Around the District: Kern County, California

As a community-engaged bank, the SF Fed seeks out real-time information on economic conditions by engaging with and learning from businesses, community organizations, and local leaders. These conversations are one of the many inputs into the decisions and policymaking at the Federal Reserve as we pursue our mission.

Here’s a snapshot of a recent visit to Kern County from Qiana Charles, Regional Executive of the SF Fed’s Los Angeles branch.

I always enjoy traveling throughout my home state of California to engage with communities as part of my role as a regional executive with the SF Fed. Recently, I had an opportunity to spend some time in Kern County, meeting with various business and community leaders and learning about current economic conditions.

Meeting with staff from Clinica Sierra Vista, a comprehensive healthcare organization providing services to people in Kern and Fresno counties.
Meeting with staff from Clinica Sierra Vista, a comprehensive healthcare organization providing services to people in Kern and Fresno counties.

It’s a privilege to see the amazing things happening around the Twelfth District that support the broader regional and national economies. What we learn from spending time up close and personal with our communities is an important input into the Fed’s monetary policy decisions. Throughout my time in Kern County, I consistently heard about the challenges business leaders face in making our economy work for everyone.

I’d like to personally thank those leaders willing to share their stories with me. Thanks especially to the Central Valley Business Federation and Chevron-Bakersfield for hosting an informative listening session.

Welcome sign to Wasco, a small town outside of Bakersfield, California.
Welcome sign to Wasco, a small town outside of Bakersfield, California (left). Visiting the offices of Sun World, a global fruit genetics & licensing company (right).

The views expressed here do not necessarily reflect the views of the management of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco or of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.

About the Author
Qiana Charles
Qiana Charles is vice president and regional executive of the Los Angeles branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco. Learn more about Qiana Charles