La Plaza » Census

Guest Blogger Series: Arturo Vargas: “Time to Stand Up and Be Counted”

latinovations — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 14:23:23 +0000

We are witnesses today to an historic period in the civic engagement of Latinos in the United States. Latinos have become a permanent fixture of the American political experience, and the Census is an integral part of that. Every issue - healthcare, the economy, jobs, funding for schools, hospitals and roads -- is affected by the Census. Most importantly, the Census is at the core of our democracy. Census data are used by the federal government to distribute 0 billion annually in funds to states and localities. Each one of us is worth ,400 to our community every year for ten years, until the next Census, so every person missed in the Census means less in resources for schools and clinics, transportation and jobs. It's like throwing money out the window. In establishing our federal government system, the Founding Fathers determined that a count of the population was needed to see how truly representative the government was going to be, and that's why a Census undertaking every ten years was written into the Constitution. In the past, slaves were counted as 3/5 of a person in the Census, and Native Americans living on reservations were completely excluded. However, now that all persons are included, we need to ensure all Latinos are counted. In 2000, up to three percent of Latinos were missed in the Census, representing unrealized political power and nearly million in lost resources to the communities. The Census is about two simple things: Money and Power. Two things that no one freely gives up. And two things we must insist our community gets the share of resources and political influence we have earned and deserve. There are some who have called for a Latino boycott of the Census until Congress approves immigration reform. But that effort has fallen on deaf ears in the immigrant community because immigrants understand how important it is to be included in the Census. They realize what is at stake, and they understand there is power in numbers. That is something we in the Latino community understand. How can we tell Congress what we need if we don't tell the Census Bureau who and where we are? The National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) Educational Fund considers that the 2010 Census will be the Latino Census because it will be the first Census in the history of the United States in which Latinos are the nation's second-largest population group, and it is the first time the U.S. Census Bureau mailed out 13 million bilingual (English/Spanish) forms to make sure ALL Latinos are counted. Latinos are 15% of the U.S. population and number 47 million strong. We account for 50% of this country's population growth, and we need to be counted. The NALEO Educational Fund, along with the National Council of La Raza (NCLR), the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Mi Familia Vota Education Fund, Univisión Communications, Entravisión Communications and ImpreMedia coordinates the ya es hora ¡HAGASE CONTAR! (It's Time Make Yourself Count!) campaign, which focuses on promoting the importance of the Census and educating individuals to fill out their forms and mail them back. The campaign is the largest and most comprehensive non-partisan effort to incorporate Latinos as full participants in the American political process. A recent survey by Pew Hispanic Research shows our outreach is working. The study finds an overwhelming majority of Latinos - 70% -- believe that Census participation is good for the community. The poll highlights that most Latinos know the Census Bureau cannot give out personal information, nor can the information the Bureau gathers be used for law enforcement or immigration purposes. Nonetheless, the poll shows a greater understanding of the Census among foreign-born Latinos compared to their native-born counterparts. The NALEO Educational Fund has said and we will continue to maintain that the U.S. Census Bureau needs to invest more in reaching English-dominant Latinos, especially as the Bureau moves to its phase of reaching out to those who haven't mailed back their forms. We will be there all the way, making sure all Latinos are counted. We have a national toll-free bilingual hotline, 877-ELCENSO (877-352-3676) so that the public can call with questions about the Census and assistance in completing the form. Our outreach will continue through the rest of April and the month of May to help ensure we are all included in this very important decennial count. Thanks to the American Constitution Society for sharing this piece which originally appeared in their blog. Arturo Vargas is the Executive Director of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials, a national membership organization, and the NALEO Educational Fund, a national nonprofit civic participation and civic research organization. The NALEO Educational Fund is the leading organization that empowers Latinos to participate fully in the programmatic activities include U.S. citizenship outreach and assistance, civic participation, campaign training, technical assistance to elected and appointed Latino officials, youth leadership development, research on Latino demographic and electoral trends, and policy analysis and advocacy on access to the democratic process.

