Census Messaging Manual Available Online!
This Message Manual was developed as a resource for those working to encourage people to take part in the 2010 Census.
Available Online Here!
2010 Census and Redistricting
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First female AME bishop to visit High Point
The resume of the first female bishop in the historic African Methodist Episcopal Church, the Rev. Vashti Murphy McKenzie, could serve as a sermon.
McKenzie will speak at the 8 a.m. and 11 a.m. services Dec. 20 at Williams Memorial CME Church, 3400 Triangle Lake Road, High Point.
As a pastor in Baltimore, McKenzie oversaw the purchase of a building on a drug-infested corner that created a $1.8 million economic development center that houses a senior adult day care, a Head Start and other businesses.
McKenzie’s first assignment after her 2000 elevation to bishop was as presiding prelate in eight southern African countries.
There, she established a program to build group homes for children orphaned by the AIDS epidemic.
McKenzie, who holds a master’s degree and a doctorate in divinity, is the author of several books, including “Journey to the Well.”
As president of the Council of Bishops , she is the highest- ranking woman in the predominantly Black Methodist denomination.
She is also the national chaplain for the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority .
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First Lutheran Church has launched Meals at the Manger, a statewide campaign encouraging churches to collect food for the needy on Christmas Eve.
Last year’s service at First Lutheran drew 1,072 people bearing 1,500 pounds of food — food that otherwise might not have been collected, according to Frank Moore , First Lutheran’s director of community ministries .
This year, the church is asking congregations across the state to ask members to take at least one canned good or food item per person to Christmas Eve services.
First Lutheran also is encouraging churches to set up manger scenes in their yards or elsewhere with large boxes to hold the Christmas Eve donations.
Each church can donate the goods to the food bank or soup kitchen of its choice after the holiday.
A suggestion: Have children or youth of the church do the artwork for the outdoor or indoor manger scene.
“ This is a simple yet powerful way to feed the hungry and personify the hope that defines Christmas,” Moore said.
Need help getting started? Contact Moore at 292-9125 , Ext. 102, or frank@firstlutheran.com.
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FaithAction International House is offering a personal appeal to church leaders and congregations to get involved in the U.S. Census Bureau count.
“So many decisions are made based on the U.S. Census count,” FaithAction executive director Mark Sills explained in the nonprofit’s newsletter. “Virtually all federal grants are allocated on the basis of census data. The decision about where to build roads, schools, hospitals, child-care centers and many other structures important to your people — all based on census data.”
FaithAction, which got a $3,000 grant through the Southern Coalition for Social Justice to help explain the census to immigrants, is also trying to get the word out to faith groups.
In the last census, North Carolina might have lost millions in funding because of an undercount, according to the U.S. Census Monitoring Board.
The Census Bureau can provide your congregation packets of information that has been designed especially for faith-based organization partners.
Questions? Contact Kathryn Murphy at 327-8531 or kathryn.m.murphy@census.gov .
Contact Nancy McLaughlin at 373-7049 or nancy.mclaughlin@news-record.com
Interview with SCSJ Census Coordinator Avery Book
From An interview with Avery Book, the SCSJ Census Coordinator, by Pat Murray about the importance of the 2010 Census.
An interview with Avery Book,…
Latino officials express importance of being counted in U.S. Census.
Latino officials express importance of being counted in U.S. Census
By Michael Abramowitz
The Daily Reflector
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Every 10 years, all people living in the United States are asked to stand and be counted. On Saturday, state and local officials explained the importance of Pitt County and eastern North Carolina's Latino participation in the 2010 census, which officially occurs April 1, to several dozen people at the East Carolina Heart Institute.
The event was hosted by Juvencio Rocha Peralta and the Association of Mexicans in North Carolina and the School of Social Work at East Carolina University's College of Human Ecology.
Guests included Axel Lluch, assistant director for Latino and Hispanic affairs for the North Carolina Governor's Office; Taffye Benson-Clayton, associate provost for equity and diversity at East Carolina University; and Dayling Tolan, partnership specialist with the U.S. Census Bureau.
According to the 2000 census, 4.8 percent of the approximately 156,000 residents of Pitt County, or 3,250 residents, were Latino — not an accurate representation of that community, Peralta said.
There are several reasons for the inaccuracy, he said.
“Latinos have been coming to eastern North Carolina in a steady flow since the early 1970s,” Peralta said. “The floods following Hurricane Floyd in 1999 widely dispersed the local population, and the 2000 census missed a great number of Latinos.”
An accurate count would probably reflect a current Latino population of 7-8 percent, he said.
Another challenge to an accurate 2010 census is language, Peralta said.
“How can that be overcome without bilingual personnel? We need to prepare for that now by reaching out to all the stakeholders,” he said.
