugar skulls, with paint, beads and flowers. Katie Zamudio, Associated Students Incorporated commissioner of cultural affairs, hosted the calavera decoration workshop. Zamudio said it is important to celebrate and honor loved ones during the holiday and be spiritual when remembering them. Another tradition of the holiday is to write and recite calaveritas, which are short and humorous poems about people who are alive and encounter La Catrina or death. CSULB students in the Spanish Club and members of Teatro al Sur, CSULB’s Spanish-language theater group, recited calaveritas in Spanish to the audience, who laughed at various points of the readings. Throughout many of the student ofrendas, photos of people who died under ICE custody were presented with information about who they were and where they came from, along with photos of families affected by immigration issues in the U.S.
lbcurrent.com | @lbcurrent
Zoey Fuentes, CSULB Brown Issues community service chair, said it is important to remember and give a voice to people killed by ICE and who are affected by being in underserved communities. Felicia Montes, assistant professor of Chicano and Latino studies at CSULB, helped organize the Day of the Dead event and said it is important to create a welcoming place for people to come together and learn about a culture and celebrate history and traditions. Montes started going to cultural events to celebrate Day of the Dead in communities since she was a teenager, and has gone on to create communal exhibitions and events to honor the holiday since the 1990s. “It’s really beautiful to bring my experience and knowledge to the campus while learning and connecting with others [at these Day of the Dead events],” Montes said.
Tuesday, November 3, 2026
9
OPINIONS
‘Wildwood’ review: A superb illusion bound to become a classic
Director Travis Knight, from left, Marc Evan Jackson, Awkwafina, Jacob Tremblay, Peyton Elizabeth Lee, Amandla Stenberg, Tantoo Cardinal, Jake Johnson, and Angela Bassett arrive at the AFI Fest premiere of “Wildwood” on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026, at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles.
JORDAN STRAUSS/ Associated Press BY TYLER KOLS Opinions Writer
L
egendary Disney animators Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston described the art of character animation as an “Illusion of Life.” This idea illustrates what distinguishes analog techniques like cel or stop-motion animation from any other art form. It’s a magic trick — a presentation that is practical and real. However, it contradicts reality, at least from the perspective of the audience as the illusions are unexplainable. As three-dimensional and handdrawn animation techniques have been brought into the digital age through computer graphics, these analog, oldschool illusions have largely disappeared in favor of digital workflows. Though digital animation is impressive, there is a unique magic in analog craft that films made on computers are unable to replicate. This is why “Wildwood,” Laika Studios’ sixth stop-motion animated feature, feels like such a miraculous
10
achievement. The images made for this movie were made by hand, appearing as physical set pieces placed in front of a real camera. Based on the 2011 novel, “Wildwood” follows a young girl named Prue as she ventures into a magical forest in search of her baby brother, who was abducted by a murder of crows. When the art of stop-motion animation functions closer to Thomas and Johnston’s view of animation being an illusion, it is appropriate that the dark fantasy epic is about the idea of magic itself. Rather than define the concept with overbloated exposition that has become a staple of modern fantasy, “Wildwood” keeps its portrayal simple without sacrificing nuance. The world of “Wildwood” presents magic as a force that stays with us, even after we think we grow out of it. It is a feeling of being put against the uncertainty that comes with our own maturity. Though magic is unexplainable, we must embrace it. The film’s exploration
of this idea is rich and layered, all while wrapped within its deep fantasy worldbuilding. The narrative sets up interesting conflicts through characters who are forced to handle events and people that they have difficulty understanding. This is evident in Prue, who has rejected the concept of magic from her life. Through her perspective, the audience witnesses a compelling journey of someone who is forced to discover what the world around her has to offer, and how to properly mature into it without losing a sense of wonder and curiosity. All this makes for a character that is as captivating as western animation’s greatest heroines, including Laika’s own Coraline. Though the movie crafts an effective portrayal of magic through its characters and narrative, it is arguably made the most believable through its visuals. To say that every frame of “Wildwood” is gorgeous would be an understatement. More importantly, the beauty of its stop-motion animation
Tuesday, November 3, 2026
echoes practical animated illusions. The majority of shots are created by hand, presented in a form that is near impossible to believe. It is a visual style so ridiculously ambitious that it feels less like expert craftsmanship and closer to pure sorcery. Like the film’s depiction of magic, the animation is unbelievable, making it all the more beautiful. It is here that the film’s argument works best. Magic is the unexplainable events and challenges that are an innate part of all of our lives. It is a concept that is just as integral to the film’s craftsmanship as it is to our experience growing up. This film is the perfect medium to tell this story, as it is difficult to understand magic like this when it is made only in writing. After all, illusions are not as simple as just literature. Rather, an illusion is an act to be seen in front of your eyes, meant to be reciprocated with your own disbelief. For “Wildwood,” you have to see it to believe it.
