Early Thursday morning, gymnast Sunisa Lee became the first Hmong American to win a gold medal for team USA. And just as her hometown community in Minnesota cheered her on, the San Joaquin Valley’s Hmong community was watching as well. Geri Yang-Johnson of Fresno has never met Sunisa Lee, but …
Read More »‘Sunisa Lee Represents All Of US’ – Fresno’s Hmong Community Celebrates Sunisa Lee’s Olympic Gold
Early Thursday morning, gymnast Sunisa Lee became the first Hmong American to win a gold medal for team USA. And just as her hometown community in Minnesota cheered her on, the San Joaquin Valley’s Hmong community was watching as well. Geri Yang-Johnson of Fresno has never met Sunisa Lee, but …
Read More »Fresno’s COVID-19 Equity Project Inspires Community Health Programs In Other Counties
In early April, Monterey County and a group of community organizations held a COVID-19 vaccine clinic in a school gym in the rural city of Soledad. In a promotional video produced about the event, locals shared what brought them out to get their vaccinations. “I did it to protect my …
Read More »Processing The Pandemic: Fresno’s New Poet Laureate On The Role Of Creativity In Healing
The Fresno Arts Council recently announced the city’s fifth poet laureate, Megan Anderson Bohigian. In her new role, Anderson Bohigian says she hopes to facilitate healing around the pandemic with a community involved poetry writing project. FM89’s News Director Alice Daniel reached out to her to participate in our own …
Read More »With Fresno’s African American COVID-19 Coalition, Leaders Aim To Curb Virus And Build Trust
It’s a Tuesday afternoon in downtown Fresno, and a line of cars has wrapped around the block from the Fresno Economic Opportunities Commission to Chukchansi Stadium. A petite karaoke singer belts out George Harrison on the sidewalk, while the drivers, masked and corralled into reserved parking spots, wait for Testing …
Read More »Fresno’s Reel Pride Film Fest Goes Virtual In Light Of COVID-19
Traditionally, the Reel Pride Film Festival draws thousands to Fresno’s Tower District for one of the nation’s biggest celebrations of LGBTQ cinema. But in response to COVID-19 restrictions, organizers have turned this year’s festival, which takes place this weekend, into an online event. To learn more about what audiences can …
Read More »Though The 2020 Season Is Postponed, Fresno’s New Wrinkles Gets ‘Unplugged’ Online
Normally, a group of singing, dancing senior citizens would be taking the stage at Fresno City College starting this month. But the group dubbed “ New Wrinkles ” has postponed its 2020 season, due to the coronavirus pandemic. Instead, the group is staying connected and performing solo on Youtube, in …
Read More »Fresno’s Shelter-In-Place Order Extended, And Now Requires Masks
The city of Fresno is extending its shelter-in-place order through the end of May. The extension includes a provision requiring residents to wear face coverings when working or out on essential business, like grocery shopping. The updated order and mask requirement go into effect on May 7 . During a …
Read More »Fresno’s Bitwise Industries Rolls Out Statewide Site To Help Find Support, Jobs During Pandemic
Bitwise Industries got a shout-out from Governor Gavin Newsom Thursday as he announced relief for small businesses. The Fresno-based tech company is creating a resource for those laid off due to the pandemic: OnwardCa.org . The website is something of a one-stop shop for COVID-19 needs. You just put in …
Read More »Fresno’s Emergency Field Hospital Now At The Convention Center, Not The Fairgrounds
The Fresno Convention Center is the new site for an emergency field hospital, the county announced Friday. The effort is to take pressure off of local hospitals by treating COVID-19 patients whose cases are less severe. “At the end of the day we need to make sure our hospitals are …
Read More »Former Police Chief Jerry Dyer Will Be Fresno’s Next Mayor
Former Fresno Police Chief Jerry Dyer will be the city’s next mayor, according to Wednesday afternoon’s election results from Fresno County. In a press conference before City Hall Wednesday, Dyer reiterated his wish to unite the city, and create “One Fresno,” which was his campaign slogan. In his remarks, Dyer …
Read More »Fresno’s Lesser Known Mayoral Candidates Share Vision for City
While Jerry Dyer and Andrew Janz are the frontrunners in the race to become mayor of Fresno, they are among a field of 7 candidates vying for the job. FM89’s Kathleen Schock spoke with Brian Jefferson, Richard Renteria and Nickolas Wildstar about the experience of running as outsiders and their …
Read More »The New CEO Of Fresno’s Largest Nonprofit Says Her Own Life Experiences Inform Her Work
In 1964, Congress passed the Economic Opportunity Act as part of President Lyndon B. Johnson’s War on Poverty. The act established nearly 900 community action agencies nationwide to address needs in education, employment, health and living conditions. Today, the largest of these agencies in California is the Fresno Economic Opportunities …
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