Zip Code Economies

Mar 05 2024 1k
Zip Code Economies Podcast artwork

With the backdrop of a world that seems increasingly divided, Zip Code Economies shares the stories of people navigating the unique economic situations in their communities. Hosted by Mary Daly and brought to you by the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, these weekly stories highlight people who face issues we hear about every day, but like the rest of us, strive to make contributions, create opportunity, and move forward—together.

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Voices from Yakama Nation

Mar 05 2024 7 mins  
Our latest conversations with members 
of Yakama Nation, a community on the eastside of the Cascade Mountains in Washington state, provided us with unique stories and perspectives on the interconnectedness of policy, place, 
and people. Hear from some of the Yakama Nation members we spoke with as they describe their community in one word.

The Virtuous Cycle of Hope: Season 1.5, Chapter Five

Mar 29 2021 22 mins  
As we wrap up Zip Code Economies 1.5, we want to know how young people are faring. So we reconnect with Nefiso and Najmo Abdi, twin sisters we met as high schoolers from San Diego’s tight-knit Somali community. Now in college and navigating the intersection of COVID-19 and the Black Lives Matter protests, they recognize you can’t put a timeline on change. Instead, they focus on

Warrior of Light: Season 1.5, Chapter Four

Mar 22 2021 26 mins  
We reconnect with Mr. Sanchez, the 10th grade English teacher at Firebaugh High School, who is the definition of an essential worker in the pandemic. Racial and economic inequities have always existed in Firebaugh, and recent events have only magnified this reality. As lack of internet access threatens to cut students off from his class, Mr. Sanchez fights to ensure continued acces

The Essence of Kuleana: Season 1.5, Chapter Three

Mar 15 2021 29 mins  
If the intergenerational transmission of hope is a journey, Lahela Williams is an ideal guide. A Native Hawaiian, she discusses the effects of COVID-19 and the Black Lives Matter movement in Honolulu, while drawing parallels with the fight to protect the sacred mountain, Mauna Kea. Through it all, we learn that from great chaos comes great change, and we have the “kuleana”—or

The Family You Choose: Season 1.5, Chapter Two

Mar 08 2021 23 mins  
In our continued search for answers, we check in with Will Unga, a Pacific Islander raising his young kids in the predominately white, religious community of Salt Lake City. He walks us through his experiences, reminding us of our obligation to continually cultivate hope for the sake of both past and future generations.

Planting Tulips: Season 1.5, Chapter One

Mar 01 2021 24 mins  
In the first episode of Zip Code Economies 1.5, we reconnect with someone who understands how to nurture hope in others, even during the most difficult times. Pastor Paul Bains is a tireless advocate in East Palo Alto, especially on issues of justice and equality. Like tulips, we learn that hope can be buried for a time, but returns with patience, love, and perseverance.

Under Pain Lives Hope: Zip Code Economies 1.5 Trailer

Feb 25 2021 1 mins  
Why do you still hope? That's the question we found ourselves asking in the middle of 2020 as the pandemic spread and our country reckoned with social injustice. To answer it, SF Fed CEO Mary Daly returns to some of the most memorable voices from Season 1—the ambassadors of hope who inspire us with their resilience in the face of adversity. The result is Zip Code Economies 1.5—

10: Your Zip Code Doesn’t Define Your Destiny

Aug 27 2019 30 mins  
How can you change the narrative when the odds are stacked against you? We wrap up this season of Zip Code Economies back in San Diego, with a look at how education is creating new opportunities for not just students, but entire families. As a new generation moves forward as contributors in society, they’re determined to not forget where they came from, while also embracing that

9: An Economy Like Water

Aug 20 2019 21 mins  
On our last stop this season, we land in San Diego facing a chicken or egg dilemma: Do communities create economies? Or is it the other way around? To help us solve that puzzle, we talk to the manager of a nonprofit, a hotel CEO, a Colonel in the Marines, and a Spanish teacher—people who might not seem to have much in common, but who have found a shared home in this fluid, ever-c

8: Searching for Ohana

Aug 13 2019 24 mins  
When you ask residents what makes Hawaii such a special place to live, one word comes up over and over again: “ohana.” But what is “ohana”? In this episode of Zip Code Economies, we return to Honolulu to find out. Join us as we walk away with not just one definition of ohana, but many—all of which we hope to carry back to the mainland. Interviewees: Michelle Kauhane Mic