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Long Beach mayor displays knack for fixing things

Robert Garcia helps progressive, diverse city roar back to life

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Mayor Robert Garcia at Long Beach Pride 2016. (Photo by Liezl Estipona)

Robert Garcia, the first openly gay person elected mayor of Long Beach, is determined to take his city out of the long shadow of its bigger, sexier, and certainly more celebrity-studded sister to the north.

ā€œLong Beach is a big city, population wise. There are more people in Long Beach than in Atlanta, Miami, St. Louis, and New Orleans, but because itā€™s so close to L.A., people donā€™t realize the size and scope of the city,ā€ Mayor Garcia told the Los Angeles Blade.

ā€œItā€™s important for us to have a national profile, and that weā€™re out there promoting the city, bringing in jobs, and big corporations. And doing that means making sure the city is ready. That means tech jobs, and making sure those opportunities are available to Long Beach residents. So far, things are going great. Unemployment rate is the lowest itā€™s been on record.ā€

Garcia also has plans to build more affordable housing, right the wrongs of income inequality, and protect his most vulnerable citizens ā€“ the homeless, immigrants, those who are undocumented, and the LGBTQ community.

ā€œThe challenges in Long Beach are the same as other big cities in California,ā€ he said. ā€œThereā€™s a statewide housing crisis. Itā€™s a simple math equation. The housing hasnā€™t kept up with the population growth. Weā€™re in a situation across the state where weā€™re seeing a huge housing crisis and thatā€™s causing a lot of strain with the rental market, the housing market and with homelessness.

ā€œHomelessness in general, income inequality over time, and wages havenā€™t kept up with growth. More and more folks are falling into homelessness and itā€™s sad to see and there isnā€™t enough of a national focus on income inequality and wages to address that appropriately.ā€

The mayor was once a Republican. His story of immigrating to the U.S. from Peru, and his familyā€™s support of President Reagan, comes with a quick and timely lesson. Ā 

ā€œMy whole family registered as Republicans when we became citizens. We did so because we loved Ronald Reagan. At the time he had signed the amnesty bill. So, we didnā€™t know much about politics, but we loved the president because heā€™d signed this bill, giving us an opportunity to become U.S. citizens.

ā€œToday, itā€™s ironic that it was a Republican president that signed the most comprehensive path to citizenship that weā€™ve had this last generation. And a president whoā€™s idolized by the Republican Party also did more for immigrants than any other president recently. I think the Republican Party needs to take a page out of the Ronald Reagan playbook and work with Democrats on a comprehensive immigration program that will create citizenship for the millions of folks that are here,ā€ he said.

Garcia was only slightly unsure whether his status as a gay Latino would impact his run for office. Ā Ā 

ā€œIā€™m sure there were some who may have had problems with my being Latino or gay, but more were supportive, and for those communities it means a lot to a lot of folks,ā€ he said. ā€œPeople stop me all the time and tell me that. In the end though, Iā€™m a mayor for everyone. I ran to solve problems and fix things regardless of my ethnicity or being gay.ā€ Ā 

He says that whatā€™s happening in D.C. is incredibly sad for him.

ā€œWe should be moving forward and protecting all people. The rhetoric thatā€™s coming out of this administration is divisive and un-American and itā€™s hard to listen to a national conversation around putting down immigrants and LGBTQ people and Muslim-Americansā€¦ We should be expanding healthcare and not trying to eliminate it. We should be moving toward equal pay instead of putting women down. We should be insuring that LGBTQ kids have full and healthy lives versus promoting the bullying behavior thatā€™s being promoted now,ā€ he said.

Looking toward the 2018 elections he added, ā€œCalifornia canā€™t be complacent. As a state weā€™ve always led, itā€™s like the popular phrase says, ā€˜As goes California, so goes the country.ā€™ I think itā€™s more important than ever now for us to lead on the big issues. Whether thatā€™s issues of climate change, or supporting immigrant communities, or protections for low income people, who we should be looking out for, those are things we have to move forward on, regardless of the national level.

