New Report Evaluates Proposed Changes to 2020 Census

A new report from The Leadership Conference Education Fund, Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC, and the NALEO Educational Fund evaluates proposed changes to the collection of race and ethnicity data in the 2020 Census that could have significant consequences for civil rights work and the implementation and enforcement of civil rights laws.

Each decade, the Census Bureau reviews its race and ethnicity questions to determine if the categories and wording accurately reflect our rapidly changing population. The report, “Race and Ethnicity in the 2020 Census: Improving Data to Capture a Multiethnic America,” is a comprehensive review of the proposed revisions to the upcoming census and their potential implications.

The report also documents the history of the census race and ethnicity questions and the essential role of race and ethnicity statistics in the quest for civil rights. It concludes with a set of recommendations for the Census Bureau and the Office of Management and Budget.

The collection of accurate race and ethnicity data in the census is key to implementing, monitoring, and evaluating a broad range of civil rights policies, from fair political representation and voting reforms, to equal opportunity and access to housing, education, health care, and jobs. These data help policymakers, businesses, and civil rights organizations alike identify and address disparities between and within communities.

You can read the full report here.