From: President
Sent: Wednesday, April 1, 2020
Subject: 2020 Census 

Dear College Community, 

Like me, I know you are all busy thinking about how we protect ourselves, our families, our community and get through this public health crisis. But there is another pressing need that I urge you not to forget about as it will affect our readiness for future health emergencies.  If the Census was important before, given what we are experiencing, it is critically important now.  It’s that time of the decade when we are asked to stand up and be counted. Each of us must complete the 2020 Census.   

The census determines how the federal government allocates more than $675 billion a year and our responses drive resource allocation for disaster planning, education, transportation and public health. The funding our city relies on will be jeopardized unless we all – every household – respond to the census. Our political clout in Washington is also at risk. New York State could lose two seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. If we have fewer people fighting for us, our voices will be diminished. 

Completing the Census is easy,  safe and it’s important for our community. And, for the first time, if you choose, you can respond online at my2020census.gov. When you respond to the census, your answers are kept anonymous. They are used only to produce statistics. You will be asked questions such as:

• The number of people living or staying in a home on April 1, 2020.
• Whether the home is owned with or without a mortgage, rented or occupied without rent.
• A phone number for a person in the home.
• The name, sex, age, date of birth and race of each person in the home.
• Whether each person is of Hispanic, Latino or Spanish origin.
• The relationship of each person to a central person in the home. 

There is no question about citizenship on the census form. The Census Bureau also never asks for Social Security numbers, bank or credit card information, money or donations, or anything on behalf of a political party.  Everyone living in the United States is supposed to be counted by the census, whether they are citizens or not; and everyone has the duty and the opportunity to stand and be counted.

Join me in completing the 2020 Census so we can get the resources to support what we count on most in our communities.   

*Letter includes an excerpt from the Kingsborough Corner article that will be published in The Brooklyn Paper on April 3, 2020. 

President Schrader