For the past two years, I have worked for the constituents of California’s 27th Assembly District, which include Madera, Merced, and Fresno counties. Let me tell you how I fell in love with this ignored region of California.
Every Californian knows the drive south to Los Angeles on Interstate 5. I’ll save you suspense – it’s not great. There are no pristine coastlines, no majestic mountains, no rolling green hills. What you will see are cows, dry fields, and an array of signs griping about Gov. Gavin Newsom and water rights.
However, it’s important to recognize “where” you drive through on I-5. Born and raised in Sacramento, I can admit, like most Californians, that for my entire life, I considered the Central Valley (Stockton to Bakersfield) “fly over country.” The Central Valley was “drive through country” to me.
People write it off, they ignore it, or simply never think about it. After all, it’s not like the Central Valley feeds the entire country, right? It’s not like the Central Valley leads the nation in energy production, water infrastructure, and economic output, right?
Working for someone representing the Valley, you are frequently spending time in the Valley. You travel to community events, you visit towns and cities, you attend ceremonies recognizing members of the community, and you get to know the heartbeat of many communities.
There is a common phrase about America when describing a certain region’s culture: “Southern Hospitality.” Now of course that phrase is attributed to the southern region of the U.S., and it describes the infallible kindness from people down there. It describes how southerners treat strangers, tourists, neighbors, and friends alike. They greet you with open arms, they treat you like family, open doors for you, cook for you, etc.
California is a big state (third largest), and it’s the largest” state when it comes to population. So, if you take anything from this article, let it be that “Southern Hospitality” should now apply to the southern part of America AND California’s Central Valley.
I met Huron Mayor Rey León in 2024 shortly after I was hired by Assemblywoman Soria. It was like spending time with a “tío” I never had. He offered me tacos and invited me down anytime I would like. It was the perfect example of how people treat you in the Valley.
I was there on the ground when Madera Community Hospital reopened. People from Madera (Maderans) might be the most kind, humble, and hard-working people I’ve ever met.
The gratefulness, joy and appreciation this community had for their rural community hospital reopening its doors was probably the most wholesome experience of public celebration I’ll ever witness. I was reminded of what small luxuries I take for granted every day, like quick access to affordable healthcare, a community that supports each other, and proximity to a hospital.
During my time in the Valley, I always had a reliable guide in Esmeralda Soria. She would take time to explain “how things were” in the Valley. She explained how from a young age, she recognized the Valley is underserved, underrecognized and overlooked.
While in the Valley, I experienced the spirit and soul of the “Westside” mayors and the communities they represent. I saw first-hand how a state assemblymember and senator representing the same region got things done, put differences aside and worked to deliver for their shared constituents (not something that happens often from lawmakers in Sacramento, by the way).
They all had something in common. It was a certain type of work ethic derived from a common goal: improving the quality of life for those in the Valley. How hard they work cannot be compared to any other lawmakers representing other regions of California.
This tenacious grit also belonged to the journalists who report on the Central Valley every day. Kat Phillips, Pablo Orihuela, Julianna Morano, Brisa Colón, Ben Morris, David Taub, Melissa Montalvo, Christian De Jesus Betancourt, Tyler Takeda, Mayra Franco, Marina Peña, Jim Jakobs, Juan Esparza. These are the reporters I had the privilege to work with over the past two years.
We (California) would be nothing without the Central Valley. We’d be a footnote, and it’s high time people remember that. There is something Soria said to me when I was hired, something she will likely say to me on my last day. It’s something every Californian should remind themselves of often: Don’t forget about the Central Valley.
About the author: Brody Fernandez is a political and communications professional working out of Sacramento. He’s an award-winning journalist who covered politics, current events, government, and policy issues from 2013-2021. He currently serves as communications director for Assemblywoman Esmeralda Soria (D-Fresno) and has held this position since 2024. Before that, he served as a spokesman for the California Department of Education, under the Tony Thurmond administration from 2021-2024. Brody graduated from the University of California, Davis in 2018, with a bachelor’s degree in communications studies and a minor in American history. Brody has lived mostly in Sacramento County and was born in Sacramento.