Life + Culture

More Than A Survivor

Long Beach's Sean Rector has spent a lifetime turning setbacks into something greater. Article by Atira Rodriguez | Photography by Hassan Haze There's a word Sean Rector uses when he talks about his life — navigate . He says it the way someone does who has had to learn, early and often, that the terrain is rarely what you expected and the map is rarely yours to draw. From the streets of Harlem to the hills of rural Pennsylvania, from a castaway beach in the Marquesas Islands to the classrooms...

Sports + Recreation

Play Ball!

How Long Beach’s new pro baseball team is a home-field tribute to the city Article by Stephanie Perez | Photography by Photography Provided by Long Beach Coast “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” is the beloved anthem sung during the seventh-inning stretch at baseball games. Fans “root, root, root for the home team,” and now, for Long Beach, that means the Long Beach Coast.  “Long Beach is the perfect place for a Pioneer League team,” said Paul Freedman, one of the founders. “To our knowledge...

Life + Culture

Honoring Long Beach Veterans For Flag Day

A roundup of local veterans highlighting service, leadership and continued community impact Article by Stephanie Perez | Photography by Photo credit: City of Long Beach, Veterans Banner Program Flag Day, marked each year on June 14, is a moment to honor the service and sacrifice of those who have served in the U.S. military. In Long Beach, that recognition extends to veterans whose dedication continues to shape and strengthen the community. Gus Orozco Gus Orozco was born in Jalisco, Mexico...

Life + Culture

Remembering Jim Michaelian

Behind North America's longest-running street race was a man of character whose legacy outruns every car on the track. Article by Atira Rodriguez | Photography by Brandon Richardson and Ariana Ruiz/Prensa Internacional Jim Michaelian never wanted the spotlight, perhaps because his own light was bright enough. Each year at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, he'd greet ticketing staff and watch fans file out after the checkered flag fell, making sure they'd had a good time. Half of them had no...

Food + Beverage

Fire Up the Grill for “G-funk” Brisket

Celebrity pitmaster Warren G’s barbecue brisket recipe is guaranteed to steal the show at any family gathering Article by Warren G | Photography by Provided For brisket with that signature "G-funk" flavor, lean into Sniffin Griffin’s All Purpose Bite Through BBQ Rub. Founded by “Hip Hop’s Pitmaster” Warren G, whose father, Warren Griffin, Jr., was a chef and pitmaster, Sniffin Griffin’s BBQ celebrates community and bold flavor. This rub is built on a low-salt formulation of smoked garlic...

Entertainment

A Home For Women’s Sports

Watch Me! Sports Bar Puts Women's Sports Front and Center Article by Stephanie Perez | Photography by Photography provided by Jax Diener Chances are, when you walk into a sports bar, men’s games are on the big screens while women’s sports are on a small TV or muted, if they are even shown at all. A place where women take center stage is rare, but in Long Beach, that place is Watch Me! Sports Bar. The bar, which opened in July 2024 to coincide with the Paris Olympics opening ceremony, is the...

Local Services

No One Left Behind

WomenShelter of Long Beach is dedicated to reaching more survivors and breaking harmful cycles. Article by Atira Rodriguez | Photography by Provided by WomenShelter of Long Beach For 50 years, WomenShelter of Long Beach has been a lifeline for survivors of domestic violence — available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for anyone who needs it. And despite what its name might suggest, that means everyone. Regardless of gender, background or circumstance, WSLB's doors are open. As the...

Beauty

Elevated Beauty for Summer

Celebrity skincare and makeup artist David Ross curates must-have products for a glowy summer look Article by David Ross This summer, beauty blossoms into an elevated blend of artistry and wellness, where luminous skin and expressive color take center stage. The season is defined by a dewy glow achieved through skincare-infused makeup, lightweight tints, plumping serums and glow-enhancing balms that blur the line between complexion care and cosmetics.   Eyes are highlighted with soft yet...

Health + Wellness

She Goes Forth

From Poly High to Inc. 5000 Powerhouse: How Leslee Deanes-Bryant Is Building Her Legacy Article by Atira Rodriguez | Photography by Nirav Solanki There is a phrase cast above the entrance of Long Beach Polytechnic High School that Leslee Deanes-Bryant still carries with her every single day: Enter to learn. Go forth to serve. She walked through those gates for the first time in 1987 as a 14-year-old girl who had arrived in Long Beach four years earlier. She could not have known then that...

Professional Services

Supporting Women to Break the Cycle

Pathways provides steady support with housing, healing, mentorship and guidance Article by Stephanie Perez | Photography by Photography provided by Pathways to Independence A strong support system is essential to succeed. When it is missing, especially for women in early adulthood, building a stable and secure future becomes significantly more difficult. Pathways to Independence is a local nonprofit serving unmarried, unaccompanied women ages 18 to 35 in southern Los Angeles County and...