April 30, 2020 | Valerie Johnson | UC Berkeley
I am a junior transfer student at UC Berkeley studying Political Science and Public Policy. I am serving on the UC Student Association Census 2020 Outreach Team to help make sure that as many UC students get counted in the census as possible, because getting counted means getting more resources for our campus communities!
I had never filled out a census before this year, as they only are administered every ten years and ten years ago I was 11 years old. The census is a new thing to most UC students, just like many of us have voted for the first time in recent years. Because I initially knew so little about the census, I had no idea how seriously it impacted my campus community and the resources that I’m offered as a student.
When I took the bus to downtown Oakland twice per week for my internship, I used my student transit card and rode for free. I didn’t know that I was able to do that because of a student fee and because of investment from my university that uses census data to provide federal funding for university services. As a low-income student, I receive a federal pell grant to help with my university expenses. The money for this grant is also allocated based on census data and student eligibility. I couldn’t afford to attend a university without this federal aid, and it’s made possible partly because of census efforts. So many more services and opportunities for students receive funding and resources based on census data, and I had no idea how to even fill it out!
Through my involvement in student leadership and in legislative advocacy, I got involved in the UC Student Association and started working to advocate for all UC students on matters ranging from campus advocacy for community spaces to lobbying legislators to pass legislation that will increase financial aid. With the census coming up, I started to see folks taking leadership in helping students get counted, and knew I wanted to be a part of something that would impact generations of students to come. I did my research, filled out my census, and joined an amazing team of leaders working to ensure that students get counted. Because of our high levels of mobility and fluctuating housing situations, students are defined by the US Census Bureau as a hard to count population. Knowing this, it’s even more important for students to take lead on making sure our population gets counted.
Every student who gets counted in the census results in about $1000 of university and community funding per year over 10 years. You and I as students can get counted and see improved and continued services and resources as a result! You don’t have to go to a protest or start a petition to be a leader and an advocate, you can start by just getting counted in the census. Filling out the census is participating in your democracy and advocating for your community. Pledge to fill out the census to make sure #UCCounts!
