New York, NY, Dec 11, 2019 (Yes Punjab News)
In collaboration with the City of New York, United Sikhs today announced it has received an award from the NYC Complete Count Fund — a partnership between the City University of New York (CUNY), Mayor Bill de Blasio and the New York City Council.
The NYC Complete Count Fund is a first-of-its-kind, Census-related community organizing program that will support and resource community-based organizations to help NYC reach a full and accurate count in the 2020 U.S. Census.
This award will support United Sikhs’ Community Education, Empowerment and Development (CEED) Program, which strives to empower individuals and communities and help them attain their full potential to become active participants in society.
Empowerment occurs largely through education, training and community development projects. United Sikhs aims to encourage people to participate in the decision-making processes in their local community, as well as taking their place in the international arena.
The Complete Count Fund was built with the understanding that local community-based organizations — which serve New Yorkers in the communities where they live and in the languages that they speak — are the most trusted messengers of important and sensitive information.
“United Sikhs is honored to join this coordinated citywide effort to build awareness about the census, convey its importance, fight the spread of misinformation, and help bridge the digital divide that might prevent many New Yorkers from participating in next year’s first online census,” said Ruben Singh Gill, United Sikhs Regional Manager.
“With the 2020 census approaching, many historically under-counted communities will be at-risk for being under-counted once again, including the Punjabi Sikh community and South Asian community at-large,” said Hardayal Singh, United Sikhs Founding Member. “We look forward to collaborating with CUNY, Mayor de Blasio, the City Council and partnering houses of worship in order to address the unanticipated challenges that the newly-shaped digitalized 2020 census will bring and ensure a full count is made.”
A complete and accurate count is critical to the future of New York City. The census will determine how more than $650 billion in federal funds for public education, public housing, roads and bridges, and more, gets distributed annually throughout the country.
It will also determine the number of seats each state is allocated in the House of Representatives (and thus, the Electoral College). Based on current estimates, an under-count could cost the State of New York up to two congressional seats.
In such a complex city, enriched by such linguistic and cultural diversity, New York City’s full participation in the first online census faces a unique set of challenges. As New Yorkers, we have embraced these challenges as an opportunity. Together, these citywide efforts will lay the groundwork for a civic engagement apparatus that will continue well beyond the 2020 census.
The Complete Count Fund will launch in early January, with an all-day kick-off event and training. Read more about how we are working on addressing an accurate count on a federal level, as covered by Brown Girl Magazine and the Huffington Post.
For the latest updates, please follow UNITED SIKHS on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. All education efforts are made possible due to the generous contributions of our donors and supporters. To make a tax-deductible contribution, please visit us online at https://unitedsikhs.org/donate.
