Starting on Monday of this week, 90% of households received an advance letter from the US Census Bureau warning that the official census questionnaires will be mailed next week, March 15-19. While the letter may seem redundant, remember that most people need to see a piece of information multiple times before they remember it! The Census Bureau has done their homework, and sending this advance letter creates an increase in the overall response rate that ends up saving us money later on. According to Census Bureau Director Robert Groves,for every 1% increase in questionnaires mailed back, $85 million in operational costs is saved because census enumerators don’t have to provide door-to-door follow-up. Remember, millions of young people are filling out the census for the first time, as well as all the new immigrants and refugees who have settled in the United States in the last ten years. Education is needed!

To further prepare people, here is additional information on how to fill out your census form:

The most important thing to remember is that you count everyone who is living at your house on April 1, 2010.
-          This includes family, roommates, or foreign students living abroad.
-          College students living away from home and military personnel stationed on barracks are counted AT their school or base, NOT at their previous residence. People in nursing homes are counted at the nursing home, and people in prison are counted at their prison.

There is NO QUESTION asking for immigration status
-          Your answers are absolutely confidential! There is absolutely no risk in listing all occupants of a household, even if it is against the building code, or if residents do not have all of their paperwork.

In a new change, respondents are able to list multiple races and ethnicities for themselves
-          It is very important that minorities and immigrants list their race and heritage, it is a assertion of presence unlike anything else, and without it, we won’t be able to prove how large the immigrant populations in St. Louis really are!

And most importantly, if you need ANY kind of help filling out your census form, there are many ways to receive assistance.
-          Questionnaire Assistance Centers will be available throughout the city, including at the International Institute.
-          There will also be telephone assistance lines and stations where new questionnaires can be picked up if you don’t receive one in the mail.
-          Stay tuned for more info on the sites where people can go to get help filling out their census form!

So remember, during the week of March 15-19, official census questionnaires will be delivered! Once received, everyone needs to fill it out and send it in to guarantee that their communities receive the resources they deserve! And now that the long form has been removed from the decennial census, there are only ten easy questions to answer, which can be viewed here:http://2010.census.gov/2010census/how/interactive-form.php

As an organization that serves refugees and immigrants, the International Institute places a high priority on providing the most comprehensive language services to our clients as we can offer. The 2010 Census has a number of different strategies to help non-English speakers fill out the census form quickly and accurately.

The first important fact for St. Louisans to know is that in March 2010, the questionnaire arriving in the mail will be in English. For the first time, the census is mailing official bilingual questionnaires in Spanish/English, but these will only be sent out in districts with a substantial majority of Spanish speakers, and no districts in St. Louis qualify for this service.

But, residents who need language assistance will be able to easily obtain translated forms in:Spanish, Simplified Chinese, Korean, Russian, or Vietnamese. These are the five primary non-English languages, determined by previous census studies as the languages most in need of translated services. Hundreds of community areas designated as ‘Be Counted!’ sites will have these materials on hand. As soon as these sites are finalized, the information will be spread quickly!

Telephone assistance is available for the five primary non-English languages (Spanish, Simplified Chinese, Korean, Russian, and Vietnamese). These open, toll-free lines will provide live, confidential assistance in completing the census form. Stay tuned for more info when the numbers to call are released!

But don’t think that those five languages are the only ones the Census Bureau cares about! They have also created Language Assistance Guides to help non-English speakers complete their form. These guides are available in 59 languages, including: Nepali, Somali, Arabic, Croatian, Farsi, and more. They can be downloaded here,http://2010.census.gov/partners/materials/inlanguage.php and will be available at Questionnaire Assistance Centers across the nation.

The International Institute will be a Questionnaire Assistance Center, where people who need extra assistance can come to receive confidential help. Language barriers, the illiterate or disabled, or people who just have a question or two are welcome to come in to receive whatever assistance they need! QACs will be open at different times for 15 hours each week, so make sure you are aware of the hours each center is open!

