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Counting on them
Sunset Park civic gurus lay out plan to ensure
area immigrants participate in 2020 Census
BY COLIN MIXSON
Sunset Park civic gurus recently
kicked off a grassroots
effort to encourage
area immigrants to participate
in the looming 2020
Census.
Leaders of Community
Board 7 on Jan. 23 held
the inaugural meeting of
its newly formed Census
Committee, whose offi cers
will work to encourage
members of the district’s
large Asian-American and
Hispanic populations to
participate in the survey,
despite fears that it may
still include a citizenship
question , and the Trump
Administration’s general
hostility towards immigrants.
An accurate count is
critical to ensuring the
community continues to
receive its fair share of
federal funding and representation,
according to the
chairman of the board’s
Immigration Committee.
“This area needs services,
and to get those services
we need to ensure
everyone’s counted,” said
Jimmy Li.
Residents, communityboard
members, and reps
for state Sen. Velmanette
Montgomery (D–Sunset
Park) and Councilman
Carlos Menchaca (D–Sunset
Park) — who is heading
up a census task force
in Council — came out for
the debut session, where attendees
brainstormed mobilization
plans.
Proposals included
hosting workshops to educate
immigrant residents
on their rights and the
importance of the survey,
requisitioning computer
labs at local libraries and
schools where locals can
complete the largely online
survey, and enlisting
faith leaders to use their
pulpits to preach the necessity
of participating
SURVEY SUPPORT: Civic gurus on Community Board 7 kicked off
their efforts to raise awareness of the upcoming 2020 Census
among local immigrants at the inaugural meeting of the panel’s
Census Committee this month.. Associated Press / Michelle R. Smith
in the census.
The Feds rely on information
culled from the
national head count to determine
where to invest
billions in annual state
funding, and how many
seats each state gets in the
House of Representatives,
where New York State is
already expected to lose
up to two pols due to population
loss, according to
a 2018 report published by
Election Data Services.
Members of immigrant
communities have traditionally
shown more of a
reluctance to participate
in the census, and the lingering
threat of a potential
citizenship question —
which a federal judge ruled
against last month , prompting
the Trump Administration
to immediately appeal
the decision — will likely
further dissuade those locals
from participating as
long as it hangs over their
heads, according to a Sunset
Parker.
“I think the citizenship
question is a part of a larger
pattern,” Jorge Muñiz said
at the meeting. “The administration
is trying very
hard to spread fear amongst
immigrant communities.
People are understandably
skeptical anytime the federal
government is reaching
out and trying to collect
information.”
But the CB7 Census
Committee is moving full
speed ahead with its organizing
efforts even as that
legal battle plays out in
court, because its members
want to be prepared for a
fi nal ruling that may not
go in many of their neighbors
favors, according to
its chairwoman.
“We need to prepare for
the worst case scenario,”
said Rovika Rajkishun. “We
can’t wait and then scramble
at the last minute.”
The committee will host
monthly meetings as it continues
to shape its agenda,
and encourages all locals
in its district to attend the
sessions, Rajkishun said.
And CB7 members
aren’t the only ones working
to ensure an accurate
census count.
Borough President Adams
is forging ahead with
his own borough-wide
awareness effort through
his recently formed Brooklyn
Complete Count Committee
, which will work
with civic gurus across
Kings County to encourage
participation.
For information about
upcoming Community
Board 7 Census Committee
meetings, visit the panel’s
website at www1.nyc.gov/
site/brooklyncb7.
Classifieds call (718) 260—2555
/www1.nyc.gov