When I first walked the streets of Bakersfield as a California Local News Fellow with the Bakersfield News Observer, I wasn’t sure what to expect beyond what I had read online. The drive from the San Francisco Bay Area to Bakersfield left me in awe of the beauty of the place I will now call home, stunning landscapes of the Central Valley, vast farmlands, and a desert-like climate where the air grew warmer with every mile. Still, I wondered if my time here would be easy or filled with challenges. Only the weeks ahead would tell. What I did know, though, was that to truly settle in, I had to “dance” with the community by introducing myself – “Hi, I’m Cecil Egbele, your new Bakersfield reporter” — and asking one essential question: What stories matter to you?
By Cecil Egbele | Contributing Writer | California Local News Fellow
When I first walked the streets of Bakersfield as a California Local News Fellow with the Bakersfield News Observer, I wasn’t sure what to expect beyond what I had read online. The drive from the San Francisco Bay Area to Bakersfield left me in awe of the beauty of the place I will now call home, stunning landscapes of the Central Valley, vast farmlands, and a desert-like climate where the air grew warmer with every mile. Still, I wondered if my time here would be easy or filled with challenges. Only the weeks ahead would tell. What I did know, though, was that to truly settle in, I had to “dance” with the community by introducing myself – “Hi, I’m Cecil Egbele, your new Bakersfield reporter” — and asking one essential question: What stories matter to you?
So, I went out on the streets, from Uber rides to beauty parlors, kitchen counters, and street corners — listening to people’s answers. The answers came quickly and honestly.
Marcus Dillard, a retail supply agent, spoke about systemic racism in the job market. Despite being qualified, he said, many Black people are denied the opportunities they deserve.
“In Bakersfield, you see educated Black people with common sense, highly qualified Black people, but they can’t get jobs. If you don’t know somebody who really knows somebody, you can’t get a job,” he explained.
After getting her hair braided, Talesha Bailey, a grandmother of one, said she would like to see more stories on African fashion and style, particularly those featuring hair braiding.
“There are so many ways Black people wear our hair, but others don’t always know the difference. They don’t know the difference between locks and dreads, for instance. This is something that can be informative to other people,” she said.
Looking back on her childhood, Bailey also worried about the number of relatives diagnosed with diabetes and high blood pressure. She believes informative articles on health and wellness would make an important feature for the Bakersfield News Observer.
“I know that a lot of times these illnesses are a result of what people eat and how they eat. So, if we can get more information on the best foods to eat, or not to eat, for high blood pressure and diabetes, that would be very important for people to read,” Bailey added.
Correctional officer Craig Owens expressed concern that the issues of the Black community are often drowned out when lumped under the broader category of “minorities” and therefore need distinct attention.
“Everybody else’s issue is our issue, but our issues are our own problems. If it’s just Black Americans, nobody cares. But if it’s broader minorities, which could be literally anyone except white people, that’s something that will concern us,” Owens said.
These conversations affirmed what I already believed: Bakersfield’s Black community is vibrant, resilient, and full of untold stories waiting to be brought to light.
In addition to being the Bakersfield News Observer reporter, I’m an UC Berkeley California Local News Fellow. I am tasked with spotlighting the many issues, stories, and profiles of the Black community in this city.
My path to this newsroom has been shaped by years of telling stories across continents. I began as a television broadcaster in Nigeria, where I conceptualized, produced, and hosted a national live show, The Medley Show with Cecil. More recently, I earned a graduate degree in documentary filmmaking from UC Berkeley’s School of Journalism. During my time there, one of my stories on car theft in Oakland became the most-read story on the independent news site Oakland North, a testament to the power of reporting on the everyday issues that affect people most. It reminded me that journalism doesn’t have to be grand to matter; it has to be grounded in the people. My latest documentary, Blacklisted, examines the decades-old deportation of U.S. military veterans, a subject that ties together my passion for social justice, human rights, and impact journalism.
My commitment to community-driven work also guided my leadership as chairperson of the UC Berkeley chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. There, I initiated and led student journalists in volunteering alongside incarcerated journalists at San Quentin Rehabilitation Center, where we listened to their stories and helped them refine their reporting. That experience taught me the importance of amplifying voices often left unheard, a lesson I carry with me into Bakersfield.
Going forward, I plan to write stories that inform, inspire, and hold systems accountable. Whether through features, investigative reporting, or community profiles, my focus will be on bringing forward stories that matter most to Bakersfield’s Black residents. But I can’t do this alone. Journalism works best when it’s a conversation, and that’s where you come in.
If you have a story idea, a tip, a scoop, or simply something you feel isn’t being talked about enough, I want to hear from you. Reach me directly at cecil.egbele@ognsc.com. Together, we can make sure that Bakersfield’s Black community is not only seen but heard.
Your stories matter, and I’m here to tell them.
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Cecil Egbele
Cecil Egbele is a California Local News Fellow.