Bay Area

OPINION – Will The 2020 Census Change the Course of History for the Black Community?

Published

3 years ago

April 15, 2020

Every 10 years, the U.S. Census Bureau works to conduct an accurate count of the nation’s population, as provided for under the U.S. Constitution. This decennial count – which is currently underway – is one of our nation’s most inclusive civic activities, including every person living in the country, regardless of age, race, ethnicity, religion or citizenship.

An accurate count is essential to our democracy and our community’s growth because the data helps determine how much federal funding and political representation each state and community receives.

Census results are used to determine political seats and draw district lines for all levels of government and to allocate hundreds of billions of dollars in federal spending nationwide for critical community resources like parks, infrastructure, health care, and support programs in education, housing grants and nutrition.

African Americans have been systematically undercounted from the very first census, disadvantaging Black communities and neighborhoods, and silencing our voices. An inaccurate census count can negatively impact community programming for schools, housing, health care services, business investment and much more.

The first census count in 1790 deliberately listed only the names of the heads of free Black households, while all other free persons were listed by age.

By the 1860 census, at the start of the Civil War, the Black population increased to 4.4 million, about 14% of the overall population of the country. Yet, the explicit undercount of the Black population continued until the first post-Civil War census in 1870, following granting citizenship and equal civil and legal rights to African Americans and slaves under the Fourteenth Amendment.

Over the following century, explicit discrimination was outlawed – but systemic discrimination persisted.

Even today, the Census continues to disproportionately and systematically undercount the Black population. Black men have been undercounted in greater numbers than men of any other racial or ethnic group.

In 2010, Black children were undercounted at twice the rate as a young non-Black child, affecting the funding for programs designed to serve children and families, like Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programs and the National School Lunch Program.

Even as the 2010 census overcounted the population as a whole, it undercounted the Black population by more than 800,000 people.

Certainly, there are social and economic problems that make the Black community hard-to-count, including increased rates of housing instability, industrialized incarceration, homelessness, and even lack of internet access.

And a deep distrust of government and concerns about privacy only make things worse.

This means many in the Black community are “missing” in their own communities, hiding in plain sight – even to this day.

These are unprecedented times. So, we must come together to ensure that Black communities are seen, heard and counted.

That starts by ensuring that people know what to do to participate: You can go to my2020census.gov right now to fill out the form. It’s a simple, confidential nine-question survey that asks for basic information like your name, address, sex, race, and age.

For those who prefer to fill out the form over the phone, you can dial 844-330-2020 to participate.

And don’t forget, your responses to the Census are protected by law and cannot be shared with, or used by, any other government agencies. Answers cannot be used for law enforcement purposes or to determine eligibility for government benefits or immigration enforcement.

Black Californians deserve a fair and accurate census count in 2020. Our democracy relies on accurate data to make sound decisions that reflect our country’s needs. An accurate representation of our communities in the census will allow Black Americans to have a greater influence over resources and representation and the ability to hold lawmakers accountable. The Black community has an opportunity to change the history of the census in 2020 and participate in record numbers – let’s seize this moment.

David Tucker is with the California Census Complete Count Office.

Activism

Oakland Post: Week of May 24 – 30, 2023

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of May 24 – 30, 2023

Published

2 days ago

May 26, 2023

Oakland Post

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of May 24 - 30, 2023

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Activism

Rise in Abductions of Black Girls in Oakland Alarms Sex-Trafficking Survivors

Nola Brantley of Nola Brantley Speaks states, “America’s wider culture and society has consistently failed to address the abduction and kidnapping of Black girls in Oakland and across the country, and this lack of concern empowers and emboldens predators.”

Published

1 week ago

May 20, 2023

Oakland Post

Nola Brantley and Sarai Smith-Mazariegos

By Tanya Dennis

Within the last 30 days there have been seven attempted kidnappings or successful abductions of Black girls in Oakland.

Survivors of human trafficking who are now advocates are not surprised.

Nor were they surprised that the police didn’t respond, and parents of victims turned to African American community-based organizations like Adamika Village and Love Never Fails for help.

Advocates say Black and Brown girls disappear daily, usually without a blip on the screen for society and government officials.

Perhaps that will change with a proposed law by state Senator Steven Bradford’s Senate Bill 673 Ebony Alert, that, if passed, will alert people when Black people under the age of 26 go missing.

According to the bill, Black children are disproportionately classified as “runaways” in comparison to their white counterparts which means fewer resources are dedicated to finding them.

Brantley, a survivor of human trafficking has been doing the work to support child sex trafficking victims for over 20 years, first as the director for the Scotlan Youth and Family Center’s Parenting and Youth Enrichment Department at Oakland’s DeFremery Park, and as one of the co-founders and executive director of Motivating, Inspiring, Supporting and Serving Sexually Exploited Youth (MISSSEY, Inc.)

“It really hit home in 2010,” said Brantley, “before California’s Welfare Institution Code 300 was amended to include children victimized by sex trafficking.”

Before that law was amended, she had to vehemently advocate for Black and Brown girls under the age of 18 to be treated as victims rather than criminalized.

Brantley served hundreds of Black and Brown girls citing these girls were victims so they would be treated as such and offered restorative services. “To get the police to take their disappearances seriously and file a report almost never happened,” she said.

Then Brantley received a call from the Board of Supervisors regarding a “special case.” A councilman was at the meeting, as well as a member of former Alameda County Board Supervisor Scott Haggerty’s Office who had called Brantley to attend.

“The child’s parents and the child were there also. They requested that I give my full attention to this case. The girl was white and there was no question of her victimization,” Brantley said.

Brantley felt conflicted that of all the hundreds of Black and Brown girls she’d served, none had ever received this type of treatment.

Her eyes were opened that day on how “they” move, therefore with the recent escalation of kidnapping attempts of Black girls, Brantley fears that because it’s happening to Black girls the response will not be taken seriously.

Councilwoman Treva Reid

“I thank Councilwoman Treva Reid and Senator Steven Bradford (D) for pushing for the passing of the Ebony Alert Bill across the state so that the disappearance of Black girls will be elevated the same as white girls. We’ve never had a time when Black girls weren’t missing. Before, it didn’t matter if we reported it or if the parents reported the police failed to care.”

Senator Steven Bradford

Sarai S-Mazariegos, co-founder of M.I.S.S.S.E.Y, and founder and executive director of Survivors Healing, Advising and Dedicated to Empowerment (S.H.A.D.E.) agrees with Brantley.

“What we are experiencing is the effects of COVID-19, poverty and a regressive law that has sentence the most vulnerable to the sex trade,” S-Mazariegos said. “We are seeing the lack of equity in the community, the cause and consequence of gender inequality and a violation of our basic human rights. What we are seeing is sexual exploitation at its finest.”

Both advocates are encouraged by Bradford’s Ebony Alert.

The racism and inequity cited has resulted in the development of an underground support system by Brantley, S-Mazariegos and other community-based organizations who have united to demand change.

Thus far they are receiving support from Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price, Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao, and Oakland City Councilmembers Nikki Fortunato Bas and Reid of the second and seventh districts respectively.

For more information, go to http://www.blackandmissinginc.com