How far would you go to protect confidential information at your job? In 1980, four agents from the FBI entered the Census Bureau’s office in Colorado Springs, armed with a search warrant authorizing them to seize census documents. While FBI agents and a search warrant would normally trump any instructions you may have at your workplace, a local census worker knew that the law states that all census information is absolutely confidential – including to the FBI, CIA, IRS, law enforcement, etc. This worker refused to allow the FBI access to census documents, and successfully held the agents off until the situation was resolved with her superiors. This is just one example of the commitment census workers have to their positions.

All answers you give while filling out your census form are strictly confidential, and protected under the law (U.S. Code, Title 13, Section 9). The sharing of individual information is prohibited, and no court, or even the President, can access your responses.

Census information remains confidential for 72 years. That means that individual information provided this year will not be available until 2082! Many Americans have used released data from censuses from 1930 or earlier to trace lost lines of their genealogy, filling in important gaps in their family history.

Census workers pass intense background checks. They are trained to fully respect individual privacy, the commitment the Census Bureau has to non-disclosure, and are sworn for life to keep this information private. Census Bureau employees are eligible for a $250,000 fine and/or 5 years in prison for revealing identifiable information about an individual or household.

So remember, information provided for the census can only help you. The census is safe and easy – the ten questions on the questionnaire do not ask for social security numbers, immigration status, or yearly income. The census is about taking a snapshot of America, allowing federal and state governments to fairly distribute resources where they are needed. The census questionnaires are mailed out in March, so get ready to participate and do your part to make the 2010 Census the most complete picture yet!

A commonly heard criticism of the census is that it should not count undocumented citizens, a standard the Census Bureau has held since 1790. There are estimated to be more than 10 million undocumented individuals in the United States, and most of these people are working and paying taxes like everyone else. Senator David Vitter of Louisiana proposed in October that the census be modified to only count official United States citizens when reapportioning districts for 2012. This would have enormous consequences in electoral politics, but was ultimately an empty-handed gesture – preparation for Census 2010 was too far along for this proposed change to be taken seriously. However, some critics go even farther than Senator Vitter, advocating that the undocumented not be counted at all.

So to combat that, here are several important reasons why the undocumented are counted every decade:

It is in the Constitution. Non-citizens have been included in the census since its inception. The legal requirement to count every person living in the US is incontrovertible, and has been repeatedly upheld in court.

Funding for public services depends on a complete count. Undocumented individuals work, enroll in schools, stay at hospitals, and use parks. If the undocumented were not factored into census statistics, undercounted regions would not receive the necessary funding to appropriately provide public services. Schools may be too small, hospitals could become understaffed, and roads will not be redone where they are most needed. This impacts everyone in a community, not only new immigrants.

Ignoring the undocumented prevents them from assimilating into American culture. If resources are not directed to the undocumented, they may not be able to achieve the tasks needed to put them on a path to citizenship in the future. Language services

Excluding the undocumented from reapportionment would decrease participation. Fear of deportation is already a problem the Census Bureau faces, and this is despite the fact that Census data is absolutely confidential, even to other government agencies. This additional exclusion in the census would lower participation, making it harder for census workers to accurately determine the real population of the United States.

Non-citizens impact the American economy, and deserve to be valued in reapportionment. Whether an immigrant has paperwork or not, those who work pay taxes, pay social security, and join unions. The contribution of non-citizens toward the American economy makes it important for representation in Congress to reflect their presence. The undocumented are not allowed to vote, but neither are Legal Permanent Residents, many convicted felons, new refugees, or children – and you would be hard-pressed to find someone willing to argue that those groups should not be factored in to a state’s population when allocating the resources it needs.

As covered in previous posts, it is vitally important that the 2010 Census counts every person living in America. This ensures that federal resources are allocated fairly, legislative representation is accurate, local governments understand who is living in their districts, and much more. The challenge then for the Census Bureau is discovering which populations will be the hardest to count, and how they can increase census turnout in those areas.

