Great Plates Delivered, an initiative of the City of Long Beach and partners around the city, fed hundreds through the first months of the pandemic. One of the restaurant partners was La Guanaquita, a Salvadoran restaurant located in North Long Beach. We worked with Palacio Magazine to interview the owner and her family.
Link to video of interview in spanish
Wavemax Laundromat in Long Beach had a busy start to their free laundry event on Feb 17. From 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., the first
Emily Kazim, who previously served as an LBECI program manager, will take over the position effective immediately. The Long Beach Center for Economic Inclusion —
I grew up in Long Beach surrounded by gang violence, substance abuse and mental health issues. At my sister’s 10th birthday party, we were confined
Read the full story here. James Collins spent Tuesday morning at the muffler shop, getting the O2 sensors on a couple of his vans replaced.
10,000 pounds of food stacked in pallets sits in Rex Richardson’s field office waiting to be distributed to food pantries around the greater Long Beach
Today, the Long Beach Center for Economic Inclusion (LBCEI) announced search for a new Executive Director (ED). LBCEI is a new nonprofit Community Development Corporation (CDC) with a mission to expand inclusive economic opportunities to build and sustain wealth for all communities in Long Beach.
Carl Kemp is currently the Environmental Health Public Affairs Manager with Los Angeles County Department of Public Health and has more than 20 years of experience in communications and public affairs. Prior to joining Public Health, Carl managed his own government affairs and public relations practice with a wide range of clients from international shipping to major non-profits. He also created the Office of Government Affairs and Communication in the City of Long Beach, and went on to create the Office of Government Affairs and Community Relations at the Port of Long Beach.
Kemp has a long history of community involvement in the Long Beach area, including earning a B.A. and MPA from California State University, Long Beach, where he served two terms as student body present. He also has earned a certificate in Executive Leadership from the Harvard University School of Government. He has developed messaging around many major initiatives from local to federal government, including the Green Port Policy at the Port of Long Beach. Over the years, Carl has served on many boards and has been blessed to be involved in numerous initiatives to improve the community and contribute to the people within it.
Carl’s proudest accomplishment is being a father.
Vivian Shimoyama has directed initiatives for public, non-profit, and private sector organizations setting strategic vision, and managing organization growth which resulted in economic impact. She is a recognized expert on small businesses and has advocated for thousands of small business owners through local, state, national and international initiatives. Dedicated to growing small businesses she heads two ventures — Growth Small Business, LLC and is the Chief Operating Officer of Scale Smarter Partners, these firms accelerate business growth through guided tools that allow companies to thrive. She advises and advocates for small businesses in a range of industries with outcomes that lead to opening doors of opportunity for entrepreneurs, strategic positioning, and focus on building operations infrastructure necessary to support growth.
Most recently, Ms. Shimoyama was the Regional Executive Director of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses (10KSB) Initiative for Southern California. She built a regional team and worked with national organizations to create jobs and economic growth by providing entrepreneurs with a practical business and management education program, access to capital, and business advisory support services.
She is the Chair Emeritus of the Pacific Gateway Workforce Investment Board, National Association of Women Business Owners, and NAWBO Education Foundation, and advisor to the California Small Business Education Foundation, and University of Southern California Small Business Supplier Diversity Office.
As a national and international leader, she has served as an appointee to the National Women’s Business Council, an independent federal government advisory council that advises the President and U.S. Congress on issues important to women owned businesses. Ms. Shimoyama has served as an elected delegate to the White House Conference on Small Business; was a member of the U.S. delegation and facilitator for the landmark 10 Downing Street Economic Summit headed by the U.K. government; U.S. delegate to the Asia-Pacific (APEC) Women and the Economy Summit, bringing together private and public sector leaders for women’s economic empowerment.