ā€œLook at the Paris agreement, weā€™re only one of three countries that pulled out. Itā€™s disgraceful. Here in California weā€™re stepping up to do things for ourselves. I think weā€™re going to see more and more of that. California is saying if D.C. isnā€™t going to push on climate change, then we are. If D.C. isnā€™t going to look at equal wages, then we are. Thatā€™s consistent with California values,ā€ he said.

Garcia doesnā€™t take himself too seriously. This year was his 20th visit to Comic-Con. He wore Superman socks to his inauguration, and says he swears by the motto, ā€œTruth, Justice and the American Way.ā€

ā€œIā€™ve always been a nerd. Iā€™ve been into sci-fi, ā€˜Star Wars,ā€™ and ā€˜Star Trek,ā€™ itā€™s just stuck with me. Most people in the city know that, and find it amusing,ā€ he says.

 

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Long Beach

41st Annual Long Beach Pride CelebrationĀ drew tens of thousands

The parade drew tens of thousands along its route on Ocean Boulevard between Lindero and Alamitos avenues in downtown Long Beach

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Long Beach Police Chief Wally Hebeish & officers march in the 41st Annual Long Beach Pride Parade. (Screenshot/YouTube)

LONG BEACH, Calif. – The 41st Annual Long Beach Pride Celebration & Parade weekend kicked off on Friday with a Teen Pride celebration which was held from 5 p.m. till it ended at 9 p.m.  The theme for Pride this year was Rhythm of the Rainbow.

The Long Beach Pride festival opened at 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday at Rainbow Lagoon, 386 E. Shoreline Drive.

Photo Credit: California Attorney General Rob Bonta

The Pride Festival offers hundreds of arts and crafts vendors, disc jockeys, dancing, drag shows and more. Reggaeton star Ivy Queen will headline Sunday and Valentina of “Ru Paul’s Drag Race” TV series will also appear.

Also on Sunday the 41st Annual Long Beach Pride Parade, broadcast by NBC4 and Telemundo 52, drew tens of thousands along the parade route on Ocean Boulevard between Lindero and Alamitos avenues in downtown Long Beach.

Among the celebrants was California Attorney General Rob Bonta who posted on X (formerly Twitter): “Had a great time at the Long Beach Pride parade with Vice Mayor Cindy Allen.   In California, we work tirelessly to protect and defend our LGBTQ+ communities all year longā€”not just the month of June.”

Watch coverage of the 41st Annual Long Beach Pride Parade from NBC4-LA here: (Link)

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Long Beach Pride kicks off as Pride flag is raised at civic center

ā€œThis symbolic gesture demonstrates the City’s commitment to supporting and uplifting the LGBTQ+ community now and into the futureā€

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Image courtesy of Long Beach Pride

LONG BEACH, Calif. – The city of Long Beach kicked off its Pride week and month activities Tuesday with a ceremonial flag raising in the Civic Center Plaza in downtown. With City Manager Tom Modica, Fifth District Councilwoman Megan Kerr, Parks and Recreation Director Brent Dennis and Ninth District Councilwoman Dr. Joni Ricks-Oddie looking on, Mayor Rex Richardson hoisted a Progress Pride flag on a city-owned flag pole.

ā€œLong Beach is a city of acceptance, and we proudly celebrate diversity and inclusivity across our entire community,ā€ said Mayor Richardson. ā€œIt is our duty to take a moment of pause to celebrate the raising of the Progress Pride flag to reflect the visibility, contributions, and resilience Long Beachā€™s vibrant LGBTQ+ community.

In June 2023, the Long Beach City Council adopted a resolution recognizing the week of Long Beachā€™s annual Pride Festival and Pride Parade, taking place this year over the weekend of May 18-19, as Long Beach LGBTQ+ Pride Week and directing to annually raise the LGBTQ+ Progress Pride Flag at Long Beach Civic Center Plaza and light City assets during that time. The resolution additionally recognizes May 22 annually as ā€œHarvey Milk Dayā€ in honor of his birthday and recognizes the month of June as LGBTQ+ Pride Month. The recommendation to adopt a resolution was brought forward by Fifth District Councilwoman Megan Kerr and approved by the City Council.

