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What is the Census?

The US Census is a count of every person living in the United States that is taken every ten years as mandated by the US Constitution. The Census questionnaire is delivered to every household in America, the vast majority by mail, and each one of us has an obligation to answer the ten questions on the US Census form to make sure our families are counted. This information is used to help communities across the country receive their fair share of $400 billion in federal funds each year. (That is $4 trillion before the next census!) The personal information that you share when you fill out the Census is protected by law; it will not be shared with anyone.

2010 Census: Ten Questions, Ten Minutes!

Census Day is April 1, 2010. Advance letters will be sent out in early March asking us to watch for the Census survey that will be mailed out that month. The Census form has ten simple questions about each member of your household that should take about ten minutes to complete. Remember, the Census counts all people living in the US on April 1st, regardless of citizenship or immigration status.

Arab Americans are part of communities across the country, from Maine to California, and need to be fully counted so our cities, counties and states receive the resources they need for vital public services like schools, roads, hospitals, and emergency responders.

NEW! Available Resources: General Census Information

• Sample Census Form

• Arabic "Language Assistance Guide" designed to be placed side-by-side with the official Census form in English—each question on the form has been translated so that anyone who reads Arabic understands the questions and can answer them appropriately

• “10 Questions, 10 Minutes” fact sheet about why the Census is important and how data are used in English and in Arabic (print copies available for your organization by emailing AAI.

• 2010 Census FAQ Sheet that answers common questions

• Flier for community-based organizations that may be helpful if you are doing outreach to other community leaders about the (also available in Arabic)

• Brochure about what Arab Americans and Chaldeans need to know for the 2010 count.

• “How People are Counted” brochure that will answer questions from community members about how or where they should be counted (also available in Arabic)

Protecting Your Information

Is the Census safe? Who can see what I write on the Census? Questions like these are very important to all Americans, but many Arab Americans are especially concerned about sharing personal information with the government. By law, the personal information you provide on the Census survey may not be shared with anyone: not other government agencies, not law enforcement, no one. Not even under the USA PATRIOT Act can your personal information be shared. Title 13 of the US Code protects the confidentiality of all your personal information. Helping other Arab Americans understand this important aspect of the Census is crucial to being sure we are counted.

Available Resources: Privacy and Confidentiality

• Bilingual (Arabic and English) "Save-the Date" palm card to make sure every Arab American understands the safety of the Census.

• Confidentiality flier that illustrates the Census Bureau’s privacy policy (also available as a poster; please let AAI know if you would like us to send you some)


• More details about how your personal information is protected at www.census.gov/privacy

A message from the Census Bureau:

Your information is CONFIDENTIAL. We never identify you individually.

The U.S. Census Bureau has an obligation to produce accurate, relevant statistics about the nation's economy and people, but we recognize that it is your information that we collect to produce these statistics.

We depend on your cooperation and trust, and promise to protect the confidentiality of your information.

Protecting your information:

Federal law protects your information, and we have developed policies and statistical safeguards to help us follow the law and further ensure the confidentiality of your information.

1. Federal Law

Title 13 of the U.S. Code protects the confidentiality of all your information. Violating this law is a crime with severe penalties.

2. Privacy Principles

Our Privacy Principles are guidelines that cover all of our activities. These principles encompass both our responsibilities to protect your information and your rights as a respondent. They apply to the information we collect and the statistics we publish.

3. Statistical Safeguards

Statistical methods ensure that the statistics we release do not identify individuals or businesses. These methods include extensive review and analysis of all our data products, as well as disclosure avoidance methodologies such as data suppression and modification.

We recognize the value of your trust, and we believe that when you answer our surveys we must serve as caretakers of your information. If you would like to learn more about how we fulfill this responsibility, please visit our data stewardship pages.

Tools For Community Leaders

Arab American community leaders and activists are in a unique position to help educate others about the safety and importance of the 2010 Census. We serve as trusted voices who can carry the Census message to other members of our community.

National and local Arab American organizations have partnered with the Census Bureau to make sure members of our community are counted in the 2010 Census. If your organization is not already a Census Partner, it’s not too late: you can call your Regional Office for information about becoming one. A number of individual leaders are also serving on Complete Count Committees: the governors of California, Florida and Virginia have nominated prominent Arab Americans to serve on their state committees. If you would like to join a Complete Count Committee in your area, call your Regional Office and ask for the partnership area.

