2010 Census Supports the Haitian Community

News from the New York Regional Census Center March 2010 Vol. 2, No. 1

the decennial 2010 Census supports the Haitian community

In the wake of the devastating earthquake in Haiti, NY Regional Partnership Staff joined its NY Regional 2010 Census partners in a solidarity march Director Lester Farthing and held in Brooklyn, NY, on January 30th. PDS brave frigid early morning “Haiti, We Love You,” was sponsored by the temperatures to West Indian-American Day Carnival Associa- support the launching of the tion and the CARICOM Consular Corps, National Road along with dozens of other civic, faith-based, Tour on NBC’s cultural, media and international organiza- “Today.” tions.

“Portrait of America” National Road

Tour launches in New York City! Partnership Specialist he 2010 Census “Portrait show, while regional Census staff Pradine of America” Road Tour prominently waved “New York Content with Haitian officially launched on Counts!’’ signs in the crowd. Councilman NBC’s “Today” on January Matthew Eugene at T4th. TV personalities Matt Lauer, Al The national Road Tour vehicle Brooklyn Roker, Meredith Vieira and Ann Mail It Back — which served as a forum. Curry helped promote the 2010 Cen- backdrop for the segment — is a sus to their national audience at the 46-foot trailer equipped with state- The march wound its way through Prospect- start of this cross-country interactive of-the-art technology to graphi- Lefferts Gardens and ended at Medgar Evers experience, part of the largest civic cally showcase the 10-question College where participants attended a forum outreach and awareness campaign census form. Visitors are also about the Temporary Protected Status desig- in U.S. history. able to contribute stories and pho- nation for Haitian nationals that will allow tos to the “Portrait of America” them to remain in the U.S. and work legally Commerce Secretary Gary Locke project. for an 18-month time period. and Census Bureau Director Robert Groves were interviewed on the Road Tour continued on Page 3 Haiti continued on Page 11

10 questions. 10 minutes. Fill it out. Mail it back!

Message from the Regional Director

Dear Partners:

We have worked collaboratively over the past year to bring information about the 2010 Census to countless communities and venues throughout the region. Thank you for your commitment! We are now in the most important phase of census operations—motivation.

The 2010 Census form is now arriving in your mail- boxes. It is one of the shortest questionnaires ever, Contents with only 10 basic questions that should take approximately 10 minutes to complete.

Page 3 I want to make an appeal: When you receive the form, Road Tour cont’d immediately, fill it out and mail it back! Remember to

Pages 4-7 tell anyone with concerns about participating that, by Photo Gallery law, all answers are protected, the Census Bureau cannot share information with any other agency or law enforcement, and the Bureau Pages 8-9 counts everyone living in the United States, regardless of status. County Highlights All across the country, groups are mobilizing to ensure that their communities are Page 10 counted accurately; many are participating in March to the Mailbox campaigns to en- Schoolin’ Kids on the Census courage full engagement. Be a part of the Take 10 Challenge by helping your community exceed its 2000 mail response rates. You can track the level of participation in your Popular radio show revs up community at www.2010census.gov. community, brings out celebs for the 2010 Census Look out for our Be Counted sites and Questionnaire Assistance Centers, which are opening in your communities. These locations will provide assistance for those who feel BRONXNET record celebrity, they may have been missed or who may need help completing the questionnaire. student PSAs We are in the final stretch of our 2010 Census. We are about to make history together Page 11 and move the New York Region forward! New Brunswick Complete Count Committee rises to the occasion

Census Timeline Lester A. Farthing New York Regional Director Page 12 Harlem Counts! about the new york region

The New York Region includes all five boroughs in New York City — Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, New York Queens, and Staten Island — and Nassau, Rockland, Suffolk and Westchester counties in New York; and New Jersey Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Middlesex, Morris, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, Union, IT’S IN OUR HANDS and Warren counties in 2010census.gov New Jersey.

Page 2  Road Tour from Page 1

Later that day, Mail it Back traveled cil President Mil- to Times Square for a press confer- dred Crump, par- ence with NYC Mayor Michael ticipated in an “It’s Bloomberg. An added attraction was In Our Hands” the giant inflated red “10”’ that sat in Rally held at the Times Square, reminding all that the WISOMMM Cul- 2010 Census will have 10 questions tural Center in and take 10 minutes to complete. downtown Newark.