U.S. Census Forms Arrive in the Mail

latinovations — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 16:15:52 +0000

More than 120 million U.S. census forms will begin arriving in mailboxes around the country this week. This decade population count will be used to determine congressional districts and allocate more than 0 billion in federal aid. Census Bureau director Robert Groves kicked off the national mail-in campaign in Phoenix on Monday, urging cities and states to promote the census and improve participation rates. A reported only 72 percent of U.S. households returned their forms during the last census. Arizona is a state that could gain up to two Congressional seats because of population growth fueled by immigration. Groves explained that real-time census data showed public awareness of the 2010 count had improved since January to levels similar to 2000’s census count. Groves called that "good news." The Census Bureau predicts that two-thirds of U.S. households will mail in the form. The decrease may be due to growing U.S. apathy towards surveys, residents displaced by a high number of foreclosures, and immigrants who have become more distrustful of government workers amid a crackdown on illegal immigration. Starting in May until July, the Census Bureau will send census-takers to each home that doesn't reply by mail. Failure to respond to the census carries a fine of up to ,000, although that law is rarely enforced. In 2000, Florida, Georgia, Nevada, Arizona, Texas and North Carolina each had below-average mail participation rates of less than 70 percent. All of these states have seen higher rates of foreclosures and rapid growth of minorities, who are often more reluctant to turn in their forms. Each of these states could potentially gain at least one U.S. House seat, with Texas possibly picking up as many as four. This year for the first time the Census Bureau is mailing out bilingual English-Spanish census forms to 13 million households. Census forms are also available by request in Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese and Russian, and assistance guides are available in 59 languages at http://www.2010census.gov. http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gEoTQb3c7ewKKKNz5aAT8lL1PVmgD9EF9B7O1

Minorities will soon be the Majority

latinovations — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:07:57 +0000

According to a new demographic report, minorities make up nearly half the children born in the U.S. This is part of a historic trend in which whites of European descent are expected to become the minority of the U.S. population over the next 40 years. "Census projections suggest America may become a minority-majority country by the middle of the century. For America's children, the future is now," said Kenneth Johnson, a sociology professor at the University of New Hampshire who researched many of the racial trends in a paper being released Wednesday. Demographers expect that this year the number of babies born to minorities will outnumber those born to whites. Increased immigration, which has lead to a larger demographic of Hispanic women in their prime childbearing years, is a major contributing factor to this change in population. Hispanic women tend to have higher fertility rates than their non-Hispanic counterparts. Furthermore, white women are waiting longer before having children, a trend whose impact is not fully understood but which would suggest a reduction in births. Minorities made up 48 percent of U.S. children born in 2008 according to the latest census estimates available, compared to 37 percent in 1990. These numbers point to the growing divide in age and ethnicity in the United States, particularly in certain regions and likely will have a profound effect on policy debates including immigration reform, healthcare, education, and Social Security. There are also implications for the 2010 census, which will begin next week. The Census Bureau has been undertaking a campaign to encourage full participation, especially among minorities. Public service announcements are being produced in both English and Spanish, and a special partnership with Nickelodeon will feature ads with Dora the Explorer, the bi-lingual children’s cartoon who is seen helping “mommy fill out our census form.” Census figures are used to distribute federal aid and redraw legislative boundaries with racial and ethnic balance, as required by federal law. "The adults among themselves sometimes forget the census is about everyone, and kids should be counted," said Census Bureau director Robert Groves. "If we fail to count a newborn that is born this month, that newborn misses all the benefits of the census for 10 years." While whites are expected to remain the majority in the U.S. until at least 2050, many indicators are pointing to the growth of minority populations. Roughly 1 in 10 of the nation’s counties has a minority population in excess of 50 percent, but 1 in 4 has more minority children than white children. Hispanic women have 3 children on average, while white women have approximately 2 children. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/10/AR2010031000010.html

Obama to Nominate Census Director

latinovations — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 18:51:53 +0000

