Doing Good in the LBC is an occasional newsletter where we’ll share how you can volunteer or give back in our city.
‘Join or Die’
I waited with a crowd of tired passengers around a luggage carousel, scanning my phone to find the right shuttle stop, anxious about missed messages and traffic on the 405.
When I walked outside of LAX, I saw police officers surrounding a man who was shirtless and shouting. At least four people stood nearby, recording the chaos with their phones. One man smiled in amusement.
This is not a unique scene in Los Angeles, where the homeless population roughly equals the size of Lakewood. Witnessing people in pain is about as remarkable as a piece of furniture we walk past every day.
A few hours earlier I was at a conference in Miami that included a talk by former Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy. He spoke about the nation’s “epidemic of loneliness” that has led to increased depression, anxiety, substance abuse and more.
That he was talking to nearly 1,000 journalists is significant. The institutions that formed the foundation of civic life — news organizations, libraries, museums, theaters — don’t seem to stand a chance against the junk distractions we encounter every day.
I needed to remind myself that there are pockets of people who are, with intention, trying to strengthen the bonds that inspire healthy action.
You can meet some of them on March 5 at the Art Theatre in Retro Row, which is hosting a screening of “Join or Die,” a film based on the research of Harvard scholar Robert Putnam. In his 2001 study “Bowling Alone,” Putnam explored how the growing disconnectedness in American society had impacted civic and physical health.
The screening will include remarks by Mayor Rex Richardson, whose office is organizing the event along with members of a new Downtown Long Beach Design District, an effort to create a stronger sense of community in the heart of the city.
Tickets to the event are $10; you can RSVP here. I’ll see you there.
Where to go
There are plenty of ways now to connect with the world around you.
The city’s Parks and Recreation Department just opened spring registration for dozens of sports leagues and classes. From swing dancing and karate to painting and cooking, there are many opportunities to learn and play with fellow residents. Find out more and register here.
Join a club. Participation in civic clubs has waned nationally, but Long Beach has one of the largest and most active Rotary groups in the nation. The club meets for lunch every Wednesday aboard the Queen Mary, with evening gatherings and plenty of volunteer opportunities. The city also has an active Kiwinis Club, Assistance League, Junior League and many more.
For those who need a more noncommittal entry point, visit a museum (Long Beach Museum of Art or MOLAA), or see a performing arts show. The Carpenter Center has everything from magicians to ballet, along with many others in Long Beach, from small neighborhood theaters to larger venues.
This weekend I got to see the Long Beach Symphony Pops Concert, “Women of Rock,” which, for me, was enough to quell any lingering cynicism about the state of American civil society. It’d been a while since my last Pops concert, and I was stunned at the size and composition of the crowd: Kids and seniors and every age in between, some dancing, many sipping wine, snacking and lip syncing to the nostalgic hits of Tina Turner, Pat Benatar and Janis Joplin.
The next show is March 22, featuring the music of Elvis, Sinatra and more. Tickets here.
What else? Let me know how you connect with the world: [email protected].
I know for sure that there is strength in numbers. Volunteer, participate, read and support fact-based journalism, like ours.