Another problem is simply habit, Peralta said. Each county is responsible for putting together a “complete count committee,” but the committee does not have adequate Latino representation to reach that population, he said.
“History shows that people get into a comfort zone and out of habit they reach out to the same population over time,” Peralta said. “I don't think county officials are aware that this is a priority for them.”
When all is said and done, it is in the best interests of both the county and the Latino population to have an accurate count, he said.
The census is required once every 10 years by the U.S. Constitution. Every year, the federal government can allocate more than $300 billion to states and communities, based in part on census data, according to information from the U.S. Department of Commerce, which oversees the Census Bureau.
Census data determines how many seats each state will have in the U.S. House of Representatives and guides local decision-makers on where to build hospitals, roads, schools and more, Commerce officials said. Businesses use census data to locate supermarkets, new housing and other facilities.
John Pierpont, of the ECU School of Social Work, touched on another census concern — the counting of undocumented or illegal residents.
“Census enumerators don't ask about immigration status, so people here without documentation don't have to be afraid to give information and be counted,” Pierpont said. “But it's a tough sell to those who are undocumented.”
By law, the Census Bureau cannot share an individual's census questionnaire information responses with anyone, including federal and law enforcement agencies, Commerce Department officials said.
The numbers should be counted for everyone's sake, legal residents and illegal alike, Peralta agreed.
“Many undocumented residents have children born in the U.S., and they will benefit from accurate representation for education, medical care and government programs,” Peralta said. “A person here illegally cannot receive money or assistance, but by being counted anyway, the county will receive funds and can use them for all qualified residents.”
The conference is the first of several steps in the process to prepare for the 2010 census, and future meetings will train workers on how to locate and interview people not reached through the mail.
An individual or organization interested in information or assisting with the 2010 U.S. Census can contact AMEXCAN at 258-9967 or the U.S. Census Bureau at 2010census.gov.
Contact Michael Abramowitz at mabramowitz@coxnc.com or (252) 329-9571.
By the numbers
4.8 percent of the Pitt County population were Latino according to the 2000 census.
7.8 percent is a more accurate count in Pitt County said Juvencio Rocha Peralta.
10 years: The census is required once every 10 years by the U.S. Constitution.
$300 billion or more is allocated to states and communities, based in part by data collected in the census every decade.
FAQ for Farmworker Advocacy Groups about the 2010 Census
From This is an FAQ guide for farmworker advocacy groups to help navigate questions about how to count farmworkers, and other issues and outreach initiatives…
FAQ for Non-Profits about the 2010 Census
From This is an FAQ guide for non-profits to help navigate questions about Complete Count Committees, Census Partnerships and other outreach initiatives regarding the 2010…
Apply for Census 2010 Outreach Mini-grants today!
Make the Census Counts Everyone
The Southern Coalition for Social Justice has been working for the past months to give Census Outreach Mini-Grants to community organizations in Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia, Florida, and Louisiana that are a trusted voice in their communities. The mini-grants are given to organizations who create projects which raise awareness of the importance of the census in underrepresented and undercounted communities.
Project examples include
1. A community organization could give out water bottles with census information in Spanish to migrant farmworkers at a farmworker camps in rural North Carolina
2. A community organization can perform a bilingual play about the importance of the census at a local community center.
If your organization is interested on creating similar outreach programs, and would like some funding for this crucial work, check out our website and application HERE.
Grant applications are being accepting on a rolling basis until September 30th, 2009!
Why the 2010 Census Matters: Federal Funding and Voting Rights for Underrepresented Communities
The Constitution of the United States requires a count of every person and household in the US while recording certain information about each person, including questions about ethnicity, race, relation to other household occupants, and gender every ten years. The 2010 Census will be one of the largest civil projects in the history of the US, employing hundreds of thousands of census workers, all in attempt to make sure that everyone is counted.
WHY THE CENSUS MATTERS
Census counts are directly tied to the federal dollars communities receive for important services such as education funding, affordable housing support, job training, social services, roads, bridges, and other community development opportunities.
Census counts also directly impact a community’s political voice because the numbers inform voting districts and determine how communities are represented. The 2010 Census will trigger a new round of revisions in elected districts across the country. States in the Northeast and Midwest, such as New York and Ohio, stand to lose Congressional Districts and therefore representation. Growing states in the South and Southwest stand to gain seats, while state and local governments throughout the country will be using Census data to shape and reshape districts for partisan political gain. These revisions will have a direct impact on the reservation of and the expansion of underrepresented peoples electoral opportunities and representation for the next decade.