lbcurrent.com | @lbcurrent
For story concerns, email: opinions@lbcurrent.com
OPINIONS
Public executions and America’s disturbing comfort with violence STEVE HELBER / Associated Press A bed is seen through the bars in one of the holding cells near the death chamber at Greensville Correctional Center in Jarratt, Va., March 24, 2021. The Virginia Department of Corrections has recorded audio of at least 30 executions over the last three decades, but it has no plans to release the tapes publicly. The department rejected an Associated Press request under the state’s public records law to release the recordings after NPR obtained and reported on four of them. They offer a rare glimpse into executions.
BY TYLER KOLS Opinions Writer
T
he Pentagon announced on Oct. 9 its intent to livestream a firing squad of Nidal Hasan, who killed 13 unarmed United States soldiers at a military base in Fort Hood in 2009, letting the public witness the execution on Dec. 3. This was a result of Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth looking to install a greater sense of masculinity into the nation’s military and defense sectors. “No fatties, no trannies, no beardos, no weirdos, no wimps, no radicals. Just warriors,” Hegseth said during his “State of the Force” address. Following a week of bipartisan backlash, President Donald Trump announced the cancellation of the livestream. Though it was cancelled, the initial intent of the livestream is indicative of a disturbing culture in America that
lbcurrent.com | @lbcurrent
advocates for violence as a form of justice. We can trace this obsession with violence back to colonial America with the practice of tarring and feathering that colonists used to protest their dissatisfaction with the British and unfair taxation laws. However, the practice eventually disappeared after concerns that it was symbolic of a violent and unruly mob mentality. Though this practice would grow outdated within American civic life, ideologies supporting glorified violence later became intertwined with toughness. An effective way to recognize this is by taking a look at debates surrounding gun laws and the Second Amendment. Those who advocate for loose firearm regulations often express great pride in their gun ownership which has become a point of concern among many Americans. After all, it’s easy to become uncomfortable around those who have such enthusiasm for weapons that can easily end lives.
Even more worrisome, this troubling sense of pride extends to government officials and those in power. In 2025, President Trump changed the Defense Department’s name to the Department of War as a secondary title after signing an executive order. Hegseth has also prioritized integrating policies and language meant to intimidate opponents. This is arguably tied to a history of masculinity and patriarchal systems. Throughout history’s most influential cultures, physical strength and combat were often qualities associated with men. Patriarchal culture would eventually carry over into the country’s early days during the founding of the U.S., with rich, property-owning white men possessing the most influence in government. Though progressive systems like the Nineteenth Amendment have gradually been established over the past 250 years, old ideas of masculinity have persisted; some men even express discomfort
Tuesday, November 3, 2026
over progressive views. With this in mind, America’s obsession with violence is further explained to be rooted in outdated social constructs. The last time public executions were shown in the U.S. was in 1936 and 1937, suggesting that Hegseth’s initial proposal is an old, problematic method of justice. This lines up with modern conservatism in America, with many conservatives arguing against progressive ideologies and legislation that may go against traditional views of masculinity. If we are expected to learn from the mistakes of the past, this resentment toward moving beyond old practices of masculinity and violence becomes harmful. Bringing back a culture that includes public executions will not make a just world like Hegseth thinks it will. Rather, it promotes a toxic ideology that has long made the world an unfair place, risking centuries of social progress.
