Regional disadvantage: The ongoing exodus from Silicon Valley

Portland is one of several cities playing host to a consistent exodus of workers from Silicon Valley and the Bay Area to more affordable locations over the past few decades. Perhaps most famous of these is Seattle, which Bill Gates apparently chose as Microsoft-s base because the wet weather encouraged employees to work longer hours. From the outside, the flight from Silicon Valley during COVID likely appeared a rational economic decision given the cost of Californian real estate. With time, the benefits of place in the establishment of Silicon Valley as a tech incubator reversed to become a serious impediment to building a more diverse industry. In the shadow of COVID, Black Lives Matter, and #MeToo, Silicon Valley companies have a long road ahead to overturn the legacy of founding narratives, to build equitable and just workplaces, and share the outrageous profits that come from all of our digital labors.