Today Hagase Contar, a project of NALEO Educational Fund, is celebrating the count of young Latino Children.
Today we are joining NALEO in encouraging Latino communities to complete the census form and include their young children because an accurate Census count requires that every baby and child be counted . The last decennial census missed young Latino and African American children at a higher rate than other age groups. PRB recently released research that analyzed eight factors that are correlated with the risk of undercounting young children. According to their research a higher percentage of Latino children under 9 experience these factors compared to all children for 7 out of 8 of the factors. These include experiencing poverty (9 percentage points higher in relation to all children), living with one parent (8 percentage points higher), in the care of a grandparent (1 percentage point higher), living in rental housing (15 percentage points higher), living in multi-unit housing (9 percentage points higher), living in a large household (5 percentage points higher), and living in a limited- English proficient household (12 percentage points higher). This research shows that we need to find creative strategies to reach and encourage Latino families to include their young children in the 2020 Census given that so many families are now sheltering in place and not participating in most of their usual activities.
Our messaging research showed that many Latino immigrants would be interested in hearing about the Census on Spanish T.V. or radio, particularly including information about how their privacy will be protected. Hagase Contar also noted that fear and general mistrust of government is one of the challenges facing the Latino community and other groups. During this time of shelter-in-place, reaching families by radio and social media are critical.
NALEO is celebrating the count of young Latino children today, but this whole week is dedicated to counting different communities in the Latino community. They have provided many resources to celebrate this day. Below are portions of their Latino Census Week of Action plan which you can also access here.
Resources
¡Hazme Contar! | #HazmeContar (Powered by NALEO Educational Fund)
The ¡Hazme Contar! campaign includes working with local and national partners, educators, school board members, childcare providers, and parent leader groups to ensure they have the tools, information, and resources needed to inform their communities on the importance of counting all children in the household – including young children. As a part of our ¡Hazme Contar! campaign, we unveiled digital ads in English and Spanish to help make sure all children are counted in the 2020 Census.
- Hazme Contar website – hazmecontar.org
- Text KIDSCOUNT to 97779
- VIDEO: Hazme Contar: All Kids Need to be Counted (English)
- VIDEO: Hazme Contar: !Contemos a todos los niños en el #Censo2020! (Spanish)
- Dia del Niño Social Media Toolkit in English hereand Spanish here
- Count All Kids Google Drive of resources- https://drive.google.com/open?id=1uQkyTdED4I2acYSj0DtfSGuM4PxPNmVc
- Undercount of Latino Children One Pager in English and Spanish
- Parent Leader census curriculum in Spanish and English (Please note that this curriculum does not reflect the new landscape due to COVID-19. Please refer to updated timeline here)
- Guidance on how to fill out the form in English here and Spanish here
- Key FAQs on the process and who counts here can be found in English here and Spanish here
- Video tutorials on how to fill out the form in English can be found here and in Spanish here
- Self-Response Rate Tracking Tools
- Response Rate Challenge Toolkit
Social Media
Hashtags: #HagaseContar #LatinosCount #LatinxsCount #LatinasCount #HazmeContar #HazteContar #MyFamilyCounts #CountAllKids #2020Census
Twitter: @NALEO @MiFamiliaVota @LULAC @UnidosUS @LCLAA @UnitedWeDream @FIRM_Action @votolatino @MALDEF @latinojustice @CountAllKids
Instagram: @naleoedfund @mifamiliavota @lulac @weareunidosus @LCLAA @UnitedWeDream @firm_action @votolatino @maldefian @latinojustice
Sample Posts
Sample Post 1: Our kids look to us to protect their future. If young Latino children are not counted in #Census2020, the right amount of funding won’t reach schools, hospitals, daycare centers, and other programs that support healthy families. Count all kids! #HazmeContar Video: All Kids Need to be Counted in Census 2020!
Sample Post 2: Nuestros niños dependen en nosotros para proteger su futuro. Si no contamos a los niños latinos pequeños en #Censo2020, la cantidad necesaria de fondos no llegará a escuelas, hospitales, guarderías y otros programas. ¡Contemos a todos los niños! #HazmeContar Video: Contemos a todos
Sample Post 3: This #Census2020, remember that children count too! Leaving them out of the census may reduce the amount of fed. funding for programs like Head Start, Special Supplemental Program for Women, WIC and more! #HazmeContar
Sample Post 4: ¡En este #Censo2020 recuerde que los niños también cuentan! ¡Dejarlos fuera del censo puede disminuir la cantidad de fondos federales para programas como Head Start, Programa Especial Suplementario para Mujeres, WIC y más! #HazmeContar
Sample Post 4: The children in our lives hold a special place in our hearts and households. Don’t leave them out of #Census2020! Children and families cannot afford to miss out on the vital programs that census data help fund. #HazmeContar
Sample Post 5: Los niños en nuestras vidas tienen un lugar especial en nuestros corazones y hogares. ¡No los deje fuera del #Censo020! Los niños y las familias no tienen el lujo de perder los programas vitales que requieren información del censo para su financiación. #HazmeContar
Sample Post 5: DYK that Census 2010 missed approx. 400,000 young Latino children (age 0-4) with California, Texas, Florida, Arizona and New York experiencing the highest undercount? We can’t afford to make the same mistake twice. Count all children in #Census2020! #HazmeContar
Sample Post 6: ¿Sabía que el Censo 2010 no contó a cerca de 400,000 niños latinos (edades de 0-4) siendo California, Texas, Florida, Arizona y Nueva York los que experimentaron un subconteo mayor? No podemos cometer el mismo error. ¡Contemos a todos los niños en el #Censo2020! #HazmeContar
Graphic 1 | Graphic 2 | Graphic 3 | Graphic 4
Community Partners, Stakeholder & Elected Official Call to Action:
- Social Media: Post about the importance of ensuring a full count of Latino kids using the tools listed below. Remind households that everyone in the household should be counted regardless of age or whether the child is related or not.
- Send E-blast: Use tools and talking points to draft an e-blast to your members and constituents about what they can do to ensure kids are counted.
- Include Census in Lesson Plans: As you work closely with your school, administrators, school districts, and parents, remind them to include census information in their lesson plans.
- Parents Home Schooling: If you are a parent currently under stay at home orders with your little ones, use some of the tools listed below to include brief lesson plans on why the census is important for our communities.
- Host “How To” form tutorials: Using guidance on how to fill out the form in English (here) and Spanish (here) host your own “how to” webinar, town hall, or Facebook/Instagram Live sessions to review the paper form with your members or constituents.
- Host Q&A Session: Host an “Ask Me Anything” session on the census form using tools below to answer all paper questionnaire-related questions.
- Remind everyone to fill out the form! – Monitor self-response rates in your community and host “census form tutorials” to guide your community through how to fill out the paper questionnaire.
News Story Ideas
- Highlight the importance of ensuring children are counted by reminding the community what is at stake for education funding and school lunch programs
- Remind households that all children and babies must be counted whether they are related to people in the household or not
- Interview teachers, parents, or key child advocates on the importance of counting children
- Highlight parents incorporating the census in their home school lesson plans
