The 2020 census is here! For various reasons, in past years a significant number of New Yorkers have not participated in the census. Without a complete count, our city’s fair share of congressional representation is at stake, as are billions of dollars in federal funding for health, education, transportation, infrastructure such as bridges and tunnels, and many other programs that New Yorkers rely on.

Specifically for the arts community, the census has the potential to seriously impact the distribution of dollars from the federal cultural agencies. But population-based funding allocations also exist throughout the government, including in the Departments of Education, Housing and Urban Development, Agriculture, and others, all of which also have pockets of funds that in part stream to the arts. Additionally, special government grants are given to areas with large populations of historically marginalized communities. If the census doesn’t get an accurate count of these populations, then arts organizations engaged with those populations could be hindered in the amount of money they can get through government grants.

For all these reasons, it’s critical that our members participate in the census, and that we as union members engage with our friends, family, and communities to make sure that every person is counted. Beginning this month, you can respond to the census online, by phone or by mail. It’s up to us to shape the future of our communities! Learn more at 2020CENSUS.GOV.

TEMPORARY CENSUS JOBS AVAILABLE

Looking for a part-time gig with flexible hours to supplement your income? Apply for a temporary census job! The Census Bureau will soon be launching a census field operation, known as nonresponse follow-up. Census takers will knock on doors to follow up with households who have not responded to the census questionnaire. The office positions, which are more limited, will be located in area census offices. The role of these offices is to recruit, select, hire, train, manage, and pay all office and field staff who work within the designated boundaries of the geographic territory assigned to the office. The Census Bureau is in the process of opening 248 offices to support the 2020 census. As these offices become ready for business, they are listed at: 2020census.gov/jobs/pay-and-locations. Applying for one of these jobs is simple. Visit 2020census.gov/jobs/how-to-apply or call 855-JOB-2020 and select option 3 for more information. Most applications will remain active throughout the 2020 Census and may be considered as positions become available. Apply today!