Nicholas Adams shares why he loves San Jose and what makes the city vibrant.
When people ask where I’m from and I say “San Jose,” the response is often a pause… like they’re waiting for me to explain it. But San Jose doesn’t need an explanation. It needs recognition. Because what’s happening here isn’t just growth, it’s momentum. It’s creativity. It’s a city on the rise.
I’ve spent my life in San Jose and watched our skyline stretch a little higher each year. I’ve seen neighborhoods bloom with new murals, parks filled with laughter and local businesses open their doors with courage and purpose. It’s the capital of Silicon Valley: a place where innovation and tradition live side by side. Where community isn’t just a word, it’s something we practice daily, from farmers markets to school fundraisers and late-night city council meetings.
What frustrates me is how quickly we reduce cities to headlines with phrases like “Too quiet,” or “All tech.” These phrases ignore what actually makes a place vibrant: the small business owner opening at dawn, the university students studying in the library downtown or the seniors walking her dog in Willow Glen.
I’ve watched San Jose grow, not just to become Northern California’s largest city, but grow in self-awareness. From the symphony and opera to half a dozen theatre companies and interactive museums, our downtown is becoming a hub for the arts. Our civic conversations are louder than ever, asking not just who we are, but who we want to become.