Don't Miss Your "Shot" At A Call From Lin-Manuel Miranda When You Fill Out The 2020 Census

Hamilton star partners with NYC Census 2020 to call New Yorkers who complete the census

NEW YORK -- NYC Census 2020 today announced a new contest, “You Can Count on New York,” featuring Lin-Manuel Miranda as part of the city’s effort to urge New Yorkers to complete the 2020 Census. Starting April 22nd and running through April 29th, residents who complete the census online and enter the contest could win a personal phone call from Miranda. 

To be entered into the contest, New Yorkers must complete the census at my2020census.gov on their computer or smartphone, take a photo or screenshot of the confirmation screen, e-mail the image, their name, neighborhood and borough, and one sentence about what the census means to them to info@census.nyc.gov. For full contest rules, visit https://www1.nyc.gov/site/census/get-involved/count-on-new-york.page.

“Lin-Manuel Miranda represents the spirit and tenacity of New York City in so many ways, and we are grateful to partner with him on the census,” said Julie Menin, Director of NYC Census 2020. “This contest will help motivate our communities across New York to fill out the census and receive funding that these neighborhoods need for hospitals, healthcare, schools and other vital needs in the decade to come."

NYC Census 2020 previously worked with Miranda on one of several public service announcements from celebrities and other high-profile figures, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and performer Cardi B, in order to get out the census count. The PSAs have emphasized how the census is safe, easy to fill out, and vital for New Yorkers to make their voices heard and their communities counted.

Given the spread of COVID-19, the NYC Census 2020 campaign is focused on encouraging New Yorkers to self-respond to the census now. If New Yorkers take a few minutes to self-respond now from the safety and security of their own homes, they will avoid a knock on their door during the door-to-door enumeration period over the summer.

The census is now more accessible than ever, and it can be completed without leaving the home or coming into contact with any other person. All New Yorkers can complete the census by visiting My2020Census.gov or by calling 1-844-330-22020. 

The census determines whether New York City receives its fair share of hundreds of billions distributed by the federal government every year for important programs and services. The census also leads to direct investments in New York City's health care system. For example, census data determines allocations for funding for CHIP and hospitals. What's more, it's how public health officials get the foundational data that public health experts use to plan for and manage situations like COVID-19. 

The more New Yorkers who fill out the census, the more money the city receives for schools, health care, transportation, job training, and so much more. The census also determines each state's fair share of representation in Congress, as well as how local, state, and federal legislative district lines are drawn, meaning the power of New York City's voice in Washington, D.C., and Albany is also based on the census.

New Yorkers can fill out the census at my2020census.gov or via 15 different phone lines:

About NYC Census 2020

NYC Census 2020 is a first-of-its-kind organizing initiative established by Mayor de Blasio in January 2019 to ensure a complete and accurate count of all New Yorkers in the 2020 Census. The $40 million program is built on four pillars: (1) a $19 million community-based awards program, The New York City Complete Count Fund, empowering 157 community-based organizations to engage historically undercounted communities around the 2020 Census; (2) an in-house "Get Out the Count" field campaign supported by the smart use of cutting-edge data and organizing technology, and a volunteer organizing program to promote a complete count in each of the city’s 245 neighborhoods; (3) an innovative, multilingual, tailored messaging and marketing campaign, including a $3 million commitment to investing in community and ethnic media to reach every New York City community; as well as (4) an in-depth Agency and Partnerships engagement plan that seeks to leverage the power of the City's 350,000-strong workforce and the city's major institutions, including libraries, hospitals, faith-based communities, cultural institutions, higher educational institutions, and more, to communicate with New Yorkers about the critical importance of census participation. Through close partnerships with trusted leaders and organizations across the five boroughs, this unprecedented campaign represents the largest municipal investment in census organizing nationwide and will build an enduring structure that empowers New Yorkers to remain civically engaged.