KAC partnered with the U.S. Census Bureau during the 2000 Census, and we have been selected to provide assistance again for the 2010 count. The Census Bureau asked for KAC’s support because the Korean American community is considered a “hard to count” (HTC) population. KAC will work with local Korean American communities to generate public awareness of Census 2010, mobilize community leaders to encourage their constituents to be counted, and provide promotional Korean-language materials and guides. By helping to overcome community fears though awareness, education, motivation, and community events, KAC’s primary focus is to promote the 2010 Census in the Korean American community, and to ensure that every resident is counted.

 

The Census consists of two main parts. The first part involves building a list of addresses by way of an address canvassing operation. This is when a census taker will verify the location and information for every address in the United States. This process will occur in the spring and summer of 2009. The second part requires counting the population. It’s confidential and safe: The Census Bureau protects information that identifies respondents or their households. It’s simple: The questionnaire contains only a few questions and takes about ten minutes to answer and return by mail. It’s important: The Census determines the annual allocation of $300 billion in government funding for critical community services, and generates thousands of jobs across the country.

 

2010 Census Timeline

• Spring 2009: Address canvassing begins

• March 2010: Questionnaires are mailed to households

• April 1, 2010: CENSUS DAY

• Spring 2010: Non-response follow-up begins

 

Although the timeline of the 2010 seems far in the future, the actual process started in 2007, when committees were identified to determine if resources needed to be budgeted to promote the census locally. Now is the time to identify leaders and members who can mobilize community resources to encourage people to register in the Census and to develop a work plan so that by 2010, the plan can be carried out!

 

Fun Facts:

The first census was taken in 1790 by U.S. marshals riding on horseback, resulting in a count of 3.9 million people. By Census 2000, the total tally for the United States population reached 281,421,906. Within that figure, Koreans comprised of 1,076,872. (Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000).