Projects

Now, more than ever, we need compassionate, capable community leaders willing and able to affect change. The Institute of Governmental Studies and the Robert T. Matsui Center for Politics and Public Service launched the Democracy Camp program in order to empower the next generation of change-makers, curious and passionate about public service. Democracy Camp is a bootcamp that gives students first-hand exposure to different facets of public service: legislative paths, community organizations, local and state government, legal professions, research, and philanthropy. Students learn directly from guest speakers about the opportunities available in these fields in order to chart their own path to service. It is a pipeline for people from all walks of life to better their communities by providing the knowledge, experience, and networks they need to be effective advocates and leaders. Now entering its ninth year, Democracy Camp has an impressive track record of propelling students into public service. Be a part of this story — make a gift today and support the next generation of public service leaders!

"A publicly accessible, freely available, archived and preserved for the long-term digital collection of California local government information, intended to provide transparency to the work of local governments over time and contribute to positive policy change for California communities” In the Summer of 2024, the IGS Library (IGSL) kicked off its multi-year California Local Government Documents digitization (LoCAL Dig) project. IGSL in collaboration with the California State Library (CSL), UCLA Young Research Library (UCLA), and in partnership with the Internet Archive (IA) has launched the LoCAL Dig Project, a groundbreaking effort funded by the State of California. This multi-year effort aims to digitize over 10,000 local government publications from cities, counties, and regional agencies across California, creating an unparalleled digital resource for understanding local governance, land use, and public policy trends over time.

Strengthening the Pillars of Public Service and Policymaking in California and the Nation: A Year in Review at IGS Dear Friends of IGS and the Matsui Center, As we head into the holiday season and 2025, we want to pause and thank you for your continued support of our efforts and mission at IGS. It is you, as part of our broader community, who have allowed us to serve UCB students and to provide the public with important policy and research insights on the state and the nation. This has been an eventful year for us and our dedicated team of IGS, IGS Library, and Matsui Center staff. In 2024 we increased our internship offerings, ensuring that more Cal students - regardless of need - could enter into public service across California and the nation’s capital. We strengthened our relationship with Sacramento policy makers and accelerated the process of digitizing important segments of the IGS Library’s collections, making this material accessible to more researchers and public officials across the state and nation. And we increased Berkeley’s presence in Washington at a critical time in our nation’s history and democracy.  Please take a moment to view this video montage (created by IGS Event and Comms Coordinator Ezra Bristow and Student Assistant Arianna Laolagi) with highlights from the past year that capture some of the impacts IGS and the Matsui Center are making thanks to your support. Other highlights from the year include: We sponsored a wide range of events in the lead-up to the 2024 election, including debate and election night watch parties, expert panels on the factors shaping voters' decision making, and a post-mortem panel taking stock of the election's meaning for the future of U.S. democracy. Our goal throughout the election season was to make IGS the place to go on campus for informed analyses of campaign dynamics. More than 300 students and community members attended our election watch parties, which featured panel discussions led by Berkeley graduate students.  We continued to expand our partnership with the LA Times to inform the California public, while working with new partners to expand the Poll’s reach. Our IGS Poll was the main survey basis for which the Times informed its millions of readers about how Californians evaluate their elected officials, as well as state and national issues. Our academic reports, press releases and events garnered a significant amount of press attention this year, solidifying IGS as a premier center for the study and understanding of politics in the West.  We prepared to launch our Matsui Pathways to Federal Public Service Program. At IGS we believe that Berkeley’s students should sit at all major decision-making tables, whether in California or Washington. To that end, we have created a new D.C.-based internship program that will launch in 2025, allowing Cal students, regardless of need, to gain a closer look at national policymaking and engage in federal public service.  We increased accessibility for Berkeley students by funding over 80 scholarships, internships, and awards. We did this by securing large-scale grants, partnerships, and contributions that make our Matsui Center public service programs accessible to all students, including those who are the first in their families to attend college. These programs foster a new generation of leaders who reflect the great diversity of our country and help to better ensure that financial means do not become a barrier for public service.  In 2025, we will continue to focus on creating more opportunities for the next generation of public service leaders, who represent the promise of American democracy. We will host events that address changes and challenges in the policy-making environment brought on by the new presidential administration, as well as events that feature cutting edge research on where Californians and Americans more broadly stand on the most pressing issues of the day. We will also continue our research workshops focused on American Politics, American Political History, and Race, Ethnicity and Immigration. We hope you will visit us in the new year, either in person or virtually, and take part in these vital discussions.   It is a great privilege to serve Berkeley students and to bring critical research to the public.  On behalf of the entire IGS team, we thank you for your belief in our vision and for your generous support, which makes our success possible. Go Bears!