President Obama intends to nominate University of Michigan professor Robert M. Groves today to serve as the next Census director. The long-anticipated announcement was made after Commerce Secretary Gary Locke completes his first full week on the job. If confirmed, Groves faces looming managerial and political concerns surrounding the 2010 Census. The bureau received $ 1 billion in stimulus funding to help prepare for the census and will devote up to 0 million for advertising and outreach programs to help increase participation levels among traditionally undercounted groups, mostly minorities in urban areas. The Census Bureau is part of the Commerce Department and the director will report to an undersecretary who in turn reports to the commerce secretary. Locke said Monday, "We're going to make sure that the Census Bureau has the independent leadership it deserves and the professional oversight that Americans demand." The Secretary also stressed that personal information collected by the Census will remain confidential, a concern of several groups. Groves has much survey experience, as he served as the bureau's associate director from 1990 to 1992 and currently is director of the UM's Survey Research Center. In his work he has researched why people participate in statistical surveys, worked to develop surveys with lower non-response errors and studied how data is collected for surveys. According to a congressional aide familiar with the Census, Groves has "bulletproof scientific credentials" and is "really highly regarded by his peers as a low-key, determined guy who's been really focused on reducing error in survey research for his whole career." Groves is a former prison guard in Vermont, and earned his bachelor's from Dartmouth College, and later a masters and P.h.D. in sociology from the University of Michigan. Detroit Free Press Washington Post

Commerce Secretary Speaks about Importance of Accurately Counting Hispanics in the 2010 Census

latinovations — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 15:46:40 +0000

On Wednesday, the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO), Univision Inc., the League of United Latin American Citizens and SEIU announced a grassroots campaign in Washington entitled, "Hágase Contar!" an effort to help advertise the 2010 Census to the Hispanic community, An estimated 1 million Hispanics were missed in the last census. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke addressed the crowd about the importance of accurately counting Hispanics in the 2010 Census. He assured that all personal information in census forms will be kept confidentia--a reason many Latinos who are undocumented do not participate. Locke also mentioned Obama would soon be nominating a new census director. Locke said, "We all recognize what is at stake. More than 0 billion in federal funds is distributed every year based on Census numbers for vital services like disaster relief, health care, schools, transportation, and legal services; bringing the right numbers to your communities means bringing economic empowerment." Census officials have acknowledged that tens of millions residents in urban areas- about 14 percent of the U.S. population - are at high risk of being missed due to language problems and the economic crisis that has displaced many homeowners. They are allocating 0 million of the billion in stimulus money for outreach, including an additional million for Hispanic advertising. The media and education campaign will not just be limited traditional Hispanic populated states such as California, Texas and Florida, but also to fast growing Hispanic areas in Georgia, the Carolinas and Arkansas. "Make no mistake about it: The census cannot succeed if Latinos are not fully counted," said Arturo Vargas, executive director of NALEO, adding that Hispanics make up half of the nation's percentage growth. "We are the future of the United States." In addition, groups encouraged the Obama administration to tackle immigration reform as a way to avoid risking an undercount of millions of Latino immigrants. Ruben Keoseyan, publisher of La Raza newspaper, expressed concern about recent government raids and how that results in immigrant communities distrusting the government, "The federal government plays an important role in augmenting what we are doing." At a news conference, Republicans on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee said they are against suspending enforcement of immigration laws to help make sure Hispanics are accurately counted. Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) said, "The idea that we would have ... border patrol, INS and ICE sit on the sidelines is not reasonable." "They're looking for terrorists more than they are looking for immigrants." Rep. William Lacy Clay(D-MO) who chairs a House oversight subcommittee on the census, has proposed the government halt immigration raids as it did in 2000. This same request was made two years ago in an effort to improve the count but was rejected by the Bush administration. Associated Press

Census Bureau to Launch Ad Campaign to Reach Minorities

latinovations — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 15:41:04 +0000

