Throughout 2021 the Post’s squadron of videographer/reporters were on constant lookout for ways to explore the myriad creative talents in the community, from crafts artists to culinary entrepreneurs.

They took footage (not really the correct term in the video age, but one that’s stuck) of people who do inventive woodwork with recycled skateboards to a jeweler who is a “maker of small objects.” They filmed (another term that continues past the age of actual film) a baker who works out of his garage to a Filipino pop-up catering business.

And on the 20th anniversary of 9/11, they caught up with three veterans to record their moving memories of that event and its ensuing wars and how they were affected by the events. And so much more. Enjoy viewing some of their best work over the year, and stand by for more quality work in 2022.

In the Studio: Justin LaRose

Justin LaRose didn’t find his professional passion until later in his life, but now the 41-year-old woodworker spends his days in bliss having found a way to blend his many interests—skateboarding, woodworking and art— together.

In this video by Cheantay Jensen, Thomas R. Cordova and Steven Smith, hear the artist’s story while you watch him craft a baseball bat out of recycled skateboard decks.

Side StrEATS: Corner Stoop

After losing their kitchen in a restaurant fire, these four chefs banded together to create The Corner Stoop, a Filipino-owned catering business on a mission to reimagine consumers’ taste and experience of Filipino and Cambodian cuisine.

This video by Cheantay Jensen and Thomas R. Cordova is somewhat bittersweet considering one of its lead chefs, Janice Dig Cabaysa, died recently. Read more about her legacy, here.

Dozens protest LBUSD vaccine requirements

After the Long Beach Unified School District announced in August 2021 sweeping COVID-19 protocols, including mask mandates, vaccine requirements for staff, and COVID-19 testing on unvaccinated students, dozens of parents, families, LBUSD employees and community members came out to protest.

As seen in this video by Jackie Rae, some came out in support but many more were upset, feeling as though the new rules were either pointless or infringed upon personal rights.

In The Studio: Mills Shoe Repair

Kwang Nyon Kim’s shoe repair shop, Mills Shoe Repair, in West Long Beach has been a mainstay in the area for the last 40 years.

In this video, by reporter Crystal Niebla, we learn of Kim’s journey to the U.S. and eventually his career while watching him repair and refurbish old, broken-down shoes using methods and machinery employed for decades.

In The Studio: Gunter Estrada

Gunther Estrada is the owner of GRBG (pronounced “garbage”) Made, a local handmade leather goods company he started a few years after moving to Long Beach. After a trip he took to Prague, Estrada described feeling awe and appreciation of the city’s centuries-old architecture and it inspired him to venture his own path of creating goods that could stand the test of time.

As you’ll learn in this video by Cheantay Jensen and Thomas R. Cordova, Estrada’s story is one of identity and belonging told through the lens of leather making.

Side StrEATS: Hey Brother Baker

Jesse Hellen-Lloyd is the owner of Hey Brother Baker, a local micro-bakery he created out of his single-car garage.

In this video by Cheantay Jensen and Thomas R. Cordova, catch a glimpse of a typical (and very early morning) work cycle for the baker while he shares his journey and trials through the pandemic.

In The Studio: Peter Beck

Peter Beck has been crafting model boats since he was 10 years old. As he grew and got older, the boats became bigger and more intricate. His biggest, which he keeps in his room, is 8-feet, 7-inches long with 115 sails.

Check out the 17-year-old artist’s process and love for the unique craft in this video by Cheantay Jensen and Thomas R. Cordova.

Veterans look back on 9/11

To mark the 20-year milestones of 9/11 and its subsequent war in Afghanistan, we talked to three Long Beach veterans who served at various times in the war.

They talked openly about why they enlisted, their experiences in the country and in battle, what they learned about the war and themselves, and how they continue to grapple with the memories, post-traumatic stress disorder and the alarming number of veterans who commit suicides every day in America as well has how they feel about the war’s ending. Was it worth it for the country? For them, personally?

In The Studio: Amy Solis

Amy Solis is not just a jewelry maker—she’s a “Maker of Small Objects” and an artist. Through her craft, the jeweler aims to empower queer and undocumented communities.

In this video by Cheantay Jensen and Thomas R. Cordova, learn of the artist’s own background as a queer and undocumented immigrant while you watch her craft a handmade pin that reads “abolish pol(ice).”

Haunted Long Beach: Country Club Drive house

For this, the seventh in our “Haunted Long Beach” video series, Thomas R. Cordova and Tim Grobaty delve into the history and oddities of this house on Country Club Drive.

Is it really as haunted as it looks? We’ll let you decide.

Side StrEATS: Casa Chaskis

Growing up with Jaliscan parents, seeing Latin food cooked so differently, fascinated Agustín Romo, the owner of Peruvian restaurant Casa Chaskis in West Long Beach.

With a love for fresh ingredients often gleaned from his garden, watch Romo create classic and traditional Peruvian dishes while he shares his perspective on the South American cuisine in this video by Thomas R. Cordova and Cheantay Jensen.

In The Studio: Gopi Shah

Gopi Shah is a Long Beach-based potter who makes functional art and home goods ceramics.

Watch Shah create one of her classic “Mountain Mugs” while she shares her journey into the meditative craft.