2017 MNA Southeast Michigan Public Policy Council Meeting

2020 Census

Presentation Overview
(7.19.17)

Introduction
Kathy Aro, Vice Chair of MNA Southeast Michigan Public Policy Council (SEMIPPC) introduced the four
panelists: Joan Bowman (External Affairs Officer, Michigan Nonprofit Association), Ellisa Johnson (Data
Dissemination, Partnership Coordinator, Chicago Region U.S Census Bureau), Eric Guthrie (State
Demographer for the State of Michigan), and Jenna Bunn-Hector (Michigans Data Dissemination
Specialists with the U.S Census Bureau). Each shared an overview of their role in the upcoming Census
and how the process leading up to April 1st, 2020 (Census day) will proceed.

Census 2020: Michigan Nonprofit Count Campaign: Joan Bowman, MNA

Presented updates about what MNA is doing to support the Census, why other nonprofits should
support the Census, and what an accurate count means for the state of Michigan.
Recently, MNA was rewarded a three year grant by the Kellogg Foundation for their Michigan
Nonprofit Counts Campaign. The Michigan Nonprofit Association is in partnership with the Council
of Michigan Foundations (CMF), and they are launching a state-wide campaign to engage non-
profits in ensuring a fair and accurate count for the 2020 census.
Historically, the census has missed a numerous amount of racial minorities, immigrants, young
children, and the poor, leading to inequality in political power, and government funding. The
Nonprofit Complete Count Committee is a committee that will aid in outreach, awareness, and
creating strategies to ensure a complete count. The committee will provide guidance for the
campaign and the individual representatives of the committee will be able to educate their
networks of the census and allow their members to take the lead in the get-out-the-count efforts in
their local communities, provided from the MNA website found under the Census 2020 Michigan
Nonprofits counts campaign.
To be a part of this committee, please click the link below to provide your contact information.
http://www.cvent.com/d/c5qttg

2020 Census Geographic Partnership Programs and LUCA: Ellisa Johnson, U.S Census Bureau
Chicago Region (which include Michigan) plans for the 2020 Census include The Community
Partnership and Engagement Program and the 2020 Census Integrated Partnership and
Communications:
o The Community Partnership Program will work with State count commissions, county, local,
and tribal count groups, and provide local resources for tailored promotion. There have
been concerns about the security and privacy of those who participate in the census, so
Community Partnership and Engagement Program are working on the concerns for privacy
and cybersecurity, the deepening distrust of the government, the growing fear of terrorist,
and the growing diversity in our nations population.
 o The 2020 Census Integrated Partnership and Communications will communicate the
importance of participating in the 2020 Census to the entire population of the 50 states, the
District of Columbia, and the U.S Territories so that communities are engaged and motivated
to self-respond, preferably via the Internet. Lastly, to raise and keep awareness high
throughout the entire 2020 census to encourage response.
The 2020 Census Local Update of Census Addresses Operation (LUCA), is offered to tribal state and
local governments to review and comment on the U.S Census Bureaus residential address list for
the jurisdiction prior to the 2020 Census. States, Counties, Cities, and Townships are active,
functioning, and legal governments that are allowed to participate in LUCA. This operation will help
to ensure an accurate decennial census count in communities, help the federal government
distribute more than $400 billion in funds annually for infrastructure, programs, and services.
Whats new about LUCA is that pre-LUCA activities will provide more opportunities to submit
address information and receive feedback through the continuous Geographic Support System (GSS)
program. The Census Bureaus digital address list is available in new convenient standard software
formats.

Panel Discussion
Question: How do you count incarcerated individuals and juveniles?
Discussion: Residents are counted where they live on Census day, so for many, that is in prison.
Likewise, there is typically confusion for college students, whose parents may include them on their
survey. But college students should fill out their own survey, to avoid accidental miscounts, based
upon what their residence is on Census Day.

Question: Minority families being reluctant to participate in the Census, due to fear of deportation.
Discussion: Census and MNAs Community Partnership and Engagement program is making sure
that privacy and cybersecurity fears go down by reassuring communities and putting forth programs
to inform people that all of their information will be safe.

Eric Guthrie (State Demographer for the State of Michigan), and Jeana Bunn-Hector (Michigans
Data Dissemination Specialists with the U.S Census Bureau), both reviewed how the Census data
that is collected can impact funding, districting, etc. Information on this is available for
communities through webinars and workshops on how to find data, how to use it, and why it is
important for different communities to have. Additional information was provided on how the
population has changed since 2010: https://www.census.gov/censusexplorer/2010ratemap.html

Question: Ensuring appropriate racial categories are represented on the survey.

Discussion: The Census does not have control on what racial categories will be included on the
Census survey but this issue is being addressed in Washington D.C., as it has been recognized that
the minority community has grown. Therefore, the U.S. Census Bureau will be working to ensure
that this aspect will be addressed for the 2020 version and MNA will be providing updates
throughout the process.