NYC Census 2020 and MinKwon Convene Emergency Press Conference in Flushing, Queens
With President Trump cutting the census count by one month to depress responses among immigrants, NYC Census 2020 and MinKwon convene an emergency press conference with advocates from Flushing, Queens
NYC set to potentially lose billions for COVID-19 relief, up to two seats in Congress and the Electoral College, which decides the Presidency
New York — At 10:00 AM on Saturday, August 29, NYC Census 2020 and the MinKwon Center for Community Action will host an emergency press conference in Flushing to raise awareness about the shortened census timeline and mobilize the community to respond to the census and encourage their neighbors, friends, and family to do so. The press conference is also a direct response to President Trump's cutting of the 2020 Census count by one month, a move designed to depress responses among immigrants and rob New York City of billions for critical programs, as well as congressional representation and seats in the Electoral College, for the next 10 years.
Currently (as of August 26), Flushing has a 56.4% self-response rate, behind the rest of the city (57%) and the rest of the nation (64.2%). Additionally, the census tracts with the highest concentrations of Chinese and Korean New Yorkers are trailing the rest of Flushing. All of this is compounded by the fact President Trump shortened the census self-response period and the non-response follow-up period, adding a new sense of urgency around all census efforts in Queens and NYC.
After the press conference, participating organizations will provide census form assistance at a food distribution site, Bland Houses in Flushing with La Jornada.
Members of the press must pre-register for this event by contacting Sona Rai at srai@census.nyc.gov.
What: An emergency press conference in Flushing to mobilize the greater community to respond to the census
Who:
- Amit Singh Bagga, Deputy Director of NYC Census 2020
- Dennis Walcott, President of Queens Public Library
- Chuck Park, Civic Participation Manager of Minkwon Center
- Pedro Rodriguez, Director of La Jornada
- Council Member Peter Koo
- Ellen Young, Senior Advisor of Assemblyman Ron Kim's Office
- Sudha Acharya, Executive Director of South Asian Council for Social Services
- John Choe, Executive Director of Flushing Chamber of Commerce
- Dongchan Kim, President of Korean American Civic Empowerment
- Charles Yoon, President of the Korean American Association of Greater New York
- Also in attendance: Asian American for Equality, the YWCA of Queens, Flushing Central Lions Club, Korean Community Services, the Chinese Christian Herald Crusades and Asian American Alliance
When: Saturday, August 29
- Press conference starts at 10:00 am Eastern Time
Where: In front of Queens Public Library, Flushing
41-17 Main St, Flushing NY 11355
Transit options:
- Bus: Q19, Q44, Q58, and Q66
- Subway: 7 Train to Main Street (last stop)
- Train (LIRR): Port Washington Line to Flushing-Main Street
Why:
- New York City is in a census crisis: The city's self-response rate is 57%, compared to the rest of the nation (64.2%).
- Only 35 days left to respond; all communities must be mobilized to respond now.
- There are no questions about citizenship or immigration on the census, and all answers are completely confidential and cannot be shared with anyone -- not immigration or tax authorities, and not with any law enforcement authorities or landlords.
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.
About MinKwon
Established in 1984, the MinKwon Center for Community Action empowers the Korean American community and works with the wider Asian American and immigrant communities to achieve economic and social justice for all. We envision a just and equitable society where all people can live in harmony, dream and achieve their full potential.