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Quick Take: Why the Census is Important to Me

July 27, 2020 | Karina Lee | UC Riverside

The census is important to me because it affects the funding of various programs, such as food stamps and Medicare. My parents were immigrants who never had a postsecondary education, and they had their fair share of struggling to get on their feet. These programs pulled my family through numerous hardships while I was growing up. Now, as a student in higher education, I receive financial aid, such as from the Federal Pell Grant program, which reduces the amount that my family needs to pay for me to attend college. This program is affected by the census, as well. The census matters because it allows for funds to be appropriately allocated to these federal programs that my family, and so many others, depend on.

As Executive Director, Salih leads our staff team and organizational strategy, keeps the UCSA office in operation, supports the Board and other student leaders, and fundraises to maximize the potential of our organization. Salih also oversees planning for UCSA’s annual statewide conferences.

 

Raised in Oakland, California, Salih Muhammad strives to embody the principles of service, sacrifice, and selflessness. For much of his life, he has been committed to living toward the liberation of Black people, at home and abroad.

 

In 2009, he continued the pursuit of knowledge at the University of California, Berkeley, where he excelled as a Black student and organizer on campus. His favorite quote is from Franz Fanon, who stated, “Each generation must discover its mission, fulfill it or betray it, in relative opacity.”