ADC Encourages Members to Complete and Mail back Census 2010 Forms: It’s In Our Hands!

ADC Encourages Members to Complete and Mail back Census 2010 Forms:  It’s In Our Hands!

Washington, D.C. | www.adc.org | March 17, 2010 – Earlier this week the United States Census Bureau began mailing the 2010 Census forms to households across the country.  ADC encourages all Arab Americans to complete and mail back the forms.  Held every 10 years, the Census plays a major role in the allocation of federal funds to communities across the country.  In addition to allocating funds, the Census is used to distribute Congressional seats.  Many states, with high concentrations of Arab Americans, such as Michigan, are in danger of losing Congressional seats due to dwindling population.  It is of the utmost importance that everyone completes the form and be counted.  The Census form is only 10 questions and should not take more than 10 minutes to complete.  
ADC National President, Sara Najjar-Wilson, explains that, “It is our civic duty as Americans, not just as Arab-Americans or persons of Arabic heritage, to participate in the Census.  We all need to do our part to ensure that we are counted.”  As a Census Advisory Board Member, ADC has been engaged with the Census Bureau in addressing community concerns.  ADC has received assurances that the information collected by Census will not be shared with other government agencies.  In fact, it is a criminal offense for a Census employee to share the information with anyone.  Further, the Census is for all Americans to complete, regardless of immigration status.  An individual’s immigration status is not questioned on the Census form.
Over the past year ADC  with the Census Bureau and coalition partners, has engaged in a number of outreach events across the country.  ADC has held successful events in Michigan, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Washington, DC, and other areas of high Arab-American concentration.   ADC will continue working with the Census Bureau to ensure all forms are completed and returned.  The ADC Legal Department is available to answer any questions or concerns pertaining to the Census.  You may reach the Legal Department by calling 202-244-2990 or via-email to legal@adc.org ###
Media Contact: Haythem Khalil, haythem@adc.org NOTE TO EDITORS: The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) is non-profit, non-sectarian and non partisan, and the largest Arab-American Civil Rights Organization in the United States. It was founded in 1980, by former Senator James Abourezk, to protect the civil rights of people of Arab descent in the United States and to promote Arab cultural heritage.  ADC has 38 chapters nationwide and members throughout the United States. 
The ADC Research Institute (ADC-RI), which was founded in 1981, is a tax exempt Section 501(c)(3) educational organization that sponsors a wide range of programs on behalf of Arab-Americans and of importance to all Americans.

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