The national vehicle, along with the There, more than 12 other regional vehicles, will travel 150 people gath- more than 150,000 miles across the ered to listen to United States, stopping at more than the importance of 800 events. participating in the 2010 Census. At- L-R. NY Regional Director Lester Farthing, NY Regional Deputy Across the River tendees were Director Ligia Jaquez, actor Leon and NY Regional Partnership Coordinators Geraldine Clark and Reva Sears in Newark, NJ. treated to a special The regional Road Tour also appearance by actor Leon (Five Road Tour arrived at the Journal launched at stops across the Hudson Heartbeats, Cool Runnings) and Square PATH station. Despite the bit- River in Newark and Jersey City, NJ. performances by Latin group 3D2 ter cold, Census staff greeted com- and other local artists. muters on their way home, handed out In Newark, a coalition of urban may- 2010 Census literature and promo- ors that included Irvington Mayor In Jersey City, Mayor Jerramiah tional items, spoke with area residents Wayne Smith, East Orange Mayor T. Healy hosted a press confer- and recorded some video testimonials. Robert Bowser, Orange Mayor El- ence at City Hall featuring a spirit- dridge Hawkins, Plainfield Mayor filled performance by local singing The Road Tour will make about 120 Sharon Robinson-Briggs and New- group We Leviticus World Out- stops in New York and New Jersey to ark Deputy Mayor Margarita Muñiz, reach Music Ministries, who sang encourage residents to complete and along with Congressman Donald their original song “Let’s Be return the census questionnaires by Payne and Newark Municipal Coun- Counted.” Later in the day, the April 1, 2010.

Page 3 PHOTO GALLERY

The Partnership and Data Services Team is on the move — from Middlesex County, NJ, to Suffolk County, NY, and everywhere in between!

NY Regional Partnership Coordinator Reva Sears (on left) and Team Leader Hiu Chow (3rd from left) pose with the winner of Brooklyn’s Light and Love Home’s Census 2010 Essay Contest. Ecuadorian group 3D2 performs at the premier of their music video “Fuera de la Sombra (Out of the Shadow)” at El Museo del Barrio in New York.

The ARC Choir sings to the crowd during a Road Tour stop at the Adam Clayton Powell State Office Building in Harlem, NY.

Partnership Specialist Jakyoung Kim and partners gather at the Wonkaksa Buddhist Temple in Queens, NY, for a census presentation.

Timothy Olson, Assistant Chief, Field Division, U.S. Census Bureau, (back row, 2nd from left) joined members of the LGBT PDS team and some of their partners for a 2010 Census forum on the LGBT community held at The Center in New York City. In Passaic, NJ, Yeshiva Ketana students show their census pride! Page 4 PHOTO GALLERY

L.-R. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke, NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg and NY Regional Director Lester Farthing at press conference in Times Square.

L.-R. Partnership Coordinator Rafael Dominguez, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., Team Leader Rafaela Santos and NY Regional Deputy Director Ligia Jaquez at Borough Hall during a Road Tour stop in the Bronx.

L.-R. Iconic rapper Snoop Dogg, Partnership Specialist Pradine Content, and NY Giant Justin Tuck at a live taping of “The Steve Harvey Morning Show” at Brooklyn’s St. John’s Recreation Center. Media Specialist Yolanda Finley shares the 2010 Census message with more than 600 of her sorors at Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.’s Founders Day Celebration in Newark, NJ.

Bayonne students show off their 2010 Census bags at a Road Tour stop in New Jersey. Not even a blizzard can keep Staten Island’s Frosty the Snowman from promoting the 2010 Census!

Page 5 PHOTO GALLERY

The Partnership and Data Services Team is on the move — from Middlesex County, NJ, to Suffolk County, NY, and everywhere in between!

At a taping of “The Steve Harvey Morning Show” in Brooklyn, R&B singer Joe holds up a “Make History, Be Counted” palm Celebrating diversity at Wagner College in Staten Island. card depicting famous African Americans in history.

Face painting in Forest Hills, NY, during a Fall Festival.

Partnership Coordinator Geraldine Clark and 2010 Census Partner John Bruno, CEO of the Clifton, NJ-based Bruno Associates, Inc., a grants and public relations firm that has been using census data for over 40 years.

This mural promoting the 2010 Census was recently unveiled on 117th Street in Harlem. L.-R. Partnership Specialist Cheikh Tall, General Secretary of the Council of African Imams Souleimane Konate and Census Bureau Director Robert Groves after a meeting with Harlem leaders.

Page 6 PHOTO GALLERY

L.-R. Carrie Alston, a member of the High Class Theatre Group, and Pamela Taylor, Director of Older Adult Services, perform during a Census Awareness Day in Orange, NJ.

Alston, whose birth in 1918 was not recorded, used census records to obtain a passport.

L.-R. LCO employee Irene Chow, Partnership Specialist Johnson Lee, the God of Wealth, and Partnership Specialist Joanna Zeng at the Chinese Lunar New Year Parade and Festival in NYC’s Chinatown.