ā€œThis symbolic gesture demonstrates the City’s commitment to supporting and uplifting the LGBTQ+ community now and into the future,ā€ said Fifth District Councilwoman Megan Kerr. ā€œI commend our City Council, City leadership and City staff for their dedication to equality and diversity.ā€

Long Beach Pride is kicking off Pride season this weekend, May 18-19, 2024

The 41st AnnualĀ Long Beach Pride ParadeĀ is kicking off on Sunday, at 10 a.m. Audiences can tune-in to special coverage on parade day onĀ nbcla.com,Ā telemundo52.com, on the free NBCLA and Telemundo 52 mobile apps and on the stationsā€™ free 24/7 local news streaming channelsĀ NBC Los Angeles News,Ā Telemundo Noticias California.

Led by an esteemed lineup of grand marshals, the 2024 Long Beach Pride Parade will feature over 130 participating organizations, businesses and stakeholder groups showcasing a variety of vibrant and engaging floats and displays. The parade will commence at Ocean Boulevard and Lindero Avenue then travel along iconic stretches of Ocean Boulevard to Alamitos Avenue in Downtown.

IVY Queen, the Queen of Reggaeton, will headline the Sunday lineup of the 41st annual Long Beach Pride Festival, scheduled for May 19th, 2024.

Tickets Now Available: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/41st-annual-long-beach-pride-festival-tickets-816143115027

General tickets for the Long Beach Pride Festival are now on sale, starting at $40. These tickets grant festival-goers access to a weekend of exuberant celebration, stellar performances, and a welcoming community environment.

Earlier this year, the City of Long Beach announced it will serve as the official host and funder for the 2024 Long Beach Pride Parade while Long Beach Pride, the nonprofit that traditionally produces the parade, restructures its organization. This yearā€™s parade will coincide with the Long Beach Pride Festival, taking place Saturday, May 18 and Sunday, May 19 along the Downtown waterfront. The festival is a separate event organized by the Long Beach Pride organization. More information about the festival will be available at longbeachpride.com/festival.

More information about the 2024 Long Beach Pride Parade is available at longbeach.gov/prideparade.

The City of Long Beach

Long Beach is nestled along the Southern California coast and home to approximately 466,000 people. As an award-winning full-service charter city, Long Beach offers the amenities of a metropolitan city while maintaining a strong sense of individual and diverse neighborhoods, culture and community. With a bustling downtown and over six miles of scenic beaches, Long Beach is a renowned tourist and business destination and home to the iconic Queen Mary, nationally recognized Aquarium of the Pacific and Long Beach Airport, award-winning Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center and world-class Port of Long Beach.

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Long Beach

Long Beach Pride celebrated its 40thĀ anniversaryĀ 

The festival kicked off on Saturday with drag artist Symone, of ā€œRuPaulā€™s Drag Race,ā€ performing live & other artists

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Long Beach Pride Parade 2023 (Screenshot/YouTube)

LONG BEACH, Calif. ā€“ Long Beach Pride celebrated its 40th anniversary with nearly 20,000 people at its festival and parade this past weekend in downtown Long Beach.

ā€œWe are thrilled to mark Long Beach Prideā€™s 40th year with an amazing festival and parade that celebrates our dynamic and growing LGBTQ+ community,ā€ said Elsa Martinez, Long Beach Pride co-president. ā€œWe are grateful to our talented music artists and many other performers who brought so much excitement and enjoyment to our fabulous crowd of supporters and fans, many of whom have been with us for many years!ā€

The festival kicked off on Saturday with drag artist Symone, of ā€œRuPaulā€™s Drag Race,ā€ performing live, along with Mexican best-selling music artist La Diva Lucia Mendez and acclaimed singer Gio Mendez. On Sunday, Grammy Winning R&B artist Mya headlined the stage along with Mexican superstar Laura Leon, along with pop artist Edith Marquez and others.

The event also featured a dedicated stage for drag artists for the first time. The Drag Dome featured Jasmin Masters, Delta Work, Jewels Long Beach, Honey Davenport and many others who shared their musical and dancing talents to an appreciative crowd.

At the Dance Stage, EDM, Reggaeton, house music and more was spun by a slew of popular deejays that included DJ Ivan, DJ Joe Pacheco, DJ Jerac, DJ Kidd Madonny, DJ Kimberly S and many others as fans rocked to the beat.

