Iranian American 2010 Census Project Coalition Gains Momentum

Unprecedented Cooperation among 19 Iranian American Organizations

February 4, 2010, Washington, D.C. - The Iranian American 2010 Census Project proudly announces the addition of Andisheh Center, Association of Iranian American Professionals of San Diego, Bay Area Iranian-American Democrats, Empowered Women United, Iranican, Iranian Studies Group at MIT, Persian Center and Persian Cultural Club to its list of coalition partners. 

Now at 19 partners and counting, the coalition was formed to ensure maximum and consistent participation by Iranian Americans in the 2010 U.S. Census. The addition of these new organizations strengthens and expands the coalition’s outreach and penetration, providing it with more resources and a larger platform for educating Iranian Americans nationwide and encouraging their participation in the Census.

The census is a count of everyone living in the United States. This includes people of all ages, races, and ethnic groups, as well as both citizens and non-citizens. Like many ethnic groups, Iranian Americans have traditionally been undercounted; the 2000 Census count of our community was only 338,000. This is a problem as it undermines our access to a variety of social services. The only solution is for us to register our Iranian origin, and to be counted by the Census Bureau.

The Iranian American 2010 Census Coalition is taking a proactive role to try and ensure that our community’s statistics are accurately reflected and that it has access to key services and an enhanced political voice.  With that in mind, the coalition has assembled an informational and instructional pamphlet, available both in English and Persian, to answer questions about the U.S. Census.  

Simultaneously, the coalition is developing customized messaging and communication tools specific to the Iranian American population to be rolled out nationally over the coming weeks, to help raise awareness about the U.S. 2010 Census campaign among all of the Iranian American households and communities nationwide. 

Stand Up and Be Counted

The Iranian American 2010 Census Coalition includes both national and regional Iranian American organizations that have united under the common objective of educating Iranian Americans about the 2010 Census. Specific goals of this project include reaching every Iranian American household in the country to educate them about the importance of participating in the 2010 Census, to assure them that the information provided to the Census Bureau will by law be confidential, and to urge them to respond to questions relating to race, ethnicity, and national origin in a consistent manner.  In order to assure maximum outreach, the Census Coalition has hired full-time consultants to both reach out to the Iranian American community and coordinate with the U.S. Census.

For more information or to join the Iranian American 2010 Census Project please contact any of the coalition partners:

Andisheh Center: www.andisheh.org

Association of Iranian American Professionals (AIAP): www.aiap.orgindex.shtml

Bay Area Iranian-American Democrats (BAIAD): www.baiad.org

Bay Area Iranian-American Voter Association (BAIVOTER): www.baivoter.org

Empowered Women United: empoweredwomenunited.com

Farhang Foundation: www.farhang.org

Iranican: www.iranican.com

Iranian Alliances Across Borders (IAAB): www.iranianalliances.org

Iranian American Bar Association (IABA): www.iaba.us

Iranian Psychological Association of America (IPAA): www.myipaa.org

Iranian Studies Group at MIT: www.isgmit.org

National Iranian American Council (NIAC): www.niacouncil.org

Network of Iranian American Professionals of Orange County (NIPOC): www.nipoc.org

PARSA Community Foundation: www.parsacf.org

Persian Center www.persiancenter.org

Persian Cultural Club www.persianculturalclub.net   

Persianesque Magazine: www.persianesquemagazine.com

Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans (PAAIA): www.paaia.org

Shabeh Jomeh: www.shabehjomeh.com

U.S. Census Bureau: www.census.gov

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Iranian American Organizations Unite to Form Iranian American 2010 Census Project Coalition

Mindful of events in Iran following the June 12th presidential election, your voice as an Iranian American will matter even more. Decision makers and Americans nationwide are looking to our community for advice and direction. We the undersigned organizations have joined forces in a show of unity to promote the importance of civic participation among Iranian Americans so that our voices are heard. A critical component of empowering the Iranian American community is securing an accurate count of the total number of Iranian Americans residing in the United States. The upcoming 2010 Census will provide a significant opportunity for Iranian Americans to stand up and be counted.

   

Stand Up and Be Counted

The census is a count of everyone living in the United States. This includes people of all ages, races, and ethnic groups, as well as both citizens and non-citizens. The census occurs every ten years and is mandated by the U.S. Constitution, the next one being undertaken in 2010.

Like many ethnic groups, Iranian Americans have traditionally been undercounted, leading to a diminished sense of representation within American society. According to the 2000 Census, there were only 338,000 Iranian Americans at the time, while the actual number is believed to be at least two or three times larger. By taking a proactive role in the 2010 Census, our community can strive to have the statistics represent reality.

With an accurate reflection of our population, Iranian Americans would stand to benefit from a variety of public, civic, and private sector services that rely on census data for economic and social assessments. For example, many local and state agencies, health organizations and social service organizations rely on racial and ancestry information to identify and meet the needs of their constituencies. Researchers in many fields, from journalism to social science, rely on census statistics to study trends concerning educational and economic mobility and cultural assimilation.

The Iranian American 2010 Census Coalition includes a number of national and regional organizations: Bay Area Iranian-American Voter Association (Baivoter), Farhang Foundation, Iranian Alliances Across Borders (IAAB), Iranian American Bar Association (IABA), Iranian Psychological Association of America (IPAA), National Iranian American Council (NIAC), Network of Iranian American Professionals of Orange County (NIPOC), PARSA Community Foundation, Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans (PAAIA), Shabeh Jomeh, and the U.S. Census Bureau. The specific goals of this project are to reach every Iranian American household in the country to educate them about the importance of participating in the 2010 Census, to assure them that the information provided to the Census Bureau will by law be confidential, and to urge them to respond to questions relating to race, ethnicity, and national origin in a consistent manner.  

The Iranian American 2010 Census Project cannot truly achieve its goals without coordinated action by a broad based coalition of Iranian American communities and organizations, be they national or local. To that end, initial coalition members are reaching out to and welcome the participation of other Iranian American organizations.

Numbers count! Showing the growth of the Iranian American community will translate into increased influence and recognition within American society. By uniting Iranian Americans behind this worthy goal, our community will be well on its way to gaining greater prominence, while at the same time gaining a better understanding of our own unique needs.

For more information or to join the Iranian American 2010 Census Project please contact any of the coalition partners.


Bay Area Iranian-American Voter Association
http://www.baivoter.org/

Farhang Foundation
http://www.farhang.org/

Iranian Alliances Across Borders (IAAB)
http://www.iranianalliances.org/
Iranian American Bar Association
http://www.iaba.us

Iranian Psychological Association of America (IPAA)
http://www.myipaa.org/
National Iranian American Council
http://www.niacouncil.org/
Network of Iranian American Professionals of Orange County
http://www.nipoc.org/

PARSA Community Foundation
http://www.parsacf.org/
Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans
http://www.paaia.org/
Shabeh Jomeh
http://www.shabehjomeh.com/

 
Town-Hall Meeting Postponed