Available Resources:  Census Partnerships and Outreach

• Fact sheet for 2010 Census Partners in English and Arabic to encourage partnership with the Census Bureau

• Brochure on Complete Count Committees explaining how to join a Committee in your area A more detailed guide to Complete Count Committees is available on the 2010 census website at http://2010.census.gov/partners/national-complete-count-committee

• Faith-Based Leaders’ Guides (available in English and Arabic)

• Census in the Schools: If you are an educator who wants to teach children about the Census so they can help their parents understand, please go to www.census.gov/schools. If you are a parent who wants information about the Census in Schools program, this is a helpful flier explains the importance of teaching our children about the Census.

Regional Office Information

2010 Census Regional Offices Contact Information

Atlanta:

Regional Census Center: (404)-335-1555
Regional Partnership Group: (404)-335-1467

Boston:

Regional Census Center: (617)-223-3700
Regional Partnership Group: (617)-223-3610

Charlotte:

Regional Census Center: (704)-936-5300
Regional Partnership Group: (704)-936-5330

Chicago:

Regional Census Center: (312)-454-2700
Regional Partnership Group: (312)-454-2770

Dallas:

Regional Census Center: (214)-267-6900
Regional Partnership Group: (214)-637-9680

Denver:

Regional Census Center: (720)-475-3640
Regional Partnership Group: (720)-475-3670

Detroit:

Regional Census Center: (313)-396-5200
Regional Partnership Group: (313)-392-6500

Kansas City:

Regional Census Center: (816)-994-2000
Regional Partnership Group: (816)-994-2045

Los Angeles:

Regional Census Center: (818)-717-6700
Regional Partnership Group: (818)-717-5820

New York:

Regional Census Center: (212)-971-8810
Regional Partnership Group: (212)- 356-3100

Philadelphia :

Regional Census Center: (215)-717-1020
Regional Partnership Group: (215)-717-1074

Seattle:

Regional Census Center: (425)-908-3000
Regional Partnership Group: (415)-908-4050

Partnership Specialists for the Arab American and Chaldean Communities

 

The following list includes Partnership Specialists and Partnership Assistants that have been hired by the Census Bureau to work with our community.

Los Angeles Region:

Al-Dabbagh, Rashad: rashad.z.al-dabbagh@census.gov

Fakhoury, Manar: manarfakhoury@gmail.com

Detroit Region

Farah, Mussa: mussa.a.farah@census.gov

Jaddou, Christine: christine.jaddou@census.gov

Nassar, Ahmad: ahmad.n.nassar@census.gov

Smith, Valerie: valerie.a.smith@census.gov

Philadelphia Region

Khashan, Nesreen: nesreen.khashan@census.gov

New York Region

Shedeed, Ahmed: ashedeed@yahoo.com

Boston Region

Balbaky, Samer: samer.balbaky@census.gov

Dajani, Souad: 617-821-2724

Arab American organizations who are 2010 Census Partners

American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC)

Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services (ACCESS)

Arab American Institute (AAI)

Arab American Association of New York (AAANY)

ACCESS—California Services

Arab American Action Network (AAAN)

Arab American Heritage Council

Network of Arab-American Professionals (NAAP)

If your organization has partnered with the Census Bureau, please contact yshaheenmcconnell@aaiusa.org.

Arab American community leaders serving on Complete Count Committees

Amal Elhaddad in Florida

Suhail Hishmeh in Montgomery County, Maryland

Nahla Kayyali in California

Mona Sahouri in Genessee County, Michigan

Helen Samhan in Virginia

Joumana Silyan-Saba in Los Angeles, California

If you have joined a CCC in your area, please contact yshaheenmcconnell@aaiusa.org.

Data on Arab Americans from the US Census

“Race” and “Ancestry” questions in the US Census

Although the decennial census has been conducted every ten years for more than two centuries, there was not a specific question on ancestry until 1980 when it appeared on the “long form” Census that year. (The same question was repeated on the “long form” censuses in 1990 and 2000.) Questions on race have always been on the Census but have changed over time reflecting the need to track the integration of minority populations. There will only be a “short form” version of the 2010 Census, which will just ask questions on Race and Hispanic Origin.

According to the Office of Management and Budget’s federal guidelines on race and ethnic measurement, persons from the Middle East and North Africa are considered White/Caucasian by race. When filling out the Census, some Arab Americans choose to select “Some Other Race” and write in their ethnicity or countries of origin. Although these responses are tabulated by the Census Bureau, by law they must be reassigned to an existing race category for purposes of published reports, redistricting, etc. AAI is working with the Census Bureau to get access to these Arab responses to “Some Other Race” for research purposes.

