I wanted to write one final entry about our identity as a community.  Well, at least one final entry for 2009.

Today, The Fresno Bee published an article about the chatter in the past two weeks about the Fresno image and brand platform.  You can read the article here. I was interviewed for the article and a quote was published that I felt could be interpreted incorrectly if just read at face value.  My quote dealt specifically about some of the voices we have not really heard in this conversation over the past two weeks but I felt as though the larger context of what I was trying to point out could have been missed.

What I was trying to  communicate overall (and maybe not as clearly as I had hoped) is that it takes every individual and every organization to be responsible and then accountable for raising the identity of Fresno.  I really was not trying to be unfair or disrespectful to our leaders at city hall or the chambers of commerce in our area.  However, I feel it is an unfair burden for the Convention & Visitors Bureau to be the sole organization responsible for visioneering and uplifting who we are as a community. It seems they have had to carry a large part of that load this week.  The leadership burden of our identity, in part, belongs  to all of us, but it is especially important that as a community we hear from all major stakeholders involved . My quote in the Fresno Bee today was to share my opinion (and to be clear, not the opinion of Rotary Storyland & Playland) that our image and identity is a challenge that all of us must bear.  We all must play a role, and we must work collaboratively on restoring our image through our speech & behaviors.

Make no mistake, leadership will be required to see our brand vision become a reality.  However, leadership from city hall, the local chambers of commerce & the CVB will not be enough.  They will need our help.  New leaders will need to emerge and new voices will need to be heard.  While each citizen will have a role in uplifting who we are as a community, the best and brightest among us must not be afraid to speak out and offer fresh ideas to the challenges we face.

Of course, we have had many crossroads moments like this one.  This particular crossroads though has awakened me personally.  I truly believe and hope that this time we are ready.  I am confident that the leaders in place currently and the leaders I hope emerge will be able to together nurture and grow our identity and that it will bring us all much pride.  As for me, all my chips are on the table and I am ready to give my time and talent to help see us reach a destination that is better.  I am looking forward to the day when other cities want to hear the tale of how Fresno created a better story for itself and how its leaders, citizens and businesses’ made it happen.