Today is April 1st, Census Day! Census Day is a chance to make a real difference in our communities. We can help our communities get the schools, hospitals, and roads we need. By filling out the 2020 Census, we make sure that all of us are counted. If we don’t get counted, we don’t count.
What is the Census?
- The Census counts every person in the US. Period. Every ten years, the Census counts every person living in the United States. If you haven’t already, you will receive a letter from the U.S. Census Bureau with a census ID inviting you to participate in the 2020 Census. If you misplaced your letter or missed it, don’t worry! You can still complete the census online. By law, everyone must participate. It is safe, easy, and confidential. The Census can be filled out online, by phone, or through a paper form.
- Is it safe? Yes. The Census will not ask for immigration status, Social Security number, money or donation, anything on behalf of a political party, or your bank and credit card numbers. That includes your citizenship status.
Why should I take it?
- Ensure resources for your community. The Census provides data that is critical in determining federal funding that will go towards our communities. such as schools, hospitals, healthcare, emergency response, roads, and more. By filling out the 2020 Census, we make sure that all of us are counted. If we don’t get counted, we don’t count.
How do I participate?
- Take the Census. The 2020 Census is crucial to securing funding for resources like public education and healthcare. But did you know it also determines voting districts? For the first time, you can take the census online at my2020census.gov. By now, you should have received a census ID in the mail. Enter your census ID and make sure our communities are represented! If you don’t have an ID, that’s okay! You can still fill the Census out online. For more information and translated resources go to www.apiavote.org/census.
Where do I find more information?
- Visit 2020census.gov. The 2020 Census is crucial to securing funding for resources like public education and healthcare. The official U.S. Census Bureau website has information on the upcoming census, updates in these changing times, language resources, and more.
- Visit our language pages at apiavote.org/census2020. APIAVote has created language resource pages in 26 Asian and Pacific Islander languages that includes translated resources, in-language video guides, and official language glossaries.
- Call our hotline at 1-888-APIVOTE for more assistance. We offer bilingual assistance in English, Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Bengali, Urdu, and Hindi. The hotline is live from 8:30 AM ET to 8:30 PM ET seven days a week. If you cannot get through to a live operator, please leave a voicemail and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
How do I take Action?
- Watch and share this video. APIAVote has created a two-minute Census PSA in 26 different Asian and Pacific Islander languages explaining why you should take the census and how. Share this video with your friends and family to make sure everyone, even those who are not English proficient, takes the Census. Click here for the playlist.
- Empowering Pacific Islander Communities (EPIC) has released Census videos for the Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities. Click here to watch the videos.
- AARP has also released two PSAs on filling out the Census form and why the U.S. Census is so important. Both PSAs are available in Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, Japanese, Vietnamese, Hmong, Lao, Thai, Khmer, Punjabi, Hindi, Urdu, Gujarati, Nepali, Telugu, Tagalog, Burmese, and Bengali. Click here to see the playlist of all the videos.
- Post on social media. Did you already take the census? Great! We challenge you to post on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram (or all three) using the hashtags #AAPI2020 and #CountUsin telling us you’ve completed the Census. Make sure to tag us @APIAVote, and tag five friends challenging them to do the same!
- On Facebook? Change your Facebook frame to #AAPI2020’s “I Counted” frame! Click your profile picture, click add frame, and search #AAPI2020.
- Looking for other things to post? See this toolkit from the #AAPI2020 Census Week of Action for informational graphics that can be posted any time.
- College students, listen up! If you are no longer on campus or are displaced by the pandemic, make sure you still count yourself where you would normally be April 1st. If it’s off-campus housing, make sure you work with your roommates to fill out the census together at that address! If you normally would be in a dorm, your school or university should be already counting you through group quarters. Challenge five friends with a #DecadeGlowUp to show how important it is to take the Census every 10 years.
Practicing social distancing? Tag us @APIAVote on social media and tell us how you’re raising awareness about the Census while staying inside!
| Questions or media requests? Email census@apiavote.org. |
