{"id":364996,"date":"2026-06-18T00:40:11","date_gmt":"2026-06-18T00:40:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/364996\/"},"modified":"2026-06-18T00:40:11","modified_gmt":"2026-06-18T00:40:11","slug":"seeds-of-resilience-the-story-of-long-beach-invites-locals-to-tell-their-own-histories","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/364996\/","title":{"rendered":"Seeds of Resilience: The Story of Long Beach invites locals to tell their own histories"},"content":{"rendered":"

Rancho Los Cerritos is celebrating America\u2019s 250th anniversary \u201cthe Long Beach way\u201d and they\u2019re inviting residents to take part through Seeds of Resilience: The Story of Long Beach.\u00a0<\/p>\n

While the historic rancho\u2019s current exhibit \u201cSeeds of Resilience,\u201d<\/a> on display for the remainder of the year, focuses on the historical contributions and resilience of the Mexican-American community, this activation will open that history up to all the communities who call Long Beach home. From the various Indigenous tribes that are native to the land, to refugee communities that built their own strongholds in the city, all are invited to participate.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Much like their exhibit, Rancho Los Cerritos wanted to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States. However, they opted to look into the past \u201cthrough a Long Beach lens,\u201d allowing them to go beyond \u201ca single starting point in American history,\u201d said public relations consultant Sylvana Uribe.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"Photos of families packing their belongings and examples of artifacts taken back to Mexico by the 1.8 million Mexicans deported during the Great Depression era are on display at the \u201cSeeds of Resilience\u201d exhibit at Rancho Los Cerritos on Feb. 15, 2026. (Samuel Chacko | Signal Tribune)<\/p>\n

\u201cWe ultimately want Long Beach residents to see themselves as part of telling these enduring histories and carrying these cultural practices and histories forward,\u201d Uribe said.<\/p>\n

Residents, artists, historians and organizations with ties to Long Beach can share the history of their family or community through a method of their own choosing such as performance, oral storytelling, art and more.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cEveryone has their history and a story to tell and maybe some communities weren\u2019t in Long Beach 250 years ago; it doesn\u2019t really matter,\u201d said Rancho Los Cerritos Executive Director Alison Bruesehoff. \u201cIt\u2019s about what their history is and what they stand for, where they came from, what it means to be their culture, their people, and to bring them all together.\u201d<\/p>\n

Those who want to submit an application to Rancho Los Cerritos can do so until July 10. If chosen, the person or group will share their presentation on Sept. 22 at the Civic Center Plaza in downtown Long Beach during Seeds of Resilience: The Story of Long Beach, an amalgamation of various cultural sounds, sights and stories. Participants must be available to present their historical project on Sept. 22 if chosen.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"The adelante (moving forward) portion of the \u201cSeeds of Resilience\u201d exhibit features signs from historical movements in the 1900s focus on equal rights and workers rights, as well as a quote from Fronteras Norte\u00f1as that says, \u201cWe are the descendants of indomitable survivors.\u201d (Samuel Chacko | Signal Tribune)<\/p>\n

The decision to swap a Fourth of July celebration for a September event was not only to make the event more accessible to students, libraries and families, but to create distance from the holiday itself, Bruesehoff explained. July 4 highlights a specific period in American history that she said is often shared with a limited perspective.<\/p>\n

\u201cFrom some points of view, it was a really good moment in history, but other cultures are totally wiped out,\u201d Bruesehoff said. \u201cWe\u2019re a conquering country, and [when] we became the U.S., it didn\u2019t exactly spell freedom or celebration for everyone 250 years ago.\u2029 And so it\u2019s a one sided history in our minds, from a historian point of view \u2026 There\u2019s a lot of cultures, there\u2019s a lot of people that make up America and everyone has made some contribution to what this country is. \u2029And all of those histories need to be recognized.\u201d<\/p>\n

Seeds of Resilience: The Story of Long Beach will also provide residents the opportunity to learn about other cultures from their own neighbors, and perhaps to see themselves in others\u2019 histories. It\u2019s the latest in a series of events tied to the \u201cSeeds of Resilience\u201d exhibit that has invited the community to learn their history hands-on, which so far has included a cooking demonstration and an archival image workshop<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

This initiative is led by Rancho Los Cerritos and bolstered by partnerships with the Office of Mayor Rex Richardson, Rancho Los Alamitos, the Historical Society of Long Beach, the Ti\u2019at Society, Long Beach Public Libraries, Long Beach Unified School District and the Arts Council for Long Beach.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Those who are interested in presenting at Seeds of Resilience: The Story of Long Beach can apply here<\/a> through July 10. Participants may receive grant funding between $500 and $1,500. Funding for the grants comes out of a one-time $50,000 allocation that the City set aside to celebrate the 250th anniversary of America.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Seeds of Resilience: The Story of Long Beach will take place Sept. 22 from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.\u00a0 at the Civic Center Plaza (411 W. Ocean Blvd.).<\/p>\n

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