long beach

Long Beach has a thriving LGBTQ+ community. From the outside looking in, this is the ideal place to live for anyone in the gay community.  

Identical twins Kyro and Monalise Rose Davis, say those pleasantries often do not extend to the Black LGBTQ+ community. They say the politicians in Long Beach, have neglected to address the needs of their community. But those feelings of abandonment extend far beyond politics.  

The twins say they started “Lesbians Are Life” to make sure people pithing their community had a place to go to learn about resources, build together, and express their frustrations of the lack of acceptance they feel from the Hetro-Black Community.  

We learn more about their experiences on this week’s “The Word.” 

If you would like to take part in the “Lesbians Are Life” social group, you can find out more but visiting the LB GRRRL Collective on their Instagram.

Sickle cell anemia is a blood disease that causes blood cells to take the shape of a sickle and restricts the flow of blood. One in 12 African Americans are born with the trait, which means they are carriers but don’t necessarily have the disease.

Unfortunately, education about the disease is not common. Often, African Americans don’t even know they have the sickle cell trait. The lack of understanding has also provided cover for law enforcement. The New York Times cited 46 cases of people with the disease who were tased, pepper-sprayed and deprived suspects of oxygen by police. When those actions resulted in death, police cited natural causes due to the presence of the sickle cell trait.

On this episode of “The Word,” we are going to learn more about this rare blood disease from someone who not only has the disease but, is helping people living with chronic illness.

Lathan Singleton III is not only living with sickle cell, he has lost family members to the disease. Now, he is using his experience to help others. Singleton is the founder of the Unspoken Hero Society. The nonprofit organization provides support, advocacy,  and tools to those affected by chronic illnesses.

And, because blood donors are vital to those living with Sickle Cell and other chronic illnesses, the nonprofit is organizing a blood drive on June 17 at Christ Second Baptist Church, 1471 Martin Luther King Blvd.

You can find out more about the blood drive, donate, or seek assistance with any chronic illness by visiting the Unspoken Hero website.

Today we are speaking with artist Jana Opincariu, who lives in San Pedro. I was introduced to Jana’s work in June of 2020, at her solo exhibition, Meditations in Solidarity, a collection of paintings created during the pandemic at Hellada Gallery in Long Beach. A striking exhibit, it featured works from Jana’s Black Series, her Beautiful Grotesque series and other works — all of which demanded unremitting attention.

Hyper-realistic is just one way to describe this young artist's work. Jana creates images of human bodies, objects and animals that are surreal and fantastical—and some with macabre undertones. 

Jana originally studied to become a medical lab scientist but decided to follow her true passion: art. She graduated with a dual bachelor’s in art history and studio art from University of New Mexico, with a focus on ancient Latin American art and European art through the centuries. Jana works in photography, printmaking and lithography but her passion is painting.  

She finds inspiration from her studies of Spanish and Italian Baroque, her travels, nature, and her dreams.

Jana has shown in multiple cities across the Southwest and the Pacific coast. Her breakout show, Totem, a September 2019 collaboration with internationally known artist, Daniel Kathalynas, at the  Factory on 5th in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Jana’s other recent exhibitions include:
Intro to Black and Gold: A Series in Conversation solo show, Albuquerque Press Club January 2020
Black and Gold I: with TWO separate solo shows, Boxing Bear and Tractory Brewery in Albuquerque February-April 2020
Art in Sensuality 2021: Group Show, Hellada Gallery, Long Beach, February 2021 and 2022
The Harper 420 Golf Invitational Art Exhibition: Group Show, San Pedro, pop up April, 2021
 

The word Communism often causes a very negative reaction in most Americans. That is probably why there are very few politicians who have run on the communist ticket and won. But, it is not an uncommon ideology. Civil rights leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. W.E.B DuBois and Fred Hampton all embraced some basic principles of Communism. Those being equality, access to adequate health care, employment, housing, and education for everyone.  

Those facts are common knowledge but, when thinking of Communism, most people will think of Stalin or Mao. It’s safe to say that a lot of us believe these are the kind of people think our men and women in the Armed Forces have and should fight against.  

So it was surprising to learn that right here in Long Beach, we have an Army Veteran who is running for District One City Council on the Communist ticket. His name is Steven Estrada and we meet him on this episode of The Word with Jackie Rae.

To support this show and projects like it, become a member today at lbpost.com/join.

Imagine being on a job for 30 years and struggling to pay $1200 to rent out a room in someone's home. It sounds farfetched to a lot of us but, it is a reality Americans across the country are dealing with and, it is the reason why several CSEA employees, who work for the Long Beach Unified School district, are asking for a 7% salary increase.

The district says giving CSEA workers a 7% raise means they would receive a bigger raise than the teachers.  But that entirely depends on how you look at it.  So we are going to break it down on this episode of The Word on Long Beach.

Read more about LBUSD and CSEA negotiations here: lbpost.com/news/education/csea…rike-contract-raise

:16 – The Long Beach Black Restaurant week is just a few days away. The event starts Jan. 23 and runs through Jan. 30. It is organized by the nonprofit Long Beach Food and Beverage and is designed to promote and celebrate African, African American and Caribbean food, as well as highlight Black-owned culinary businesses, chefs, and bartenders in and around Long Beach.

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Mr. Fries is one of the restaurants featured in the week. The founder, Craig Batiste, shares his story of how the firing of his wife and the mundane of a 9-5 sparked the idea.

Devin Green, one of the owners of the Mr. Fries location just off Artesia Boulevard in North Long Beach, shares why he and his family felt the franchise would help their family build generational wealth.

