Letters to the Editor: Northern California is more than the stereotypes, and it’s being left behind

To the editor : Northern California (by which I mean the counties north of Sacramento, not San Francisco) is our home. Reading staff writer Jessica Garrison’s article on redistricting, however, it looks more like a collection of stereotypes ( “Why many voters in deep-red Northern California are fuming about Newsom’s maps,” Aug. 20).

Yes, our counties are largely rural. Agriculture forms the backbone of many local economies. Some of the stereotypes do hold true, and it is no secret that our region tends to vote more conservatively. But that is not the whole story. We are also home to universities, hospitals, cultural events, museums and growing cities like Chico and Redding. And like every other part of California, we share the same fundamental needs: safe communities, access to healt