Festival goers also enjoyed a variety of international foods from renowned chefs as well as from local food vendors and many of the areaā€™s acclaimed food trucks that specialize in unique cuisine and local favorites. The event also featured a variety of vendors selling shirts, tops, hoodies and various apparel, as well as health and wellness products, headgear, footwear and more.

The weekend was capped by the popular Long Beach Pride Parade led by Parade Grand Marshals and R&B artists The Mary Jane Girls, as well as Media Grand Marshals Annabelle Sedano, NBC4 anchor; and Enrique Chiabra, Telemundo 52 anchor. Serving as Political Grand Marshal was Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson, who was joined by other community members who also served as grand marshals.

The parade, which was be held on East Ocean Boulevard, between Linden Avenue and Alamitos Avenue, featured Long Beach Pride co-founder Bob Crow, the last living co-founder, along with a variety of dancers, bands, community dignitaries and others who have contributed to the eventā€™s success over the years.

Telemundo 52 and NBC4 served as Long Beach Prideā€™s official media partners. CHANNEL Q (97.1 HD2 and on the Audacy App), iHeartMedia Los Angeles and Mayra Berenice En Vivo of 107.1 FM served as radio partners.

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Anti-Hate Mural unveiled in Long Beach’s Bixby Park

The mural was designed by Myisha Arellano, a queer, migrant artist born in Mexico City and raised in LA County

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The mural was designed by Myisha Arellano, a queer, migrant artist born in Mexico City and raised in LA County. (Photo by Jade Blairs)

LONG BEACH, Calif. – A new mural was unveiled at Bixby Park in Long Beach celebrating the LGBTQ+ community, presented by the Los Angeles County Commission on Human Relationsā€™ initiativeĀ LA vs Hateā€™s Summer of Solidarity, in partnership with The LGBTQ Center of Long Beach.

The mural, titled ā€œLong Beach Embrace,ā€ evokes a tableau of people, movements and issues of significance to the LGBTQ+ and greater community, and will be revealed as part of the Long Beach Pride celebration.

The mural was designed by Myisha Arellano, a queer, migrant artist born in Mexico City and raised in LA County.

ā€œThe mural presents two large figures forming an embrace at a distance, reflecting the community connection and support for one another,ā€ explained Arrellano. ā€œThis embrace, a universally recognized symbol of care and affection, allows the viewer to immediately understand the larger implications of the work. The figures create vignettes of symbolic stories based on community anecdotes and values that represent care, solidarity, and showing up for one another. The mural includes depictions of people marching and celebrating together, as well as historic landmarks, movements and resources for the LGBTQ+ community in Long Beach.ā€

The mural comes at a time where reported hate crime events against the LGBTQ+ community increased across California, rising 29% from 303 in 2021 to 391 in 2022. Recent violent clashes in LA County, including brawls at a Glendale school board meeting and a North Hollywood school.

New data from the Long Beach Police Department shows the number of hate crimes has risen since 2022, and this yearā€™s total has already surpassed last yearā€™s. Out of 39 hate crime incidents reported in Long Beach the past two and a half years, the most targeted group was the LGBTQ+ community.

ā€œBeing a local partner for The Summer of Solidarity campaign has been a unique privilege because it has allowed me to show the LGBTQ+ residents of the City of Long Beach just how integral they are to the culture of this city,ā€ said Cindy Allen, Long Beach Vice Mayor. ā€œā€˜Long Beach Embraceā€™ will be the first new addition to LGBTQ+ Cultural District since the visioning process began last year. There is no room for hate in Long Beach or anywhere in Los Angeles County, and this mural will reflect that in Bixby Park for years to come.ā€

The mural is part of LA vs Hate: Summer of Solidarity, a summer-long celebration of the Countyā€™s cultural and community diversity and unity against prejudice, discrimination and bigotry. The series of events includes monthly art-led and community-centered events in each of the countyā€™s five supervisorial districts.