In an article today the Washington Post reports that the Census Bureau is planning on launching a 0 million promotional campaign to encourage participation in the 2010 Census amidst the fears that millions of minorities will be overlooked. More than half of the funds that will go to advertising will go across traditional and social media, and nearly a quarter will be devoted solely to Asian, black, and Hispanic media outlets. The Census Bureau's acting director, Thomas L. Mesenbourg told a House Oversight and Government Reform subcommittee, "A year from now, the populace will have seen and heard more ads in national and local media than in any prior census". In an effort to bolster minority participation, the agency plans on hiring 2,000 temporary employees by the end of June to coordinate efforts with more than 10,000 local organizations and corporations to help encourage more participation from minorities, especially Hispanics who currently are the largest minority group in the country. In addition, the article says major corporations such as General Mills and Target and civil rights groups including the NAACP will encourage their customers and members to fill out Census forms next year. Stacey Cumberbach, New York City's Census coordinator remembers that during the 2000 census, only 55 percent of New York residents responded to the questionnaires, compared with 66 percent nationally. This is exactly what they are trying to avoid in the 2010 Census. Cumberbach says, "While the census is a federal responsibility, there must be earlier and ongoing communication and accountability to local governments and communities." However, during the current economic downturn there certainly will be obstacles with coordination with local governments due to tight budgets, according to Robert Goldenkoff of the Government Accountability Office. Also, the Census Bureau suspects that some Hispanics will refuse to answer questions because of their distrust of government or fear of exposing their illegal immigration status. At a forum last Wednesday sponsored by the Brookings Institution and National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO), Census officials and other experts also warned that increases in foreclosure and unemployment rates would serve as barriers in correctly counting the population during the 2010 census. Officials fear many families are in the middle of moving and will not receive their Census. Arturo Vargas, executive director of NALEO, said minority populations are more likely to be affected because they are being hit harder by job losses and foreclosures. Vargas says, "Another undercount of the Latino community, of which there has been in every single census, simply represents a failed census." Research done by the Census Bureau shows that many Hispanics "believe answers can be used against them," according to Frank A. Vitrano, a division chief at the bureau who oversees planning and coordination for the 2010 count. Washington Post

2010 Census Faces Challenges

latinovations — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 14:23:23 +0000

U.S. Census Forms Arrive in the Mail

latinovations — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 16:15:52 +0000

Minorities will soon be the Majority

latinovations — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:07:57 +0000

Obama to Nominate Census Director

latinovations — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 18:51:53 +0000

Commerce Secretary Speaks about Importance of Accurately Counting Hispanics in the 2010 Census

latinovations — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 15:46:40 +0000

Census Bureau to Launch Ad Campaign to Reach Minorities

latinovations — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 15:41:04 +0000

2010 Census Faces Challenges

latinovations — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 14:23:23 +0000

