NEW YORK, N.Y. – City officials, elected officials, and major citywide community advocates and leaders will gather in Manhattan and Brooklyn on Wednesday, September 16, to mobilize New Yorkers to obtain a complete census count.

NYC’s “Countdown to the Future” Kick-Off

Wednesday, September 16

Foley Square, Brooklyn Bridge, Brooklyn Public Library – Main Branch

Headlining Entities:

NYC Census 2020 (Mayor’s Office of the Census): Director Julie Menin; Field Director Kathleen Daniel; Deputy Director Amit S. Bagga    

NYC City Council: Council Member Carlina Rivera, Co-Chair of the Census Task Force; additional Council Members to be confirmed

ABNY (Association for a Better New York): Melva Miller, CEO

New York Counts 2020 Coalition: Meeta Anand, Senior Census Fellow at the New York Immigration Coalition    

United Way of New York City: Sheena Wright, President & CEO

Co-Hosts:

Asian-American Federation; Asian Americans for Equality; Brooklyn NAACP; Center for Law & Social Justice at CUNY’s Medgar Evers College; Chinese-American Planning Council; Community Resource Exchange; FPWA; Hester Street; Hispanic Federation; Make the Road New York; and NALEO Educational Fund

Multiple additional elected officials and advocates to participate.

11:30 AM: Manhattan Kick-Off

• What: Press conference to launch final two-week countdown for the 2020 Census and issue a citywide call-to-action
• Who: Headline Partners, in addition to several citywide and local elected officials, as well as co-host organizations
• Where: Foley Square (intersection of Pearl Street and Centre Street)
• Contact: Sona Rai, srai@census.nyc.gov, 585-530-7484

1:00 PM: “Census Walk for NYC”

• What: A coalition walks across the Brooklyn Bridge from Foley Square to Brooklyn Borough Hall.
• Who: Staff and volunteers from Headlining Entities, Co-Hosts, and NYC Complete Count Fund Awardees (157 organizations), offices of elected officials
• Where: Start at Foley Square; cross Brooklyn Bridge; end at Brooklyn Borough Hall (Joralemon and Remsen Streets; Brooklyn Heights)
• Contact: NYC Census 2020: Sona Rai, srai@census.nyc.gov, 585-530-7484

3:15 PM: Brooklyn Kick-Off

• What: Unveiling of a large census-related installation on the facade of the Brooklyn Public Library Main Branch and kick-off press conference. 
• Who: Brooklyn Public Library, Headline Partners, Co-Hosts, in addition to several citywide and local elected officials and community leaders
• Where: Brooklyn Public Library Main Branch: 10 Grand Army Plaza, Brooklyn NY 11238 (SE corner of the intersection of Flatbush Avenue and Eastern Parkway)
• Contact: NYC Census 2020: Sona Rai, srai@census.nyc.gov, 585-530-7484

Additional Partner Event in The Bronx

Noon – 2:30 PM: Bronx Caravan

• What: “Empowered Women for the Census,” a census caravan through parts of The Bronx.
• Who: Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, State Senator Alessandra Biaggi; additional women elected officials and community members
• Where: Kick-off at Ryawa Ave and Halleck Street, Hunts Points, The Bronx. Ends at Throgs Neck Houses: 680 Balcom Ave, The Bronx (Balcom and Randall Ave)

As of September 14, New York City’s self-response rate is 59.5%. While this represents a significant closure of the gap between New York City and the nation as compared to 2010, (just over 6 percentage points now vs. 14 percentage points in 2010), many communities in New York City, particularly in Brooklyn, are still lagging, and Wednesday’s events kick off a series of two weeks of an intensive, major haul to ensure all New Yorkers are counted.            

  2020 Census, Census, NYC