Changing Face of America
The U.S. ethnic and racial composition has significantly changed since 2000 and is projected to continue growing after the 2010 Census. The Census Bureau is making important strides to inform and assist a wide variety of ethnic communities and language groups including outreach efforts to the Arab American community.
One way the U.S. Census Bureau and its partners hope to increase participation of Arabic speakers is through language assistance materials. Language Assistance Guides will provide in-language help to answer the English-language census form. Additionally, Arabic-language 2010 Census brochures, fact sheets, and frequently asked questions are available for download on the Census Bureau Web site, www.2010census.gov.
The Census Bureau is increasing efforts to inform Arab Americans about these new resources and the importance of filling out the form. A national advertising campaign will launch in January and continue airing when the census forms mail in March of 2010. The campaign includes Arabic-language advertisements on TV, radio, print, and online Arab-American media outlets that explain the direct benefits of the census. The data decides how many seats each state occupies in the House of Representatives, and helps allocate over $400 billion in funding to community hospitals, transportation, schools, and emergency services.
Several Arab American organizations and community leaders currently serve as national partners to help reach this audience. Helen Samhan, director of the Arab American Institute (AAI), an official Census Bureau partner, has been very active in educating the community about the importance and benefits of the census. She advises community members to “consider it one easy, safe and important step you can take to empower your family, your neighborhood, your community.”
In addition, Commerce Secretary Gary Locke recognized the community with a visit to Dearborn, Mich. where he urged community leaders to spread the word about the 2010 Census and help fight misperceptions. He states, “The 2010 Census won’t just be a reflection of our country. It will actually shape it profoundly in the years to come.”
The 2010 Census form will also be the shortest in history, with only ten short questions asking for information such as name, gender, age, date of birth, race, and whether respondents own or rent their home. There are no questions about immigration status, Social Security Numbers, or political and religious affiliations. All responses are confidential and used for statistical purposes only.
For more information about the 2010 Census, visit http://2010.census.gov