Poster created by Mariana I. Purcell Rivera, Puerto Rican artist and architecture student at the Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico.

We celebrate Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month (September 15 to October 15) to recognize the achievements and contributions of Hispanic & Latinx American champions who have inspired others to achieve success. The observation began in 1968 as Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Week under President Lyndon Johnson and was expanded by President Ronald Reagan in 1988 to cover a 30-day period. It was enacted into law on August 17, 1988. The theme for 2024 is “Pioneers of Change: Shaping the Future Together.” Learn more about Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month here.

Hispanic and Latinx American Key Figures in U.S. History that are pictured in the poster above: 

• Cesar Chavez was an American labor leader and civil rights activist that led the first successful farm workers union in American history, achieving dignity, respect, fair wages, medical coverage, pension benefits, and humane living conditions, as well as countless other rights and protections for hundreds of thousands of farm workers.
• Dolores Clara Fernández Huerta is an American labor leader and civil rights activist who, with Cesar Chavez, is a co-founder of the United Farmworkers Association, which later merged with the Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee to become the United Farm Workers. 
• Sylvia Mendez, was at the center of Mendez v. Westminster in 1947 which set precedent for the ruling that segregating students based on race was unconstitutional. Mendez’s parents brought the lawsuit against a school in Westminster, California, when it refused to allow Mendez and her siblings to enroll because they were Hispanic. The ruling for Mendez’s family case helped usher in a ban on segregation in all public California schools in 1947. 
• Ellen Ochoa is an American engineer, former astronaut and former director of the Johnson Space Center. She is the first Latina woman to go to space when she served on a nine-day mission aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery in 1993. 
• Selena Quintanilla Pérez was an American singer. Referred to as the "Queen of Tejano Music", her contributions to music and fashion made her one of the most celebrated Mexican-American entertainers of the late 20th century. In 2020, Billboard magazine put her in third place on their list of "Greatest Latino Artists of All Time", based on both Latin albums and Latin songs chart. Media outlets called her the "Tejano Madonna" for her clothing choices. She also ranks among the most influential Latin artists of all time and is credited for catapulting the Tejano genre into the mainstream market.
• Sonia Sotomayor broke boundaries by becoming the first Latina, and the third woman, to serve on the Supreme Court of the United States in 2009.
• Ritchie Valens was a young Mexican-American known for songs such as “La Bamba” and “Come On, Let’s Go.” He was a pioneer of rock and roll and the forefather of the Chicano rock movement.

Future LB

Every month, our newsletter will introduce you to the people, programs, and organizations that help advance equity across the City. This month, we are highlighting Future LB.  

Future LB is the City of Long Beach’s new youth employment center operated by the Pacific Gateway Workforce Innovation Network.

Inspired by Long Beach’s young residents’ resilience, optimism and forward-thinking spirit. Future LB is a bright, inspiring and welcoming place where youth can plan for their future and develop the skills, knowledge and work experience necessary to succeed in the labor market.

Whether you’re looking for work, interested in an internship, or trying to achieve the right skills to prepare you for your next job, you can start here at Future LB. Future LB staff and resources will help you develop the skills, get the experience, and make the connections you’ll need to get hired.

Check out:

• Information on employment opportunities and assistance preparing for job interviews
• Work experience/internship
• Access to computers with internet connection, photocopiers, telephones, and fax machines to help you secure a job
• Workshops (including work readiness training)
• Information about training, volunteer opportunities, and community resources
• Academic/career advisement and tutoring

Future LB

508 W. Willow Street

Long Beach, CA 90806

Phone: (562) 570-4700

Meet our New Equity Administrative Assistant Jessica Ramos-Guerra

The Office of Equity is proud to welcome our new Equity Administrative Assistant, Jessica Ramos-Guerra.

Jessica was formerly a transportation planning intern for the Transportation Project Management Bureau in Public Works. There she worked on projects such as the Community Corners asphalt art intersection in the Washington neighborhood, the annual Bicycle & Pedestrian Count, and Bike Share for All.  



Jessica earned her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Urban Studies from Cal State Long Beach. She enjoys matcha lattes, walks at the park, and watching Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown. 

