Welcome to Fresno

In a recent discussion on LinkedIn, Felix, a nervous potential boomeranger, writes:

Why is the Silicon Valley/Bay Area/Sacto prosperous but our San Joaquin Valley not as economically prosperous? Unemployment rates, environmental issues, high school graduation rates, etc.

I have read all the issues and would like to hear from fellow Fresno State graduates. Is there opportunity upon returning to the SJ Valley? Where do we work? Am I making wrong assumptions based on reading the newspapers? For example, I work in San Francisco. I have an MBA, BA in BioScience, Certificate in Urban & Regional Planning. Is there room for someone like me in Fresno? Thank you.

The discussion received mostly anti-Fresno responses. Here is my response:

Hi Felix. Of course there’s room for someone like you in Fresno! Especially now as Fresno embraces the future of clean and sustainable energy. Did you know that Fresno was ranked #1 in the nation for recycling (http://www.fresno.gov/News/PressReleases/2009/Recycling.htm)? Fresno’s progressive and balanced leaders are striving to revitalize the city center and to help Fresno reach its potential.

Please don’t be discouraged by some people’s negative impressions of Fresno. Like any city, your experience of Fresno is largely dependent on what you make of it. It’s easy to see Fresno as a bad place if you only focus on the negative. And while Fresno may have its share of problems, so do other major metropolitan areas.

Here are few things that I LOVE about Fresno:

  1. Cultural diversity
  2. Ease of living/nice pace
  3. Relatively mild climate
  4. Affordability/opportunity
  5. Strong and vibrant arts/creative community
  6. Friendly and welcoming people (like me!)

So… welcome to Fresno! :-)

7 Comments to “Welcome to Fresno”

  1. Abe Lopez 12 January 2010 at 1:17 pm #

    Nice reply!

  2. Aileen Imperatrice 12 January 2010 at 1:57 pm #

    Good words. Let’s hope he looks into more of what makes Fresno cool.

  3. Conlan 12 January 2010 at 2:49 pm #

    Well done. But… “mild climate”? I don’t think there’s much mild about it. No snow or monsoons, but I wouldn’t play it up to a Bay Area resident. Your other points, though, are dead on.

  4. Danna Cameron 12 January 2010 at 4:34 pm #

    ‘Mild’ that’s exactly it…not too cold or too hot…well maybe one or two days in the summer. Fresno is exactly the place for growth. Very open-minded,very open to change. And being centrally located, every environ is approximately 2.5 hours away. It’s the ‘hub’ or could be the ‘hub’ of California.

  5. Rob Fahrni 13 January 2010 at 10:49 am #

    I’d agree with most things on your list, but mild weather? It’s nice in the winter, but can be brutal in the summer, that is, unless you’re into 100+ degree days.

    Having said that, we absolutely have room for someone like Felix. To make Fresno what we want it to be we need more boomrangers to return to the area, get involved, and make it a reality. Come back, and help change what’s broken.

  6. Katrina Neufeld 13 January 2010 at 11:02 am #

    Boy, I tell you… you Fresnans are a bunch of babies! Yes, mild weather. Sure it’s hot in summer but remember, IT’S A DRY HEAT.

    LULZ

  7. hilary 13 January 2010 at 2:42 pm #

    “it’s a dry heat.” all important!


Leave a Reply