NYC Public Libraries Enlisted for Census 2020 Count
On August 1, 2019, Mayor Bill De Blasio put $1.4 million to enlist NYC Public Libraries to help with census outreach and count, including New York Public Library, Queens Public Library, and Brooklyn Public Library branches. The Brooklyn Eagle published an article on August 5, 2019 called "Mayor enlists Brooklyn Public Library to help with 2020 Census count". The article highlighted the urgency of Census 2020 outreach in hard to count districts, and the crucial role that the census will play in redistricting, rezoning, and redistributing representatives and $650 billion in federal funding for communities across the nation. The hardest to count districts often compose of mostly People of Color, immigrant, and low income communities, with Brooklyn making up one of the hardest to count counties in all of New York State.
CPC's President and CEO, Wayne Ho, the many advocates and community-based organizations concerned about a fair count applaud the Brooklyn Eagle for bringing attention to this topic, and for emphasizing the important impact that language accessible and community based outreach will have on undercounted communities.
Wayne Ho said to the Brooklyn Eagle:
"CPC applauds the inclusion of census support for libraries across New York City and celebrates the enhanced services provided in historically undercounted communities. Asian-American and Pacific Islander New Yorkers continue to grow in numbers and should be accurately counted in the 2020 Census.”