We are witnesses today to an historic period in the civic engagement of Latinos in the United States. Latinos have become a permanent fixture of the American political experience, and the Census is an integral part of that. Every issue - healthcare, the economy, jobs, funding for schools, hospitals and roads -- is affected by the Census. Most importantly, the Census is at the core of our democracy. Census data are used by the federal government to distribute $440 billion annually in funds to states and localities. Each one of us is worth $1,400 to our community every year for ten years, until the next Census, so every person missed in the Census means less in resources for schools and clinics, transportation and jobs. It's like throwing money out the window. In establishing our federal government system, the Founding Fathers determined that a count of the population was needed to see how truly representative the government was going to be, and that's why a Census undertaking every ten years was written into the Constitution. In the past, slaves were counted as 3/5 of a person in the Census, and Native Americans living on reservations were completely excluded. However, now that all persons are included, we need to ensure all Latinos are counted. In 2000, up to three percent of Latinos were missed in the Census, representing unrealized political power and nearly $2 million in lost resources to the communities. The Census is about two simple things: Money and Power. Two things that no one freely gives up. And two things we must insist our community gets the share of resources and political influence we have earned and deserve. There are some who have called for a Latino boycott of the Census until Congress approves immigration reform. But that effort has fallen on deaf ears in the immigrant community because immigrants understand how important it is to be included in the Census. They realize what is at stake, and they understand there is power in numbers. That is something we in the Latino community understand. How can we tell Congress what we need if we don't tell the Census Bureau who and where we are? The National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) Educational Fund considers that the 2010 Census will be the Latino Census because it will be the first Census in the history of the United States in which Latinos are the nation's second-largest population group, and it is the first time the U.S. Census Bureau mailed out 13 million bilingual (English/Spanish) forms to make sure ALL Latinos are counted. Latinos are 15% of the U.S. population and number 47 million strong. We account for 50% of this country's population growth, and we need to be counted. The NALEO Educational Fund, along with the National Council of La Raza (NCLR), the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Mi Familia Vota Education Fund, Univisión Communications, Entravisión Communications and ImpreMedia coordinates the ya es hora ¡HAGASE CONTAR! (It's Time Make Yourself Count!) campaign, which focuses on promoting the importance of the Census and educating individuals to fill out their forms and mail them back. The campaign is the largest and most comprehensive non-partisan effort to incorporate Latinos as full participants in the American political process. A recent survey by Pew Hispanic Research shows our outreach is working. The study finds an overwhelming majority of Latinos - 70% -- believe that Census participation is good for the community. The poll highlights that most Latinos know the Census Bureau cannot give out personal information, nor can the information the Bureau gathers be used for law enforcement or immigration purposes. Nonetheless, the poll shows a greater understanding of the Census among foreign-born Latinos compared to their native-born counterparts. The NALEO Educational Fund has said and we will continue to maintain that the U.S. Census Bureau needs to invest more in reaching English-dominant Latinos, especially as the Bureau moves to its phase of reaching out to those who haven't mailed back their forms. We will be there all the way, making sure all Latinos are counted. We have a national toll-free bilingual hotline, 877-ELCENSO (877-352-3676) so that the public can call with questions about the Census and assistance in completing the form. Our outreach will continue through the rest of April and the month of May to help ensure we are all included in this very important decennial count. Thanks to the American Constitution Society for sharing this piece which originally appeared in their blog. Arturo Vargas is the Executive Director of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials, a national membership organization, and the NALEO Educational Fund, a national nonprofit civic participation and civic research organization. The NALEO Educational Fund is the leading organization that empowers Latinos to participate fully in the programmatic activities include U.S. citizenship outreach and assistance, civic participation, campaign training, technical assistance to elected and appointed Latino officials, youth leadership development, research on Latino demographic and electoral trends, and policy analysis and advocacy on access to the democratic process.

La Plaza » Census

latinovations — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 14:23:23 +0000

U.S. Census Forms Arrive in the Mail

latinovations — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 16:15:52 +0000

Minorities will soon be the Majority

latinovations — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:07:57 +0000

Obama to Nominate Census Director

latinovations — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 18:51:53 +0000

Commerce Secretary Speaks about Importance of Accurately Counting Hispanics in the 2010 Census

latinovations — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 15:46:40 +0000

Census Bureau to Launch Ad Campaign to Reach Minorities

latinovations — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 15:41:04 +0000

2010 Census Faces Challenges

latinovations — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 16:15:52 +0000

More than 120 million U.S. census forms will begin arriving in mailboxes around the country this week. This decade population count will be used to determine congressional districts and allocate more than $400 billion in federal aid. Census Bureau director Robert Groves kicked off the national mail-in campaign in Phoenix on Monday, urging cities and states to promote the census and improve participation rates. A reported only 72 percent of U.S. households returned their forms during the last census. Arizona is a state that could gain up to two Congressional seats because of population growth fueled by immigration. Groves explained that real-time census data showed public awareness of the 2010 count had improved since January to levels similar to 2000’s census count. Groves called that "good news." The Census Bureau predicts that two-thirds of U.S. households will mail in the form. The decrease may be due to growing U.S. apathy towards surveys, residents displaced by a high number of foreclosures, and immigrants who have become more distrustful of government workers amid a crackdown on illegal immigration. Starting in May until July, the Census Bureau will send census-takers to each home that doesn't reply by mail. Failure to respond to the census carries a fine of up to $5,000, although that law is rarely enforced. In 2000, Florida, Georgia, Nevada, Arizona, Texas and North Carolina each had below-average mail participation rates of less than 70 percent. All of these states have seen higher rates of foreclosures and rapid growth of minorities, who are often more reluctant to turn in their forms. Each of these states could potentially gain at least one U.S. House seat, with Texas possibly picking up as many as four. This year for the first time the Census Bureau is mailing out bilingual English-Spanish census forms to 13 million households. Census forms are also available by request in Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese and Russian, and assistance guides are available in 59 languages at http://www.2010census.gov. http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gEoTQb3c7ewKKKNz5aAT8lL1PVmgD9EF9B7O1

