The Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) is back with a new agenda and vision for 2020. PRSSA is a nationally recognized organization for students who are interested in Public Relations and Communication. It upholds the highest ethical principles, champions diversity and inclusion, and advocates rigorous academic standards for the future public relations professional. We have been planning and working closely with our parent chapter, PRSA SF. Through this connection, we have been granted the opportunities to network, engage, and enhance our education into the professional world of PR. If you would like to know more about PRSSA and how to join, visit https://prssa.prsa.org/ and reach out to current President, Angela Cirillo at [email protected].
This Spring, PRSSA is competing in the annual Bateman Case Study Competition. The competition involves a team of five PRSSA members who work together to research, plan, execute, and evaluate an effective strategic PR campaign. PRSSA has partnered with the U.S Census Bureau, the federal government’s largest statistical agency. The campaign will complement the communication goals of the 2020 Census. The goal is to reach audiences through a variety of sources to assure every individual in our local community is counted for. We are partnering with The Kid’s Breakfast Club, Sistervega Outreach, and our campus directly to reach our demographic of individuals to educate them on the importance of the 2020 Census.
The United States Constitution decrees that every 10 years, the census is to count everyone living in the United States. Through the analysis of census data, the distribution of billions in federal funds and grants across the country is decided upon, serving as economic support to states, counties, and fundamental programs, including healthcare systems, schools, and public works. Political representation is an essential aspect of the census, as it determines how many seats each state is given in congress. Public necessities are accounted for via census data, by residents, nonprofits, other advocacy groups, and may be used toward the revitalization of homes and communities as well as additional works. Undercounting is one of the census’s biggest obstacles, as the importance of assuring that everyone is accounted for is highlighted through multiple public interest constituents that are based on its data.
Homelessness is an issue here in the East Bay, both on campus and off, yet despite this being a growing epidemic, the homeless population continues to be underrepresented, affecting funding and programs that are meant to combat it. Misconceptions and lack of education on the census work may be potential factors as to why there are undercounts, therefore, it is important to know that the Census Bureau guarantees confidentiality, takes strong security measures for responses shared, and won’t allocate any data with law enforcement agencies or immigration services. PRSSA is taking this challenge head-on, as we strive to ensure that the unrepresented are heard during the 2020 Census.
One can further educate themselves on the census by exploring these webpages:
https://2020census.gov/en
https://www.hayward-ca.gov/content/census-2020
http://civilrightsdocs.info/pdf/census/2020/People-Experiencing-Homelessness-HTC.pdf