Hey, Long Beach State! It seems like the semester just started, but week five is already upon us. As the fast-paced year presses on, it's important that we appreciate ourselves and what's going on around us. ASI appreciates how hard the student body works, and we hope to show that in our various advocacy efforts.
Yesterday, in honor of National Voter Registration Day, your student government ran a successful voter registration drive outside the Coffee Bean in the USU. This drive was part of our effort to promote a culture of civic engagement on campus. We hope to continue this growth with future registration drives in November and in the spring.
In recent weeks, Vice President Almahdi, Treasurer Villegas, Chief Government Relations Officer Padilla and I have been meeting with various California legislators to discuss student concerns such as basic needs and financial aid. In addition to supporting bills that would improve student life at the Beach, I will be sending a legislative proposal regarding automatic voter registration to Sacramento in the near future. This proposal, which will hopefully turn into a bill for the legislature to vote on, will make it easier for students to have their voices heard through the democratic process.
Additionally, I encourage all students to participate in the upcoming U.S. Census, regardless of immigration status. The census is purely for data collection and is completely safe to respond to. Most importantly, the census allows programs such as CalFresh, MediCal and various housing programs to receive proper funding and continue to deliver the services that many students rely on.
Thanks for staying up to date, and have a great rest of your week!