Carol Whiteside’s legacy: A vision for the Valley, and a generation to fight for it
We were saddened to hear that Carol Whiteside — former Modesto mayor, city councilwoman, school board member, appointee of the governor, and founder of the nonprofit Great Valley Center — had passed. She impacted countless lives, including ours, and we wish to honor her and provide a glimpse into the Carol we knew and her lasting impact on California’s Central Valley.
Carol was a visionary, most notably in her advocacy of the Central Valley as a distinct region worthy of the same respect and attention accorded to Southern California and the Bay Area. Her unapologetic regional pride and her push for policies and leadership were designed to provide a foundation for our communities to thrive, grow sustainably, and improve outcomes for working people. She did this by attracting national attention and resources, mentoring young people and leaders, and nurturing connections.
To skeptics, Carol would point to one of her favorite photos, a satellite image of California from outer space showing the mountain-walled prairie of the Central Valley stretching from Redding to Bakersfield, standing in contrast to coastal areas. It helped prove the Valley was not three disparate regions — the North Sacramento Valley, Sacramento, and the San Joaquin Valley — but a cohesive one with shared economic, social, and environmental challenges — and potential solutions — that were intertwined.
During her time, she activated her Rolodex — with 20,000 contacts — to outsized effect. From increasing investments and improving infrastructure to fostering development of universities, Carol’s fingerprints can be found throughout the Valley.
The one aspect of her visionary knack we’ll remember and appreciate most is how she would spot potential leaders and talented young people, believe in them and push them beyond what they thought were their limits, cultivate their growth, and sometimes through sheer force of will, convince them to care about and never give up on the Central Valley.
The lives she touched and improved, who value the Valley and are committed to fighting for it, is one of Carol Whiteside’s legacies. More than 500 community leaders participated in programs she founded to inspire students, young professionals, and elected officials. Many continue serving our communities at all levels of government, industry, and nonprofit service.
Carol mentored and empowered so many young people from across the region, including those of us who grew up poor, are Latina and Latino, Black, Asian, and LGBTQ, or have a disability.
Carol did not insist people share her political views. It’s a testament to her commitment to improving lives, unlike policymakers and influencers who value political ideology or party loyalty. Carol loved discussing how to fix the present and shape the future, and no idea was considered fringe. Everything was on the table, and she worked to ensure every stakeholder had a voice.
She took us into her home and treated us like guests of honor, usually with delicious food and craft cocktails, and was excited to hear our ideas. She engaged vigorously with them, no matter how far-fetched or radical. It wasn’t until years later we realized how much that shaped us.
Newspapers referred to Carol as a “giant,” an “oracle,” and “a grande dame” of the Central Valley. All are apt titles. She put our region on the map and wouldn’t accept its treatment as second fiddle. Leaders across the country respected and revered her for it.
Our beloved Central Valley still has far to go but it’s in a much better place thanks to Carol Whiteside. We’re grateful that she believed in us and our region, and we are committed to continuing her legacy.
This story was originally published February 24, 2021 at 5:00 AM.