Are You Ready for the Census?

*Census Day is April 1, 2020*

Once a decade, America comes together to count every resident in the United States. The decennial census was first taken in 1790, as mandated by the  Constitution . It counts our population and households, providing the basis for  reapportioning congressional seats , redistricting, and distributing more than $675 billion in federal funds annually to support states, counties and communities’ vital programs — impacting housing, education, transportation, employment, health care and public policy .

The 2020 Census marks the first time the Census will be primarily online ! Of course, paper and telephone versions of the questionnaire will still be available to people who prefer those formats. The Census questionnaire will be 10 questions, will take about 10 minutes, and is completely safe and confidential. Even though the form is shorter this year, every census, people wrestle with how to answer some of the questions, in particular, the race and ethnicity questions.  This document will connect you with answers to just about any question that you may have about the census, as well as a step-by-step guide to filling out the race and ethnicity portion.

Historically, the census has under-counted marginalized groups, such as immigrants and minorities, because they are hit hardest with accessing affordable housing and often move around, making them harder to find and count. “Hardest to count” populations (HTC) include – renters, young men, children, African Americans, and Latinos—this totals 72% of California’s population ! Moreover, when parents are filling out their Census forms, they are leaving out their kids. Some don’t want anyone to know they have kids, but many just don’t think the Census applies to kids.

It is incumbent on all of us to reach out to our friends and neighbors, encourage them to fill out the census, and help get accurate information out to those who have concerns and questions .

Map of the PASadena area

Yellow represents easiest to count while blue the hardest to count areas.  

The four hardest to count census tracts in our area are bounded by:

Los Angeles County is the HARDEST to count county in the country .

The Census results impact ALL of us



Information from the census helps the federal government apportion money among states to plan for future improvements to schools, roads, fire, and police stations, in addition to helping people in your local community get benefits such as healthcare, school programs, day care and job training. Businesses use the census data to determine whether they should open new stores-- which creates new jobs--and what product s and services wo uld be best for particular communities. Overall, there is $675 billion that gets allocated across the country based on the results of the Census count.  $77 billion of that is for California.  If you think that missing a few people in the census doesn't matter, it's worth noting that each person accounts for about $2,000 to the county each year. For a family of 5, that comes to $100,000 of missed funding until the next census.  The city of San Jose estimates that it lost upwards of $200 million in federal funds due to census undercounting. Everyone counts ! In addition to money, Census counts impact redistricting, which means congressional seats, city council boundaries, school board boundaries, etc. 

Specific Impacts to our community have been:



Federal law protects your information .

The Census Bureau is bound by Title 13 of the U.S. Code. Every person with access to your data is sworn for life to protect your information and understands that the penalties for violating this law apply for life. If anyone violates this law, it is a federal crime; penalties are severe, including a federal prison sentence of up to five years, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Additionally, responses collected by the Census Bureau are used for statistical purposes only . The Census Bureau publishes only aggregated statistics and may not publish information that would identify an individual, business, or organization. Federal, state, and local government agencies are prohibited from using statistical datasets produced by the Census Bureau to the detriment of any individual who responded to a census.

March 12-20 - you will receive an “invitation to respond postcard” in mail (see video above for more details). Some will receive a paper copy, but that is mostly reserved for seniors.

March 16-24 - If you haven’t responded yet, a reminder letter is sent.

March 26-April 3 - A reminder postcard is sent, for those who still haven’t filled the census out. Based on past experience, this mailing will most likely be a large number since so few people gather and open their mail every day.

April 8-16 - A reminder letter and paper questionnaire are mailed for those people still not responding.

April 20-27 - final reminder postcard before Census employees begin their canvassing via telephone and in person.

The counting will continue until July 31.

The Vision | The children of Pasadena, Altadena and Sierra Madre all grow up in a safe, stable,

                        and supportive environment that prepares them for success in school and in life.

Celebrate Black History Month

To commemorate and celebrate the contributions to our nation made by people of African descent, American historian Carter G. Woodson established Black History Week. The first celebration occurred on Feb. 12, 1926. For many years, the second week of February was set aside for this celebration to coincide with the birthdays of abolitionist/editor Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln. In 1976, as part of the nation’s bicentennial, the week was expanded to a month. Since then, U.S. presidents have proclaimed February as National African-American History Month. 

Celebrate Black History 2020 in Pasadena by attending the parade and other special events, lectures, and activities, now through Saturday, February 29, 2020. The Pasadena Black History Planning Committee presents a full schedule of events in celebration of the achievements by Black Americans and in recognition of African Americas in US History, kicking the month off with the annual Red, Black, and Green Honors Masquerade Gala at The Rose on January 30, and culminating with A Conversation with Lynell George at Allendale Branch Library on Saturday, February 29.