11
AD
12
Tuesday, November 3, 2026
lbcurrent.com | @lbcurrent
SPORTS
Moore’s minyons hope to turn things around BY VERONICA MINOGUE Sports Reporter
T
he women’s basketball program is geared up for a new season with a fresh roster and a brandnew head coach, Minyon Moore, after a long summer of recruiting and building team culture. After a previous losing season of a 5-25 overall record under previous head coach Amy Wright, the new incoming head coach, Moore, has high hopes of turning this program around. “I never have settled as a player, and I will never settle with me as a coach,” Moore said. “I don’t care who you have, D2, high school kids or a roster of 13 new players. I think that anything is possible.” Moore joins Long Beach State as a first-time head coach but was previously a women’s basketball assistant head coach under Mark Campbell at California State University, Sacramento and Texas Christian University. The program’s roster also underwent a major transition with only one returning player: sophomore forward Rosie Akot. “I feel like there’s been more of a positive growth and change towards the environment,” Akot said. “Everyone’s being respected, like everyone’s seen as a person, not just a player, which is really nice.” As an assistant head coach at Sacramento State, Moore helped the Hornets win their first Big Sky Tournament championship and make their first National Collegiate Athletic Association Tournament appearance. She later helped TCU reach the NCAA Elite Eight while overseeing the Horned Frogs’ guards and defensive strategy. However, Moore said this new team has lots of talent,specifically highlighting new senior point guard Amber Furch. “Amber Furch is a playmaking point guard, quick guard,” Moore said. “She’s the eldest in terms of years played.” Amber Furch is a senior guard coming from three seasons at Saint Michaels College where she averaged 8.4
lbcurrent.com | @lbcurrent
REHANSA KULATILLEKE / Long Beach Current LBSU freshman forward Rosie Akot drives to the basket during a 64-53 loss to UCSD on Thursday, Feb. 5 at the Pyramid.
points and 2.9 rebounds per game. Furch said being closer to her hometown in Los Angeles and having her family be there for her games were top priorities when choosing a different school for her senior year. “I felt like I was in a box at my previous school and I felt like I was walking on eggshells and being afraid to make mistakes,” Furch said. “But here they have really taught me I can only learn from my mistakes.”
LBSU was beaten soundly by the University of Hawai’i last season during the Big West conference with a final score of 74-39. The Beach finished their 2025-2026 season ranked No. 9 on the Big West standings list. The women’s basketball season opener will be on the road against University of California, Berkeley on Nov. 6, but will have their home opener against Santa Clara University on Nov. 9 at 6 p.m. at the LBS Financial Credit
Tuesday, November 3, 2026
Union Pyramid. “Win or losses aside, if we are building up and building up momentum come conference play in December, that pushes us through to March to put ourselves in a good position to making the conference tournament.” Moore said. “As long as we’re making strides, and going in the right direction, trending upwards, that’s all you can ask for.”
13
SPORTS
LBSU women’s soccer finishes the season with a late tie against the Roadrunners
LBSU senior forward Cherrie Cox attempts to drive the ball through Roadrunner defense but is stopped by a roadrunner tackle, resulting in a 1-1 draw in their home game on Saturday, Oct. 31, at George Allen Field. CHARLOTTE LOCICERO /
Long Beach Current
BY DUPREE DE LA PEÑA Sports Reporter
L
ong Beach State women’s soccer closed its regular season with a 1-1 tie against California State University, Bakersfield on a gloomy Halloween Saturday, Oct. 31, at George Allen Field. After playing to a 0-0 tie for most of the contest, a late substitution sparked LBSU to convert on its lone goal, only for CSUB to respond with a goal of its own minutes later. “[The community] could be proud of our group,” head coach Mauricio Ingrassia said. “[LBSU] fought really hard throughout the entire year, they kept getting up, and unfortunately, we couldn’t get the last result today.” With only six programs making the Big West women’s soccer tournament, LBSU (9-5-6, 3-4-4 Big West) entered the contest needing a win against CSUB (2-15-3, 1-8-2 Big West).
14
LBSU was tied for sixth in standings alongside the University of California, Santa Barbara and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo with 12 points each. Before the game, LBSU honored seniors playing in their last home game for the team. Each senior was joined by family loved ones and was presented with flowers, as loud cheers from the stands. The seniors honored were goalkeeper Aurora Schuck, defender Kana Uchida, forward Cherrie Cox, midfielder Jordan Candelaria, defender Kylie Perez, forward Radisson Banks and defender Zoe Willis. After tying Ashley Gonzales last week for the most program goals for LBSU women’s soccer with 36 career goals, Cox had the opportunity to break that record. Fellow senior Banks came into the game at 73:11 and instantly made an impact for The Beach. On an attack late in the game, Banks delivered the ball to Cox, where Cox
converted for a new program record of 37 career goals at 74:30 to give LBSU a 1-0 lead. “It’s a full circle moment playing my last game here and breaking [the program goal record] as a senior,” Cox said. “It means the world to me, especially with this group of girls, I wouldn’t want it any other way.” The Beach would pressure The Roadrunners’ defense in the first half with six corners and 16 shots, but only three shots were on goal. Although most shots were off target for LBSU, CSUB goalkeeper Addyson Evens had three saves, including an allout effort to save a top net goal from LBSU’s Ameera White to keep the game tied 0-0 at half. LBSU goalkeeper Schuck saved the only shot on goal from CSUB. CSUB had only two shots in the first half. With The Beach looking for postseason play, they started to
Tuesday, November 3, 2026
implement a more aggressive attack in hopes for goals. LBSU would continue its dominance on defense most of the second half as CSUB only got off one shot on goal for the second half. “[LBSU] just knew we had to prevent [CSUB] from scoring and do the best that we possibly could defensively,” Willis said. “We needed to beat this team.” However, that one shot would be all The Roadrunners would need to tie the game late in the second half following The Beach’s goal. The Roadrunners’ redshirt freshman Olivia Green placed a shot out of Schuck’s reach to tie the game 1-1 at 82:40. The Beach failed to tack on any more goals behind 31 shots and 10 shots on goal as the Roadrunners escaped with the tie. LBSU women’s soccer concluded its season with a record of 9-5-6, 3-4-4 Big West.
