Census- Technical Assistance
The Future of Indian Country: US Census 2010
The Future of Indian Country: US Census 2010
The 2010 Census will shape the next decade for Indian country. Not only does the Census count define the tribal voice in Congress but it seriously affects funding and other opportunities for tribal people. The future of Indian Country is dependent upon an accurate count to allow for economic growth and improvement in services for native people. For example, US Census data is used to determine where native people live as well as various social and economic indicators such as education level, income, poverty, and number of children in the home. Not only does this information assist urban and tribal programs in securing funding by showing needs but it also assists in determining what kind of services are important and where. Unless we work to strategically target our urban American Indian/Alaska Native population, the count will be incomplete. According the 2000 United States Census, over 60% of American Indians and Alaska Natives currently live in urban areas[1]. However, the division between an urban Indian and a non-urban Indians is a fundamentally false dichotomy. Urban Indians are our brothers, sisters, cousins, or ourselves as we move between our tribal homes and the urban centers for work, to pursue education, or to advocate on the behalf of all Native Americans. Although American Indians and Alaska Natives were originally forced to urban locations during the Termination and Relocation era due to economic pressures and the federal policy at the time, now most Native Americans transition between their tribal homes and the urban centers depending upon their needs and the needs of their families.[2]
The devastating effects of an inaccurate urban Indian count will permeate beyond the urban setting and affect tribal people living in all areas of the country, ultimately resulting in even more significant disparities in health for all American Indians and Alaska Native people. The overall number of American Indians increased significantly between 1990 and 2000. This overall population increase was not just a benefit for urban communities but helped the American Indian/Alaska Native community as a whole bring more light to native issues. This was a benefit to all American Indian/Alaska Native communities, regardless of urban, rural, reservation, or village setting. Therefore, any undercount of American Indian and Alaska Native people will be felt by all of us.
Challenges for an Accurate Count
Just as within tribal communities, many of the tribal citizens that are living in the cities have the same traumatic history with governmental entities that result in distrust and unwillingness to participate in any governmental driven program. Finding a way to reach the urban Indian population to encourage individuals to complete the US Census 2010 will be crucial for getting an accurate count.
The multi-tribal and multi-cultural effects will also be important to address in social marketing efforts surrounding US Census 2010. For example, many native people are of multiple tribes and multiple races. Ensuring that native people are marking all that apply will be extremely important for getting the urban Indian count. Unfortunately, although the US Census form allows one to check multiple races, it does not allow one to identify multiple tribes. Therefore, only one tribe can be selected.
Oftentimes, tribal people in urban communities are invisible. Finding tribal people that are living in the cities can be a real challenge and there may not be a mechanism in place for mass communication for tribal people living in cities. This issue is even more difficult for the many thousands of homeless native people living on the streets in cities across the country. Finding and educating the community about how to complete the Census form is a critical part of the efforts for ensuring an accurate count.
What you can do
NCUIH is committed to providing technical assistance to Urban Indian Health Programs for educating the urban Indian communities about US Census 2010. Currently, NCUIH is engaging with US Census Headquarters to develop a partnership agreement that will provide resources and information to urban Indian communities on Census 2010. Time is of the essence and American Indians and Alaska Natives cant afford an inaccurate count!
Here is what you can do to begin your efforts for an accurate count in your community:
1. Visit the US Census 2010 website: http://www.census.gov/2010census/
Here you can review information about 2010 Census, get answers to frequently asked questions, download a sample of the census form, review timeline, download promotional materials and search for jobs.
2. Contact your local Census office to create a formalized agency partnership. You can find your local office under the job link. This will allow for you to work closely with the office and access materials needed for recruitment and education to the community.
3. Start identifying and recruiting community members that would be willing and able to work for Census. It is important to find those people who are known and respected in your community to assist with education and an accurate count.
4. Start an education campaign in your community to help people recognize the importance of the Census for future generations. Education may also need to include Census confidentiality and education about the Census form.
[1] American Indian and Alaska Native Population: 2000 Brief, U.S. Census, Stella Ogunwole. 2002.
[1] See United States v. Raszkiewicz, 196 F.3w 459, 465 7th Cir. 1999, stating: [the] patterns of cross or circular migration on and off the reservations make it misleading to suggest that reservations and urban Indians are two well-defined groups.
[1] American Indian and Alaska Native Population: 2000 Brief, U.S. Census, Stella Ogunwole. 2002.
[2] See United States v. Raszkiewicz, 196 F.3w 459, 465 7th Cir. 1999, stating: [the] patterns of cross or circular migration on and off the reservations make it misleading to suggest that reservations and urban Indians are two well-defined groups.
