For the 2020 Census, KYCC and various community stakeholders will partner with the U.S. Census Bureau to count an increasingly diverse and growing population in Los Angeles. KYCC staff will plan awareness, education and outreach efforts in the coming months to support a complete and accurate count of every resident in the United States.
Every ten years, the U.S. Census Bureau counts our population and households to provide the basis for reapportioning congressional seats, redistricting and distributing more than $675 billion in federal funds annually to support housing, education, transportation, employment, health care and public policy efforts.
KYCC will be working in hard-to-count communities to dispel myths and allay fears about the Census. Census participation among parents and caregivers of young children is particularly low due to a lack of understanding about the Census and concerns around privacy of responses, especially for those with immigration status.
Messages about the confidentiality of their legal status will be key in creating trust and dispelling incorrect information about the Census. Families in overcrowded housing situations are also likely to underreport the people in their household due to fears that their landlord will evict them. KYCC will be working on campaign messages and social assets to address these specific barriers.
KYCC will also be working hand-in-hand with the First 5 Association of California to encourage parents and caregivers of children ages 0-8 to count young kids in the upcoming Census. One million children ages 0-5 weren’t counted in the 2010 Census, and California had the highest 0-5 undercount of all the states. KYCC’s preschool, Kids Town, will be working with parents and grandparents to raise awareness about the importance of this year’s Census.
“We are working with partner organizations and community members to educate immigrant populations in Koreatown and the Greater Los Angeles area on the importance of participating in this year’s Census. An accurate count will support federal funds for schools, child care, medical care, food assistance programs and so much more. A lot is at stake especially for low-income, people of color who have been historically underrepresented in the Census,” says Steve Kang, Director of External Affairs at Koreatown Youth and Community Center. “The federal government allocates approximately $2,000 per year for 10 years to your local community (parks, road repairs, highways, schools, etc) so it is extremely important that everyone participates!”
To learn more about how you can be counted for the 2020 Census, please visit: https://2020census.gov/
