VIA Times – March 2020 Issue Vital News, Vibrant VIews for Asian Americans in Chicago & Midwest
This information was sent by Viveka Ray-Mazumber, Civic Engagement Organizer (CEO) of AFIRE or ALLIANCE of FILIPINO IMMIGRANT RIGHTS and EMPOWERMENT.
She said: ” As AFIRE’s Civic Engagement Organizer, I am sending you this information on the importance of Census to all of us. In mid-March, households will start receiving official mail from the US Census Bureau with information about how to respond to the US Census. People can begin filling out the Census on March 12th. By April 1, every home will receive an invitation to participate in the 2020 Census. People can respond to the census in one of these three ways: online, by phone, or by mail.”
“People can fill out the census online at https://my2020census. gov/ . They can also find the form in Tagalog or Pilipino on this website. If you do not receive mail about the census, or you have questions about the census, or would like to fill out the census by phone, you can call the census hotline at 1-844-330-2020.”
AFIRE pointed out that every single person in the US can fill out the census, regardless of citizenship status. “The US Census will not ask you for your citizenship. It is very important that our communities would fill out the census. There is $675 billion dollars of federal funding available to distribute based on how our communities filling out the census. If our communities do not fill out the census, it effectively tells the US government that we do not exist, hence, we do not require funding or services”, Vi underscored.
She added: “Please feel free to follow up with me (Vi) if you have any questions. You can reach me at: 631-949-6445. If I don’t answer your first call, please leave a voice message and I will call you back ASAP. .Thank you for your cooperation. Thank you Tuesday Club and Ms. Elsie Sy-Niebar of VIA TIMES for your non-stop support to our Asian American communities.” (Vi).
AFIRE Volunteers Naty and Sally Richmond, getting on their toes to get people be counted in CENSUS 2020. Want to volunteer? Please see AFIRE advertisement in this VIA TIMES issue. Mabuhay ka, Kapatid.
