Facing Fresno’s Past to Create a Better Future for All
- Alfredo Camarena
- 6 days ago
- 2 min read
Updated: 3 days ago
What does it mean to “face Fresno”? For julie vue, Senior Program Officer at the Central Valley Community Foundation, it involves raising awareness of the complex history that shaped our Valley and how decisions made long ago continue to influence our lives today.
In her role at the Foundation, julie leads an initiative called Facing Fresno, a community learning program that aims to help people understand the impact of racism in Fresno. The in-person training leads attendees through educational components, including a timeline of historical events and their consequences. This journey through the past aids attendees in looking inward to understand how they have been shaped by our community’s history. Through this recognition, attendees are able to work collectively to envision a more just, equitable and prosperous future.
“We want to equip participants with a foundational understanding of race and power dynamics,” julie said.
Community members have responded positively to the training curriculum, noting its relevance to local issues such as housing and urban planning. Involving community members in discussions to achieve equitable outcomes is stressed throughout the training.
Training attendees shared the following:
“Participating in the Facing Fresno training was a powerful and eye-opening experience; it offered a deep and thoughtful exploration of the impact of racism in Fresno past and present. One of the most insightful components was the historical timeline, which provided a detailed look at how policies, decisions, and patterns of segregation and disinvestment have shaped our city over time. It helped me better understand the roots of many of the challenges our community faces today, while also inspiring a greater sense of responsibility to be part of the ongoing work for racial and economic justice.”
“Thank you, loved it! Wish every Fresnan would take this training!”
“This was a super collaborative space with a lot of transparent and vulnerable conversation.”
The next Facing Fresno training takes place on March 17 and 19. It’s free, and dinner is provided. All are welcome to come, share a meal, and learn. Click here to register.
“My hope for Facing Fresno is that it sparks an interest in people to do some deeper learning and, ultimately, act on what they’ve learned and get more engaged in our community,” julie said.
Facing Fresno, which began in 2022, is part of Fresno DRIVE, a 10-year investment plan to develop a more inclusive, vibrant, and sustainable economy for residents of the Greater Fresno Region. The development and implementation of Facing Fresno has been led by julie with great contributions from Dr. Victoria Navarro Benavides. Dr. Matthew Matera, Gaby Tirta, Kate Zamora, and Jaeden Herms.
This story is part of the Central Valley Community Foundation’s “Sixty Stories That Shaped Us” initiative to help mark 60 years since our founding. We invite you to join us in celebrating this milestone as well as this special place we call home. To learn more, visit us at centralvalleycf.org and follow us on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn @centralvalleycf.
