FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 3, 2019
CONTACTS
Anthony Hill
404-835-2891
anthony@faircount.org
CJ Epps
202-263-2812
Media@CBCFinc.org
ATLANTA — Fair Count, Inc. and the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Inc. (CBCF) today launched a series of data trainings to create targeted census maps to help guide outreach and mobilization efforts in hard-to-count (HTC) communities across the nation. Using Fair Count’s model to identify the communities, by December 2019, CBCF and Fair Count will review census turnout rates in low income Black and Latinx communities that may not have Internet access, as well as other communities that lack the resources to accurately complete the 2020 Census in numbers comparable to other communities, populations, or regions.
The maps, an initiative of ‘Black America Counts’, will identify the areas of the greatest need at the county level. Announced during CBCF’s 2019 Annual Legislative Conference, ‘Black America Counts’, a partnership with Fair Count and CBCF, is a campaign designed to increase participation in the 2020 Census by Black and Latinx populations in all 50 states.
“In 2010, 3.8 million Black people and 3.9 million people of Hispanic origin were missed in the census,” said Dr. Jeanine Abrams McLean, Vice President, Fair Count. “This loss to communities in representation, federal resources, and political power—particularly in communities of color—is seismic. I am thrilled to be working with the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation in creative ways to close this gap for 2020 and ensure that all people are fairly and accurately counted and equally represented.”
Fair Count and CBCF, in cooperation with CBCF research interns, will use the data to create and launch a nationwide awareness campaign about the 2020 Census targeted to Black and Latinx populations. Fair Count’s partnership in this larger national effort was created from its commitment to achieving a fair and accurate count of HTC populations in Georgia.
“CBCF specializes in conducting rigorous policy analysis and research, and works to provide insights into the characteristics and needs of the global black community,” said Dr. Menna Demessie, CBCF’s Vice President, Center for Policy Analysis and Research. “We are proud to partner with Fair Count to help ensure all black and brown communities achieve equity in the 2020 U.S. Census, and in accessing essential resources.”
Every 10 years, the Census Bureau counts every person in America. That count steers hundreds of billions of dollars for critical services like health care and education; guides the drawing of lines for political districts and school zones; and informs businesses and employers about opportunities for growth and economic development. However, with every census, certain populations — particularly people of color and immigrants — are historically undercounted, resulting in a loss in both resources and political power.
About Fair Count
Founded by Stacey Abrams in 2019, Fair Count, Inc. is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to partnering with HTC communities to achieve a fair and accurate count of all people in Georgia and the nation in the 2020 Census and to strengthening the pathways to greater civic participation. For more information about Fair Count, visit faircount.org.
About the CBCF
Established in 1976, the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Inc. (CBCF) is a non-partisan, nonprofit, public policy, research and educational institute committed to advancing the global black community by developing leaders, informing policy and educating the public. For more information, visit cbcfinc.org.
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