Getting New York Counted

Tochtli Garcia, a CWE Outreach Field Captain, calls New Yorkers to encourage them to participate in the census

The global coronavirus pandemic has had a devastating impact on New York workers, both exposing thousands to the disease and upending the economic livelihoods of many more. And it unfortunately comes at a critical moment for New York’s hopes of securing political representation and federal funding for the next decade, which will require a complete count in this year’s census.

For months, CWE has been partnering with the Central Labor Council and allied community organizations and unions in CWE-CLC Workers Count2020, to prepare New York workers to take part in the census. Now that the census is underway, CWE census outreach workers had expected to hit the streets to organize for a complete count, but the coronavirus outbreak has upended those plans.

“The good news is that it couldn't be a better time for the census to be online,” says Darly Corniel, Education Director at the Consortium for Worker Education.

CWE outreach workers have switched gears, taking their outreach online as well. Instead of visiting New Yorkers in their workplaces or community organizations, they are reaching them through phone banks, text messages, emails, and social media. The organizers are coordinating their work remotely and keeping each other motivated through a What’s App group.

Fortunately, organizing they did before the virus reached New York has given outreach workers a head start. Earlier this year, thousands of New Yorkers signed cards pledging to participate in the census and letting CWE know how to reach them. Organizers are now following up with those workers over the phone and via email to make sure they fill out the census online. 

A complete count is critical. The decennial census is used to determine congressional representation and allocate $650 billion in federal funding for education, food stamps, public housing, transportation, and other services.

Before non-essential services were shut down in New York, outreach workers were visiting CWE’s workforce development classes, many of which are located at community-based organizations across the city.

Computer class students complete the census online.

Darly Corniel visited a computer class at a small organization in Jamaica, Queens. 

“They were on computers, so we all filled out the census online right then and there,” says Darly. 

The class included many low-income, limited-English, and undocumented New Yorkers. These are groups that are less likely to fill out the census, especially given fears of aggressive immigration enforcement.

“Their teacher told them it was safe to participate in the census, and that it was important,” says Darly. “They took a leap of faith and completed the census. It was a moment of real trust between community members and their community-based organization.”

She knows as well as anyone what it means to not be counted. "I've been in the country for 20 years and this is my first time doing the census," says Darly. For Darly and CWE, the goal for this year’s census is to make sure that New York’s workers are missed no more.

You can empower workers in NYC today. Sign the Labor Counts pledge and get counted in the 2020 Census, Visit: www.LaborCounts2020.org