The Hard-To-Count (HTC) population varies by region, but there are some basic assumptions that can be made on which groups prove the most challenging to count. The government uses 12 identifiers to label HTC areas, including: language barriers, education, telephone access, unemployment rate, poverty rate, and housing vacancy rate.

People in these circumstances are much less likely to be aware of the census, to receive a questionnaire in their mail, and to know that is smart, safe, and easy to fill it out and mail it in.

In the 2000 Census, 20% of Americans lived in Hard-To-Count areas. And unfortunately, this problem is the most noticeable in communities for racial and ethnic minorities. Organizing data by race reveals these troubling statistics (courtesy of US Census Bureau):

-  78% of Native American majority tracts are Hard-To-Count
-  73% of Hispanic majority tracts are HTC
-  61% of African American majority tracts are HTC
-  But less than 1% of tracts that have a high concentration of Non-Hispanic Whites are HTC

Minorities are the most at-risk of being undercounted in the census, which drains valuable funding and attention away from the wards that most need it. When language barriers, fear of government, and unfamiliarity with the census are factored in as well, achieving high turnout in HTC areas becomes a formidable challenge.

And aside from race and ethnicity, there are many other ways to identify at-risk groups less likely to fill out census forms. People leading nomadic lifestyles are harder to track down, as are those with a high fear of government. The indicators used show that recent immigrants, the homeless, college students, extreme rural communities, racial/ethnic enclaves, and people living in poverty are some of the most vulnerable populations to being undercounted.

So remember, it is important to recognize how important the census is to everyone in the country! Maximizing turnout is in your interest, for local and state resources depend on an accurate count to provide the necessary services to every county in America.

To look up your address and see if you live or work in a HTC area, try out this resource from the Community Research Institute in Michigan: http://www.cridata.org/htc/ . Scores over 60 are labeled as Hard-To-Count by the Census Bureau.

To see maps of the Hard-To-Count areas in Missouri, visit: http://oa.mo.gov/mocensus/publications/

Next up in the Census 2010 series is a brief list of why it is important for everyone to participate, and how the census will benefit you!

–It is required by law–
Some people might say that the census isn’t meant for everybody, but this is not true. The goal of the census is to enumerate every person residing in the United States, regardless of their legal status. You cannot ‘choose’ not to participate – if you first ignore the questionnaire in the mail, and then avoid talking to Census workers at your house, you can be prosecuted under the law. The fine for refusing to fill out a Census form is up to $5000.

–Allocation of federal funding–
Counting an accurate, maximum number of people living in an area forces the federal government to acknowledge an area’s complete population, making it harder for budget cuts toward necessary services to be approved. $400 million in federal funds are allocated annually throughout the United States, and census data is the primary source for determining the proportions each state receives.

–Community infrastructure–
If your community is undercounted, a different district may, for example, get permission to build a new school you would have received monies for otherwise. Or if the city you work in is undercounted, new highways may be routed to somewhere else instead, based on census population statistics. Even in natural disasters, emergency responders use census statistics to determine the resources and personnel they dedicate to aiding an afflicted area. Census data is used for everything from mapping district boundaries to mapping new bus stops.

–Representation–
Every ten years, electoral lines across the nation are redrawn, and census data is used to determine how many seats in the House of Representatives each state will have. Right now, Missouri is projected to lose a seat, but only by the slimmest of margins. Ensuring that every person living in Missouri is counted could save that seat, allowing Missouri to maintain its current level of influence in Congress and in national elections.

Remember above all else, the census is safe, easy, and beneficial to you and your community!

The following is the first of a series of blogs about Census 2010.

In the coming months, if you ever hear anyone wondering why the government spends so much time every ten years counting everyone, let them know that it isn’t just some fancy government spending operation! A decennial census is actually mandated by the Constitution, and everyone living in the U.S. is required to participate.

The U.S. Census Bureau is in charge of the arduous task of counting everyone in the country. There are tweaks and changes to each decade’s census, going back from the very first census in 1790 that was administered by U.S. Marshals on horseback! That census counted slightly fewer than 4 million people, while the 2010 Census is expected to count well over 300 million. Later entries will go into detail about what the upcoming census will entail, but this initial post will give you a timeline of important dates in the next year.

