According to Daniel Cano (Class of ’77, B.A., English; ’84, M.A., Spanish), all one needed to make it as a journalist in 1920s Los Angeles was the ability to read and write, and a good mentor. In Cano’s case, all that was needed to become an award-winning novelist was his desire to become a writer and his education. The professor of English at Santa Monica College recently received the 12th International Latino Book Award for historical fiction with “Death and the American Dream,” which tells the story of a Mexican immigrant who becomes a reporter on a Spanish language newspaper.

A reception for Long Beach-based alumni of California State University, Dominguez Hills was hosted by Alumni Programs and the law firm of Keesal, Logan and Young was held on Nov. 18 in the firm’s offices in downtown Long Beach. The event was designed to help make connections between the university and the city, which according to university estimates is home to 3,500 CSU Dominguez Hills alumni.