La Plaza » Census

latinovations — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 14:23:23 +0000

U.S. Census Forms Arrive in the Mail

latinovations — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 16:15:52 +0000

Minorities will soon be the Majority

latinovations — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:07:57 +0000

Obama to Nominate Census Director

latinovations — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 18:51:53 +0000

Commerce Secretary Speaks about Importance of Accurately Counting Hispanics in the 2010 Census

latinovations — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 15:46:40 +0000

Census Bureau to Launch Ad Campaign to Reach Minorities

latinovations — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 15:41:04 +0000

2010 Census Faces Challenges

latinovations — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:07:57 +0000

La Plaza » Census

latinovations — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 14:23:23 +0000

U.S. Census Forms Arrive in the Mail

latinovations — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 16:15:52 +0000

Minorities will soon be the Majority

latinovations — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:07:57 +0000

Obama to Nominate Census Director

latinovations — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 18:51:53 +0000

Commerce Secretary Speaks about Importance of Accurately Counting Hispanics in the 2010 Census

latinovations — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 15:46:40 +0000

Census Bureau to Launch Ad Campaign to Reach Minorities

latinovations — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 15:41:04 +0000

2010 Census Faces Challenges

latinovations — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 18:51:53 +0000

President Obama intends to nominate University of Michigan professor Robert M. Groves today to serve as the next Census director. The long-anticipated announcement was made after Commerce Secretary Gary Locke completes his first full week on the job. If confirmed, Groves faces looming managerial and political concerns surrounding the 2010 Census. The bureau received $ 1 billion in stimulus funding to help prepare for the census and will devote up to $250 million for advertising and outreach programs to help increase participation levels among traditionally undercounted groups, mostly minorities in urban areas. The Census Bureau is part of the Commerce Department and the director will report to an undersecretary who in turn reports to the commerce secretary. Locke said Monday, "We're going to make sure that the Census Bureau has the independent leadership it deserves and the professional oversight that Americans demand." The Secretary also stressed that personal information collected by the Census will remain confidential, a concern of several groups. Groves has much survey experience, as he served as the bureau's associate director from 1990 to 1992 and currently is director of the UM's Survey Research Center. In his work he has researched why people participate in statistical surveys, worked to develop surveys with lower non-response errors and studied how data is collected for surveys. According to a congressional aide familiar with the Census, Groves has "bulletproof scientific credentials" and is "really highly regarded by his peers as a low-key, determined guy who's been really focused on reducing error in survey research for his whole career." Groves is a former prison guard in Vermont, and earned his bachelor's from Dartmouth College, and later a masters and P.h.D. in sociology from the University of Michigan. Detroit Free Press Washington Post

La Plaza » Census

latinovations — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 14:23:23 +0000

U.S. Census Forms Arrive in the Mail

latinovations — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 16:15:52 +0000

Minorities will soon be the Majority

latinovations — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:07:57 +0000

Obama to Nominate Census Director

latinovations — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 18:51:53 +0000

Commerce Secretary Speaks about Importance of Accurately Counting Hispanics in the 2010 Census

latinovations — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 15:46:40 +0000

Census Bureau to Launch Ad Campaign to Reach Minorities

latinovations — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 15:41:04 +0000

2010 Census Faces Challenges

latinovations — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 15:46:40 +0000

