City College News

A diverse gathering of people were present at a panel discussion and public forum focused on issues pertinent to the 2010 U.S. Census on Tuesday, Feb. 16 in the Helland Center Student Lounge.

The event, entitled "The Census: Culture, Identity, and the Changing Face of Minnesota," was organized by Lena Jones, political science instructor and faculty coordinator of MCTC's Center for Civic Engagement.

Every 10 years the U.S. Census Bureau conducts a complete count of the entire population of the United States. The data compiled is used to apportion congressional seats to each state and essentially serves as a ten-year road map for funding community development projects such as Head Start programs, new construction, tribal programs, Title I grants and emergency food and shelter programs among others.

For this reason, a complete count of the entire population is critical. Panel attendees Mario Hernandez of the Minnesota Latino Complete Count Committee and Aman Obsiye from the Somali Complete Count Committee spoke about the importance of minority communities being accurately counted in the Census. "Businesses and non-profit services were created to address the needs of the Hispanic population when the Census came up with hard numbers finally," said Hernandez.

MCTC has partnered with state and local authorities to teach students about the importance of being counted and about employment opportunities with the 2010 Census. The school may also become a Questionnaire Assistance Center for those needing help completing the Census form, which is due to arrive in the mail between March 15 and 17.

The common fears and problems surrounding the Census include confidentiality of personal information and identification of sexual orientation. Such concerns were addressed at the forum, with Hennepin County Senior Planning Analyst Terra Cole firmly stating that the legal status of individuals will not be investigated for the Census and that personal information is kept completely confidential. "No court can access your information-not even the President."

This will also be the first time that same-sex couples and their families will be counted in the U.S. Census, as noted by Monica Meyer of Outfront Minnesota at the forum. However, there is still no direct question regarding sexual orientation or gender identity.

If interested in raising Census participation and awareness in your local community, information on forming or joining a Complete Count Committee can be found at www.census2010.gov or at (612) 543-2010.

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