People with disabilities are an intersectional cross-identity group — we are one of the largest minority populations and counting — and we must be counted in the 2020 Census. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has only underscored the need for a complete and accurate count for all.
What is the Census anyways?
Mandated by the United States Constitution and occurring once every decade, the goal of the United States Census is to count all the individuals living in the United States. This collection of data is used to decide the number of seats each state gets in the U.S. House of Representatives, as well as determine how billions of dollars in federal funds are distributed across the country.
As part of our ongoing Disability Power Series, we hosted a webinar promoting awareness about the 2020 Census. Titled Power and Justice: A 2020 Census Conversation, our webinar featured several census experts, officials, and community leaders, including Jenniqual Johnson (Lead Census Organizer, Metropolitan Congregations United), Horacio Esparza (Executive Director, Progress Center for Independent Living), Kira O’Bradovich (Senior Partnership Specialist, Chicago Regional Office, U.S. Census Bureau), Daisy Feidt (Executive Vice President, Access Living; Co-Chair, Disability Complete Count Committee), and was moderated by me, Alex Perez-Garcia (Associate Director of Development and Communications, Disability Lead; Disability Complete Count Member.) We learned a lot! Here are some takeaways:
Your Count Is Worth a Whopping $18,000
You read that right — it’s not a typo — each count is worth approximately $18,000.
Each community receives about $1,800 of federal funds every year for each person counted from that community. Since the census count occurs every ten years, this means that if you are not counted in the 2020 Census, you are essentially taking away $18,000 from your community between now and 2030.
Think about how quickly that adds up. If 20 average-sized households are not counted in your community, that’s a loss of one million dollars of federal funds that might have otherwise gone towards local healthcare services, energy and food subsidies, early childhood education, special education, accessible sidewalks, and even highways.
Take action: Get 10 people in your community to fill out the census. (Raising $180,000 for your community has never been so easy!)
The 2020 Census Directly Affects People With Disabilities
Though questions relating to disability are not included, the 2020 Census still has a direct impact on people with disabilities. The more people who are not counted, the less money that comes in. Without an accurate count, services that many people with disabilities rely on — like employment rehabilitation services, accessible and integrated housing, special education — cannot get the funding they need to thrive.
Side note: Though disability is not on the 2020 Census, the Census Bureau regularly sends out an additional survey called the American Community Survey (ACS), which gathers more detailed demographics from the U.S. population — including disability information. The ACS is sent to a percentage of the population on a rotating basis — each household can expect to receive one roughly every five years. Cook County alone has about half a million people with disabilities.
The Census Bureau Is Committed to Accessibility
Not only can the 2020 Census be filled out online, by mail, or phone (including a TTD number for those who are D/deaf or hard of hearing), the 2020 Census website has a language support page with guides in 59 non-English languages, including American Sign Language, as well as offers braille and large print formats.
Unfortunately, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, maintaining 100% accessibility has been more challenging than anticipated. Due to safety concerns, it has been harder to reach those who are unhoused, homeless, or live in group quarters like nursing home facilities. Furthermore, many places that might have offered census resources, including libraries (oftentimes the only place people can access the internet), have been closed to the public due to safety reasons. This hasn’t stopped those committed to promoting the census for their communities — they’ve just had to get creative with their outreach efforts. Utilizing community organizing principles, community-led organizations have stationed census organizers at various hotspots, like PPE distribution centers (where free masks and sanitizer are handed out) or food banks, to talk to every person coming through about their census power.
There’s Still Time — but the Clock Is Ticking
The count for the 2020 Census is ending soon. Currently, only about two-thirds of all U.S. households have completed the census — that means roughly one-third of people have yet to be counted.
If you haven’t filled out the census, now’s your chance. You can either fill it out online or by phone. A few minutes of your time will make an enormous difference for your community and your day-to-day life. You will fulfill your civic duty and your response will be completely confidential.
You’ve Completed the 2020 Census — Now What?
Let everyone on your social media accounts know that the 2020 Census count ends soon. Really drive home the fact that it can be easily filled out online (in 13 languages) or via phone (also in several languages), making sure to include the fact that it takes very little effort and time — about as much as drinking a cup of coffee. Reassure them that their data will remain completely confidential. Title 13 of the United States Code guarantees that the data collected by the Census Bureau is strictly for the use of statistics: “Personal information cannot be used against respondents by any government agency or court.” This applies to everyone, including undocumented immigrants, the homeless, or anyone who might have reason to be concerned that sharing personal data with the government could be detrimental to their safety. Because #YesWeCount.
Go to 2020census.gov and ensure a complete count today.