Human trafficking is an epidemic in the Central Valley due to the region’s centralized location between Los Angeles and San Francisco and the numerous interconnected freeways. In 2025, there were 24 human trafficking related cases filed by the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office.   Many local nonprofits work tirelessly to change the narrative for victims of human trafficking and raise awareness of this horrific, widespread tragedy.  The Central Valley Justice Coalition (

After 15 years at Kaiser Permanente’s Regional Offices in Oakland, serving 10 years as the Regional Managing Director of the Research Division, Elize Bradley's career trajectory shifted after attending a pivotal open house where CVCF CEO Ashley Swearengin spoke. “When I heard Ashley's presentation about the Central Valley, I wondered how she could be so positive. If this woman, who is brilliant and has this love for the Valley, is determined to transform the region’s inequiti

Youth are working on creating vision boards for the community during a youth-led community workshop. When Aniyah Montoya-Atwood talks about helping young people find their voices, her enthusiasm is contagious. In her three years as a program manager with Youth Leadership Institute (yli), she has seen firsthand how teenagers and young adults in the Central Valley are challenging inequalities, shaping policy and building a future where everyone has the chance to thrive. Founded