Ms. Shimoyama has been honored by the National Association of Women Business Owners, and received the National Women In Business Advocate Award from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). In 2020, she was selected by the New York Museum of Arts and Design as one of 45 artists that have made significant developments in art jewelry since the mid- century: 45 Stories in Jewelry: 1946 to Now features pieces and jewelry artists in the past eighty years that have broadened the scope and reach of art as a wearable medium. Shimoyama Studio is located in downtown Long Beach where her fused glass artwork is displayed along with her creation The Glass Ceiling Pin that has received national recognition for breaking invisible barriers … glass ceilings.
Wayne Chaney personifies the contemporary spiritual leader. He uniquely bridges people from different generations, cultures, and demographics through his relevant teaching and architecture of spirited worship atmospheres. His rich family heritage of clergyman fuels his genuine love for people. He stewards a five-decade legacy left by his grandfather, Joe Chaney, Jr. as he pastors Antioch Church of Long Beach. Wayne’s determination to shift culture is permeated throughout his ministry expression, oratory and brand tentacles.
Wayne has never been satisfied with status quo so whether it is a national television show, radio show, church congregation, regional festival, or by feeding thousands of people every month, he is destined to make a difference. Chaney is the visionary of the Long Beach Gospel Fest, the city’s premier gospel event held on the beautiful shores of downtown Long Beach. This yearly gathering brings politicians, business owners, gospel singers, and over 25,000 people together for inspiration, worship and music. “Beyond the gospel music, we are witnessing the addition of something new and wonderful to Long Beach,” he said to the Los Angeles Times.
He is strongly engaged civically as the former President of the California National African American Network, SBC, Board Member of the National African American Network, and on the Executive Board of the California Southern Baptist Convention. Pastor Chaney serves on the Executive Board of Global Tribe International, whose mission is to rescue those in physical and spiritual poverty, reach communities with the gospel and recruit and empower young leaders. He is also the president emeritus of the Long Beach Ministers Alliance.
Pastor Chaney has added published author to his expanding repertoire as his novel Your Miraculous Potential: Maximizing God’s Creativity, Power and Direction is now available at retailers everywhere.
Dr. Juan M. Benitez is a father, educator, and community leader dedicated to Long Beach. He serves as the Executive Director for the Center for Community Engagement (CCE) and as an Associate Professor of History at California State University, Long Beach (CSULB).
With over 20 years of experience in higher education, Juan heads university-wide community engagement projects, programs, activities, and initiatives. He has helped raise close to $3 million in funding for projects in the region, working with over 100 nonprofit organizations and community groups as well as thousands of students and community members.
Through his work with the CCE, Juan helped to implement The California Endowment’s Building Healthy Communities initiative in Long Beach, a 10-year effort to improve neighborhood conditions that contribute to good health. Juan also worked with AmeriCorps and community groups to create a collaborative vision to address youth development, parent engagement, equity and opportunity gaps, and school discipline issues in Long Beach schools.
Juan is also the proud son of hard-working immigrants from Mexico who came to the United States to pursue a better life for their family and achieve the American Dream.
Juan was elected to the Long Beach Unified School District Board, Third District, in June 2018.
Joey King is a humanitarian and community leader with a passion for making a positive impact. Born in St. Thomas, USVI, and raised in Barbados, Joey moved to California in 1985 and joined the Navy as a Nuclear Engineer. After serving his country, he settled in the Long Beach area in 2000 and began raising his four children, two boys, and two girls, who are the center of his world.
In 2020, Joey began his non-profit work, which was fueled by the pandemic. He has since hosted a number of Digital inclusion events, Covid vaccine events, street safety events, Back to School Events, Holiday give away events, home ownership events, cash for college events, and more. Joey has become known as the “Food Mafia of Long Beach” for his exceptional efforts in providing food for over 3 million meals in 2022 alone. His dedication to serving his community has made him a beloved figure in Long Beach, and his work continues to make a significant impact on the lives of those around him.
Darick J. Simpson, currently serves as the president and CEO of the Earl B. and Loraine H. Miller Foundation — one of the largest philanthropic foundations in the city. He formerly served as the executive director of Long Beach Community Action Partnership.
