Zip Code Economies artwork

Zip Code Economies

18 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 2 months ago - ★★★★★ - 83 ratings

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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Episodes

Voices from Yakama Nation

March 06, 2024 00:11 - 7 minutes - 10.7 MB

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

March 29, 2021 10:00 - 22 minutes - 21 MB

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 what they can—learning from this time of turmoil and making sure their voices are heard.

Warrior of Light: Season 1.5, Chapter Four

March 22, 2021 16:10 - 26 minutes - 24.5 MB

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 access to education as an act of social justice.

The Essence of Kuleana: Season 1.5, Chapter Three

March 15, 2021 10:00 - 29 minutes - 27.2 MB

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 responsibility—to maintain hope.

The Family You Choose: Season 1.5, Chapter Two

March 08, 2021 11:00 - 23 minutes - 21.4 MB

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

March 01, 2021 11:00 - 24 minutes - 22.1 MB

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

February 26, 2021 01:20 - 1 minute - 1.41 MB

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—a project we never intended to make, but that we can now never forget. Please join us for this special bonus series.

10: Your Zip Code Doesn’t Define Your Destiny

August 27, 2019 13:00 - 30 minutes - 28.4 MB

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 zip code doesn’t define their destiny. Interviewees: Katherine Field Reality Changers students Chanel Bradl...

9: An Economy Like Water

August 20, 2019 13:00 - 21 minutes - 19.3 MB

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-changing part of Southern California. Interviewees: Kristen Walker Colonel Jason Woodworth Robert Gleason ...

8: Searching for Ohana

August 13, 2019 13:00 - 24 minutes - 22.9 MB

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 Michael Bruno University of Hawai’i at Mānoa students Lahela Williams Shantel Jones Organizations: Hawaii Communi...

7: Hidden Hawaii

August 06, 2019 13:00 - 25 minutes - 23.5 MB

Many people think of Hawaii as a vacation destination. But what about the people who call it home? In this episode of Zip Code Economies, we travel to Honolulu to uncover “hidden” Hawaii. Through the stories of a blind shopkeeper, Filipino immigrants transitioning jobs, and a native Hawaiian working to build financial resilience, we encounter a community striving to adapt to tough economic realities in a landscape dominated by tourism. Interviewees: Ryan Kusumoto Zachery Grace Shantel...

6: Can You Love Yourself When the World’s Against You?

July 16, 2019 10:00 - 25 minutes - 34.7 MB

How do you love yourself and your community when it feels like the whole world is against you? In this episode of Zip Code Economies, we head back to East Palo Alto and talk with a charter school principal, an “old-school” police chief, and a pastor who runs a homeless shelter where billionaires take out the trash. Through these conversations, we witness a refrain of love and forgiveness, which is transforming East Palo Alto from the inside out. Interviewees: Amika Guillaume East Palo A...

5: Resiliency is a Mindset

July 09, 2019 13:00 - 15 minutes - 14.1 MB

East Palo Alto, California, is a 2.64 square mile community surrounded by tech giants and staggering wealth, where residents must weigh being welcoming to newcomers today with the real possibility their own families may be displaced tomorrow. In this episode of Zip Code Economies, we meet individuals bridging this tension through entrepreneurship, coding, and legal services. While the future may be uncertain, residents have a mindset rooted in resiliency that offers reason to be optimistic. ...

4: A New Economic Reality

July 02, 2019 13:30 - 20 minutes - 18.6 MB

We continue to chisel away at preconceptions through conversations with five women in Salt Lake City— all of them part of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In this episode of Zip Code Economies, we take a closer look at their individual paths to the labor force, which all reflect a broader narrative of more women than ever before choosing to pursue work outside the home. Interviewees: Janae Moss Robbyn Scribner Susan Madsen Meg Walter Sister Henrie Organizations: ...

3: Faith vs. Values—What Makes a Neighbor?

June 25, 2019 13:30 - 21 minutes - 19.6 MB

What makes a neighbor? In this episode of Zip Code Economies, we head to Salt Lake City, where we grapple with matters of values, faith, and inclusion— while confronting some of our own biases. In the search for clarity, we talk to an array of residents, from a demographic researcher at the University of Utah to a Brigham Young University student interning at the San Francisco Fed. Can we take a leap of faith? Find out.  Interviewees: Will Unga Brandon Payne Pam Perlich Josh and Eli...

2: Your Current State Does Not Determine Your Future State

June 21, 2019 02:00 - 22 minutes - 20.6 MB

Can a physical place be a source of comfort? Can it be a light in the midst of darkness? We explore these questions and more in this episode of Zip Code Economies, as we return to the community of Firebaugh. From the Firebaugh Police Department, which serves as a type of community hub, to the campus of West Hills Community College operating in a former bowling alley, we meet individuals living out the message: Your current state does not have to determine your future state. Interviewees:  ...

1: The Intergenerational Transmission of Hope

June 21, 2019 02:00 - 18 minutes - 17 MB

At first glance, Firebaugh doesn’t seem to have much going for it as a small, agricultural community in the fifth poorest region in America. Yet somehow 97% of students in this primarily immigrant town graduate high school and 77% head to college. In the inaugural episode of Zip Code Economies, we discover the recipe for this success at Firebaugh High School.   Interviewees: Luis Sanchez Luis Linares Russell Freitas Cynthia Best Organizations: Firebaugh High School

Every Zip Code Has a Story: Zip Code Economies Trailer

June 20, 2019 22:34 - 1 minute - 1.96 MB

On June 21st, the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco launches a new podcast, Zip Code Economies, hosted by SF Fed CEO Mary Daly. We’ll be sharing the stories of people, as they navigate unique economic situations in their communities, but (like the rest of us) strive to make contributions, create opportunity, and move forward—together.