VOICES of VU: Pedro Rodriguez, Philly Counts 2020

AND WE’RE BACK! After a short hiatus from our blog posts, we’re back in full force after an empowering morning of virtual #volunbeering with Philly Counts 2020 on September 12!

In just 2 shorts hours, our VU team made 1,782 calls to Philly residents reminding them of the importance of completing the 2020 Census. The effort was made possible through the guidance and leadership of Pedro Rodriguez, the Director of Community Engagement and Partnerships for Philly Counts 2020.

Check out our Q&A with Pedro below!

1. Tell us about Philly Counts 2020.

Philly Counts 2020 is the City of Philadelphia's effort to support the 2020 United States Census. By working closely with community members and partners, Philly Counts has:

· Increased understanding about the importance of the census.

· Educated the public on how to participate, including training more than 5,000 Census Champions across the City in five different languages.

· Ensured responses from the public for a fair and accurate count.

· Supported filling census jobs with local community residents.

The program is guided by the Complete Count Committee. Led by Mayor Kenney, this group provides recommendations and focuses on historically hard-to-count areas of the City.

My responsibilities include developing strong partnerships with community-based organizations, particularly in the Latino, African, and other immigrant communities throughout the city.

2. How did you get involved with Philly Counts 2020? 

 I was asked in the Fall of 2018 by Mayor Kenney to be part of a team to lead this effort in a way that would connect with the various communities in the City, particularly in areas that had traditionally not been counted in past censuses. I readily accepted the challenged.

3. What is the most common misconception you find people have when it comes to engaging/participating in the census and/or local and national elections? 

The biggest misconception people have about the census is that is has to do only with political re-apportionment. This is the first time what a considerable amount of time and effort has been dedicated to explaining how much federal aid to cities like Philadelphia depend on the total raw count of the population in the decennial census. Things like school lunches, special education, money for our roads, health care, affordable housing -- all depend directly on how many people are officially counted.

 4.What advice would you give to Philadelphians in order to ensure that they are counted in this year’s election, as well as in the Census? 

Philadelphia now more than ever needs an accurate and fair count. To rebuild our economy, and city's infrastructure we can not leave any dollars on the table. The fight for justice of resources begins with being counted. Similarly, our political representation is enhanced when we have an accurate count not just in Washington, but also in Harrisburg. It is important that we do our civic duty this time. Our actions today, on this issue, will reverberate for the next ten years.

5. What is your favorite part of Philly to explore? 

I like exploring Germantown and the Northwest, it has a rich history with many pleasant surprises.

6. What has been your go-to local restaurant in the city? 

Right now I am frequenting Las Cazuelas Restaurant (428 W. Girard Ave.) - they have a great lunch menu. And since we are doing a lot of take-out these days, I frequent Maria's Restaurant (4058 N. 5th Street); they have one of the best mashed green plantains dishes in town