De Blasio knocks doors in Richmond Hill to rally census participation
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Photo courtesy of NYC Census 2020
By David Brand
Mayor Bill de Blasio knocked on doors in South Richmond Hill Wednesday, urging members of the predominantly South Asian community to complete the 2020 U.S. Census.
De Blasio joined members of the NYC Census team to visit homes in the predominantly Punjabi Sikh section of the neighborhood. Amit Singh Bagga, deputy Director of NYC Census, accompanied de Blasio for the neighborhood canvass and explained the importance of the once-every-10-years count for immigrant New Yorkers and their families.
“To miss this existential opportunity to be counted in the census would be to let the president win the hateful war he’s been raging against our communities, and we’re not going to let that happen,” Bagga told the Eagle.
CLICK HERE TO COMPLETE THE CENSUS. IT ONLY TAKES 10 MINUTES.
“That’s why we are sounding the alarm to remind all New Yorkers — including South Asians — that there is nothing to fear in the census, which is the only way we will obtain the money, power, and respect to which we are rightfully entitled,” he added.
De Blasio went door to door in Richmond Hill Wednesday. Photo courtesy of NYC Census 2020
De Blasio’s visit was the second high-profile Census push in the neighborhood this week. On Monday, local leaders held a rally in Phil Rizzuto Park
“We here in District 28 carry the lowest response rate for the Census in the entire city, so what this day is about — what this week is about — is to push,” said Councilmember Adrienne Adams at the event Monday. “To push our neighbors, to push our families, to push our friends to register and partake in Census 2020.”
Richmond Hill has a 44 percent response rate — far lower than Queens’ overall response rate of 53.8 percent and state’s overall response rate of 57.9 percent. Both lag behind the nationwide rate of 62.3 percent.
Census responses determine the distribution of billions of dollars in federal funds to local communities for schools, infrastructure and other services. The results are also used to determine state-by-state Congressional representation. An undercount could mean New York forfeits seats in Congress and misses out on vital funding
