The 2020 U.S. census will be going out very soon. The government determines how to distribute more than $600 billion of federal dollars to programs, grants and Native American tribes through the data collected by the U.S. Census Bureau. Filling out the form truthfully and accurately remains one of the best ways to ensure the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe receives the correct amount of federal funding for community programs and services.
The census’ methods result in a habitual undercount of Indigenous people. The Washington Post called American Indians and Alaska Natives “one of the most undercounted minority groups in the country” with a 4.8 percent discrepancy in the 2010 census, according to the Census Bureau.
During the 2020 census, the bureau will distribute only short-form surveys, making it more critical to know how and why to fill out the form to give accurate data.
One of the most crucial questions on the census defines the householder. If only one member of a family is not a citizen of a federally recognized tribe and they identify them as the householder, the census records the entire household as such, which includes enrolled children.
Labeling the Indigenous person the householder allows for more accurate Native representation in the federal population data.
If you’re a Native or you live in a home where maybe you’re not Native but a spouse is or your children are, (make sure) that they are counted as Native because that makes an impact.
The “Race” section under the 2020 census includes the ability to check multiple boxes to increase specificity and accuracy. The survey also provides space to write out a tribal affiliation. Selecting Native American ancestry on the form, whether alone or in combination with another race makes the data more reliable.
Inclusion and representation in everything from advocacy to politics relies on an accurate calculation of Indigenous people.