How are Arab Americans counted?

Federal data on Arab Americans are derived from a question on ancestry. Between 1980 and 2000, ancestry data was collected on the long form of the decennial census. Since 2005 all long form demographic questions, including ancestry, have been asked on the monthly American Community Survey (see section below).

The ancestry question is based on self-identification of up to two ethnic origins. Ancestry refers to a person’s ethnic origin or descent, “roots,” heritage, or place of birth of the person or the person’s parents or ancestors before their arrival in the United States. Some ethnic identities, such as “ Egyptian” or “Polish” can be traced to geographic areas outside the United States, while other ethnicities such as “Pennsylvania Dutch” or “Cajun” evolved in the United States.

How will we get data on Arab Americans?

Data on Americans of Arab ancestry is now available from the American Community Survey (ACS). The ACS is an on-going survey that is sent to a sample of the population every month. Unlike the 2010 Census, which has only 10 basic questions, the ACS asks demographic questions about the respondent, such as education level, occupation, language proficiency, and ancestry. The ACS is vital to our community because it is the only official source of data on our population. ACS population estimates are made based on the results of the most recent Census, so a full count in 2010 guarantees the demographic projections of the ACS to be more accurate.

Available Resources: ACS and Arab American Data

• For detailed information on how the ACS works, please go to www.census.gov/acs
• As you prepare your community for the 2010 Census, please make sure they are aware of the ACS and its importance. This one-page flier shows where on the ACS you can fill out your ancestry.
• This short booklet, also available in Arabic, is full of questions & answers about the ACS
• A short quiz on the “Myths and Facts about Arab Americans and the Census” is a powerpoint presentation that includes information about the race question
• Some state demographic profiles derived from Census 2000 information about Arab Americans are available on our website, as well as demographic information derived from ACS data.
• The Census Bureau’s report on the Arab Ancestry population from the 2000 Census can be found here, on its website.

What type of information do we get from the ACS?

The American Community Survey’s ancestry question provides a demographic overview of Arab Americans, with indicators like family size, marital status, place of birth, education level, occupation, and language spoken at home. Information is available by geography and in many cases by national origin sub-group.

Did you know?

• Arab Americans are younger than the general US population.
• We have a greater percentage of Bachelors and Graduate degrees than other Americans.
• Fifty-five percent of the Arab ancestry population reports speaking a language other than English.
• Arab American family size is slightly larger than the general American population.
• In New Jersey, Egyptian Americans are the largest Arab ancestry population.
• More than half of those employed in the Houston area with Arab ancestry are in professional or managerial positions, compared to 34% of the general population.
• The Lebanese ancestry population in the Boston area is both more educated and makes more money than the average population.
• The Arab ancestry population in the Detroit metropolitan area forms the largest concentration of Arab Americans in the nation; with its large immigrant population, 12% report limited English proficiency.

 

AAI’s executive director, Helen Samhan, has worked with the Census Bureau for the last two decades and had this to say to Arab Americans with regards to the race question in 2010:

“One option is to choose the “Some Other Race” category and write in your ethnic identity or national origin. This gives voice to our concern about the limits of current racial categories, but allows us to be counted for the primary reasons the census is collected: congressional apportionment, and distribution of federal funds to states and localities. Imagine the impact on the cities of Dearborn, Michigan, or Paterson, New Jersey if their sizable Arab American populations sat out the 2010 Census? Funds available for schools, roads, hospitals and other assets serving the entire community would come up short. “

 

“The 2010 Census: What’s in it for Arab Americans?”

Detroit Free Press, August 25, 2009

 

Looking Ahead to the 2020 Census

Although the ACS is a great tool, many of us believe that the ancestry question should be added to race and Hispanic Origin questions on the short form of the decennial census. Since the mid 1990s, AAI has advocated for improving measurement of ancestry populations, especially when the question was at risk of being eliminated. In preparation for the 2010 Census, AAI and other ethnic organizations proposed the inclusion of the ancestry question on the short form Census in 2010. While this proposal was not implemented in time for the 2010 forms, the rationale for allowing respondents to indicate ethnicity as well as race has been formally presented to the Census Bureau and alternative questions are being tested during the 2010 Census operation.

Questions?

Yasmeen Shaheen-McConnell

Program Manager

Arab American Institute & Foundation

(202) 429-9210 ext. 25

yshaheenmcconnell@aaiusa.org