About
You’re probably wondering what this magazine is and what we think it means for Long Beach. It started out of my own frustrations with not feeling connected, not having an outlet to express myself creatively, and not finding a roadway for my opinions regarding what was going on in my own community. There are many other magazines around, but none of them seemed to meet the needs that I felt were important. They seemed too general, too trite. How do we connect in our city? How do we learn about and take advantage of all of the amazing events and organizations that make this city great? There are so many people who live in Long Beach, yet venture out to LA or Orange County for cultural and recreational activities and either ignore or are unaware of the abundance of opportunities right in their own back yards.
It turns out that many of my friends felt the same frustrations. We decided to act. I shared with them my ideas about creating a community-based magazine and GetOutLB was born. I want GetOutLB to show the successes and expose the needs in our community. I want it to be a forum for the people of Long Beach to be heard, to get informed and to create connections in our community. We all know the bar scene and the restaurants, but do we know the people and the organizations that make this city the amazing place that it is? I want you to Get Out into your community!
This is GetOutLB. It is a living magazine created to echo your views and reflections of Long Beach. It is a place to share stories, ideas, goals, progress and frustrations. It is a forum for you to engage with others about the community in which you live.
I’ll leave you with our mission statement: GetOutLB is a magazine for the community by the community. I encourage my community to participate, to speak up and be heard. Share your ideas and enjoy the ride with your community and Get Out, LB!
Sal Flores
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MEET THE CREW:
Sal Flores – Executive Director/Creative Director
I graduated from Long Beach State in 2009 with a degree in Art and Graphic Design. I consider myself an artist and free-spirited person, and am very passionate about the Arts in general. I believe that art can change people–it doesn’t matter where you live or what you do–it has the ability to influence you in one way or another.
Long Beach opened its arms to me more than seven years ago and I have called it my home ever since. Now it’s time for me to show how amazing this city is by providing relevant information to my fellow community members, and giving all of us a voice and the opportunity to be heard. I started this magazine because I believe in the power of community–and becoming a better person through the power of exchanging ideas. GetOutLB.com will be that space where we can connect with OUR COMMUNITY.
Shannon Couey – Contributor
I have always had a fascination with the arts, specifically literature. Literature is an expression of life, in all its glory and misery, caught between the pages of a novel, play, or poem. Literature is a lens that exposes the truths of life that cannot always be understood in everyday life, with everyday thought. I have dedicated my life to the study of literature, and by extension, I have dedicated myself to the study of life—specifically the endeavor of studying gender and sexuality.
I received my BA in English Education with an emphasis in Literature from California State University, Long Beach, and am currently working on the second year of my MA in English Literature. My focus in life and in literature (it is now to the point where I can’t separate the two) has always been geared toward gender and sexuality studies. I have an insatiable appetite for the study of sexuality in both life and literature, and specifically the congruency of sexuality with labels/identity. I believe that Long Beach is the perfect city and community for me to broaden my studies, both in my personal experiences and my academic endeavors, and GetOutLB is the perfect forum to accompany my studies. It is the exploration of sexuality at its pinnacle because it is a call to the community, a call to the people, to voice their opinions and experiences, and to discuss issues that matter to everyone. I couldn’t imagine a better city, or location, to embark on all of life’s adventures.
Sharon Maraj – Contributor
It would be easier to have someone else write this about me, because I don’t like talking about myself and sprint from the spotlight. But, here goes:
I like to be different, but I don’t like to stand out. I constantly strive for balance, but love to weigh the factors of contradiction. I automatically love songs with handclaps. I’m a down-to-earth person who is pretty observant, which is why you’ll find me sitting quietly watching the show (and playing the age-old game of Don’t Judge a Book by Its Cover). I’m not spiteful or vicious and would never intentionally hurt anyone. If I sound sarcastic, spiked with a little cynicism, I am. I’m 100% serious and 100% silly. I’m not as scary as you think; you just have to “get” me. I’m pretty versatile: I like staying in and watching a movie as much as I like going out; it just depends on my mood.
I like making mixed CDs and being a perfectionist (I’m a Virgo, after all). Driving with the windows down and the music up is therapy enough for me.
I try to surround myself with people who care as much about me as I do about them, and tend to be protective over my friends and family. I expect the same things of others as I do from myself, which leaves me disappointed 99% of the time. People wise beyond their years fascinate me, however, I believe nothing can ever really make up for one’s own experience and perspective. People who know the difference between “to” and “too” are a breath (not breathe) of fresh air. People who don’t exude “the OC” (Hint: it’s not just a look, it’s a state of mind, too) are as well.
And perhaps my biggest accomplishment in life will come when I learn to accept people with differing points of view. That’ll be the day.
Music is very much a part of who I am. It fills the hole where my heart and emotions should be, and allows me to express myself. Some of my favorites are: The Doors, The Cult, Billy Idol, The Chemical Brothers, Depeche Mode, Fat Boy Slim, Frank Sinatra, The English Beat, Nine Inch Nails, Morcheeba, Thievery Corporation, Zero 7, Nikka Costa, Siouxsie & The Banshees, The Smiths, Soundgarden, Alice in Chains, Ella Fitzgerald, Stevie Wonder, Van Morrison, Michael Jackson, Funk, Soul, Rap, Classic Rock, Classical, Electropop, Electronica, Rock, Metal. Pretty much everything but country. Feel free to chat me up about them.
Favorite TV shows: House; It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia; The Office; Arrested Development; Family Guy; Welcome Back, Kotter; The IT Crowd; Friends; and Sex and the City.
Favorite movies: Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, Harold and Maude, 24 Hour Party People, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, High Fidelity, The Usual Suspects, 10 Things I Hate About You, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Harry Potter series, The Bourne Identity, Reservoir Dogs, Ocean’s 11 (original), Rounders, The Saint, The Breakfast Club, and Father of the Bride, Part 2.
I have worked professionally as an editor for the past three years, and unprofessionally for most of my life. I like turning errors into polished perfection, and cringe when an apostrophe is misused. And by some miracle, I’ve figured out how to get people to pay me for telling them they’re wrong. Just lucky, I guess.
And, last but certainly not least, who would play me in a movie about my life? Christopher Walken.
Brian Trimble – Arts & Culture Contributor
The arts have always sustained me. Even when I’ve had those lows in life, I could always find refuge and meaning in art, and I think that society as a whole could benefit from having creativity and art experiences for everyone.
I really do believe that art has the power to change the world on many different levels. I’ve benefited from having a mother and two older brothers who share my interest in the arts, so you could say it runs in the family.
I have a BFA in Ceramics, a Masters in Art Education and I’m working on my doctorate in Educational Leadership. I currently work as the Director of Education for a small, but vibrant Southern California museum and I teach part-time at CSULB whenever the opportunity arises.
I am proud to be part of the arts community in Long Beach. We have so many creative and cultural opportunities in our city, but we still have much work to do. I have a passion for community-based arts organizations and I try to be involved as much as I can, even with my busy schedule. I hope that by contributing to GetOutLB I can make a difference in our city by supporting our local artists and creative organizations.
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