February-March 2010: Census questionnaires are mailed or delivered to households nationwide.
— Once you get your questionnaire, just fill it out and send it in! If you fill out the questionnaire completely, you will not be visited by any census workers later.

April 1, 2010: Census Day
— This is the last day to send in your questionnaire before census workers begin going door-to-door to locate everyone who has not already been counted. It is much more cost-effective to send the form in rather than being visited by a worker, so do your part!

April-July 2010: Census takers visit households across America
— The government hired over 800,000 census workers in 2000, and the effort is expected to be even greater for the newest census!

December 2010: A population count is given to the President
— After this date, data collected is begun to be used for electoral redistribution, the providing of community services, and the local allocation of over $400 billion annually based on census statistics.

April 1, 2082: Census data from 2010 becomes public.
— If you are concerned about privacy, look at this date. After collection, census data is absolutely private for 72 years! Census employees are held to absolute confidentiality, face jail time and fines if they divulge information, and take their jobs extremely seriously! Census data cannot be used to prosecute individuals for any offenses, even by the federal government. There is absolutely no risk of filling out a census form, your information is both confidential and safe.

For more information on the 2010 census, see: http://2010.census.gov/2010census/

By Evan Armstrong,

Community Engagement VISTA

A new endeavor by the International Institute this year involves the acceptance of five AmeriCorps VISTA volunteers to serve at the Institute. As one of those VISTA volunteers, I have been allowed to shadow the majority of the services the Institute offers as part of our on-site orientation. One of the most important services that the Institute provides (especially in the eyes of the refugees) involves picking individuals and families up from the airport when they first arrive in St. Louis. Many new clients have been away from their homes for many years, in camps or other countries providing temporary asylum. The landing of their plane in St. Louis marks the first stage of their resettlement process, while the sights and sounds as they leave the airport provide their first real impressions of America. I was fortunate enough to get to participate in an airport pickup this past week, and left impressed both at the smoothness of the operation International Institute employees carry out, and also at the resolve of the refugees who are coping with extraordinary change in their lives.

Disclosure rights prevent me from giving many details, but I was present at the arrival of a male refugee from Liberia. The flight got in pretty late, after 10pm CST – but I can’t complain while knowing that the refugee on board had been traveling for more than 24 hours in cramped airplane seats. We greeted Peter (name changed for protection) as he arrived, and after picking up a single piece of luggage for all his possessions, he was ready to go. Before the airport pickup, Institute employees secure housing for refugees who do not have family in the area to live with, so a modest apartment had been set up for this man. We drove Peter from the airport to his new apartment, and walked through how to work the basic appliances, as well as reading through the rules for the terms of lease agreement. Some basic food items had been bought earlier in the day for his use as well. After that, there was some quick signing of paperwork, and then we wished him good luck and promised to return the next day to take him shopping for more food and essential items.

Every new refugee at the Institute receives a small check from the government to allow for basic living as they acclimate to the United States, with a hope that by the time that money runs out, refugees will have found jobs and can be self-sustaining. The International Institute is heavily involved in that process, devoting time and resources to ensure that every client has opportunities to find work. After the grocery run the next day with Peter, he was instructed on when to come in next to begin his search for employment.

Peter comes to the International Institute almost every day right now. I smile and talk with him briefly whenever I see him, knowing he must be glad to recognize a face. It is an interesting feeling, knowing I was present from the moment he first arrived, and knowing that the Institute is his primary resource in this new stage of his life. I wish nothing but the best for him and all persons who have come from suffering countries to seek a better life. I hope we are able to live up to the promise of America, and believe strongly that the International Institute will provide positive, necessary services toward that end.

