Washington, DC – SEARAC joins Asian American and Southeast Asian American (SEAA) leaders from across the country this week to remind households that time is running out to be counted in the 2020 Census.
During this week’s 2020 Census Asian Week of Action, SEARAC and other Asian and Asian American community leaders are urging everyone to respond now online at 2020census.gov, by phone, or by mail. The deadline to respond to be counted is Sept. 30, 2020.
Three in 10 households have not yet responded to the census. Those households that have not responded will be getting a visit from a census taker to assist them in completing their questionnaire. Locally hired census takers will be wearing masks, adhering to social distancing, and following local guidelines for health and safety. For more information on the latest census updates, visit SEARAC’s 2020 Census website, which also includes a series of 2020 Census 2020 fact sheets translated into five SEAA languages, stories from community members, and shareable maps, social media graphics, and other resources.
“We are inspired by and grateful to our community partners who have tirelessly continued to get Southeast Asian American communities counted despite obvious attempts to suppress the census and also while providing essential services and support in the midst of a pandemic,” said Katrina Dizon Mariategue, SEARAC’s Acting Executive Director. “The funding, resources, and data that are crucial for our communities to thrive will have been possible because of the work of fierce SEAA census advocates and ambassadors across the country. As we approach the finish line to this once-a-decade event, we will not lose steam or sight of our goal for a complete and accurate 2020 Census count.”
Julie Lam is the director of the US Census Bureau’s Los Angeles Regional Office. The first and only Asian American leading one of the Census Bureau’s six regional offices, Lam has been with the agency for three decades and has experienced firsthand the benefits of an accurate census count. “I immigrated to the US from Vietnam when I was a child,” Lam said. “The small town that we moved to offered an English as a Second Language program that helped our family tremendously, and the program was available because census data showed that the town needed it. That’s why it’s imperative that my fellow Asians take this chance, their last opportunity to respond to the 2020 Census. We cannot miss out on funding for the services we need over the next 10 years.”
“The 2020 Census Asian Week of Action is a national, integrated effort involving numerous organizations working together to get the message out about why our community needs to make sure everyone is counted,” said Tim Wang, founder of TDW+Co, the communications firm providing support to the US Census Bureau in reaching Asian audiences. “We can’t wait another 10 years to be counted. We need an accurate count now to plan for our community needs, like schools, roads, and health facilities.”
For more in-language information about the 2020 Census, visit 2020census.gov/languages.