The Human Services and Recreation Department, in coordination with the volunteer Black History Parade and Festival Planning Committee, are honored to host the 38 ^th Annual Pasadena Black History Parade and Festival on Saturday, February 15, 2020. This is one of the longest-running and largest Black History celebrations is Southern California. This year’s theme is “For the culture – Celebrating Our Excellence”, and features over 80 entries, with participants traveling from great distances to join the celebration. The parade starts at 10 AM on N. Fair Oaks Ave and Figueroa Dr., and finishes at Robinson Park, where the festival immediately follows, ending at 4 PM.  The festival features live entertainment for all ages, food available for purchase, an exciting meet-and-greet with Miss Black Pasadena, the Power 106 Street Team, free informational booths and a children’s zone jam-packed with fun, free activities. The event is known for a variety of great food including delicious barbecue, chicken and fish dinners, grilled burgers and hot dogs, and fun goodies like kettle corn, lemonade, pies, cakes, and ice cream. Returning this year is the popular Historically Black College and University (HBCU) College Fair featuring the “Divine Nine,” a network of African American fraternities and sororities. There’s something for everyone, so mark you're calendars IN PEN!

The parade will be recorded in its entirety by Pasadena Media , one of the event sponsors, and will air on both KPAS, the City government TV station, and Arroyo, the Pasadena community public channel. Visit  www.pasadenamedia.tv  for broadcast times.

Attendees are encouraged to arrive early to navigate around street closures, find parking and claim their favorite viewing spots along the parade route. Free parking provided on a first-come, first served basis at Calvary Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, 135 Glorieta St., Pasadena.

The Pasadena Senior Center will present its annual luncheon in honor of Black History Month on Monday, February 17, from noon to 2:30 p.m., sponsored by the center’s Ebony Ladies. The program will celebrate African American culture through soul food, live entertainment and dancing. The soul food will include fried chicken, sides and dessert, and JazzZone will perform. JazzZone is a consortium of musicians led by Roscoe Lee Owens, son of the late jazz drummer Jimmie Owens. The cost is $10 in advance for members as well as non-members of the Pasadena Senior Center, payable at the Welcome Desk no later than Friday, Feb. 14. For more information visit www.pasadenaseniorcenter.org , or call (626) 795-4331.

Founded in 1960, the Pasadena Senior Center is an independent, donor-supported nonprofit organization that offers recreational, educational, wellness and social services to people ages 50 and over in a welcoming environment. Services are also provided for frail, low-income and home-bound seniors.

I n May, The Flintridge Center brought on Tyrone Thompson as the Case Manager for the Youth Diversion & Development program. Tyrone is a California native and the first in his family to graduate college. He started his journey at Chico State and graduated from Cal State San Bernardino with a degree in social work. Tyrone has more than 11 years of experience in the nonprofit sector working with diverse individuals and community-based organizations.

The Youth Diversion and Development (YDD) Programs are available in communities across Los Angeles with funding from the Los Angeles County Health Agency’s Division of Youth Diversion and Development. Led by organizations Such as The Flintridge Center with experience providing youth development services to young people in their community, YDD Programs offer supportive, restorative alternatives to arrest or citation. The goal of this YDD program is to connect youth and their families to a range of activities and services that will build on the youth’s strengths, address what they want to work on, and prevent their involvement or further involvement with the justice system.

 

In Pasadena, The Pasadena Police Department refers youth to The Flintridge Center’s diversion program instead of processing an arrest or citation. Tyrone then works with youth and caretakers to create a care plan based on individual strengths and goals. If youth successfully completes the program, The Pasadena Police Department will not file the arrest or citation. Tyrone feels honored working at Flintridge because it allows him to build bridges for our youth to have endless possibilities. Tyrone says that the most rewarding experience in life is being able to empower, encourage and uplift our youth. "We believe every young person deserves opportunities to heal and be successful without the barriers to future education or employment caused by a criminal record."

Volunteer Opportunity - Rose City High School Senior Defense Panel

Seniors at Rose City High School are getting ready to present their Senior Defense (a graduation requirement). Teachers and staff are the regular panelists, but the students get added benefit when our community members serve as panelists too, particularly as they prepare to leave high school and face adult-world expectations. We cannot do this without help from people like you. Participation is also a fantastic way for you, our community, to see who our students are and what they have been working on. If you have never been to Rose City, or it's been awhile since your last visit, please come see why it was named A California Model Continuation High School and help erase the stigma often associated with continuation schools. Check your calendars, invite a friend, and take this opportunity to support our students.

click here to register

Senior Defenses will take place from 1:30 – 3:00 pm on February 25, 26, 27

Feel free to volunteer on more than one date!

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v. to make stronger; enlarge; extend