Youth Committee Urges Families To #MakeitCount in the 2020 Census
By Natalie Godinez and Samantha Nieves
The SHG Youth Committee believes that envisioning a community that is inclusive of children and youth is not only something to be mindful of, but something you can act on immediately by filling out your 2020 Census questionnaire at my2020census.gov and counting the children and youth in your household now.
This spring, our Youth Committee members began advocating for families to #MakeitCount in the 2020 Census. It began with a community mural project (shown) and now that we’re #saferathome, is growing with youth online. Watch the video message from Youth Committee member, Samantha Nieves, to learn more.
Hello my name is Samantha Nieves and on behalf of the Self Help Graphics youth committee I’d like to remind you, and inspire you to remind others to count for the 2020 census.
Every 10 years our population is counted to provide important data about our communities to the federal government. This information will be used to determine political representation and dictate the future of our communities for the next 10 years. By counting yourself and your family you are supporting funding of schools and improvements in your communities such as better roads, emergency response services, and most importantly healthcare.
The youth committee designed a portable mural that asks you, "What does your community look like when you're counted?" We spoke as a group and brainstormed ideas of what we would like to see in our communities. We included healthy foods, more green space, libraries, and art programs for schools. We want to ask you to reflect on this question and think about what you would like to see if your voice was heard. We hope that our collective ideas spark your imagination and encourage you to fill out the census!
The 2020 census is crucial to me and should be to you especially in current times due to the Covid19 pandemic. This time has demonstrated that we all deserve to be tested and cared for by our healthcare system. Every person counts. You can do this online, by phone or mail. You count.
Remember, the census is safe, there is no citizenship question and everyone counts! To learn more about the census visit WeCountLA.org. To fill out your census questionnaire now, go to https://my2020census.gov/.
Samantha Nieves is a member of the SHG’s Youth Committee. Natalie Godinez is an artist, educator and Self Help Graphics & Art’s Community Engagement Coordinator.