ā€œPride is a time for celebration, reflection and solidarity, and that is what this mural honoring the LGBTQ+ community here in Long Beach is all about,ā€ said Supervisor Janice Hahn. ā€œMyisha Arrellano and the community have created a vibrant, powerful mural for people of all walks of life to enjoy for years to come.ā€

ā€œLA vs Hate recognizes that art possesses a rich, extensive past as an instrument for connection, healing, and unity among people,ā€ said Robin Toma, Executive Director of the LA County Commission on Human Relations. ā€œThis mural was created by the community, sending a message that Long Beach and all of LA County holds no space for hate, and that the LGBTQ+ community is celebrated, loved, and welcome here.ā€

“The LGBTQ Center Long Beach is proud to partner with LA vs Hate on this mural,ā€ said Ellie Perez, Interim Executive Director of the LGBTQ Center Long Beach. ā€œIt has been uplifting and inspiring to be part of such a wonderful collective of individuals coming together to envision a mural that celebrates our LGBTQ+ community’s history and future.ā€

As the LA vs Hate: Summer of Solidarity continues, new murals will be commissioned and revealed, celebrating different communities and cultures across the County through partnering with community organizations. LA vs Hate will reveal a new mural that celebrates LA Countyā€™s Indigenous and Native communities on Saturday, September 9 at the Grace Resource Center in Lancaster. In the weeks to come, two additional murals will be revealed, honoring the Latine and Black communities.

Additional supporting partners of the mural include Long Beach Human Dignity Program, Vice Mayor Cindy Allen’s Office, Long Beach Parks & Recreation and The Museum of Latin American Art.

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Museum of Latin American Art hosts drag artist Robbie Osa

The free event this Sunday, July 23, 2023 is sponsored by the LGBTQ Center of Long Beach from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.

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Photo Credit: The Museum of Latin American Art

LONG BEACH, Calif. – The Museum of Latin American Art (MOLAA) is hosting a special Drag Story Hour featuring the fabulous Robbie Osa. Robbie, an esteemed drag queen entertainer, will be reading “Julian at the Wedding,ā€ by Jessica Love, the recipient of the 2019 Stonewall Book Award for ā€œJulian is a Mermaid.ā€

The free event this Sunday, July 23, 2023 is sponsored by the LGBTQ Center of Long Beach from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m..

“At a time when the country is seeing a backlash against the LGBTQ+ community and the calling out of drag queens, this event is toĀ acknowledge communities where all LGBTQ people live in health, wellness, safety, and prosperity,” a spokesperson said in a release.

The LGBTQ Center of Long Beach advances equity for LGBTQ people through culturally responsive advocacy, education, programs and services.

Ā Robbie Osa, has a Masterā€™s Degree in Education with an emphasis in Applied Behavior Analysis from the University of California, Riverside. He works as a Clinical Coordinator with individuals diagnosed with autism. Robbie has actively helped fundraise for many organizations, such as The Center of Long Beach and The United Waves Scholarship Fund. He has also performed as a drag queen entertainer for the past 10 years in the city of Long Beach.

The event will be heldĀ Ā in theĀ Screening RoomĀ Ā at theĀ Museum of Latin American Art (MOLAA), located at 628 Alamitos Avenue, Long Beach, CA 90802

RSVP:Ā https://17017.blackbaudhosting.com/17017/MOLAA-Pride-Drag-Story-Teller-23Jul2023

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Long Beach Police arrest man in stabbing death at popular gay bar

The suspect got into a physical fight with the two victims, which escalated to him stabbing both victims. He then took off on a bicycle

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Long Beach Police uniformed patrol unit (Screenshot/YouTube KEYNEWS.TV)

LONG BEACH – Long Beach Police investigators on Monday arrested a man wanted for a murder outside a business at around 11:45 p.m. Friday night at the popular Mineshaft gay bar in the 1700 block of East Broadway.

Long Beach Police Department Special Investigations detectives, with assistance from patrol officers, identified 56-year-old Michael Smalls as a suspect in the stabbing death of Ā 28-year-old Christopher Finley of Long Beach. Smalls was charged one count of murder in the death of Finley and one count of attempted murder in the stabbing of another man who was accompanying Finley.

Investigators were looking into the stabbing of the two men outside the popular Mineshaft gay bar in the 1700 block of East Broadway Friday at around 11:45 pm. Police said late Saturday afternoon one of the victims Finley, had died.