COMMISSION MEETINGS

The Office of Equity proudly supports the activities of three City Commissions: Equity and Human Relations, the Citizens' Advisory Commission on Disability and the Commission for Women and Girls. Please read below for information on our upcoming meetings this month.

Equity and Human Relations

Commission Meeting

The Equity + Human Relations Commission (EHRC) meeting has been cancelled for the month of September.

CACoD Commission Meeting

The Citizens Advisory Commission on Disability meets on Thursday, September 12, 2024 at 1pm in the Civic Chambers located at 411 W. Ocean Blvd., 90802.

Commission for Women and Girls

The Commission for Women and Girls will meet on Wednesday, September 25, 2024 at 6:30pm at City Hall in the Carmelitos Conference Room located on the 2nd Floor.

EQUITY ENCORE

Equity Officer, Alanah Grant, and the Racial Equity Team facilitated their monthly Racial Equity Executive Session for Department Directors. In August, the Executive Team discussed "Building Accountability Measures" to move from commitment to action. The training provided practices for creating a culture of accountability, examples of performance measures to use, and questions to consider. 

Our Education and College Promise Project Specialist, Leonidas, played a part of the planning committee of the City's first ever Bring Your Child To Work Day. It was a huge success! Congratulations to everyone involved.

The Long Beach Justice Fund hosted an immigration clinic at Long Beach City College. The event offered free legal consultations with attorneys and legal professionals, along with two workshops that provided attendees with the opportunity to learn more about the immigration process. The event brought together all of the Long Beach Justice Fund community partners, including Al Otro Lado, Immigrant Defenders, United Cambodian Community (UCC), the Filipino Migrant Center, and ORALE, who led the planning and coordination of this wonderful day. 

Data Privacy Community Workshops

Join us for our upcoming data privacy community workshops!

To inform the public about its ongoing data privacy efforts, the City of Long Beach Technology & Innovation Department is offering a series of community workshops to educate the public on how to protect their online personal information and explore the tools the City of Long Beach has created to protect data privacy and strengthen their digital rights.

Long Beach residents can participate in any of the following community workshops:

Tuesday, September 17 | 6:00 p.m.

Houghton Park (6301 Myrtle Ave.)

Wednesday, September 18 | 6:00 p.m.

Veteran’s Park (101 E 28th St.)

Thursday, September 19 | 6:00 p.m.

Silverado Park (1545 W 31 St.)

Register to participate in one of the community workshops here.

Food and drink will be provided, and registrants can request accommodations on the sign-up form. 

If you have any questions, please contact Lea Eriksen, Director of the Technology & Innovation Department, at (562) 570-6234 or lea.eriksen@longbeach.gov.

Please join the Office of Equity and the Citizens' Advisory Commission on Disabilities (CACoD) for a two-day, virtual forum called 'Navigating Friendlier Skies: a Forum for Air Travelers with Disabilities.'

Wednesday, September 18th | 11:30am to 1pm PST

United Spinal Association will facilitate a discussion on 'Navigating the Skies - an Accessible Air Travel Guide' 

Thursday, September 19th | 11:30am to 1pm PST

A panel discussion with air travel professionals. 

RSVP https://tinyurl.com/AirTravelEquity2024  

CART Services (real-time captioning) will be provided. 

To request ASL or language interpretation, please call 562-570-6257 or

e-mail Jennifer.Kumiyama@longbeach.gov. 

Emergency Evacuation Action Day

Please join local disability advocates for an Emergency Evacuation Day of Action on Thursday, September 26th, 2024 from 1-3pm.

This event is held both in person and on Zoom. A registration is required to attend. 

Zoom registration link: https://tinyurl.com/Evacuation4ALL 

In-Person attendance RSVP Link: https://tinyurl.com/EvacINPERSON 

There'll be a panel discussion about why requiring evacuation chairs in multi-floor buildings is important to the safety of people with mobility disabilities. Share your concerns.

Also at the event: 

• Create your personalized Emergency Evacuation Plan 
• Resource Information 
• Snacks will be provided 

There will be CART Services at this meeting. All accommodation requests can be made through both RSVP links. 



Co-hosted by the office of First District Councilwoman Mary Zendejas.