The Census 2010 Community Education and Outreach Project Launched

    The Asian Pacific American Legal Resource Center (APALRC) launched a multi-pronged education and advocacy initiative — The Census 2010 Community Education and Outreach Project — to mobilize Asian Pacific Americans (APAs) in the D.C. metropolitan region, particularly in Northern Virginia, to participate in the 2010 Census.  The main goal of the project is to increase the 2010 Census mail response-rate by limited-English proficient APA residents, who have been historically undercounted, by providing them with accurate census information in culturally appropriate and linguistically competent ways.  This initiative was launched via a subgrant of the Asian American Justice Center.

“Participating in the Census can ensure that benefits, funding, and services are geared toward the APA community,” stated Myron Dean Quon, APALRC Executive Director.  “Furthermore, this confidential process will provide disaggregated data for different Asian American and Pacific Islander ethnicities that are crucial to ensuring the local needs of the community are addressed.”

Van-Anh Nguyen, APALRC Census Organizer, has begun collaborate efforts with local community partner organizations and government agencies and developed informational materials in different Asian languages to reach and educate Asian immigrant families in the region, particularly Korean, Vietnamese, and South Asian residents in Northern Virginia.  The purpose of these outreach materials is to clearly explain the importance of completing the census questionnaire, reduce fears about confidentiality issues, educate community members regarding census procedures, and assist limited-English proficient APA residents navigate through the U.S. Census Bureau’s Questionnaire Assistance Centers.

“The need to connect with hard-to-count community members is critical,” said Sarabjeet Kapoor, APALRC Staff Attorney.  “Each additional APA member counted increases resources, including those that address domestic violence in the Asian immigrant community.”

Ensuring an accurate and fair count of Asian Pacific Americans in the region is vital because the Census data will be used over the next decade as a key statistical resource, affecting major decisions, including allocation of federal and state funding, apportionment of seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, and defining legislature districts.

The U.S. Census Bureau will mail a 10-question census form to households beginning late February through March 2010.  The respondents need to complete the form based on their expected residency on April 1, 2010, known as “National Census Day.”

For more information, please contact Van-Anh Nguyen, APALRC Census Organizer at Census.Organizer@apalrc.org.