Our Mission | The Challenge of Regional Disparity | Our Theory of Change

There is a stark contrast between California’s agricultural heartland--the San Joaquin Valley--and the rest of California. This disparity is demonstrated by extreme poverty in the Valley amid the relative prosperity of other parts of the state. The Valley’s low-wage agricultural economy and geographic isolation from the urbanized coastal region have combined to limit the economic advantages and social mobility that are prevalent in the rest of California. While their hard work is the cornerstone to the region’s multi-billion dollar agricultural economy, unemployment in immigrant and rural communities is extremely high by any standard. Overall, per capita incomes are much lower in the Valley than the state average. In addition, economic disparity is compounded by higher environmental health risks and lower educational achievement than the state as a whole. These and other inequities present serious barriers to regional decision-making and the future of the region.