CONFERENCE RECAPS: RELATIONSHIPS
Workforce development and community engagement at the Port of Hueneme
A t the Port of Hueneme, the relationship between the Port and its surrounding commun- ity is unusually close — both geo- graphically and socially. Unlike many ports that operate behind large indus- trial buffers, the Port of Hueneme sits directly beside working-class neighbor- hoods in Ventura County, California. For Maripas Jacobo, Community Outreach Specialist at the Port, that proximity defines the Port’s respon- sibility to create opportunity for the people living just beyond its gates. Speaking at the APP’s 2026 Winter Conference, Jacobo explained how the Port is working to strengthen com- munity relationships while building new workforce pathways that can lift local families economically. Through education programs, community part- nerships, and a new workforce initia- tive funded by the state, the Port hopes to transform both perceptions and possibilities in the surrounding region. “Our activities directly impact the working-class folks that are just out- side our doors,” said Jacobo, “and we have the responsibility to provide them with the most economic and social benefits possible.” The Port of Hueneme plays an out- sized role in the regional economy. Each year it moves approximately $18 billion in cargo while roughly 25,000 jobs throughout Ventura County and the surrounding region. The Port is best known as the num- ber one West Coast port for bananas, a fact Jacobo highlighted with humor while speaking to conference atten- dees. “Anybody here have a banana in their lifetime on the West Coast?” she asked. “Banana split, banana bread — all of that’s coming from our Port.” Beyond bananas, the Port ranks fifth
While cargo and commerce remain central to the Port’s mission, Jacobo emphasized that community engagement has become just as important.
in the United States for refrigerated cargo and sits among the top 10 per- cent of U.S. ports for both automobile imports and fresh produce. While cargo and commerce remain central to the Port’s mis- sion, Jacobo emphasized that com- munity engagement has become just as important. Her department developed the “S.P.E.E.D.” — Sustainability, Prosperity, Education, and EquityDriven — Initiative, a workforcedevelopment framework powered by a $2 million grant from the California State Transportation Agency. The initiative is designed to ensure local communities have access to highquality training, creat- ing pathways to familysustaining jobs, and accelerate meaningful upskilling opportunities for residents surround- ing the Port. One example emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the Port began hosting large food distributions to support families facing economic hardship. “Since 2019, we’ve been able to host about 150 food drives in our community,” Jacobo said. Working with port customers that import fresh produce, the program has distributed more than two million pounds of fruits and vegetables to residents in need. These efforts helped build trust with the community during a dif- ficult time while demonstrating that the port’s role extends beyond cargo operations. Like many ports, Hueneme has also faced criticism from environmental justice organizations concerned about
air quality and the impacts of freight transportation. Jacobo acknowledged those tensions but said they have opened the door for deeper engage- ment with residents. “We have a lot of environmental jus- tice groups in our communities advo- cating for a better space,” she said. “With that comes a lot of difficult con- versations.” Concerns about pollution and diesel emissions initially fueled negative perceptions about the Port. In response, a community outreach department was created and work dir- ectly with residents to address these issues began. One important step was allowing the community to participate in air qual- ity monitoring programs so residents could better understand the data and contribute to solutions. “We wanted our community to have ownership,” Jacobo explained. The Port also launched workshops where residents could help shape long- term planning efforts. About 100 community members attended even- ing meetings to discuss what they wanted to see from the Port. “For the first time, these folks had a voice in the room,” she said. Jacobo’s own career reflects the kind of opportunity the port hopes to cre- ate for others. She began as an intern at the Port in 2021 after hearing criticism about its environmental impacts while working in the environmental justice field. “I heard a lot of negative rhetoric about the Port of Hueneme — that it was a polluter, that it created a diesel death zone,” she said.
March 2026 — PACIFIC PORTS — 47
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