According to the LBPD, Detectives believe the murder stemmed from two altercations. During the first altercation, the victim(s) were involved in a fight with a man who was armed with a ā€œtaserā€ in front of a business. Moments later, a second altercation occurred in which Smalls got into a physical fight with the two victims, which escalated to Smalls stabbing both victims. Smalls then took off on a bicycle. The man with the ā€œtaserā€ was detained at the scene and arrested on an unrelated charge.

Smalls was booked into the Long Beach City JailĀ andĀ is currently being held on $2,000,000 bail. Detectives will present the case to the Los Angeles District Attorneyā€™s office for filing consideration this week. The motive is under investigation. Currently, there is no evidence this is a hate or bias motivated incident.

Anyone with information regarding the incident is urged to contact Homicide Detective Michael Hubbard and Jesus Espinoza at (562) 570-7244.

Anonymous tips may be submitted through “LA Crime Stoppers” by calling 800-222-TIPS (8477), downloading the “P3 Tips” app to your smartphone (available at the Apple app store or Google Play), or by visitingā€Æwww.lacrimestoppers.org.

In a social media post on the barā€™s Facebook Page Saturday afternoon, the barā€™s owners Jeff and Rhonda Darling expressed their dismay over the incident as the news broke that one of the two injured men had died.

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Long Beach police investigating double stabbing at gay bar

The bar’s owners Jeff and Rhonda Darling expressed their dismay over the incident as the news broke that one of the two injured men had died

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Mineshaft LGBTQ bar in the 1700 block of East Broadway, Long Beach, California (Photo Credit: Mineshaft/Facebook)

LONG BEACH – Investigators are looking into the stabbing of two men at the popular Mineshaft gay bar in the 1700 block of East Broadway in Long Beach. Both victims were hospitalized and the search is underway for the suspect. Long Beach Police said late Saturday afternoon one of the male adult victims has succumbed to their injuries.

Police identified the man who died as 28-year-old Christopher Finley of Long Beach.

According to Long Beach Police Department spokesperson Richard Mejia, an argument at around 11:45 p.m. Friday night escalated from a a verbal argument between the two men and a third when the confrontation became physical. The suspect pulled out a knife and stabbed the two victims then fled before Long Beach officers arrived.

Police have not yet released any information about the suspectā€™s description, but told media that the investigation is ongoing and ask that anyone with information about the incident to contact the Long Beach Police Department.

In a social media post on the bar’s Facebook Page Saturday afternoon, the bar’s owners Jeff and Rhonda Darling expressed their dismay over the incident as the news broke that one of the two injured men had died.

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Long Beach Police need public’s help locating sexual assault suspect

Suspect described as a male White or Hispanic approximately 18-25 years old, between 5ā€™10ā€ to 5ā€™11ā€ in height, with a thin build, short hair

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Photo Credit: City of Long Beach Police Department/Facebook


LONG BEACH – (Press Release) The Long Beach Police Department is seeking the publicā€™s help locating a male suspect involved in a sexual battery incident involving a minor.

On July 31, 2022, at approximately 1:30 p.m., officers responded to the 1100 block of East 4th Street regarding a sexual battery incident that had just occurred.

Upon arrival, officers learned the suspect initially followed the victim for several blocks. While following the victim, the suspect propositioned him and then grabbed his lower body. An altercation ensued, which resulted in the suspect striking the victim in the upper body before fleeing.

Detectives are releasing a photograph of the suspect from surveillance footage and video from the incident. The Long Beach Police Department requests information about this incident and/or the suspectā€™s identity.

The suspect is described as a male White or Hispanic (light complexion), approximately 18-25 years old, between 5ā€™10ā€ to 5ā€™11ā€ in height, with a thin build, short medium-length hair in a ā€œcomb overā€ style, and a light-colored mustache. The suspect wore a blue Dodgers T-shirt, light-colored pants, and black sandals. The suspect may have attended a party in the area before the assault.

Courtesy LBPD

To view a video of the suspect, click on the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-BbUCC7Lfk            

Anyone with information regarding the person responsible for these crimes should contact Sex Crimes Detective Monica Moore at (562) 570-5514 or Detective William Neal at (562) 570-5513.

