Get Involved!

This week, Census forms will be mailed to households across the country, and AAI is joined by a broad Arab American coalition of groups calling on you to fill out the form and return it by mail. Here is the basic Census timeline:

This week: you will receive the 2010 Census form (see sample on this page); it has 10 simple questions and takes 10 minutes; complete it and return it by mail;
By early April: If your household has not returned its survey, you may receive a replacement; Census takers will visit households that do not mail back a questionnaire to take a count in person.
About the Form: it comes to your address ("Resident") not in your name; answer the 10 basic questions for all those living in your household (regardless of their relation to you) but not those relatives living elsewhere on April 1 (college students, military personnel, etc.); Questionnaire assistance is availble in Arabic.
Arab Ancestry: while the 2010 Census does not have a general question on ethnic ancestry, Arab Americans may choose to indicate their country(ies) of origin under "Some Other Race". Responses to this question will not be published with official race statistics but will be made available upon request to researchers and advocates.

AAI's 2010 Census campaign builds upon national outreach efforts conducted in 2000 and 1990, as well as our role as the only Census Information Center (CIC) providing data on Arab Americans and service on the Decennial Census Advisory Committee to the U.S. Census Bureau.

To download the toolkit or view it online, please click here.

Why is the Census Important?

Data from each decennial census affects how federal and state funding (more than $300 billion a year!) is spent in your neighborhood. This money is spent on public health, transportation, education, community development and much more. Additionally, the census is mandated by the Constitution to be used in apportioning seats in the US House of Representatives. It is also used to redistrict state legislatures and school district assignment areas. Making sure that you spend just ten minutes filling out the census ensures that your community will get its fair share of federal and state funding. And remember, the US Census Bureau protects all the information that you share in the census questionnaire; your name, address, etc., will never be shared or used against you by any government agency or court. Please make sure to read What Arab Americans and Chaldeans Need to Know about the Census (PDF).

In the past, all households received a short-form Census questionnaire, while one household in six received a long form that contained additional questions, including a question on ancestry. The 2010 Census will be a short-form only census and will count all residents living in the United States and will ask only 10 basic questions (name, sex, age, date of birth, race, Hispanic origin, etc). The American Community Survey, which collects more socioeconomic and demographic information than the short-form Census questionnaire, will continue to ask a question on ancestry or ethnic origin.

For further information on the American Community Survey, please click here.

So remember…

• The census is a count of everyone living in the United States every 10 years.
• The census is mandated by the U.S. Constitution.
• The next census is in 2010.
• Your participation in the census is required by law.
• It takes less than 10 minutes to complete.
• Federal law protects the personal information you share during the census.
• Census data are used to distribute Congressional seats to states, to make decisions about what community services to provide, and to distribute $300 billion in federal funds to local, state and tribal governments each year.

The 2010 Census: What's in it for Arab Americans?

Complete Count Committees

Local leaders across the nation are tuned into the needs of their communities – knowing better than most what local residents care about and what will motivate them to act. One of the most effective ways you can help increase participation in the 2010 Census in your community is to organize or join a Complete Count Committee. A Complete Count Committee (CCC) is a volunteer committee established by local governments and community leaders to increase awareness about the census and motivate local residents and community members to respond. The committees work best when they include a cross section of community representatives from many sectors, including government, business, education, religious organizations and the media. CCCs are charged with developing and implementing a plan designed to target the unique characteristics of their respective communities. If you are leader in your community and you are interested in joining a CCC in your area, please contact your regional office (PDF) or your local partnership specialist. For more basic information about these committees, please click here (PDF).

For a more in-depth understanding of the aspects of a Complete Count Committee, please see the Census Bureau's CCC Guide for Local Leaders.

For more detailed information from the Census Bureau on Complete Count Committees, please click here.

2010 Census in the Press

• Census Impacts Arab- and Muslim- American Community
• Helen Samhan on Detroit Today (NPR audio file)
• Take your Census form and fill it
• The 2010 Census: What's in it for Arab Americans?
• 2010 Census data will affect your voice; some call it discrimination
• The Census and Arab Americans
• Census 2010 Seeks Partnerships with Arab American Organizations
• Drive to have Arabs in US fill out census forms
• 2010 Census TV Commercial in Arabic
• City, federal, ACCESS officials push residents to participate in 2010 count

Partnership Opportunities for 2010

If you haven't already, please consider becoming a 2010 Census partner. Local governments, community organizations, businesses, and the media can all sign up and receive resources to help spread the word about the 2010 Census where you live. For a Census Partnership Agreement form, please click here. You can help by distributing Census information over your email list-serves or on your website; by publishing stories about the 2010 count; advertising Census jobs, and by enlisting local media to take part in promotion activities.

Job Opportunities with the Census

There are twelve Regional Offices serving all 50 states; these offices are responsible for hiring and supervising field workers who collect census information from residents in every part of our country. In preparation for the 2010 Census, the Regional Offices will open temporary Local Census Offices across the country. These offices will serve as administrative and operational hubs of census activities, which include hiring, training, and overseeing approximately 1.4 million locally hired enumerators across the country. Examples of positions available at these Local Census Offices include office managers, assistant managers for filed operations, and positions in administration, recruiting, technology and quality assurance. To find out more about available Local Office positions, you can click here for the Regional Office that serves your area. To see positions available nationally, please click here.

AAI's Census Information Center

The Census Information Centers (CICs) have become an integral part of the U.S. Census Bureau's data dissemination network. The primary focus of a CIC is making census information and data available to under served communities that may not have access to census data through other means of the data dissemination network. Started in 1988, the CIC Program is a cooperative venture between the U.S. Census Bureau and national level, community-based organizations and colleges and universities to serve as auxiliary data distribution centers reaching underserved populations. These organizations effectively process and disseminate Census Bureau data to under served population groups in easily understandable formats.

The Census Bureau has designated AAI as its only Census Information Center dedicated to analyzing data on the Arab American community. Please click here for more information on AAI’s CIC or to make a request for custom information on Arab Americans.

Demographic Information

On our website you will find information about Arab American demographics derived from the 2000 Census. Updated information and data from the American Community Survey (ACS) will be posted as it becomes available.

What is the ACS?

The American Community Survey (ACS) is a nationwide survey designed to provide communities a fresh look at how they are changing through critical economic, social, demographic and housing information. Every year the ACS will provide communities with the same kind of detailed information previously available only from the long form of the U.S. Census. It is sent to a small percentage of the population on a rotating basis throughout the decade. No household will receive the survey more often than once every five years.

In the past, all households received a short-form Census questionnaire, while one household in six received a long form that contained additional questions, including a question on ancestry. The 2010 Census will be a short-form only census and will count all residents living in the United States and will ask only 10 basic questions (name, sex, age, date of birth, race, Hispanic origin, family relationship and housing tenure). The ACS, which collects more socioeconomic and demographic information than the short-form Census questionnaire, will continue to ask a question on ancestry or ethnic origin.

For further information on the American Community Survey, please click here. For more information on how the 2010 Census will be different than past years, please click here.