The 2020 Census Officially Ended
on October 15, 2020.
on October 15, 2020.
Thank you for joining our movement!
Understanding the Census
We’re on a mission to build Black political power and to ensure our communities have what they need to thrive. Our future counts on the 2020 Census.
Join My Black Counts to ensure your family and loved ones are counted. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there are close to 3 million Black residents living in California and over 1.4 million are traditionally considered to be hard-to-count. Since 1980, Black populations have had below-average participation in the census and have been under-counted.
Every person living in your home, should be counted. Even extended family, a friend in between places, and roommates should be counted on your census. Don’t forget to count newborn babies and kids too!
Forms can be completed online, by phone, by mail or in-person.
How The Census Impacts and Us and Our Communities
6 Reasons Why Your Black Counts in 2020
$675 billion per year is distributed across the country for federally funded programs. According to the California Department of Finance, California received about $77 billion in census-related funding—more than 80% of the total federal funds the state received in 2015.
If we don’t participate, we lose valuable resources our communities and loved ones need to thrive.
Census data helps decide how many votes each state gets for presidential elections and how many elected officials can represent our districts in Congress.
No matter what your nationality or background, we are all united by the Black experience in America.
When we activate our collective power — we can come together to fight for a better future and community for us all.
Businesses use census results to decide where to build new factories, offices, and stores. When you participate in the census, you help create more jobs.
The last census provided over $3.5 Billion, yes BILLION, for access to affordable housing. With gentrification and rising housing costs in California, we can’t afford to come up short in 2020.
The census only happens every 10 years. What happens in the 2020 census will impact our communities and loved ones for many years ahead. Generations will be impacted by our participation, for better or worse.
How To Take The Census
Online
2020 is the first time the census will be available online!Online
You can now visit the Census website and complete your census online. You can use your smartphone, computer or tablet.
Click Here To Take The Census Online Now!
Phone
No internet access? No computer? Smartphone?Phone
Call the US Census Bureau Support Line. Phone assistance is available Sunday- Saturday 7am – 2pm PST
(844)330-2020 – English
(844) 468-2020 – Spanish
(844) 416-2020 – Arabic
(844) 477-2020 – Haitian Creole
(844) 467-2020 – TDD
Prefer snail mail? You got it! The census can also be completed in paper form and mailed back to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can learn more about the 2020 Census by visiting 2020census.gov.
Strict federal law protects your census responses. It is against the law for any Census Bureau employee to disclose or publish any census information that identifies an individual. Census Bureau employees take a lifelong pledge of confidentiality to handle data responsibly and keep respondents’ information private. The penalty for wrongful disclosure is a fine of up to $250,000 or imprisonment for up to 5 years, or both. No law enforcement agency (not the DHS, ICE, FBI, or CIA) can access or use your personal information at any time.
Data collected can only be used for statistical purposes that help inform important decisions, including how much federal funding your community receives. The Census Bureau has a robust cybersecurity program that incorporates industry best practices and federal security standards for encrypting data.
The Census Bureau will never ask for:
• Social Security numbers.
• Bank or credit card account numbers.
• Money or donations.
• Anything on behalf of a political party.
The decennial census will collect basic information about the people living in your household. When completing the census, you should count everyone who is living in your household on April 1, 2020.
Every 10 years, the federal government conducts a population count of everyone in the United States. Data from the census provide the basis for distributing more than $675 billion in federal funds annually to communities across the country to support vital programs—impacting housing, education, transportation, employment, health care, and public policy. They also are used to redraw the boundaries of congressional and state legislative districts and accurately determine the number of congressional seats each state has in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Responding to the census is not only your civic duty; it also affects the amount of funding your community receives, how your community plans for the future, and your representation in government.
Specifically, data from the 2020 Census are used to:
• Ensure public services and funding for schools, hospitals, and fire departments.
• Plan new homes and businesses and improve neighborhoods.
• Determine how many seats your state is allocated in the House of Representatives.
The next census will take place in 2020. Beginning March 12, 2020, households will begin to receive notices in the mail to complete the 2020 census. Once you receive it, you can respond online.
In May, the U.S. Census Bureau will begin following up in person with households that haven’t responded to the census.
In 2020, for the first time ever, the U.S. Census Bureau will accept responses online, but you can still respond by phone or mail if you prefer. Responding should take less time than it takes to finish your morning coffee.