lbcurrent.com | @lbcurrent
For story concerns, email: sports@lbcurrent.com
SPORTS
The Beach celebrates after gaining a point against Cal State Bakersfield on Friday night game, Oct. 30 at the LBS Financial Credit Union Pyramid. The Beach defeated The Roadrunners 3-0 and will face CSUN Saturday at the LBS Financial Credit Union Pyramid. JAMIE GARCIA/
Long Beach Current
LBSU women’s volleyball takes down Cal State Bakersfield in commanding fashion BY JOHN-WYATT CRISTAN IRVIN Sports Reporter
L
ong Beach State women’s volleyball swept Cal State Bakersfield in Big West play on Friday, Oct. 30, at The LBS Financial Credit Union Pyramid. The Beach (17-4, 9-2 Big West) was run by a well-spread offense, as they fired from all areas of the court. Sophomore outside hitter Sidney Hamaker and junior setter Madi Maxwell lead in kills, with 8 and 9. “We emphasize a lot on spreading our offense, we have weapons on every single part of the court,” Maxwell said. “We trust every single person to put a ball down.” The Roadrunners (10-12, 5-5 Big West) started the first set strong, taking a commanding 4-1 lead, but they lost the lead due to multiple attack errors.
lbcurrent.com | @lbcurrent
A strong serving run from Hamaker allowed The Beach to go on a five-point run, including two kills from senior outside hitter Kendal Murphy, widening the score gap between the two teams. A kill down the line for Hamaker allowed The Beach seven unanswered points, including a service ace from sophomore setter Kinga Ziolkowska, to bring the game to set point, 24-12. A missed serve by the Roadrunners put an end to the match, allowing The Beach to win the first set by 12 points. The second set started as a tough competition between the two teams, both trading blows and not wanting to be the first to lose the lead. The Roadrunners were not allowing The Beach to take a lead, and a solo block by freshman middle blocker Leylah Duran allowed the Roadrunners to take a three-point lead, 7-10. The set continued to be competitive, and a back-row quick attack from
Hamaker allowed The Beach to tie the set back up. An out-of-system kill by Hamaker following the bump set from sophomore libero Izzy Mahaffey gave the Beach their first lead of the second set, bringing the game to 19-18. The Beach continued to stay on the gas, as they brought the lead to three points following a missed serve by the Roadrunners. “For us, we were emphasizing what our controllables are, how we’re gonna defend them, how we’re gonna receive some of their serves,” head coach Natalie Reagan said. The Beach came into the third set with an incredibly strong start, as Maxwell brought the team to 7-3 after a kill. A pair of kills by freshman middle blocker Kyler Birkelbach and an error by the Roadrunners allowed The Beach to
Tuesday, November 3, 2026
stay in control of this third set, bringing the lead to 9 points. The Roadrunners continued to try and hold off The Beach, and a kill by them to end off a huge rally allowed them to cut the lead to six, with the game being 18-12. Yet errors continue to plague the Roadrunners, as an attack error brought The Beach to an eight-point lead and propelled them to break the 20-point barrier. “[The Roadrunners] did let us off the hook quite a few times in that third set,” Reagan said. “At the end of the day, we talk about creating our own luck, and we did that tonight” LBSU returns to the Pyramid on Saturday, Oct. 31, at 3 p.m. to play against Cal State Northridge who they lost to earlier this season on Oct. 2.
15
COMIC
Comic by GABRIELLE LASHLEY / Long Beach Current
16
Tuesday, November 3, 2026
lbcurrent.com | @lbcurrent