At age 22, most of us are still learning how to navigate LA traffic. Brandy Buzza, however, is learning to fly through air traffic at the Long Beach Airport (LGB). She’s in the process of acquiring her commercial licenses for single and multi-engine planes, and is one of three girls out of fifteen at her current level in the program. It’s her goal one day to fly for a large airline and introduce other girls to flying in what many consider a predominantly male field. “In the l

Growing up in Orange County, local Iranian-American poet Sheila J. Sadr could not find a well-established open mic in her community. There was little to no poetry scene, making it challenging to evolve her love of writing into a career. “When I left, I was able to have that special time to pursue things I wanted without judgment,” she explained as she moved to the city to get her bachelor’s degree at California State University, Long Beach. “Long Beach is where I became a per

One day, a little over a month ago, 20-year-old Ariana Crockett was having a normal day at her a job at the Cubberley Elementary Kids’ Club. But a simple request from a student to his teacher started an unexpected venture for her. The boy asked for an eraser, but they didn’t have one for him. “In my head, I was like, ‘This is school, don’t we have erasers?’ It was so sad. It just dawned upon me, are we serious? The most basic things at school? The whole trigger was the eraser

Being in your 20s is a pivotal period in life. It’s when you can try new things, and eventually, find yourself and the right direction for your life. But what if, at 26, your doctor informs you that you have stage three breast cancer? That was the reality that Layla Ali-Ahmad faced in June of 2014. Layla was born and raised in Orange County and got her degree in civil engineering from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. But in 2010, she found home in Long Beach, eventually becoming a

From the outside, it’s an ordinary East Long Beach home with a front yard, long driveway, small porch area, and even an inflatable ghost hooked to the grassy lawn in recognition of Halloween. But when entering into the home’s living room, there is different interior decoration than one would expect. Haunted Mansion tapestries are on the walls. A Ouija board is hung where a clock is normally placed. A photo of late friend Debbie Constantino, who was a paranormal investigator a

With just one phone call, loan officer Jack Skovgard will show you his drive to have phenomenal customer service for all clients who are interested in mortgage loans. “I am always looking out for you and your family,” he said. “I am not trying to push you into a loan, [instead] I am trying to set you up for the exact loan products that fit your needs so you avoid unnecessary refinances in the future." With the goal to keep his clients for life and the opportunity to earn your

We all have different versions of ourselves—masks that we wear—whether the code-switch is intentional or not. How we act and talk is rarely fully consistent between home and work, or even just between two different groups of friends. This might sound like being “fake” to some, but Long Beach artist Shy But Flyy would say that we all have different versions of ourselves and that different settings allow each of them to surface. As you can guess, she considers herself to be ver

Ollie George Cigliano planted her roots here in Long Beach when her mom unexpectedly gave birth on Ocean Boulevard. She’s been growing things ever since! You might recognize Ollie from her farmers market stand, Ollie’s Kitchen, which serves delicious, farm-fresh sandwiches the way she likes them: with good tomato and plenty of everything! Her consistent use of seasonal ingredients elevates the taste of food in incredible ways. One item from her menu, the Caprese sandwich, is