April 27, 2018

Media Availability – Census 2020 Informational Briefing

Southern Illinois University Carbondale’s Paul Simon Public Policy Institute is hosting an informational briefing Tuesday on initial planning and infrastructure outreach for the Illinois 2020 Census.

Reporters and photographers are welcome to attend a media availability from 10 to 10:45 a.m. in the institute lobby, 1231 Lincoln Drive.

The media availability precedes a Census 2020 lunch briefing that the institute is hosting. The lunch briefing is from noon to 1:30 p.m. at the Carbondale Civic Center, 200 S. Illinois Ave., Room 108.

Availability to address importance and need for accurate Census totals

Officials with Forefront, a statewide association for grantmakers and non-profit organizations in Illinois, and the public policy institute, will be available for interviews at 10 a.m.

Those expected to attend the availability are:

  • Cynthia Canary, a nonprofit policy consultant working with Forefront.
  • Anita Banerji, director of Forefront’s Democracy Initiative.
  • Sarah Tapscott, director of Forefront’s Statewide Partnerships.
  • Ellisa Johnson, U.S. Census Bureau, Chicago Region partnership coordinator.
  • John T. Shaw, director, Paul Simon Public Policy Institute.
  • John S. Jackson, visiting professor, Paul Simon Public Policy Institute.

Census count has several impacts for Illinois

While the Census is two years away, Jackson notes Illinois could lose two Congressional seats in addition to a large portion of $19.7 billion in federal funds the state annually receives without an accurate Census count.

The “Illinois Count Me in 2020 Informational Briefing” that begins at noon at the Civic Center will show the online Hard-to-Count Mapping Tool.

At the briefing with local leaders, Forefront will give a presentation on the importance of counting everyone who is eligible to be included in the Census, and the difficulties in obtaining an accurate count.

There will be a Q-and-A after the session. Media members are also welcome to attend that informational briefing.

“While it is almost two years away the 2020 Census is of profound importance to the state in general and to Southern Illinois, Carbondale, and the university in particular since its results will have a significant impact which lasts for the entire decade,” Jackson said. “Our guests will be discussing the preparations for the census with area officials and other community leaders and getting their ideas on how to ensure that everyone who is eligible gets counted in the upcoming census.”