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A Roadmap for Counting More African Americans in California During the 2020 Census

Published

5 years ago

April 8, 2020

California Black Media (CBM) has released their updated and comprehensive, “Counting Black California-Counting the Hard to Count” study, identifying areas in the state where African Americans are least likely to be counted by the 2020 Census. The study examined 16 socio-economic variables among Black residents of census tracts throughout the state considered the “least likely to participate” and “less likely to participate”—classifications that are used by the Census.

The study concluded that the most effective way to get a complete count of African Americans in California would be to focus first on 41 distinct areas across the state—some, towns with only hundreds of Black residents; others, cities with Black populations approaching 100,000. These areas capture the vast majority of African Americans in California, and if focused on, would deliver efficient and effective results.

With the 2020 Census effort officially launching yesterday—especially given the significant challenges presented by the Coronavirus—the study is intended to help hit the target areas that will more than likely not respond to the states’ first push to reach residents to respond.

CBM’s executive director Regina Wilson stated, “We risk being undercounted because the Census is overshadowed by today’s crisis, but being undercounted means having fewer resources to battle tomorrow’s crisis as well. I support all of the hard-working Community organizations and ethnic media rising to these challenges to ensure our most vulnerable residents are counted. We hope this report will allow outreach organization’s to better pinpoint where our most vulnerable Black people live.”

The study was commissioned by CBM and authored by Walter Scott Hawkins, who spent 30 years in the California State University System, including serving as Director of Research & Policy Analysis at CSUSB. Hawkins said, “What makes this study unique is that we carefully selected variables that allow us to look solely at Blacks in California. We didn’t compare them to other groups, which so many other studies do. I believe we’ve created a road map for any organization educating the public to target historically vulnerable residents on the importance of self-response to the Census. I also believe the data will drive targeted results for our community during the 2020 Census and Non-Response Follow-up period.”

“The beauty of this report,” Hawkins continued, “is that it can be used by a range of city, county and state leaders to measure education results, deliver social services, track and advocate for affordable housing, etc. Black communities in California can’t afford another undercount,” Hawkins went on to say. “We know that the 2010 Census undercounted African Americans across the nation by more than 800,000, and approximately seven percent of young African American children were overlooked by that census.

Every policymaker and informed community leader understands the significant negative impact that an undercount of that magnitude can have on a community. We launched this study to avoid repeating that mistake; to provide a very detailed roadmap for counting Blacks in California. And importantly, we believe that the methodology can be replicated across the U.S.”

Download the study here: www.cablackmedia.org

Courtesy of CBA

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Oakland Post: Week of February 26 – March 4, 2025

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of February 26 – March 4, 2025

Published

3 days ago

February 28, 2025

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Oakland Post: Week of February 19 – 25, 2025

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of February 19 – 25, 2025

Published

1 week ago

February 22, 2025

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U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Rep. Lateefah Simon to Speak at Elihu Harris Lecture Series

The popular lecture series is co-produced by the Oakland-based Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom Center and Peralta Community College District. Jeffries’ appearance marks the 32nd lecture of the Barbara Lee and Elihu Harris Lecture Series, which has provided thousands of individuals with accessible, free, high-quality information.

Published

2 weeks ago

February 19, 2025

Oakland Post

U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (left) and Rep. Lateefah Simon (D-CA-12) (Right).

By Scott Horton

United States House of Representatives Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY-8) will be a speaker at the Barbara Lee and Elihu Harris Lecture Series on Friday, Feb. 21.

The event will be held at the Henry J. Kaiser Center for the Arts, 10 Tenth Street in Oakland, at 7 p.m.

The popular lecture series is co-produced by the Oakland-based Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom Center and Peralta Community College District. Jeffries’ appearance marks the 32^nd lecture of the Barbara Lee and Elihu Harris Lecture Series, which has provided thousands of individuals with accessible, free, high-quality information.

The overarching goal of the lecture series is to provide speakers from diverse backgrounds a platform to offer their answers to Dr. King’s urgent question, which is also the title of Jeffries’ latest book: “Where do we go from here: Chaos or Community?”

In addition to Jeffries, Congresswoman Lateefah Simon (D-CA-12) will also speak.

“Certainly, now is a time for humanity, in general, and Americans in particular to honestly and genuinely answer Dr. King’s question,” said Dr. Roy D. Wilson, Executive Director of the Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom Center and Executive Producer of the lecture series.

“Dr. King teaches that time is neutral but not static. Like the water in a river, it arrives and then quickly moves on,” continued Wilson. “We must urgently create conditions for listening to many different answers to this vital question, and generate the development of unity of action among all those who struggle for a stronger democracy.”

In his book, Jeffries shares his experience of being unanimously elected by his colleagues as the first African American in history to ever hold the position of House Minority Leader.

In January 2023 in Washington, Jeffries made his first official speech as House Minority Leader. He affirmed Democratic values one letter of the alphabet at a time. His words and how he framed them as the alphabet caught the attention of Americans, and the speech was later turned into a book, The ABCs of Democracy, bringing Congressman Jeffries rousing speech to vivid, colorful life, including illustrations by Shaniya Carrington. The speech and book are inspiring and urgent as a timeless reminder of what it means to be a country with equal opportunities for all. Jeffries paints a road map for a brighter American future and warns of the perils of taking a different path.

Before his colleagues unanimously elected him Minority Leader in 2022, Jeffries previously served as Chair of the House Democratic Caucus and as an Impeachment Manager during the first Senate trial of the 45th President of the United States.

Jeffries was born in Brooklyn Hospital, raised in Crown Heights, grew up in the Cornerstone Baptist Church and he is a product of New York City’s public school system, graduating from Midwood High School. Jefferies went on to Binghamton University (BA), Georgetown University (master’s in public policy) and New York University (JD).

He served in the New York State Assembly from 2007 to 2012.

Admission is free for the Feb. 21 Barbara Lee and Elihu Harris Lecture Series featuring Congressman Jeffries. Please reserve seats by calling the Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom Center at (510) 434-3988.

Signed copies of his book will be available for purchase at the event.