Hispanic Clergy of Philadelphia Census Champion Training
On Monday, March 2, 2020, the Hispanic Clergy of Philadelphia and Vicinity, in partnership with Philly Counts 2020, hosted a Census Championship Training. At this event, Pedro Rodriguez, Director of Partnerships for Philly Counts 2020, educated Latino Pastors of Philadelphia on how to raise awareness for the upcoming 2020 Census. Participating pastors were given a faith leader toolkit, handouts and a sermon guide for civic engagement. This basic training helped our pastors have a better understanding of the Census and are now equipped to field questions that their church and community members may have.
So why does the Census matter and why should you participate? One word: representation. According to the United States Census Bureau, about 327 billion people are living in America. Every ten years, those residing in America get to tell the government what identities make up the melting pot that the U.S. has become. Hispanics and Latinos are the second-largest ethnic group in the U.S. which equates to nearly 18% of the population. The data taken from the Census helps determine representation in Congress, distribute billions of dollars in federal funding to states and communities, and allocate resources that help communities thrive. The Hispanic Clergy is encouraging the Latino faith community to become educated about the importance of the Census 2020 and inspire others to participate.
On March 29, 2020, several pastors will take part in Dia de Compromiso Civico (Civic Engagement Day). During their worship and sermon delivery, they will emphasize Census participation and voter registration as a Christian duty. Just three days after Dia de Compromiso Civico, is Census Day on April 1, 2020. Participants regardless of immigration status, housing insecurity, age, race, or ability are able to fill out the survey online or by phone in 12 different languages.
For more information visit: https://www.phila.gov/programs/philly-counts-202