Simpson, who holds a bachelor’s degree in Communications from the University of Alabama and a master’s in organizational management from the University of Phoenix, led LBCAP for the last 13 years. The nonprofit assists youth and families to reach self-sustainability.
Under Simpson’s direction, LBCAP became Long Beach’s public access television broadcast outlet and started a training program for youth in the performing arts and broadcast journalism. He grew LBCAP from a staff of 24 with a $1.3 million budget to an agency with a $10 million budget and 80 staff members.
A resident of Long Beach, Darick is a recognized leader in the community. Additionally, Mr. Simpson has served on various national, state, and regional boards including the PBS SoCal Advisory Board and the Los Angeles County Department of Public Social Services (DPSS) Commission.
Sharon Jackson’s professional career includes 12 years with IBM where she served as an auditor and administrative branch manager. Her 20-year career with the City of Long Beach included serving as an Analyst in the Long Beach Police Department’s Narcotics and Crime Analysis Divisions and Coordinator of the Neighborhood Nuisance Abatement Program. For the final 10 years of her career she was the city’s Airport Public Affairs Officer.
Following her retirement in 2009, Sharon, and her husband David, began a journey to discover and connect with their family roots that landed them in Selma, AL, where they purchased and renovated a historic home in Downtown Selma. The home has been used as a center for racial healing and social action and a learning center for students studying the Civil War, the Civil Rights and Voting Rights Movement.
A student of history, Sharon is an trained genealogist and author of, Images of America:SELMA. Published in November 2014, the book has been very well received and is now in its second printing.
Currently, Sharon serves as the Program Officer for Elite Skills Development, a non-profit organization that provides services to create pathways to self-sustainability for at-risk and under-resourced youth and young adults.
Sharon is a member of the Long Beach City College Citizen Oversight Committee, a board member of the Long Beach African American Cultural Center, the Executive Committee of the Selma Annual Bridge Crossing Jubilee and a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc-Long Beach Alumnae Chapter and The Links, Inc.
Antioch Church | Carl Kemp
Antioch LB | Wayne Chaney, Jr.
City of Long Beach, Economic Development | John Keisler
City of Long Beach, Economic Development | Rebecca Kauma
City of Long Beach, Health Dept. | Katie Balderas
City of Long Beach, Health Dept. | Kelly Colopy
Council District 9 | Rex Richardson
Council District 9, City of Long Beach | Alanah Grant
CSULB | Juan Benitez
CSULB Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship | Wade Martin
Elite Skills Development | Sharon Diggs-Jackson
Growth Small Business, LLC | Vivian Shimoyama
Habitat for Humanity | Dinesa Thomas-Whitman
LA County | Herlinda Chico
LA LISC | Tunua Thrash-NtukLandspire Group | Treana Allen
LB Economic Development Commission | Jessica Schumer
LB Forward | Petit Christine
LB Opera | Derrell Acon
LBCAP | Darick Simpson
LBCAP | Marisa Semense
LBUSD | Kim Johnson
LINC Housing | Suny Lay Chang
Our Essence Beauty Supply | Deidre Norville
Pacific6 | Brandon Dowling
PGWIN | Nick Schultz
PGWIN Board | Weston LaBar
POLB | Bonnie Lowenthal
Pride Real Estate Professional Association | Jacqueline Case
PV Jobs | Erik Miller
Ronnie’s House | Shirin Senegal
SHS Connections | Shawna Stevens
SoCal Grantmakers | Seyron Foo
United Cambodian Community, Midtown BID | Susana Sngiem,
Uptown BID | Doris Felix
Uptown BID | Joni Ricks-Odie
Uptown BID | Tom Carpenter
Urban Agriculture Council | Rod Dodd
USC Small Business Diversity Office | Rhonda Thornton
Villages at Cabrillo | Rene Castro
Wells Fargo | Linda Nguyen
Facilitators:
Elite Skills Development | Sharon Diggs-Jackson
Office of Councilmember Rex Richardson | Alanah Grant