How the U.S. Census Impacts Asian American & Pacific Islander Communities

Funding is ALL about the numbers. How many people is in your community? Who do you serve? What’s the number of households? Can you describe the racial makeup of your neighborhood? Most nonprofit organizations and funds turn to the U.S. Census Bureau as one of the main sources to get their data on demographics, the communities they serve, and how trends have increased or decreased access to resources over time. But did you know that Census data also determines how resources are distributed within a community?

Last week, I interviewed Mariam Rauf at the Asian American Federation in New York City about how the Census impacts us on a personal and professional level. One of the most surprising things I learned was that Elmhurst, Queens (one of the two epicenters of the COVID-19 outbreak in New York) lost 3 hospitals about 11 years ago. While, we don't know if a higher census count would have helped them stay open, it might have helped bring more funding for hospitals and clinics in the area. But if they were able to stay open, then there would have been more options and services available during the current pandemic.

Here’s our interview about the Census and also includes tips on what we can do to support community members who are elderly and/or limited English proficient. Enjoy!