Careful studies of past census counts demonstrate that certain communities are at higher risk of not being counted accurately. These communities include
• Communities and People of Color,
• People and families that live in rental property
• Transient communities, such as the homeless and migrant workers
• Native Americans and poor, rural communities
• Immigrants (census counts are for everyone, regardless of citizenship status)
• The elderly and people who live in group housing
COUNTING EVERYONE
The Southern Coalition for Social Justice has been working for the past months to give Census Outreach Mini-Grants to community organizations in Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia, Florida, and Louisiana that are a trusted voice in their communities. The mini-grants are given to organizations for projects which raise awareness of the importance of the census in underrepresented and undercounted communities. Project examples include giving out water bottles with census information in Spanish to migrant farmworkers or performing a bilingual play about the importance of the census at a local community center.
PLANNING A COMMUNITY CENSUS AND REDISTRICTING INSTITUTE
The Southern Coalition for Social Justice, in consultation with the Center for the Study of Race, Ethnicity, and Gender in the Social Sciences (REGSS) at Duke University’s Social Science Research Institute, has begun the process of creating a Community Census and Redistricting Institute in preparation for the redistricting of local, state, and national electoral districts.
For fair redistricting, underrepresented communities need expert assistance, especially those groups who are protected by the Voting Rights Act, including African Americans, Latin@s, Native Americans, Native Alaskans, and Asian Americans. During the redistricting process, it will be crucial for expert analysts and witnesses to enforce these voting rights provisions and protect and create fair voting districts. As we saw with the historic election of Barack Obama and the large racial differences in voting in the Southeast, where voting rights protections are the strongest, that there is a great need to protect underrepresented population’s voting rights. The work of the Community Census and Redistricting Institute will be to connect these experts and community organizations to stand up and defend minority voting rights.
SCSJ has spearheaded the development of the Community Census and Redistricting Institute. The first meeting, on June 24th in Durham, NC, saw community organizations, geographers, civil rights attorneys, and other leaders in Census work in the Southeast convene and begin this monumental process. Participants studied the importance of a correct census count of those displace by Hurricane Katrina, those who have been displaced by home foreclosure, and how many of these related questions will impact devastated communities. On July 20th, in Atlanta, GA, this gathering of academics, legal experts, community organizations, researchers, and elected officials will continue the development of the Institute.
A fair Census count and redistricting is crucial for political, legal, social, and economic change in the Southeast. As the Southeast has seen a great growth in the Latin@ and African American populations, the Community Census and Redistricting Institute is an important effort towards providing underrepresented voters with the capacity to elect representatives who are responsive to their concerns.
Southern Coalition for Social Justice
Census Bureau
Census Mini-Grants
SCSJ has closed our second round of small grants for organizations to support outreach efforts for the 2010 Census.
The final deadline for these grant applications was Tuesday, February 16, 2010, by 5pm.
Check out our blog for bi-weekly profiles on mini-grantees.
Census Outreach Project
- SCSJ Census Outreach Mini-Grants
- SCSJ Census Newsletter
- Partner with the Census Bureau
- Complete Count Committees
- Impact of the 2000 Census Undercount
- Census Job Opportunities
Census counts are directly tied to the federal dollars communities receive for important services, such as education funding, affordable housing support, job training, social services, roads, bridges, and other community development opportunities.
Census counts also directly impact a community’s political voice because the numbers inform voting districts and determine how communities are represented. That’s why it is important to make sure that everyone is counted! History has taught us that many communities are undercounted, or are at higher risk of not being counted at all. These communities include:
- People and families that live in rental property
- Transient communities, such as the homeless and migrant workers
- Native Americans and poor, rural communities
- Immigrants (census counts are for everyone, regardless of citizenship status)
- The elderly and people who live in group housing
What you can do:
- Schedule 10 minutes to take an organizational phone survey with an SCSJ organizer.
- Sign up for our Census 2010 newsletter.
- Become an official Partner Organization with the US Census Bureau .
- Join or help form a local Complete Count Committee.
- This fall, attend one of our regional meetings for grassroots, policy, and service organizations to discuss strategies and tactics for reducing Census undercount in our communities (Advance RSVP page coming soon!).
- Apply for a Mini Grant from SCSJ to do community organizing and creative media outreach to ensure a full count in communities who are at risk of being undercounted (Application available soon!).
Recession Adds To Hurdles Facing U.S. Census
A year from now, the U.S. will conduct its decennial population count. The findings are used to re-apportion congressional districts, disburse federal funding — even decide where new traffic lights go. But the economic crisis threatens to make this daunting task even harder. There is special concern about minority groups, which are traditionally hard to count.
Listen to story by clicking link above.
Resources for Redistricting
From A list of resources for organizations to work on redistricting issues.
A list of resources for organizations to work on redistricting issues.
From /wp-content/uploads/Redistricting.pdf…