Letters to the Editor

Deepest Gratitude

As we close the chapter on another remarkable year, I want to take a moment to reflect on all that we’ve accomplished together – and to express my deepest gratitude for your unwavering support.

This year, because of your generosity and partnership, we:

Provided 17 Public Art field trips to CSULB and Downtown Long Beach, including collaborating with Avalon Middle School for the first time.

Expanded our grants program to serve an additional 72 artists and organizations for the Creative Corps Program.

Collaborated with organizations like Books and Buckets and Habitat for Humanity on launching the 14th Street Park Basketball Mural Project – On the Rise.

Installed 10 LBRA murals this fall across the city.

These achievements remind me that our arts community is strong, even as we face a possible challenging financial outlook for our sector. Funding changes in federal agencies in 2025 could devastate thousands of arts programs, jeopardize cultural preservation and silence the creative voices that bring vibrancy, unity and hope to our communities.

What keeps me going? I know Long Beach is different. I see, hear and feel the art’s vibrancy across the city. From Mayor Richardson’s vision for our creative economy to dozens of collective staging plays, concerts, openings and classes. Our council members understand the power of expression and how a community that creates together will grow stronger.

Most importantly, the artists, performers, organizations and community leaders we work with make Long Beach shine.

Griselda Suarez
Executive Director, Arts Council

LBFD Response

This is a life-threatening issue since time is of the essence in saving lives and property during a fire.

Yet I have been a resident here for 32 years and we have yet to have any practice fire drills or fire prevention presentations from any of the LBFD personnel to discuss vitally important information to the residents or have any sort of drills to familiarize themselves with the layout of the power, waterflow, structural design [and] alarm systems until there is a fire.

Then they show their unpreparedness to trapped residents while scurrying around to determine building address numbers.

Warren Johnson