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Law360 (April 16, 2020, 12:02 PM EDT) --
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| Karen Narasaki |
Today's perspective comes from Washington, D.C.-based Karen K. Narasaki, a former commissioner on the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights who is now advising national foundations regarding the U.S. Census.
What challenges has the pandemic created in your specific area of work?
I was already working from home as a consultant and haven't really been practicing law. My term on the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights ended last November and I've been working to advise national foundations working collaboratively to support a fair and accurate census, with a particular focus on the historically undercounted.
Much of the planning is focused on making people of color and others aware of the importance of the census and to reassure them that their answers are confidential and not shared with other government agencies and landlords because of the fear and distrust of the government that exists in these communities.
The other part of the planning has been to overcome the digital divide in the first census that is primarily relying on online participation with organizing a lot of in-person outreach, which is now not possible.
Hundreds of groups, churches, businesses, agencies and funders have been working across the country preparing for the census count. So we are scrambling to help groups shift their plans and to keep them and funders apprised of the changes in the U.S. Census Bureau operations, which they hope to extend from the planned July 30 to Oct. 31.
Many of these groups are also having to respond to COVID-19 and also efforts to ensure everyone will be able to cast a ballot later this year.
How are you and your family adapting at home?
With the rise in hate crimes against Asian Americans because of the president's insistence on trying to distract the public from the failings of his administration by blaming China for the flu, I worry when I have to go out to get groceries. I just moderated an ABA briefing on the dramatic rise in hate crimes: Threats to Democracy and to Public Safety Through the Lens of the Asian American Experience.
Otherwise, I feel I'm very privileged as I have a job I can easily do from home and the changes for me are relatively minor, like getting used to the search for sold-out grocery items and cleaning supplies; exercising at home via live Zumba and Pilates classes on Zoom or Facebook Live; celebrating my birthday via a Google Hangout with my friends; watching church services on video; and checking in every day with my other friends who are single women living alone, who like me are at a higher risk given our age. This would be much harder for those without access to the internet.
What is the most creative or productive response to the crisis you've witnessed so far?
Groups are having to shift to working virtually, while working with staff and communities under stress because of the pandemic, and many need investments in technology and training to initiate or expand their digital organizing and spaces to strategize about how to still reach those not online and under siege because of unemployment and the pandemic.
Latinx groups working on the census are sponsoring Mexican bingo nights online to draw in immigrants to educate them about the importance of making sure their families are counted. Black churches are putting census coloring books in food packages being handed out to replace school lunches. My current favorite census PSA is Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot's video.
I hope you ask your readers to reach out to their clients, colleagues, family and friends to urge them to respond. This crisis has shown how important accurate census data is to be able to strategize and effectively respond.
The opinions expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the organization, its clients, or Portfolio Media Inc., or any of its or their respective affiliates. This article is for general information purposes and is not intended to be and should not be taken as legal advice.
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