CENSUS 2010: MAKE YOURSELF COUNT
You can help traditionally undeserved refugee communities in San Diego County get their fair share of resource allocations based on census data by advocating for a 'complete count.'
Background: Home to more than 150,000 refugees, asylum seekers, and asylees from Southeast Asia, East Africa, Burma, Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran, Bosnia, Kosovo, the Former Soviet Union and other war-torn regions of the world, San Diego is an exceptionalluy diverse part of the US. A prevalant distrust of
government based on a history of oppression and persecution in these populations, along with often low literacy rates as a result of years and decades spent in refugee camps without access to educational opportunities, historically have resulted in an "undercount" of refugee communities in th decennialcensus. Indeed, San Diego County has the second highest number of people living in 'hard-to-count' areas in California, and ranks 11th in the nation.The census is critically important to vulnerable and underrepresented populations such as refugees:
- Over a ten year period, $400 billion in federal government expenditures, as well as billions of additional state dollars, are apportioned to local communities for health, education, transportation and other programs, based on census data.
- The census data inform local government decisions about population distribution and needs, and where to invest in roads, hospitals, schools, elderly care and workforce training.
- Political representation at the federal, state and local levels is determined based on census data.
The California Endowment has selected the San Diego Refugee Forum and its member organizations to spearhead the 'Make Yourself Count' census advocacy inititive among San Diego's diverse refugee communities.
WHAT IS THE 'MAKE YOURSELF COUNT' INITIATIVE?
Participant organizations identify two staff persons to spearhead the advocacy efforts in their organization as part of their regular work in the community from now until June 30, 2010 and receive a stipend for those 'outreach workers.' The amount of the stipend will depend on the total number of participants - all stipends will be in the same amount.
It is not required to build a new program component around 'Make Yourself Count,' but additional activities highlighting the importance of the census to the community, such as census awareness rallies and the inclusion of information on the census and its importance in the context of other events and organizational publications are encouraged.
Participants also receive census outreach and education materials translated into common refugee languages in postcard and poster format to distribute to individuals and families as well as within the communities they serve.
It is not required to build a new program component around 'Make Yourself Count,' but additional activities highlighting the importance of the census to the community, such as census awareness rallies and the inclusion of information on the census and its importance in the context of other events and organizational publications are encouraged.
Participants also receive census outreach and education materials translated into common refugee languages in postcard and poster format to distribute to individuals and families as well as within the communities they serve.
HOW CAN WE PARTICIPATE IN THE 'MAKE YOURSELF COUNT' INITIATIVE?
The time frame to declare your commitment to participating in the census initiative and receive stipends for outreach activities has now passed.
The participant organizations will be announced at the February 16, 2010 general meeting of the San Diego Refugee Forum.
Regardless of participation status, every agency and individual interfacing with refugees in San Diego is encouraged to provide census advocacy, outreach and education and can request census materials in any common refugee language through the San Diego Refugee Forum.
The participant organizations will be announced at the February 16, 2010 general meeting of the San Diego Refugee Forum.
Regardless of participation status, every agency and individual interfacing with refugees in San Diego is encouraged to provide census advocacy, outreach and education and can request census materials in any common refugee language through the San Diego Refugee Forum.