On Wednesday, the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO), Univision Inc., the League of United Latin American Citizens and SEIU announced a grassroots campaign in Washington entitled, "Hágase Contar!" an effort to help advertise the 2010 Census to the Hispanic community, An estimated 1 million Hispanics were missed in the last census. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke addressed the crowd about the importance of accurately counting Hispanics in the 2010 Census. He assured that all personal information in census forms will be kept confidentia--a reason many Latinos who are undocumented do not participate. Locke also mentioned Obama would soon be nominating a new census director. Locke said, "We all recognize what is at stake. More than $300 billion in federal funds is distributed every year based on Census numbers for vital services like disaster relief, health care, schools, transportation, and legal services; bringing the right numbers to your communities means bringing economic empowerment." Census officials have acknowledged that tens of millions residents in urban areas- about 14 percent of the U.S. population - are at high risk of being missed due to language problems and the economic crisis that has displaced many homeowners. They are allocating $250 million of the $1 billion in stimulus money for outreach, including an additional $13 million for Hispanic advertising. The media and education campaign will not just be limited traditional Hispanic populated states such as California, Texas and Florida, but also to fast growing Hispanic areas in Georgia, the Carolinas and Arkansas. "Make no mistake about it: The census cannot succeed if Latinos are not fully counted," said Arturo Vargas, executive director of NALEO, adding that Hispanics make up half of the nation's percentage growth. "We are the future of the United States." In addition, groups encouraged the Obama administration to tackle immigration reform as a way to avoid risking an undercount of millions of Latino immigrants. Ruben Keoseyan, publisher of La Raza newspaper, expressed concern about recent government raids and how that results in immigrant communities distrusting the government, "The federal government plays an important role in augmenting what we are doing." At a news conference, Republicans on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee said they are against suspending enforcement of immigration laws to help make sure Hispanics are accurately counted. Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) said, "The idea that we would have ... border patrol, INS and ICE sit on the sidelines is not reasonable." "They're looking for terrorists more than they are looking for immigrants." Rep. William Lacy Clay(D-MO) who chairs a House oversight subcommittee on the census, has proposed the government halt immigration raids as it did in 2000. This same request was made two years ago in an effort to improve the count but was rejected by the Bush administration. Associated Press

La Plaza » Census

latinovations — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 14:23:23 +0000

U.S. Census Forms Arrive in the Mail

latinovations — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 16:15:52 +0000

Minorities will soon be the Majority

latinovations — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:07:57 +0000

Obama to Nominate Census Director

latinovations — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 18:51:53 +0000

Commerce Secretary Speaks about Importance of Accurately Counting Hispanics in the 2010 Census

latinovations — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 15:46:40 +0000

Census Bureau to Launch Ad Campaign to Reach Minorities

latinovations — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 15:41:04 +0000

2010 Census Faces Challenges

latinovations — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 15:41:04 +0000

In an article today the Washington Post reports that the Census Bureau is planning on launching a $250 million promotional campaign to encourage participation in the 2010 Census amidst the fears that millions of minorities will be overlooked. More than half of the funds that will go to advertising will go across traditional and social media, and nearly a quarter will be devoted solely to Asian, black, and Hispanic media outlets. The Census Bureau's acting director, Thomas L. Mesenbourg told a House Oversight and Government Reform subcommittee, "A year from now, the populace will have seen and heard more ads in national and local media than in any prior census". In an effort to bolster minority participation, the agency plans on hiring 2,000 temporary employees by the end of June to coordinate efforts with more than 10,000 local organizations and corporations to help encourage more participation from minorities, especially Hispanics who currently are the largest minority group in the country. In addition, the article says major corporations such as General Mills and Target and civil rights groups including the NAACP will encourage their customers and members to fill out Census forms next year. Stacey Cumberbach, New York City's Census coordinator remembers that during the 2000 census, only 55 percent of New York residents responded to the questionnaires, compared with 66 percent nationally. This is exactly what they are trying to avoid in the 2010 Census. Cumberbach says, "While the census is a federal responsibility, there must be earlier and ongoing communication and accountability to local governments and communities." However, during the current economic downturn there certainly will be obstacles with coordination with local governments due to tight budgets, according to Robert Goldenkoff of the Government Accountability Office. Also, the Census Bureau suspects that some Hispanics will refuse to answer questions because of their distrust of government or fear of exposing their illegal immigration status. At a forum last Wednesday sponsored by the Brookings Institution and National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO), Census officials and other experts also warned that increases in foreclosure and unemployment rates would serve as barriers in correctly counting the population during the 2010 census. Officials fear many families are in the middle of moving and will not receive their Census. Arturo Vargas, executive director of NALEO, said minority populations are more likely to be affected because they are being hit harder by job losses and foreclosures. Vargas says, "Another undercount of the Latino community, of which there has been in every single census, simply represents a failed census." Research done by the Census Bureau shows that many Hispanics "believe answers can be used against them," according to Frank A. Vitrano, a division chief at the bureau who oversees planning and coordination for the 2010 count. Washington Post

