I once had a Norwegian friend ask “Why are Asian-Americans so adamant about hyphenating their identity?” As a Korean born Norwegian, she said she not only felt accepted as a Norwegian of her community, but also saw herself as just one. “I’ve only ever known my hometown; I am Norwegian.” Conversely, a common conversation of my childhood was about white-washing and straddling the intersectionality of two cultures. When it comes to being Asian-American, many of my peers did not feel American enough to care about politics. However, ensuring that Asian-Americans are noted on the Census is our community’s way to claim that Asians do belong here, we exist on this land, and that we are also Americans.
Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islanders (AANHPI) is the fastest growing ethnic community in every region of America. In San Gabriel Valley (SGV), the Asian American population increased by 22%, but older adults increased by 71%, bringing more acute needs to this region. As these populations grow, communities will continue to face more challenges in healthcare, housing, and education — all basic essentials that receive federally funding.
Underrepresentation becomes highly problematic for Asian communities that heavily rely on federal funding. In SGV, nearly 82,000 Asian Americans and more than 1000 NHPI lack health insurance coverage. Additionally, nearly 69,000 Asian Americans in SGV have housing cost burdens and almost half of Asian American renters and homeowners spend more than 30% of income on housing costs. On top of housing financial burdens, 1 in 5 APIs in Long Beach, Rosemead, Pomona, Paramount, and El Monte live below the poverty line. Despite the model minority stereotype, Vietnamese Americans are the least likely to hold a high school degree and hold a college degree, while NHPI are less likely than average to hold a college degree. At the national level, Asian Americans experience high disparity rates, where 1 in 4 Burmese have a Bachelor’s degree or higher, and around 62% Bhutanese and 50% Burmese lack a high school degree. Ultimately, AANHPIs have their fair share of challenges that are undermined when resources are not appropriately available due to underrepresentation.
For these communities, it is crucial federal, state, and local officials reference accurate Census data when allocating funds. The Census is used to determine allocation of funds for medical assistance programs, such as Medicare, Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and other health programs. The Census is also used to distribute funds to alleviate housing insecurity through Section 8 assistance and public housing capital fund. Financial assistance to education programs, such as English language acquisition grants, Pell grants, school breakfast programs, and the National School Lunch Program, all rely on Census data to accurately and fully support low-income students.
However, Asian-Americans are reported to be the least likely to complete the Census than any other demographic group. This is likely linked to the fact that they are also the least familiar with the Census content and most concerned about their information being used against them. Completing the 2020 Census will be crucial to ensure the proper allocation of federal funds and political representation needed to help communities thrive. AANHPI have been undercounted for decades due to greater challenges in stable housing, language barriers, and general skepticism of the Census. About one in five Asian American and one in three Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders live in hard-to-count neighborhoods, disadvantaging these communities’ ability to thrive. In San Gabriel Valley, 50% of all Asian Americans and 73% of older Asian Americans have limited English proficiency. In not completing the Census, however, underrepresentation of community language needs has already resulted in decreased language assistance and translations, especially for the NHPI community.
Filling out the Census is a way to explore the American half of the Asian-American identity. It requires us to be involved in history making and demanding support for our communities. It allows us to make our voices heard in both English and our native tongues. It ensures that we are seen, because we have strength in numbers. I urge you to fill out the Census for your community and emphasize its importance to the older generation around you, because without it, we may be at risk of only being seen as Asians.