On August 06, 2020, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr. joined New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams and New York City Council Member Rafael Salamanca to give out groceries to constituents as well Census 2020 outreach.
“Considering how this administration is constantly attempting to change the rules based on their own personal whims, moving up the Census 2020 deadline from October 31, 2020 to September 30, 2020, it is imperative Bronxites leave nothing to chance and fill out their Census 2020 forms,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr. “The census affects our community funding and how our tax dollars are spent. Historically, our communities have been chronically undercounted and acutely underserved. If New Yorkers are not counted, our quality of life, our access to necessary services will undoubtedly be diminished.”
The outreach is part of the Borough President’s efforts to inform Bronxites about the importance of filling out the Census 2020 form. On June 30, 2020, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr. was joined by representatives of HealthFirst and spoke with the three winners of the #BronxCounts Challenge over Zoom to congratulate them on winning the contest.
The #BronxCounts Challenge was an online, borough-wide creative arts competition calling on Bronx middle or high school students to submit an original song, rap, spoken word, dance performance or artwork that educates and encourages their neighbors to participate in the upcoming 2020 Census count.
The winners of the contest were:
- First Place: Melvyn Read
- Melvyn’s video, a catchy rap song he wrote, with his classmates singing the hook, named “Make it Count, Make it Count!” received a total of 2,271 Likes.
- Second Place: Sophia Rivera
- Sophia’s video, a stylish PowerPoint-like video presentation focusing on why the 2020 Census is important, received a total of 2,244 Likes.
- Third Place: Mark Gonzalez, Jr.
- Mark’s video, a hip-hop video which he previewed with a video the day before the contest opened to hype up his entry, received a total of 292 Likes.
Entries were submitted via Instagram and Twitter, with the hashtag #BronxCounts, from February 24 through March 02, 2020.
“The 2020 Census is so important to our communities and we need to make sure that we stand up, get counted so that we get the resources we deserve and need from the federal government,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr., regarding the contest. “A lot of young people don’t know who vital the Census is in determining funding for our communities and redistricting, but participation in contests such as ours does so much to inform their friends and classmates about the importance of the process.”
You can complete your Census 2020 TODAY via mail, by phone at 1-844-330-2020, or by visiting My2020Census.gov.
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