The 2010 Census and the JACL
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The JACL is a national partner of the U.S. Census Bureau and works to get everyone counted. Historically, Asian Americans, racial minorities, and immigrants are undercounted, resulting in a huge loss of funding, services, and political representation to these communities.Census data is also used to monitor civil rights issues such as the Voting Rights Act of 1965, hate crimes, and anti-discrimination laws. For the JACL, the oldest and largest Asian American civil and human rights organization in the nation, the Census is more than a count of everyone; it is a civil rights issue in which justice is served by getting everyone counted. Make sure you, your family, and your community count! |
TAKE ACTION!
Resources for Chapters
Counting the Japanese American Community
This brochure is a great community reference for information about the upcoming Census. The brochure is geared towards the JACL and Japanese American communities, highlighting need-to-know information about common concerns and issues. We encourage you to distribute these brochures at community events and other organizations.
JACL Census Week of Action
This fact sheet highlights some of the ways that chapters can get involved in the Census Week of Action, from March 22 to 29.
| Edcuate Yourself! | Educate Others! | Fill Out Your Form! |
| Use the info below to make sure you are aware of the importance of the 2010 Census. Learn more from the Census blog, YouTube channel, and Twitter. | Spread the word about the 2010 Census by sharing this page with others in community newsletters, blogs, Facebook, Twitter, and any means you can. | Your form will be sent in mid-March and should be mailed by Census Day on April 1, 2010. Preview the form here: Interactive 2010 Sample Form |
Apply for a Census Bureau job: The U.S. Census Bureau is recruiting temporary, part-time census takers for the 2010 Census. These short-term jobs offer good pay, flexible hours, paid training, and reimbursement for authorized work-related expenses. They are excellent for people who want to work part-time, those who are between jobs, or just about anyone who wants to earn extra money. Best of all, census takers work right in their own communities. For more information, please go here: http://2010.census.gov/2010censusjobs/.
Why the 2010 Census Matters:
It's Easy. The 2010 Census will be the easiest and shortest census form ever. There are 10 questions that take about 10 minutes to fill out. The forms will be sent to your home in mid-March 2010. Just drop it back in the mail after filling it out by Census Day on April 1, 2010!
It's Important. Census data is crucial for all communities to receive their share of over $400 billion in federal funds, political representation in Congress, the state legislature, and city council, and services such as transportation, schools, and health care. Everyone counts!
It's Safe. Privacy and confidentiality are paramount for the Census Bureau. Under Title 13 of the U.S. Code, Information cannot be disclosed by the bureau to anyone including government and law enforcement agencies. Not even the Patriot Act can breach confidential Census data. Violators are subject to federal prosecution and up to $250,000 in fines.
Links for more information about the 2010 Census:
Asian Americans and the Census: www.asianamericancensus.org
Asian American Census Toolkit PDF: Download Here
Census Bureau Website: www.2010.census.gov
Census Short Stories
Census Short Stories is a weekly column in the JACL DC Digest that tells one story about the Census each week until Census Day on April 1, 2010. Some stories are about Japanese Americans and the Census and others are about how the census counts populations like overseas Americans, college students, and displaced persons from Hurricane Katrina. Check the bottom of each week’s DC Digest (starting from November 16, 2009) for new stories each week or subscribe to the JACL news digest sent once a week.
Census Short Story #16/20: The Race Question
Did you know that in 1997, a federal task force recommended abandoning the idea of adding a multiracial classification on census forms? To not count for those of mixed race would not fully capture the cultural landscape of the United States as well as give inaccurate numbers of multiple communities. Racial minorities are historically undercounted and this would not help. Fortunately, the recommendation did not happen.
Here is what the 2010 Race Question looks like:
If someone is full Japanese or another Asian group, they can simply check off the correct box or write it in. What if someone is mixed race or ethnicity?
Those of mixed race/ethnicity are able to check more than one category in response to the race question. This allows, for example, a person who has a White parent and a Japanese parent to check both the White box and the Japanese box.
Although checking the multiple boxes for those of mixed race may seem simple, identity is not as easy as checking the box. The State of the JACL and numerous studies show the high rate of out marriage among Japanese Americans in the later generations. Here are concerns to be aware of:
- Mixed Race/Ethnicity: Those of mixed race/ethnicity are able to check more than one category in response to the race question. This allows, for example, a person who has a White parent and a Japaneseparent to check both the White box and the Japanese box.
- Race and Head of Household:Counting a household is different from counting all the individuals in it. The census only counts mixed-race households if the person of color completes the form as Person #1. As Asian Americans are historically undercounted, it is important that mixed families report the person of color as the head of household.
- Racial Identity: Some mixed people may identify more with one part of their race than others and fill out incomplete data. In order to get an accurate portrait of the Japanese and all American community, it is important for mixed people to check off all appropriate boxes even if they do not identify with each category.
This Census Short Story is about how to fill out your form. The 2010 Census is in 4 weeks. Make sure you count!
