Marin City looks to raise its profile and get people to participate in the census through new banners

MARIN CITY, Calif. (KGO) -- A colorful new addition to city streets is helping Marin City lift its profile while encouraging residents to get involved with the upcoming 2020 census.

The banners were made by local students and feature a wide variety of people from veterans to other prominent figures.

The slogan is fairly simple, "Marin City Counts," but it has a double meaning.

It is meant to empower the residents but also get them to fill out the census when they get the opportunity.

The banners were an art project done by students at Bayside Martin Luther King Junior Academy with the help of mentors at Dominican University.

"We want people to know that Marin City has value in this county," said Felecia Gaston of Performing Stars of Marin, "we know that there are six generations of families here, and we're celebrating all the hard work of the people who came to work in the shipyard days."

The importance of the census cannot be overlooked, it helps determine funding for local governments and thus the need to make sure every person is counted.

Lynn Sondag, who teaches art at Dominican University, emphasized this when talking about the project saying "it's very important for hard to count communities to hopefully feel inspired and involved to participate in the census so that resources they deserve come to their communities."

People should expect to receive notices about the census starting next month.

Marin City is also looking for people to help out as census workers.

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