Census 2020: Make sure you count!

August 5, 2020 update

It was recently announced that the field data collection interviews (the door-knocking human census takers) will end a month earlier than previously announced, wrapping up on September 30 rather than October 31. This has the possibility of a immense under-count, disproportionately impacting people of color, immigrants, those with limited internet access, and those experiencing housing insecurity.

It’s estimated that four out of ten households still have not filled out the census! Since census data is what determines how many seats each state has in the House of Representatives and how federal funding is distributed, it’s crucial that the arts sector ensures that our communities are included.

It’s a once-in-a-decade opportunity.

April 16, 2020

NEFA is advocating for strong participation in the 2020 Census, previously slated to end on August 14, 2020, and recently extended to October 31, 2020.

Why participate? Because the census:

• Shows that demographically, everyone matters
• Determines the federal resource allocation of $800 billion dollars by informing the creation of political districts
• Allows for better representation in elected officials by determining redistricting
• Serves as a valuable data source for research, including NEFA's commissioned reports about creatives and your work!

Still hesitant? A few other facts:

• There is NO citizenship question on the Census
• Title XIII guarantees the confidentiality of the information you provide for 72 years
• Certain communities are historically hard to count, and lack of representation can under-resource those communities. Check out CUNY's interactive map of Hard to Count communities to see how your community is currently stacking up.

Ready to participate? There are three ways to self-respond:

• Online (available in 13 languages)
• By phone (available in 13 languages) or 
• Returning the census form by mail (if you've received a paper questionnaire)

More questions?

• Check out this FAQ resource from CensusCounts.org
• Visit the Language Support page with guides in 60 languages including ASL and Braille.