Meet Brian
Brian Thorson is the Botanical Curator and Botany Technician for the Biological Sciences Department at California State University, Long Beach. Long Beach locals and botany enthusiasts may remember his name from the summer of 2019 when Brian played a key role in unveiling Phil, the rare “corpse flower” that blossomed at the CSULB campus.
Brian is a LBT regular who uses transit to visit friends, make his health professional visits, and go shopping – but right now he continues to ride as an essential employee. “I’m incredibly grateful for the uninterrupted service and safety precautions implemented in response to the COVID-19 pandemic,” he says. “There are many people, including myself, who still rely on LBT to get to and from work. The measures that LBT has adopted to promote continued good health for both its patrons and drivers illustrates a level of commitment to the Long Beach community that should serve as a model for other cities.”
Brian says that he chooses to ride with LBT because he enjoys the opportunity to get in extra steps walking to bus stops. But most of all, he enjoys not having to drive a car. “I don’t like being confronted with aggressive or irresponsible drivers, so being a passenger on LBT buses omits that displeasure from my life.”
Brian is half Chamorro (Guamanian) and strongly identifies with his ancestry and culture. He believes islanders in general are very communal and respectful of others, so he likes to share his island love with everyone he meets. He encourages others to join him on LBT and hopes “that we can balance the demands of big city life with enduring humanity and unity.” When Brian rides with LBT, he tries to be kind, conscientious, and clean, always remembering that he’s a member of the community he cherishes.