From 9pm on Wednesday, March 13, to 9pm on Thursday, March 14, UC Berkeley will hold its annual "Big Give"—a 24-hour online giving day that brings together thousands of Cal alumni, students, parents, and friends to support schools, centers and programs. This year during the Big Give you can donate directly to IGS's Robert T. Matsui Center for Politics and Public Service. All funds will be used to support our student-centered public service programs. Thanks to a generous donor, for every dollar donated, we will match up to $10k to bring additional resources to the Matsui Center programs! The Robert T. Matsui Center engages Cal students in public life through internships, experiential learning, public events, and the presence of distinguished campus visitors. In this way, the Center serves as a fitting legacy to Congressman Matsui and his belief that public service is a noble profession that should be open to all, a commitment that made him one of California’s most distinguished and respected political figures for more than three decades. Your donations will be used support: Free housing and transportation for Cal-in-Sacramento Fellows: Each year we prepare and place 30 Cal undergrads in eight-week public service internships in the state capital. In order to make this program accessible to all students, we rely on private donations to provide our students with free housing and transportation while they gain hands-on experience working on a range of policy issues from renewable energy and fire prevention, to health care and education, and much more. Fellowships for students working in DC: Each semester we select four Matsui Washington Fellows to receive $1,000 stipends to help defray the costs of participating in the University’s Washington Program (UCDC). While in Washington, students take classes at the UC Washington Center and complete a public service internship in the nation’s capital. Fellowships for students working in local, state and federal government: Every spring we select ten Schaeffer Fellows who complete summer internships in local, state and federal governments around the state. We award students with $5,500 stipends to help defray the cost of completing the internship, ensuring the program is available to all students. Democracy Camp in DC: In May, we will take 16 Cal students, many of whom are first generation and have never been to the nation's capital, to Washington DC for a 10-day immersive experience designed to create pathways and opportunities for students who are interested in pursuing public service careers at the federal level. All expenses are paid, thanks to your gifts!, which makes this opportunity available to all students. Please give generously on March 14th and help us provide students with life-changing public service experiences!

The 2023 Oakland Carnival & Wellness Festival is back, and we want our local business, vendors, food vendors, merch sellers, and entrepreneurs to come out, share their brand, and connect with community in a positive environment! Be sure to check out our website oaklandcarnival.net for more information on how to register!

This year, we celebrate 20 years of AileyCamp! Our free six-week program for selected youth ages 11–14 runs from June 21–July 29, 2022, from 8:30am–3:30pm. AileyCamp’s talented staff and teaching artists are excited to offer campers classes in African dance, Ballet, Jazz, Modern Dance, Creative Communication, and Personal Development, as well as a variety of field trips, guest workshops, and special events. Camp culminates in a performance that showcases campers’ accomplishments before an audience of hundreds in Zellerbach Hall. During this pandemic time, it’s become more important than ever for young people to engage in the arts. We’re designing a camp that will incorporate effective Covid-19 Health and Safety protocols while providing a space for young people to connect meaningfully with each other and with caring adults, to express themselves, and to experience the transformative power of dance.

East Bay Center for the Performing Arts has participated in the Richmond Juneteenth Parade and Festival for nearly 40 years to support and uplift the beautiful and rich legacies of Black artistry in the Bay Area. Since 2017, Richmond Juneteenth has been celebrated as the culminating event for African-American youth that participate in the Mafanikio program through East Bay Center for the Performing Arts. Although we could not gather in person, we wish to share the joy and beauty of our students on the day that the Richmond Juneteenth Parade would've been officially celebrated. _________________________ Since 2016, East Bay Center for the Performing Arts’ has supported West Contra Costa Unified School District’s efforts to empower African-American students in the district through cultural arts enrichment, as a part of the Mafanikio Program. The Mafanikio Program (Mafanikio = Achievement in Swahili) aims to address the achievement gap and accelerate academic success for African American youth by providing support in English Language Arts and Math, and opportunities for students to participate in other enrichment activities to develop college and career readiness skills. East Bay Center’s DEEP ROOTS WIDE WORLD curriculum complements Mafanikio’s mission through our shared commitment to building historical and cultural knowledge, as well as skill development and the engagement of each child’s imagination. __________________ East Bay Center for the Performing Arts, located in the heart of Richmond, California since 1968, engages the youth in imagining and creating new worlds for themselves and new visions for their communities through the inspiration and discipline of rigorous training in music, film, theater, and dance. http://eastbaycenter.org __________________ Song Credits: Song: "I've Got God" Composer: Howard Wiley Performer(s): Extra Nappy, Moon Candy

Dance Music Video edited by MylesBeyond Media. "Jump and Wine" Single released by Julien Believe featuring Angelique Sabrina and Natty Rico