La Plaza » Census

latinovations — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 14:23:23 +0000

U.S. Census Forms Arrive in the Mail

latinovations — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 16:15:52 +0000

Minorities will soon be the Majority

latinovations — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:07:57 +0000

Obama to Nominate Census Director

latinovations — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 18:51:53 +0000

Commerce Secretary Speaks about Importance of Accurately Counting Hispanics in the 2010 Census

latinovations — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 15:46:40 +0000

Census Bureau to Launch Ad Campaign to Reach Minorities

latinovations — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 15:41:04 +0000

2010 Census Faces Challenges

latinovations — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 22:06:54 +0000

As the 2010 census approaches, the debate over counting illegal immigrants residing in the US is heating up. Historically, Hispanics and other minority groups are undercounted in this once-a-decade measurement of our nation's population. Many advocacy groups nation-wide are gearing up to ensure an accurate count, but a number challenges are creating problems for the likelihood of such a count to occur. Between Bush administration budget cuts and the current economic climate, funding for the census is slow moving. Another challenge arises in that millions of laid-off renters and homeowners are moving, making it difficult to ensure these people are not double counted or missed entirely. Plus, more immigrants than ever are residing in the US, many who do not know what a census is or if it is to their benefit or detriment to participate. According to Hispanic groups, it is estimated that several million Hispanics were left out of the 2000 census. Since census results determine everything from boundaries of congressional districts to federal funding for schools, hospitals, roads and even placement of bus stops, it is extremely important that large populations of the US are not neglected. It is in this regard where the immigration debate fires up. Anti-immigration groups do not object to an accurate count; rather they feel the accurate figures can fuel their arguments. Most of their objections lie in suspending immigration raids during the census and counting non-citizens when drawing congressional districts and allotting funding. Steven Camarota, director of research at the Center for Immigration Studies, believes if non-citizens are counted when drawing districts it "transfers political power to the citizens who live in districts with high numbers of illegal aliens." Many Hispanic groups argue that the burden falls on all Americans if significant portions of the population are under counted because it leads to less funding for schools, roads and hospitals-services that everyone uses. Efrain Escobedo, senior director of civic engagement for the National Association of Latino Elected Officials explains "if you go back to your district, regardless of how many people there are citizens or voters, when you're counting one million and need to count two, this has a huge impact on whether you can deliver services for your voters." Hispanic groups are now planning a broad census effort to ensure an accurate count of the population is accomplished. Hoping to partner with the Census Bureau, these groups intend to put forth community-based programs, advertising and public service announcements as well as increase outreach to minorities to aid in conducting the door-to-door surveys in areas with high percentages of immigrants. The Census Bureau seems receptive to these efforts as it has, for the first time, planned to send out bi-lingual forms and hire employees who speak languages other than English. Without an appropriate budget it will be nearly impossible to ensure an accurate count. The Government Accountability Office recently said the 2010 census is in "serious trouble," explaining that the Bureau was behind schedule and still had no clear plan to improve the counting of minorities. The stimulus package included $1 billion for the census but minority groups still claim that spending levels for outreach are currently below 2000 levels and there are far more people to count. The Census Bureau recently reported the 2010 budget is expected to reach $14-15 billion, the largest budget ever. It is essential that there is a broad advertising campaign aimed at educating people about the importance of the census. Sen. Tom Carper, D-Del., who chairs the Senate subcommitee overseeing the census, explained that these efforts should not be "a marketing campaign directed at 60-year-old white guys like me, but to younger people, people who may not speak English well, who we might otherwise leave out." MSNBC