About Long Beach Lighthouse

Welcome to Long Beach Lighthouse, your ultimate guide to the vibrant city of Long Beach, California. Our mission is to illuminate the diverse stories, cultures, and events that shape this remarkable coastal community. From the bustling waterfront to the serene beaches, Long Beach Lighthouse serves as your trusted resource for everything related to life in Long Beach.

At Long Beach Lighthouse, we believe in celebrating the unique blend of history, art, and innovation that defines our city. Our team of local writers and contributors are passionate about uncovering the hidden gems, must-visit destinations, and the voices of Long Beach residents. Whether you're a longtime local or a curious visitor, we aim to provide insightful articles, tips, and recommendations that resonate with everyone.

Join us as we explore the charming neighborhoods, delicious dining scene, and exciting events that make Long Beach a place like no other. Together, let's shine a light on all that our beautiful city has to offer!

Got Featured?

Congrats for making it on our site! If you own (or work for) a business that has been featured on our site, here is a little trophy you can embed on your website or share with your fans!

What Your Trophy Will Look Like

How to Add To Your Site

In order to add your trophy to your website, simply copy the below Embed Code and embed it into your site. If you're using Wordpress, just add a 'custom HTML embed' and put the Embed code in there!

Embed Code

<a href="https://longbeachlighthouse.org">
     <img src="https://longbeachlighthouse.org/images/logo/trophy.png" width="150" />
</a>

Editorial Team

Director

Jesse Smith

Jesse Smith is a director who steers the editorial vision and strategic growth of a prominent Long Beach media outlet. He is passionate about spotlighting the city's diverse voices, local culture, and the stories that shape its communities.

Editors

Doris Baumbach

Doris Baumbach finds the pulse of Long Beach through its quieter corners, turning overlooked civic threads into stories that resonate. Her editing philosophy leans on curiosity and context, weaving neighborhood voices into a sharper, more honest city narrative.

Laisha Taylor

Laisha Taylor is an editor who approaches local journalism with a data-driven lens, uncovering patterns and disparities that often go unnoticed in Long Beach. She is dedicated to fostering collaborative reporting projects that bring residents' lived experiences to the forefront of public discourse.

Editor-in-Chief

Elena Vargas

Elena Vargas is a passionate writer and local enthusiast dedicated to sharing the vibrant stories and hidden gems of Long Beach, California. With a keen eye for detail and a love for community, she brings the city's culture and history to life through her engaging articles.

Writers

Breanne Bartell

Breanne Bartell finds her story leads in the spaces where Long Beach's past and future collide—abandoned lots turned community gardens, historic buildings repurposed into artist studios. Her writing captures the city's evolving identity through the people who are actively reshaping it, blending nostalgia with a forward-looking optimism.

Dangelo Lang

Dangelo Lang listens for Long Beach in the laughter and laments of its bus stops, laundromats, and porch-side negotiations, turning eavesdropped fragments into stories with a heartbeat. His writing favors the small, stubborn details others skip, stitching them into narratives that honor the city's gritty tenderness.

Gayle Gerhold

Gayle Gerhold approaches storytelling with a solutions-oriented mindset, seeking out the innovative projects addressing Long Beach's persistent challenges. Her feature writing pairs rigorous research with compelling narratives, illuminating how residents and local groups are building a more resilient city.

Micah Terry

Micah Terry chases Long Beach stories from the alleys and shorelines where official records often go quiet, favoring the raw, unpolished truths that surface outside city hall meetings. His writing turns overlooked moments—a late-night diner chat, a patched-up pier post—into narrative anchors for understanding the city's shifting tides.

Royce Dach

Royce Dach navigates Long Beach's social undercurrents through the city's market stalls and backyard gatherings, where he captures the unscripted exchanges that define its character. His reporting hinges on the rhythm of everyday encounters, framing each conversation as a stitch in the larger fabric of local identity.

Pearl Johnson

The Local's Blackbook 📓

The 48-Hour Insider Itinerary to Long Beach

Join our Long Beach Lighthouse newsletter and get our 48-hour insider itinerary to the top hidden spots in Long Beach.

•Custom 3-stop crawl with QR codes for easy navigation
•5 photo-worthy hidden gems (Instagram gold)
•Insider timing tips: when to go to skip crowds
•Top spots in your inbox every week