If you are interested in opening a franchise or, finding a location near you, visit Mr. Fries online here: https://www.mrfriesman.com/about-us/

11:24 – Terry Henry runs Long Beach Food and Beverage (https://www.lbfoodandbeverage.org), which is a non-profit organization that helps restaurants in Long Beach get more attention. But with every event that she organizes, she also gives back to the community.

On Tuesday, Henry brought three chefs to the Long Beach Food Mission. Together they provided homeless men, women, and children with a multi-course gourmet lunch. Find out more about each chef below.

• Chef Ronnie Woods – Northtown Bistro Pop-up - https://www.instagram.com/northtownbistro/
• Chef Quianna Bradley – A Pinch of Salt Catering - http://www.apinchofsaltcatering.com
• Chef Vida Virgillito – Gone Loco Food Truck - https://www.instagram.com/goneloco21/

Links

1. "Cookie Monster's Supply Chain Crisis and WTO Update," Trade Guys Podcast, CSIS, October 21, 2021.
2. "No Escape from LA: Lingering Supply Chain Insecurity at Los Angeles Ports," by William Alan Reinsch and Aidan Arasasingham, CSIS, November 4, 2021.
3. "CIMSEC Holiday Reading List 2021," by the CIMSEC Podcast Team, CIMSEC, December 17, 2021.
4. "Beyond Defense: America's Past & Future Interests at Sea," by Jimmy Drennan, CIMSEC, October 25, 2021.
5. "Protecting the Maritime Shipping Industry from Cybercrime," by Nicholas Glavin, CIMSEC, December 20, 2017.
6. "Shipping as a Repository of Strategic Vulnerability," by Michael Haas, CIMSEC, August 16, 2013.
7. Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act 2021.
8. "The Next Shipping Crisis: A Maritime Labor Shortage," by Adam Minter, Bloomberg, November 6, 2021.
9. "White House Port Envoy Joins Port of Los Angeles Executive Director to Discuss Supply Chain Solutions," Port of Los Angeles, October 14, 2021.
10. "U.S. Mariner Mental Health & Wellbeing During COVID 19 and Beyond, by Dr. Marissa G. Baker, PhD, University of Washington School of Public Health, November 2021.

Leah Shane Dixon, The Spaces In Between

Shane Dixon is an artist in multiple media, whose diverse body of work explores fusion of oppositional polarities, transcendental themes, abstract symbolism, and humankind's unique role within the natural world.  

A graduate of Pratt Institute and the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts, Shane draws from their bi-coastal life experience, informed by the rich tapestry of artistic, historic, cultural, literary, musical and filmic trends of both Los Angeles and New York City. 

A second generation computer geek, Shane fuses digital and video-based art making with the foundation art practices of drawing, painting, installation, and photography. In addition, Shane has curated many group art shows and other curatorial projects in Long Beach and Los Angeles.

Shane's recent exhibitions include:

• Illuminations Loiter Galleries in Long Beach - An exhibit of Projections & a Mini-retrospective of last 18 years
• TEMPLE: Eternity in One Hour,  2004,  a video within a round frame
• Projecting Possibilities July 2021 at The Helms Design Center, Los Angeles

Shane works in: acrylic painting, digital & abstract painting, video installation and projection art, plastic assemblage, visual music, art curation, music tutoring. And they explore: tessellations and color theory 

Shane has created digital works almost entirely for 18 years but recently they have been fusing digital and paint into a single object. 

Shane uses  the pronouns They/He  

http://leahshanedixon.com/

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Jeff Burton, Steve Letarte and Kyle Petty discuss Denny Hamlin's Las Vegas playoff Cup race win. Then, Alex Palou joins to describe how he protected the championship points lead at Long Beach to earn his IndyCar title.

From roller skates to birria tacos, this episode takes us southbound on the 5 from Los Angeles to sunny San Diego. Join Host Oneika Raymond on a road trip down one of the most famous coastlines in America to get a taste of southern California culture.

We start our journey heading south down Whittier Boulevard to catch a glimpse of the iconic low-riders of LA. We’ll park on a stretch of Long Beach called Junipero Beach. There we’ll speak with roller skater Rubina Bernabe, best known for her roller skating on Instagram, and her organization of the “Don’t Hate, Let’s Skate” anti-Asian violence event.

Next, it’s off to Santa Ana to take in a unique music scene that’s growing right next door to the goliath music industry of LA. We’ll stop at GCS Clothing Store and Art Gallery, a store, venue, and cultural center for the Santa Ana scene where we’ll speak with DJ Great Daine about what makes the Orange County music scene so eclectic.

After a few hours along the 5, we’ll hit Agave Birrieria for some birria tacos. These tacos served with meat soaked in consomé are making mouths water across the United States after first gaining popularity stateside in southern California.

Finally, it’s time to ditch the car when we make it to our destination, The Westin San Diego Gaslamp Quarter. With its proximity to all there is to see and do downtown, this hotel makes it easy for guests to see San Diego on foot. And for those looking to explore further out or hit the boardwalk, the hotel offers a fleet of bikes to its guests, free of charge.

Thanks to our guests on this episode for sharing their stories along the route. Check out Rubina’s Instagram account at Instagram.com/rollercoastinrubes. We recommend checking out nearby Pigeon’s Roller Skate Shop to try a pair on for yourself: https://pigeonskates.com. You can see more about GCS Clothing Store and Art Gallery at https://www.gcssantaana.com/. To try some birria tacos, head over to Agave Birrieria at https://agavebirrieria.com/. 

For more about this route — and to get other road trip ideas — visit Marriott Bonvoy Traveler at traveler.marriott.com/road-trip-ideas. Learn more and book a room at the Westin San Diego Gaslamp Quarter at https://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/sanwi-the-westin-san-diego-gaslamp-quarter/. 

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