Youth engage Five Points about Census 2010
Approximately 30 youth from YouthBiz will wear Denver Census 2010 T-shirts and go door-to-door Friday in the Five Points neighborhood to increase awareness about the upcoming Census and distribute fliers.
WHEN: Friday, July 24, 9 a.m. to noon (canvassing 10 a.m. to noon)
WHERE: Begins at YouthBiz, 3280 Downing St., Suite C, Denver, CO 80205
RSVP: Jamie Glennon at (720) 944-2405, cell: (303) 808-7437, e-mail: Jamie.Glennon@denvergov.org
Denver’s Complete Count Committee for the 2010 Census partnered with YouthBiz this summer to conduct a five-week workshop series on Fridays for 30 high-risk youth to talk about the Census. Youth learned hands-on, transferable leadership and marketing skills as they promote the goals of the Census through T-shirt design, production and neighborhood canvassing in the Five Points neighborhood.
Local community leaders and professionals who educated the youth include Martha Rodriguez, Denver Office of Strategic Partnerships Census outreach specialist, Manny Gonzales, Denver U.S. Census Bureau partnership specialist, and Elbra Wedgeworth, Denver Health chief government and community relations officer.
“By learning about the neighborhood dynamics that classify the Five Points area as ‘Hard to Count,’ students gained an in-depth understanding of the Census goals and will learn to promote these goals to their families, friends and the larger communities of their neighborhoods and schools,” said Denver Office of Strategic Partnerships Census Outreach Specialist Martha Rodriguez.
As part of the workshop series, the youth designed T-shirts through YouthInk that celebrate their community and promote Denver Census 2010. The artwork on the T-shirt depicts two scenes. Half of the shirt reflects what the community would look like if the Census questionnaire is not completed, and the other half reflects what it would look like if everyone completes the Census questionnaire. Youth will be wearing these T-shirts as they canvass approximately 240 households.
About the Organizers
Denver’s Complete Count Committee
The
Complete Count Committee (CCC) is a group of community leaders appointed by Mayor John Hickenlooper for the purpose of developing and implementing a comprehensive 2010 Census awareness campaign in partnership with the U.S. Census Bureau. The CCC is aimed at ensuring every resident of Denver County is counted in the 2010 Census.
YouthBiz
The mission of YouthBiz is to advance the social and economic empowerment of youth through a focus on business, academics and leadership. During the 1992 “Summer of Violence,” eight inner-city teens and a local leader from the Five Points neighborhood came together to start an organization that would teach job and life skills to youth from some of Denver’s most underserved communities. The organization serves 400 youth annually through programs that strengthen academic performance, teach transferable work skills, and develop relevant leadership skills. YouthBiz has served over 3,000 youth through programs that leave a lasting impact not just on these individuals, but their families and the larger community.
About the Census
The Census is a head count of everyone residing in the United States. It has been mandated by the U.S. Constitution (Article 1, Section 2) since 1790 and it occurs every 10 years. The Census counts people of all ages, race, ethnic groups, citizens and noncitizens. Population totals from the decennial Census determine the number of seats each state has in the House of Representatives; the totals are also used to redraw legislative districts. The Census is also used to help determine the appropriation of federally funded programs. Census data is safe. The constitution protects Census information from being shared with the Department of Homeland Security or any other federal agency.
Census data is used to determine how the community is changing and what its needs are. Approximately $300 billion in federal funding is distributed to communities each year. If the population is not counted accurately then Denver may not receive funds that match its needs. Some of the areas where Census data is used to allocate funds are: Title 1 grants to educational agencies, Head Start programs, Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), public transportation, road rehabilitation and construction, and emergency food and shelter.