L.B.
may not be ‘International City’ any
longer
By Cassady Jeremias
On-line Forty-Niner
The
city of Long Beach has had the slogan of
“International City” since the early 1950s,
but it may change with the help of the Leadership
Long Beach Class of 2003.
Leadership
Long Beach is a group of citizens in the
community developed to teach and learn about
leadership. One of the teams in the class
is having a contest to see who can come
up with a slogan that fits the city and
captures all it has to offer — its mood
and people — in just a few words.
After
the entries are received, the leadership
class will choose the top 25 entries, and
an independent advisory board made up of
President Robert Maxson, city council members,
and other community figures will narrow
the submissions down further.
Cal
State Long Beach graphic design students
will provide the designs for the top five
entries. The entries will be published in
the Long Beach Press-Telegram where the
public will have an opportunity to vote
for their favorite. The winning slogan will
be presented to city council for consideration.
The
old slogan came into being after the Miss
Universe Pageant was hosted here in 1952,
and has not changed since then. Some think
this existing slogan does not accurately
reflect the city at all.
“Thousands
of people love this city, but I don’t think
they like it because it’s an international
city,” said professor of legal studies Art
Levine, one of four members on the team
of the Class of 2003, Leadership Long Beach,
that helped come up with the idea. He said
his idea of an international city is Paris,
London, Rome or New York, but not Long Beach.
“Whatever
slogan we come up with will be better than
the one we have, and will more accurately
reflect the city,” he said.
The
contest is open to anyone, and all entries
will be eligible for a random drawing for
prizes that may include hotel stays or dinners,
Levine said.
One
of the judges is Donald Para, dean of the
College of the Arts who said he hopes the
slogan will put Long Beach in a positive
light, say something about the city, and
describe the city at the same time. He said
what he will be looking for in a slogan
is “something that captures the spirit,
identity and excitement of the city.”
The
contest runs until the first of May, and
the winner will be announced at a Leadership
Long Beach reception on June 26.
Levine
said he hopes to get in around 1,000 entries,
and said he thinks the winning slogan will
highlight something special about the city.
“We
are the 5th largest city in California.
I think the winning slogan will embody a
big city with a small town warmth,” he said.
Entry
forms are available around town and at any
Long Beach Fire Station. Slogans can be
sent with a name, address and telephone
number to City Slogan, 5500 Atherton St.,
Suite 430, Long Beach, CA 90815. Entries
can also be faxed to 562-598-4904 or E-mailed
to cityslogan@murphey3.com.
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