Partnership Specialist Jon Gromer speaks to a group of students at Paterson P.S. No. 14. Partnership Specialist Marianne Maloney waves to the crowd during Staten Island’s Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

PDS team celebrating the Annual Phagwah Parade in Queens.

Partnership Specialist Luise Kipler with Capoeira Brasil perfomers at a Road Tour stop in Queens.

Page 7 County Highlights

Partnership and Data Services (PDS) has been hard at work educating communities throughout the counties of the New York Region about the importance and benefits of participating in the 2010 Census.

Here is a recap of some recent outreach activities:

Bergen  PDS and 2010 Census partner Jewish Family Services (JFS) made a presentation to the after-school program in Cliffside Park. The audience of more than 70 Latino, Jewish, white and Pol- On the church steps, Reverend Gilford Monrose is shown with his son ish students and their parents learned welcoming participants to the forum. about the upcoming census and received promotional items. JFS invited PDS to provide this useful and educa- Mt. Zion Church of God 7th Day tional presentation to more after- school programs in Bergen County. hosts 2010 Census forum

 In Ridgefield, the Armenian community warmly welcomed PDS to the Sts. Students from Jewish Family Services’ Vartanantz Armenian Apostolic After-School Program in Cliffside Park, NJ. Church. PDS made an information- packed 30-minute presentation before Mandi Shopping Center, PDS a crowd of more than 90 attendees. handed out approximately 500 Chi- The community was urged to partici- nese palm cards to patrons. PDS pate in the 2010 Census, and many also attended a service at the Chi- participants promised to spread the nese Christian Church, where the At Sts. Vartanantz Armenian Apostolic Church in word to others in their community, pastor spoke about the 2010 Cen- Ridgefield, NJ. particularly the younger generation. sus to 650 church attendees, who received palm cards and recruiting Morris information. Passaic  PDS attended a regularly-scheduled  The Mexican Chamber of Commerce in meeting at the Mount Olive Senior Nassau Passaic invited PDS to speak at the inau- Center and made a 20-minute presen-  PDS organized a Road Tour event guration of its new location. PDS and the tation to approximately 120 attendees. at the Rosa Parks Bus Terminal in chamber discussed ways to organize vol- When one woman mentioned that she Hempstead. Local partners, includ- unteers who could reach community mem- had received a form in the mail asking ing the Hempstead Latino Civic bers who generally do not attend public for her credit card number, PDS was Association, the Workplace Project events. able to explain that the form was a and the Uniondale Community fake and that the Census Bureau will Council, joined PDS as they distrib- Rockland never ask for financial information uted educational and promotional  At the invitation of the Student Union De- such as bank accounts or credit card items to passersby. partment, PDS set up a table at a Black numbers. PDS showed an actual cen- History Month lecture given at Rockland sus questionnaire to the group so they  PDS and staff from the Oyster Bay Community College in Suffern. About 70 will be able to recognize it when it ar- Latino Cultural Center re-visited the mostly African-American students at- rives in the mail in March. day labor shaping point in Locust tended the lecture, and many spoke with Valley. Workers gave favorable Census staff afterward. PDS was invited  PDS also helped celebrate the Lunar responses when asked questions to several additional Black History Month New Year in Parsippany. At the Subzi about the census. events on campus.

Page 8 County Highlights

 The American Association of Univer- sity Women invited PDS to a brunch at the St. Charles A.M.E. Zion Church in Sparkill. Approximately 160 attendees discussed the responsibility that the African-American community has to ensure its voice is heard and its members are counted.

