Stories of Humboldt

When I first came to Humboldt to attend HSU, I felt like I was in a bubble on campus. I had what I needed there and I didn’t venture out much. It wasn’t until I landed a job at the Natural History Museum that I connected with the larger community and realized I wanted to make a life for myself in Humboldt.

At the heart of my story in Humboldt is community.
What I love most about living in Humboldt, and what keeps me here is our collective identity that is contingent on uplifting and supporting each other.

I’ve lived in Humboldt for many years, and I plan to retire here someday, again! At the heart of my work in economic development is a holistic mindset; I see our community like a living body with various parts with various functions, where each relies on all the others to function.

My family and I moved to Humboldt County in 2018—we were climate refugees impacted and displaced because of a wildfire that destroyed our home in Shasta County. Humboldt County not only offered a more climate-resilient home for us, but we really saw a sense of purpose and opportunity here.

I was seventeen when I got my first job. On my own for the first time, I had just given birth to my daughter and left my childhood home behind. My friend encouraged me to apply to her mom Norma’s restaurant where they both worked, Las Cazuelas in Fortuna.

Over the years, it's this sense of familiarity, the proximity to nature, and the connections I’ve made here that keep bringing me back to Humboldt. I’ve left multiple times, always assuming that a bigger city like San Diego will provide more options for me in my career-field.

Growing up, my dad was a park ranger at Tehachapi Mountain Park. He had this big topographical map of the park hanging in his office, and I can remember studying it, connecting the winding trails and campground with the landscape I saw as my playground.

I’ll always have a soft spot in my heart for small business owners. I know the ups and the downs of trying to run a business because my husband and I lived it. It was almost by accident.

I see the expansion of tourism as a powerful industry we lucky few who live in the redwoods area have at our fingertips. This sustainable tourism opportunity has the ability to benefit everyone (directly and indirectly) and provide economic stability in our community.