ELECTED OFFICIALS DISCUSS IMPORTANCE OF 2020 CENSUS

South Central Community Services, Inc., along with Community Assistance Programs, hosted a Virtual Town Hall Meeting to answer questions and inform residents about the importance of the 2020 Census.
South Central Community Services, Inc. hosted a virtual town hall meeting for residents featuring local elected officials answering questions about Census 2020. Photos courtesy of South Central Community Services, Inc.
South Central Community Services, Inc. hosted a virtual town hall meeting for residents featuring local elected officials answering questions about Census 2020. Photos courtesy of South Central Community Services, Inc.

Elected officials discuss importance of 2020 Census

South Central Community Services, Inc., along with Community Assistance Programs, hosted a Virtual Town Hall Meeting to answer questions and inform residents about the importance of the 2020 Census.

Bonnie DeShong, 1st vice chairman of South Central Community Services, Inc., served as the moderator. Michael Holmes, chairman of Community Assistance Programs, Malcolm Weems, board chairman of South Central Community Services, Inc., Cory Stevenson, Census Bureau Illinois Partnership Specialist, participated in the call, along with local elected officials.

Elected officials included 8th Ward Alderman Michelle Harris, State Representative Marcus Evans, State Senator Elgie Sims, as well as Cook County Commissioner Stanley Moore.

“Local government doesn’t exist without the Census,” Harris said. “The government is a pyramid and the city is at the bottom of the pyramid.”

Harris added, without the monies from the census and the federal government, state and local government doesn’t get the resources it needs, and it doesn’t trickle down to communities.

Stevenson echoed Harris’ sentiment about what is gained and lost, based on communities being counted during Census time.

“It’s so important for us to make sure we participate in this once in a decade,” he said. “These funds are allocated to our state based on our head count.”

Stevenson added that the Census also gives the state the opportunity to redistrict the maps. Holmes was optimistic about the community’s ability to be counted.

“This is probably going to be one of the best counts we can get out of our community,” he said.

There has been a push in the African American community to get the word out about the importance of filling out the Census. Community organizations, as well as the city and state government have made it clear the benefits of residents being counted this year.

DeShong said South Central Services, Inc., and Community Assistance Programs have been going out in the Chatham area to do outreach and had people on the ground, prior to COVID-19 and Governor J. B. Pritzker’s Stay-at-Home order. “These people at South Central have worked together to go out into the community and reach the masses,” she said.

Stevenson said because of COVID-19, his office had to pivot and adjust field operations when it came to enumeration for the census to make sure there was an accurate count in the community. Dates have been extended and changed based on COVID-19 and keeping people safe, which includes the self-response phase being extended to Oct. 31.

“We’re always constantly looking at what is the federal and state guidance,” he said.

Harris said it is really important for people of color to be counted in the Census because the number of African American Aldermanic wards in the city are at stake.

“I may have to grow or I may have to shrink based on how many people are counted. When we’re counted, we’ll know whether we lost or we gained,” she said. “If people are simply counted, we don’t have to worry about it.”

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