]]> http://www.iistl.org/blog/archives/137/feed 0 http://www.iistl.org/blog/archives/135 http://www.iistl.org/blog/archives/135#comments Tue, 04 Aug 2009 15:12:34 +0000 kate_howell http://www.iistl.org/blog/?p=135 By Emma Jehle, Community Relations Intern

This month the Culture and Community department of the International Institute of St. Louis is continuing preparations for the 10^th annual Festival of Nations, the leading celebration of world cultures in St. Louis, which will take place August 29^th and 30^th, 2009 in Tower Grove Park.  This year we expect over 100,000 friends in attendance to experience the music, arts and crafts, dance, sports and cuisine of over fifty cultures from around the world.  The festival is not only an opportunity to see the world from your own backyard, so to speak, but also a chance to come together with your friends, family and neighbors—the diverse St. Louis community all together.  Above all, the festival is a celebration of diversity and symbolic of the peace we long to see not just in our city, but also in the world as a whole.

At a moment when armed conflict continues to dominate the Middle East, when ethnic tensions result in riots and death in China and elsewhere, when women in many parts of the world are flogged or worse for wearing pants or going to school, and when people are forced out of their homelands for any or all of these reasons, it is all the more important that an international community come together in peace.  In this spirit of peace we are able to share the aspects of our daily lives that give shape, meaning, and identity to our respective cultures.  Suddenly, attending the workshop on Taiwanese Calligraphy or watching the dances of the Djerdan Bosnian Folkloric Group or munching on some Brazilian feijoada or having your hands adorned with the henna decorations of Egypt become not the activities of an interesting Saturday afternoon, but rather portals to cultural exchange, to understanding, and to unity.

So when you come to the festival this year with your friends and family, keep in mind the subtle significance of all that you do, see, and eat.  It will certainly be a fun-filled and exciting August weekend with seemingly limitless activities and treats for everyone and free admission.  Yet, it is also an opportunity for peaceful exchange with people from all over the world, which is an opportunity of no small value. 

We’ll see you August 29^th and 30^th in Tower Grove Park!

What do Germany, France, and Japan have in common? What about Ireland, China, and Italy? Guyana, Poland, and Senegal?

The answer is that each of these countries, in addition to Russia, Mexico, and most recently Indonesia, have at least one sister city relationship with Saint Louis. All told, Saint Louis has 14 sister cities committed to acknowledging common interests and building on mutual opportunities. Specifically, Saint Louis’ connections derive from an abundance of academic and cultural institutions, commercial linkages and opportunities for expansion, as well as its position as an international city.

So, what’s the difference? I managed to make it 20 years without knowing about any of our 14 sisters. Even upon learning of them, I only knew where about half of them are. But then I started reading about them (and pulling out maps where necessary). If you have ever been to the Missouri Botanical Gardens and seen the sacred tea house in the Japanese Garden, you ought to thank the people of Suwa, Japan. Likewise, the aptly-named Nanjing Friendship Garden was a gift from our sister in China, the first U.S.-China sister city relationship. And the next time you see Saint Louis’ Saint Patrick’s Day Parade, think of the good folks in Galway whose progenies made it possible.

But, the focus should not be on what one or the other side can physically get out of the exchange. The sister cities program came in to being thanks to Dwight Eisenhower and his belief that local diplomacy could encourage cooperation and perhaps foster international peace. This makes sense: one is less likely to fight with someone with whom one shares some sense of connection. The whole process can be seen as an encouragement to think more globally. How often do we lose interest in the news because we do not know where the location of a story is? How much harder is it to sympathize with (or easier to ignore) struggles of persons who are far away?

Someone in Samara, or Szczecin, or San Luis Potosi knows where Saint Louis, Missouri is. Saint Louis is a non-capital city in one of 50 states in the middle of a very large country, so for someone in Russia, Poland, or Mexico to know this is impressive. We can at least return the favor. We are not all responsible for becoming experts in geography, but we could learn where a few more cities are. Some children in Nanjing might wonder about a foreign-looking playground and do the same for us. All we have to lose is our apathy.

For more on Saint Louis’ Sister Cities, see www.slcir.org.