WASHINGTON, DC – In an effort to dispel widespread concerns Hispanics may have about the confidentiality of information they’re providing the government, the US Census today launched a Spanish-language Web site www.2010Census.gov/espanol. In a statement the Census said “the site’s goal is to inform the more than 34 million people who speak Spanish at home about the 2010 Census and to demonstrate to the Hispanic community that participation is easy, important and safe.”
The new 2010 Spanish Web site is an interactive experience, allowing users to preview the 10 questions on the 2010 Census form via an interactive application. The site reinforces the message that answers provided in the 2010 Census are strictly confidential and protected by law. The 2010 Census form will be one of the shortest in U.S. history and will take only 10 minutes to complete.
“Every decade, the census has to adjust how it reaches out to a diverse and growing population. These new and interactive Web pages are just such an example of how the Census Bureau is continuing to respond to new challenges,” Census Bureau Director Robert M. Groves said. “Our hope is that visitors can relate and understand the importance of their participation in the 2010 Census and how they personally can have an impact on the well-being of their communities.”
The Web site, www.2010census.gov/espanol, presents six videos of real life stories in Spanish. Each video addresses answers to the most commonly asked questions about the 2010 Census. It also provides key dates, the 2010 Census Road Tour route, the latest in social media (such as the director’s blog) and connections to 224 social media sites.
“Our Spanish language 2010 Census Web site demonstrates the Census Bureau’s commitment to ensuring a fair and accurate count of the Hispanic population,” added Groves. “The 2010 Census is easy, important and safe, and we urge everyone to make sure they are counted.”
The Census Bureau will mail out 120 million forms starting in March. For the first time, the Census Bureau will mail out 13 million bilingual, English-Spanish forms across the country.
In addition to the Spanish version of the 2010 Web site, the Census Bureau is making
unprecedented efforts to reach out to those who do not speak English. A one-page description and a user guide explaining how to answer the census questionnaire is on the 2010 Web site in 59 languages. In contrast to the 2000 Census paid advertising campaign which was in 17 languages, the 2010 Census will use 28 languages for its advertising campaign. Also, the 2010 Census questionnaire will be available in six languages — English, Spanish, Russian, Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese.
The 2010 Census is a count of everyone living in the United States and is mandated by the U.S. Constitution. Census data are used to apportion congressional seats to states, to distribute more than $400 billion in federal funds to tribal, state and local governments each year and to make decisions about what community services to provide.
Editor’s note: News releases, reports and data tables are available on the Census Bureau’s home page. Go to http://www.census.gov/ and click on “Releases.”
It only goes to show where there’s will there’s a way. Keep on trying.
Some people have said that the US immigration office is going to trace census respondents, find out if they are in this country legally, then locate and deport them if they are not. It’s part of a crackdown on undocumented workers — SO wrong!