Wed Feb 03, 2010 at 17:15:17 PM EST
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| It's time for the US Census! Woohoo! Who's psyched to find out how many of everyone exists in the US? I know I am. I love data, especially when people put it in cool graphs. Everyone loves cold-hard unbiased facts, right? Too bad the census historically undercounts immigrant and poor communities. "The Census Bureau estimates that the 2000 Census missed 6.4 million people, who were disproportionally people of color and poor, and counted 3.1 million people – largely white and affluent – twice." It wouldn't matter, except everyone treats the census like it's law, using it to distribute over $400 billion in federal funding, determining where and what kind of government programs happen and district boundaries. Great example of structual inequality and a good way to beat a favorite party debate "Is racism over?" A coalition of NYC group have formed to make sure everyone is counted this year. They are grassroots, community-based organizations that are using the census count as a tool for mobilization around other political action. I'm excited to see how the campaign goes! The six groups are CAAAV Organizing Asian Communities, Community Voices Heard, Domestic Workers United, Families United for Racial and Economic Equality, Make the Road New York, and New York AIDS Housing Network.
Check out more about their campaign after the jump... |
| Mae Singerman :: Census Time |
New York - Today, six grassroots community groups launched a new campaign to increase awareness of the importance of the 2010 Census in communities that are usually undercounted. The “Yes We Count” campaign is a national collaboration of groups based in urban communities of color who work to increase civic participation and organize collectively on issues of urban justice, gentrification, human rights, and democracy. In New York City, the six groups are: CAAAV Organizing Asian Communities, Community Voices Heard, Domestic Workers United, Families United for Racial and Economic Equality, Make the Road New York, and New York AIDS Housing Network.
These groups, which represent the diversity of the City and are strategically situated to mobilize participation in the 2010 Census, plan on increasing the participation of undercounted populations through town hall meetings, phone-banking, pledge card distribution and new media campaigns. The “Yes We Count” campaign is also the only one in the City that will conduct a canvassing and door-knocking campaign to target hard to count census tracts in all five boroughs and surrounding suburbs.
The Census Bureau estimates that the 2000 Census missed 6.4 million people, who were disproportionally people of color and poor, and counted 3.1 million people – largely white and affluent – twice. The real numbers are likely higher.
Some of the hardest-to-count counties in the country, according to the Census Bureau, are in New York City, which has three of the top four counties with the largest hard to count populations – Kings, Bronx, and New York Counties – and Queens is not that far down the list, at number 14. New York State overall is second in the numbers of “hard-to-count” residents, with an estimated 3.5 million people.
Organizations reaching hard-to-count populations such as immigrants, those who are formerly incarcerated, live-in domestic workers, and undocumented workers face major barriers to getting their communities counted. Esther Wang from CAAAV Organizing Asian Communities said, “Because the forms are mailed out in English, many Asians do not know that they need to make a direct request to the Census to get a form in their language.”
Barbara Young from Domestic Workers United highlighted, “With over 200,000 domestic workers in the greater New York metropolitan area, laboring behind closed doors, in isolation, the Census represents a significant opportunity for us to bring this workforce out of the shadows.”
The sentiment that communities who are not counted are invisible was a key message throughout the event. “New York State lost over $500 million in stimulus money because we were undercounted. That means thousands of jobs that could have been created,” said John Tyus from Families United for Racial and Economic Equality. Being invisible also means less political representation in government.
Sinclair from NYCAHN said, “We need to ensure that we can hold our elected officials accountable to the people they serve.”
New York Secretary of State Lorraine Cortes-Vazquez stressed that New York City residents were severely undercounted in the last Census and commended the Yes We Count campaign for targeting those communities. New York State has given some funds to support the work of community organizations that are working to ensure there is an accurate count.
US Census Bureau representative Douglas Nam Le highlighted the importance of a complete and accurate count in order to ensure that communities are represented when resources are distributed and political districts are redrawn.
“Not being counted now impacts us for the next ten years,” said Patricia Juarez from Make the Road NY. “We have to challenge the myths that are out there and talk about how we can build our power.”
Keith Gamble, member of Community Voices Heard, summed it up: “We are coming to your door. We do not work for the government, we want the government to work for you. And for that to happen, we need to be counted!”
Contact:
Javier H. Valdes (English and Spanish), 917.679.2971
Helena Wong (English and Chinese), 917.270.0322
Right to the City – Yes We Count Campaign
CAAAV Organizing Asian Communities
Community Voices Heard
Domestic Workers United
Families United for Racial and Economic Equality
Make the Road New York
New York City Aids Housing Network |
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