By Dianne Anderson Before the grades, first the goals. A small but powerful circle of dads is getting back to school for a safe space to share their own stories about tackling the tough challenges for kids and themselves, learning to advocate, and getting support from a system that usually keeps them out of the ...

By Dianne Anderson Backlash continues to grow as higher officials call for Teachers Association of Long Beach Secretary John Solomon to step down as union secretary for allegedly sharing a racist image of a small Black child with an ankle bracelet in a group text with the bargaining team. Last week, in a joint statement, ...

$1.3M investment expands services for children, families and caregivers The City of Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services (Health Department), in partnership with local early childhood organizations, has launched the Early Childhood Mental Health Program. The program will support the emotional wellbeing of young children by providing resources, training and guidance for families and childcare ...

By Dianne Anderson Fear of social stigma is the least of anyone’s worries lately as new federal cuts may impact thousands of Long Beach residents at risk of losing access to health programs, like support services for HIV, STIs and AIDS. Youth, with all their boundless energy, will be hit hardest, unless they suddenly learn ...

Long Beach hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the completion of the Youth Shelter and Navigation Center, the City’s first permanent shelter facility for youth experiencing homelessness. The facility provides temporary shelter and supportive services for youth ages 18-24, marking a significant milestone in the City’s efforts to address homelessness. “Long Beach’s new Youth ...

The Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services (Health Department) has announced a citywide expansion of the Community Crisis Response (CCR) team, which responds to a subset of calls-for-service where mental health support, health education and resource navigation could support the safety and health outcomes for community members at the center of calls. The ...

by Dianne Anderson When the Long Beach Youth Advisory Council first gets in front of city leaders, watching the inner workings of civic duty in real time, seeing how the hobnob of the electoral elite — it can be a bit much. But youth are resilient quick learners, both in their personal lives and in ...

The City of Long Beach Economic Development Department (Department) is partnering with leading aerospace employers and educational institutions to offer an enriching career exploration experience for 45 Long Beach youth ages 16 to 24. The Space Beach Youth Workforce Summer Camp (Space Beach Camp) will build on the success of last year’s inaugural cohort and continue the City’s commitment ...

by Dianne Anderson It’s that time of year again, when Black men fear not being taken seriously, or discriminated against by doctors, or need a PhD to dig through a maze of buried links to find local free and low-cost preventative screenings. But that’s no reason to skip the to-do list. Heart health – check, ...

With the leadership of Supervisor Janice Hahn, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to allocate $1,500,000 to a pedestrian-friendly makeover of a four-block section of 1st Street in Downtown Long Beach.  The planned centerpiece of the project will be Blue Line Rail Car #100, the first rail car to operate on the ...