Anonymous tips may be submitted through ā€œLA Crime Stoppersā€ by calling 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), downloading the ā€œP3 Tipsā€ app to your smartphone (available at the Apple App store and Google Play), or visitingĀ www.lacrimestoppers.org.

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2022 ILGA World Conference taking place this week in Long Beach

Upwards of 600 LGBTQ+ activists in attendance

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Jessica Stern, the special U.S. envoy for global LGBTQ+ rights, speaks at the ILGA World Conference in Long Beach, Calif., on May 2, 2022. (Photo courtesy of Andy Perez/ILGA World)

LONG BEACH ā€” Upwards of 600 LGBTQ+ activists from around the world are attending the 2022 ILGA World Conference that is taking place this week in Long Beach.

Jessica Stern, the special U.S. envoy for the promotion of LGBTQ+ rights abroad, and Victor Madrigal-Borloz, the independent U.N. expert on LGBTQ+ issues, are among those who spoke at the conference that began on Monday at the Westin Long Beach. Activists from Ukraine, Lebanon and dozens of other countries are also in attendance.

ā€œWhen you are fighting to decriminalize homosexual status or conduct, secure legal recognition of gender identity, end unnecessary surgeries on intersex persons, or exercise freedoms of peaceful assembly or association, the struggle can be overwhelming,” said Stern on Monday in her remarks. “This is why I marvel at all that you have achieved and all the impact that lies ahead.”

ā€œIn case you havenā€™t heard this often enough, let me say: I believe in you, and I believe in us,” added Stern. “I will do everything in my power to raise the priorities of LGBTQI+ human rights defenders and LGBTQI+ civil society across the Department of State and around the world.ā€

Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia on Monday noted there “is a coordinated act from extreme forces in our country ā€” and across the world ā€” trying to erase the beauty of our community.” 

“Right now, gay rights in this country are being pushed backwards. Trans and non-binary people are being attacked every single day, and thereā€™s an incredible amount of work ahead, especially to protect young people from these destructive laws,” added Garcia. “The work happening here at this conference is a worldwide effort to represent the LGBTQ+ community and advocate for civil rights. We have to stand up ā€” especially at this moment ā€” for our trans and non-binary community, and Iā€™m grateful for this opportunity to recommit ourselves to this task.ā€

The It Gets Better Project is the conference’s host.

The conference was to have taken place in last November, but the pandemic postponed it. Some of the conference sessions are taking place virtually.

The next ILGA World Conference will take place in Cape Town, South Africa, in 2024.

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ILGA World Conference to take place in Long Beach in May

Pandemic prompted organizers to postpone event

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(Photo courtesy of ILGA World)

GENEVA ā€” ILGA World on Wednesday announced its conference that had been scheduled to take place this month in Long Beach will now happen in May.

ā€œOur World Conference will be going ahead, andĀ the health, safety and well-being of all will be at the highest priority,ā€ said ILGA World Co-Secretaries General Luz Elena Aranda and Tuisina Ymania Brown in a press release. ā€œIn such a challenging moment in history, it is more important than ever that our communities from around the world have a shared and safe space to come together, reconnect, and move forward.ā€

The 2022 ILGA World Conference, which the It Gets Better Project will host, will take place at the Westin Long Beach from May 2-6. Organizers last November announced they had postponed it because of the pandemic.

Registration for the conference is now open. ILGA World in its press release said “more details about all safety measures” surrounding COVID-19 “are forthcoming.”

ā€œWe are thankful for all those who submitted proposals for thematic pre-conferences, and we will be able to announce them soonā€, said ILGA World Executive Director Julia Ehrt. ā€œAs the program of our World Conference develops, we will continue to look into ways to ensure the largest possible participation from our members and LGBTI communities from across the worldā€”including in digital ways.”

LGBTQ rights groups in the U.S. and around the world have begun to hold in-person events as COVID-19 vaccination rates continue to increase and more countries begin to lessen travel restrictions.

More than 1,000 activists from around the world attended the WorldPride 2021 Human Rights Conference that took place in Denmark and Sweden in August. The National LGBTQ Task Force’s annual Creating Change conference is scheduled to take place in person in January in New Orleans.

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