Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
Available On Air Stations
Watch Live

The Census: Still Going, Still Important. What Do You Want To Know?

San Diego County supervisor Nathan fletcher talks about the importance of an accurate census count in the local region on Jan. 22, 2020.
Erik Anderson
San Diego County supervisor Nathan fletcher talks about the importance of an accurate census count in the local region on Jan. 22, 2020.

KPBS is hosting a discussion of the U.S. Census on Wednesday, at 6 p.m. April 22 live on Facebook and we need your input.

The conversation, called "The Crucial Role of Census in a Pandemic Age," will be hosted by KPBS producer Pat Finn and featuring census experts UCSD political science professor Tom Wong, Mid-City CAN civic engagement director Grisela Ramirez and Census deputy regional director Jeffrey Enos.

You can join the conversation on our Facebook page at facebook.com/KPBSSanDiego

Advertisement

Every 10 years, the U.S. Census aims to count every person living in the United States. The 2020 count began in Alaska in January and officially kicked off in the other 49 states April 1. By that date, the coronavirus was already spreading disease and fear, and it was becoming clear that funding and resources for states and cities were often not where they needed to be.

This is where the census comes in. It will determine how many representatives each state has in Congress, and, most importantly, the distribution of public funding for hospitals, schools, and fire departments.

There are big obstacles in the way of an accurate count besides COVID-19, especially among the undocumented and homeless communities. But the obstacles simply highlight the need for an accurate count.

What would you like to know about the census? We would like to hear from you and include your questions in our discussion.