Long Beach is home to the largest Cambodian population outside of Southeast Asia, who first began arriving in the 1950s and 60s to attend exchange programs at CSULB, but years later arrived en masse to escape political persecution from the Khmer Rouge. Families laid down roots in what has come to be recognized as “Cambodia Town”, a one-mile stretch along Anaheim Street. 

The City of Long Beach has committed to establishing a Cambodian American Cultural Center (CACC) to celebrate and preserve Cambodian and Khmer arts, culture, and history. The Long Beach City Council recently approved a vision and feasibility plan for the center, which will include forming a nonprofit organization to manage its development. Future plans involve selecting a suitable location, ideally in the Cambodia Town neighborhood, and designing the center to be a significant cultural landmark.

The history of Latinos in Long Beach is marked by resilience and cultural integration.  Following nationwide persecution during the 1930s Repatriation Era, the 1960s onward were years of rapid growth, as Long Beach became a hub for employment during the manufacturing boom of the “golden age.” From a modest population in the early 20th century, the Latino community expanded rapidly, becoming the city’s largest ethnic group. By the 2030s, Latinos are projected to become the majority, illustrating a significant demographic and cultural transformation in Long Beach.

The City of Long Beach and Centro CHA are actively working to establish a Latino Cultural District, aiming to celebrate and uplift the local Latino community.  The proposed initiative will feature  a Latino Cultural Center and El Mercado de Long Beach. The Mercado (The Marketplace) component will serve as an economic engine that will provide various services, including workforce development and business entrepreneurship support. The envisioned cultural center will also aim to foster a deeper connection across Latinos in Long Beach through exhibits and performing arts, which will showcase Latino history.

The Long Beach City Council approved support for outreach for a Latino Cultural District in late 2019. By November 2020, fifty prominent Latino leaders had formed a Steering Committee, guiding a nine-month planning process marked by extensive community engagement, which culminated in an operational feasibility plan for the Latino Cultural Center. 

In 2023, as a response to the continued advocacy, the City of Long Beach allocated $4 million in Measure B funds to support further planning and development, championed by former Mayor Robert Garcia and City officials. This funding aims to enhance the business plan and develop the infrastructure and next steps for the Cultural Center.

The history of the Black community in Long Beach is dynamic and multi-faceted. At the turn of the 20th century, Black Americans migrated to the West Coast seeking refuge from racial violence in the South. This, coupled with migration in the post-war period, spurred significant growth of the City’s Black population. Black Americans sought to meet the employment demands of the city’s growing industrial and defense sectors as a result of increased opportunity in shipyards and aircraft factories due to economic expansion and increased consumption nationwide. However, these opportunities are marred by the remnants of racially targeted underinvestment which has led to challenges such as occupational segregation, economic disparities, high unemployment rates, poverty, low homeownership rates, and inequalities in health and policing. 

In a testament to its commitment to recognizing and celebrating the Black community, the City of Long Beach has shown significant support for the establishment of the African American Cultural Center of Long Beach (AACCLB). The center has already begun showcasing exhibits highlighting performance arts, athletes, military service, and religion and spirituality.

The process of establishing the AACCLB involved robust community engagement, with discussions on what the center should feature and how it could be most effective. Ideas ranged from focusing on the African diaspora to creating educational programs and addressing current national issues like police violence (Long Beach Post). 

The cultural center aims to secure a permanent location and is working towards a goal of raising $22 million to develop a space that not only preserves and honors Black heritage but also hosts educational programs and cultural events (Long Beach Post). In other words, this initiative reflects an ongoing effort to provide a comprehensive cultural venue that supports the Black community in Long Beach year-round.

The city has also recently been recognized by the Human Rights Campaign as a safe haven for LGBTQIA+ individuals. Local leaders have moved to commemorate the Broadway Business Corridor, a 3-mile strip East of Downtown Long Beach as a “Cultural District”, highlighting the importance of historically Queer-owned establishments and their continued growth.