For a city rich in LGBTQI people of every age and ethnicity, Oakland remains somewhat in the closet about itself. Despite U.S. census data, released earlier this century, that reveals Oakland as home to more lesbian couples per capita than any other big city in the U.S., and third nationwide in gay and lesbian households combined, its geographically separated community knows surprisingly little about its economic, social and cultural makeup, let alone its needs.

Thanks to the efforts of out Oakland Councilwoman and mayoral candidate Rebecca Kaplan and members of Oakland's LGBTQI Roundtable, that is about to change. The LGBTQI census of Oakland and the East Bay, which is available online at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/oaklandpride, has begun collecting invaluable data on the particular makeup and needs of the community.

The census is one of the fruits of the Oakland LGBT Roundtable, which meets monthly in Oakland City Hall. Last year, soon after Kaplan resurrected the roundtable begun by former gay councilman Danny Wan, discussion began on establishing an LGBTQI community center in Oakland. When the roundtable consulted CenterLink, the community of LGBT centers nationwide, it was urged to conduct a community-wide census that would help determine what the community looks like, and what array of activities and services located in a center might best serve people.

Ada Chan, Kaplan's primary policy analyst, next contacted Mills College Professor Margaret Hunter in search of a student who might help develop the census. Hannah Forsberg, 22, who has been out since her high school days in San Francisco, answered the call. Embracing the census as her independent study project for her sociology degree, the survey analyst teamed up with Mills student Christina Morrow. With input from Kaplan, Chan, Kaplan office intern Stephanie McLeod (another recent Mills graduate), and survey committee volunteers from the roundtable, Forsberg spent months developing the first LGBTQI census of Oakland and the East Bay.

The compact, 29-question census, which takes only 5-10 minutes to complete, was posted online June 8. It received immediate support from the city of Oakland, which posted a link on its homepage (http://www.oaklandnet.com). Another essential partner is Oakland Pride, which is in the midst of preparing for the Pride street festival on September 5 at 19th and Franklin streets. Oakland Pride printed information about the census on a placard that is being distributed far and wide.

As of July 25, 677 East Bay residents had responded to the survey. Though the number is statistically significant, the demographics are heavily skewed toward white lesbians in the 25-55 age bracket who apparently seem to spend lots of time hanging out in cafes. This may reflect the fact that 29.4 percent of respondents are 25-35 years old. Only 0.4 percent of current respondents are younger than 25, and less than 7 percent are over 65.

Those conducting the survey are aware of the need to get a broader representation of the area's queer residents.

"We are now exploring ways to widen the demographic and make it more representative," Forsberg explained during a census brainstorm session in Kaplan's office. "Is the percentage of women and men accurate? We don't know. The current results speak to who we know and who we've succeeded in reaching so far."

"It also speaks to who's in cafes using their laptop," quipped Chan. "We got 100 responses in the first day from young people who sit in front of their computers. Computer access is crucial. That's definitely a regret we have. I wish the census could be more accessible, but we have budget and person-power restraints."

In an effort to widen participation, Kaplan's office is undertaking a concerted outreach to community organizations, youth centers, college campuses, bars, and businesses. Postcards advertising Oakland Pride and the LGBTQI census will be distributed at Oakland's annual National Night Out on August 3, and special efforts will be undertaken to reach people of color, transgender people, youth, and seniors.

"I think that we have created a survey which allows for more accurate representation for each individual by providing space for open-ended answers and multiple responses," said Forsberg. "While social research sometimes confines people by not providing space for people who are marginalized or without power, we are doing everything possible to make the survey inclusive."

"We're asking for help in distributing the census to currently under-represented groups," Chan said. "We want every LGBTQI person in Oakland and the East Bay to fill it out."

The next meeting of the survey committee is Tuesday, August 3, 6 p.m., in Oakland City Hall. For information, or to help spread word of the census, contact Chan at mailto:achan1@oaklandnet.com, (510) 238-7083 or McLeod at (510) 238-7008.