Census Power: Why Muslims, Immigrants, Communities of Color Must be Counted

[IMPORTANT: In mid-March, homes across the country will begin receiving invitations to complete the 2020 Census. Once the invitation arrives, you should respond for your home in one of three ways: online, by phone, or by mail.]

The Trump administration tried its hardest to scare our communities away from participating in the 2020 Census this year because they know how important it is for for building political power and securing resources.

Their attempts to include a citizenship question on the census FAILED. We repeat: The Trump admin’s attempts to include a question about people’s immigration status on the 2020 Census was denied .

So who does the census count? Every person living in the U.S. regardless of their immigration status. The U.S. Constitution mandates this count every 10 years (which, in turn, impacts funding, resources, and political representation for the next ten years). This count determines where billions of dollars are distributed every year and where over a trillion in federal funding is distributed over the next decade.

We need to achieve a full and complete count of all communities to ensure fair representation in Congress and full funding for programs like Medicaid, highway planning and construction, Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), health center programs, and so much more.

It’s crucial that our communities are counted. Information collected from the census is used to make decisions on things like:

• Funding for schools and roads
• Funding for healthcare for children, the elderly, and low-income
• Political empowerment including redistricting and representation in Congress and the Electoral College

Here’s the problem: Muslims, immigrants, working people, rural communities, and communities of color are historically undercounted by the census. This decreases funding to our communities for things like schools and healthcare and further limits our civic voice and representation.

We need to achieve a full and complete count of all communities to ensure fair representation in Congress and full funding for programs like Medicaid, highway planning and construction, Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), health center programs, and so much more.

If our communities are undercounted, we stand to lose over eight billion in federal funding every year for 10 years.

The good news is over 80% of the census will be online this year. If you don’t have internet access, you can opt-in to complete a paper mail-in form instead.

CAIR Washington and Somali Health Board will be hosting information sessions on completing the 2020 Census across the greater Seattle-area (with an emphasis on South King County). So be sure to follow us on Facebook and sign up for our newsletter to get notified as soon as we announce the dates and locations.

As Miss Stacey Abrams said , “Answer the census so you can get your money and your political power.”

Go to 2020census.gov for more information on the 2020 Census and check out these 2020 Census guides available in 60 languages: bit.ly/censusguides

WATCH our 2020 Census videos “ #WeCount “ campaign featuring local community leaders.

👉 Want to get paid to help out with census outreach? If you are passionate about social justice and advocacy work then this is the perfect opportunity for you! We’re recruiting volunteers on a first-come, first-serve basis and are paying $25 for each jummah session volunteers do outreach at! Volunteers must commit to at least two sessions a month . Sign up at bit.ly/outreachvolunteer2020

Questions? Email our Community Organizer Najma Osman at nosman@cair.com