Somerset  In Franklin Township, PDS set up an information table outside the 21st An- nual Home and Garden Show at the Garden State Exhibit and Convention Center. This was a great opportunity for PDS to provide the public with census information and giveaways. At Liberty Center in Elizabeth, NJ.  PDS also made presentations to about 300 seniors at the Franklin Union Township Senior Citizens Club and  In Elizabeth, PDS distributed palm 30 seniors at the Manville Center cards and census materials at two Senior Center, who learned about Sunday services at the Liberty Cen- changes to the census questionnaire ter. About 800 congregants attended and reviewed a sample form. the two services at the center, which also offers free immigration and family Suffolk counseling, houses a Bible school  More than 200 African Americans and is the headquarters for a mobile Partnership Specialist Omar Henriquez encourages day attending the NAACP Black History soup kitchen. laborers on Long Island to participate in the 2010 Census. Program at Suffolk County Commu- nity College in Bay Shore listened to  In Cranford, PDS attended a meeting packages. PDS also appeared on the a presentation about the importance with church leaders from the New “Mayor’s Corner” cable show. of the census to the African American Jersey Hellenic American Heritage community. A question-and-answer Commission. The commission will Warren period after the presentation enabled share its events calendar for all  The Road Tour stopped at the Morris Hills PDS to address their concerns. churches within the Greek Orthodox Regional High School in Washington. The Metropolis —covering approximately full interactive multi-media exhibit was set  Also in Bay Shore, PDS presented 600 churches in New Jersey, Penn- up in the library, and each class came in census information to 50 representa- sylvania, Delaware, Maryland and for a five-minute presentation after they tives of various religious denomina- Virginia — to ensure PDS coverage of visited the exhibit. All the children were tions at an interfaith community dia- area Greek churches. given promotional items to share with their logue. PDS explained how census parents. data will impact communities for the  In Plainfield, PDS attended a Com- next 10 years. During the question- plete Count Committee meeting in the  In Phillipsburg and Hackettstown, PDS and-answer period, PDS spoke about rotunda at City Hall, to which Mayor participated in two Homeless Connect concerns and barriers to participation. Sharon Robinson-Briggs invited the events attended by various organizations entire Plainfield business community. that provide services to the homeless.  At a Head Start meeting in Islandia, During the productive meeting, Robin- PDS manned an information table and PDS discussed privacy issues with son-Briggs outlined upcoming initia- gave out 2010 Census T-shirts and gently 300 representatives from several or- tives including several meetings with -used coats provided by the Local Census ganizations and encouraged the at- Union County College and local res- Office. About 200 homeless people attendees to use their social networks taurant Fourth Street BBQ, which has tended and received free clothes, vacci- to help spread the census message. offered to put palm cards in delivery nations, haircuts and food.

Page 9 Popular radio show revs up community, brings out celebs for the 2010 Census

The 2010 Census was right in the middle of the action as early as 5 KidsCorner a.m. for a special March 15th broadcast of “The Steve Harvey Morning Show.”

Held in the gymnasium at the St. John’s Recreation Center in Brook- lyn, the broadcast included one Snoop Dogg (top left) and Lester Farthing celebrity after another. First, re- (bottom left) at a special broadcast of “The cording artist Joe performed. Then, Steve Harvey Morning Show” in Brooklyn. New York Giant Justin Tuck and rapper Chubb Rock took the stage. When rapper and actor Snoop DoggOn made the church a surprise steps, Reverend appearance, Gilford Monrose is shown with his son welcoming participants to the forum. Partnership Specialist Lauren Zyriek gives Perth the audience went wild! Amboy students the full Road Tour experience. NewMt. York RegionalZion DirectorChurch Lester of God 7th Day Schoolin’ kids on Farthinghosts joined 2010 Harvey Census and his forum morning team to tell listeners na- the 2010 Census tionwide that participating in the PDS took full advantage of this census gives the community the star-studded event, securing testi- The “Portrait of America” Road Tour en- respect it deserves and access to monials and celebrity PSAs and gaged two groups of New Jersey school its fair share of federal funding and additional interview opportunities children to help generate excitement for representation. with NY1 and Channel 12. the 2010 Census.

On January 6th, students from the Philip G. Vroom School traveled to Bayonne City BRONXNET records celebrity, student PSAs

Hall to participate in a program featuring Mayor Mark Smith and Partnership Coordi- Under the leadership of Executive Di- nator Geraldine Clark. After remarks to rector Michael Max Knobbe, BRONX- local media, the mayor and Census staff NET, a local cable access station, has gave 2010 Census lapel pins and informa- been instrumental in helping spread tion to the students and deputized them as the 2010 Census message census ambassadors. to the masses.

Knobbe and staff worked with Bronx A few days later on January 12th, the high school students to record original Robert N. Wilentz School in Perth Amboy PSAs, as well as with Milly Quezada, a was visited by the Road Tour and received Singer Milly Quezada and Grammy-winning Latin singer known BronxNet’s Michael Max Knobbe. the full Road Tour experience. Students for her merengue music. were awed by the interactive, educational multi-media display in the school gym. The The famous Dominican singer was extremely gracious with her fans as she children viewed a larger-than-life sample spent several hours on the BRONXNET set recording PSAs in both English and census questionnaire and got to write their Spanish. Quezada was also interviewed by host Bob Lee on a segment of the answers on the 10-question form. The stu- popular public affairs program “Open.” dents received a selection of census promotional items and were encouraged to The student PSAs, which creatively depicted the importance of the 2010 Census share what they learned with their families to Bronx residents, and Quezada’s PSA can be viewed at www.bronxnet.org. and friends. Page 10

 New Brunswick’s Complete Count Haiti from Page 1 Committee rises to the occasion

Since its inception in April 2009, the Complete Count Committee (CCC) of New Brunswick, NJ, has been actively promoting the 2010 Census.

