“The Genius Thing That We Did Was, We Didn’t Give Up.”- Jay-Z
That quote is inscribed on the wall at Planet Vegan. Along with other encouraging and motivational sayings and art, it sums up the commitment of the owners of this popular restaurant to rise from adversity and move toward success.
Author, Michelle Ward-Hudler is a mother whose son is a child of wonder, curiosity, and love who also happens to love and grow with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
I have good news for you, and I have bad news for you.
Let me tell you the bad news first. In a few days, summer vacation will be over for all the students in the Central Valley. That's the bad news for children who are really enjoying their summer vacations, extra swims, trips to camp, and sleeping late in the morning.
Louis Armstrong said, “All music is folk music. I never heard a horse sing a song.” I am pretty sure that the first time I heard folk music, I smiled. I am also pretty sure that the first time I heard a sad folk song, it brought tears to my eyes.
Through the years, I have followed and reported on many food entrepreneurs, people with vision, skill, talent, flair, and a great idea. Some have succeeded and some have failed. All have faced similar challenges: location, or buying equipment without having to invest more money than they have for acquisition and maintenance. But what if a common location existed for creating culinary masterpieces with adequate equipment, storage space, support, and 24-hour access?
Roger Minassian was the pastor of a prominent church in Fresno when his heart was deeply touched by the needs of gang members and felons like Vanna In. He stepped down from his position and his secure salary to give his life to kids on the streets of Fresno, California.
Maybe they are the blues, and maybe they are the "blah”s. Whatever you call them, there is something about a let-down, a bit of cold, fog cover, and January itself that make the Central Valley the least attractive time of year for many. I almost shunned the opportunity to move here twenty-seven years ago because I came to explore in the mid-winter, specifically, January.
Last December, a group gathered downtown to read the names of and remember fifty-six identified individuals who had died homeless in Fresno between January and November 2021. The service included readings, short messages, and music from a variety of religious traditions.
Food insecurity in Fresno County is a real and a pressing problem. The irony is that those of us who live in Fresno reside in a Land of Plenty and bounty. In many ways the Fresno area is the breadbasket for the nation and the world.
Michelle Ranee Johnson and her family are longtime friends of mine, and I am a longtime admirer of Michelle’s vision and work. As a photographer and a geologist, she climbs high mountains to see what others cannot see. She captures perspectives and hidden treasures that we all miss.
