“Redistricting Stage Set” – Census Apportionment for NY Sets Stage for Important Redistricting Campaign

On Monday afternoon, the US Census Bureau announced the apportionment of Census data for each state. For New York, the apportionment will mean losing a Congressional seat in the US House of Representatives. This Census data will serve as the foundation for the redistricting process in New York, and by 2022 virtually every single political district in New York State – from local offices to state Assembly and Senate districts to Congressional districts – will be redrawn.

Murad Awawdeh, Executive Director, New York Immigration Coalition, issued the following statement.

“Thanks to a herculean effort over the past three years by the NYIC, the NY Counts 2020 coalition, and others, New York was able to stave off the worst outcome - losing two Congressional seats and billions in Federal revenue because of a Census undercount of New Yorkers. We weathered the storm and kept up Census participation rates despite the Trump Administration’s blatant attacks on immigrant New Yorkers, through efforts like the citizenship question, and ensured an accurate count despite the devastating COVID-19 pandemic.

Now the stage is set for redistricting. We need a fair process that allows New York’s communities to choose their electeds, instead of a system where it’s the other way around. After a catastrophic pandemic, this process needs to center immigrants, communities of color, and people who have held New York together and will rebuild our economy. With our new Mapping Our Future campaign, we will work with a broad coalition of New Yorkers in a sophisticated campaign of outreach, education, and targeted advocacy, to ensure that districts are drawn fairly in New York State, that our democracy is vibrant, and the rights of minorities are elevated. It’s the only way to ensure that we truly build a new New York for everyone.”

Background:

The New York Immigration Coalition led NY Counts 2020, a coalition of over 150 partners from across the state dedicated to get out the count activities, worked to ensure that immigrant and hard-to-count communities were included in the Census. Their collective efforts resulted in millions of dollars being allocated at the city and state level to increase New York’s participation rates amongst these communities in the Census. However, Trump’s efforts to derail the inclusion of undocumented communities in the 2020 Census, along with the pandemic, took an enormous toll on New York’s representation at the federal level.

The NYIC is now launching the Mapping Our Future campaign to ensure a more equitable distribution of power. By engaging a broad, diverse coalition in a sophisticated campaign of outreach, education, and targeted advocacy, the NYIC and partners will ensure that districts are drawn fairly in New York State, that our democracy is vibrant, and the rights of minorities are elevated.

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