Under the leadership of co-chairs Mariam Merced, director of the Community Health Promotion Pro- gram at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospi- New Brunswick’s Complete Count Committee A special 2010 Census flyer was created tal, and C. Roy Epps, to distribute during the march to reach president and chief executive officer of covered the importance of obtaining an Haitians in Brooklyn, home to one of the the Civic League of Greater New Bruns- accurate count, the confidentiality of the largest concentrations of Haitian wick, the CCC has conducted numer- data and how to encourage participation Americans in the U.S. ous outreach and educational programs in the 2010 Census. in the community. Since the march, Partnership “I am thrilled to be working with such a Specialist Pradine Content says In addition to providing information at dynamic group of volunteers. They are many Haitians tell her they are public events, the CCC has also pub- constantly seeking innovative ways to grateful for the support of the 2010 lished the “New Brunswick Get convey the importance of the 2010 Cen- Census and are becoming more Counted!!” brochure and a page on the sus to the New Brunswick community,” receptive to government efforts. city of New Brunswick’s official Website said Team Leader Brunilda Sanchez. (www.cityofnewbrunswick.org/census “Fears about immigration status 2010) to encourage participation in the The CCC has also recruited a group of have been quieted,” said Content, 2010 Census. Recently, the CCC led a approximately 15 Rutgers University who has been working closely with free census training workshop for com- students from a Social Responsibility the Haitian community in Brooklyn. munity-based organizations, social ser- and Wellness class to assist in getting “We are seeing more willingness vice agencies, schools, health care cen- the word out about filling out and mailing on the part of Haitians to fill out ters and other groups. The workshop back the form in March. the census forms.”

2010 CENSUS TIMELINE MAR ‘10

United States Postal Service delivers Census questionnaires to households

APR ‘10 APR ‘10 - JUN ‘10

Census Day recognized on April 1, 2010! Non-Response Follow Up Census workers visit households that do not mail back a census questionnaire

DEC ‘10 MAR ‘11

Census Bureau delivers population counts to President for apportionment. Census Bureau completes delivery of redistricting data to states.

Page 11 Harlem Counts!

Thanks to a partnership cultivated by Corporate Team Leader D. Patrice Johns, this poster will be seen in 1,400 stations operated by the Metro- politan Transit Authority (MTA) and used by approximately 5 million daily riders. The MTA system includes NYC subways, the Long Island Railroad The 2010 Census participates in MLK celebration at Convent and Metro-North. Avenue Baptist Church in Harlem.

The Harlem community has been getting the word out about the 2010 Census at various activities being held throughout the community. New York Regional Census Center 330 West 34th Street, 13th Floor Among the activities was a special roundtable discus- New York, NY 10001 212.356.3100 sion held on January 4th and attended by Commerce Secretary Gary Locke, Census Bureau Director Decennial 2010 is published Robert Groves, top Harlem leaders, regional Census by the NYRCC Media Office. representatives and civic organizations. After the meeting, Lester A. Farthing which in- Regional Director cluded a Ligia Jaquez question-and- Deputy Regional Director answer period, Groves Partnership Coordinators and Locke Jamal Baksh Geraldine Clark were treated Rafael Dominguez Reva Sears to a guided tour through Raul Vicente, Jr. Harlem. L.-R. NAACP NY State Chapter President Senior Media Specialist/Publisher Hazel Dukes, Congressman Charles Rangel, Later in the Commerce Secretary Gary Locke and Census Yolanda Finley Bureau Director Robert Groves share a laugh. month, the Media Specialist/Editor 2010 Census message was given high priority at an annual event held at the historic Convent Avenue Consuelo Jackson Graphic Specialist/Designer and Copy Editor Baptist Church to celebrate the life of Dr. Martin Lu- ther King, Jr. Contributing Writers Patricia (Trish) Pennix/Partnership Assistant Thanks to a collaboration between the Baptist Minis- Brian Luster/Partnership Assistant ters’ Conference of Greater New York & Vicinity, the New York State NAACP and the New York Partner- Photos by Media Team ship Team, everyone in attendance learned how im- Partnership Assistants portant it is to participate in the 2010 Census. Lauren Boyd Magda Hernandez-Lopez Da’Quan Bryant Harold Jimenez Community leaders such as Congressman Charles Ran Chu Dion Rivers Rangel and NAACP New York State Chapter Presi- Joeli DeJesus Kelley Winters dent Hazel Dukes lent their voices to encourage community support and engagement in the count.