April 1, 2009 - Posted by Jenna Wandres
Arturo Vargas, executive director of NALEO, speaking at an April 1 National Press Club event announcing the "ya es hora HAGASE CONTAR!" campaign
This morning, a coalition of prominent Latino organizations and national Spanish-language media outlets announced their campaign, "ya es hora HAGASE CONTAR!" (It's Time, Make Yourself Count!), to motivate U.S. Latinos to participate in the 2010 Census.
During the last two censuses, the Census Bureau missed counting millions of people – mostly minorities and low-income people. Latinos, who are the largest minority group in the nation, were missed at a higher rate than other racial and ethnic groups.
"A census that fails to accurately count all Latinos is a failed census," said Arturo Vargas, executive director of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials Educational Fund (NALEO). "As a community we need to understand that full participation in American life requires standing up and being counted."
One year from today, the Census Bureau will begin mailing census forms to every household in the country. Newly confirmed Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke noted that the Obama administration has not nominated a candidate for Census Bureau director yet but said that "the census is the priority issue for the Commerce Department."
Categories: Census 2010
