Complete Count Committee calls for video submissions

Counting the nation continues despite closures and shelter-in-place orders. 

The San Marcos Complete Count Committee will continue promoting participation in the census, but will resort to more creative mediums since they are unable to hold events.

A video competition will soon be announced incentivizing residents nationwide to create their own 30 second to 3 minute video promoting the census and encouraging people to participate, according to San Marcos Complete Count Committee President Dr. Gloria Martinez. 

The videos should convey that it has never been easier to complete the census form since it can be filled out online. First place prize will be $30,000 and second place will be $10,000. There is also a student competition with a $10,000 prize. 

The video competition comes at a time when local Complete Count Committees are forced to rely more on social media than in person gatherings to get their message out. 

“We want to communicate the importance of data, why we use the data, why this information is important, especially in times we are living in emergencies and disasters,” Martinez said.

Community partners like Mano Amiga and NALEO are organizing online livestream events to spread information about the importance of participating in the census.

Mano Amiga hosted a Census Lotteria Thursday night. They said, “In 2010 San Marcos was a hard to count region due to our large student population and miscounted Latinx population. This census we want to make sure all voices are accounted for so that our community can thrive and get as much Federal funding for community programs as well as representation in Congress.”

Events provide an opportunity for volunteers to answer questions and dispel rumors that there is a citizenship question on the census. Now they have to rely on their hotline to answer questions. 

The San Marcos Complete Count Committee plans to continue to engage with residents through social media, email, telephone, yard signs and strategically placed school buses wrapped with Census signage. 

The committee will focus on collaborations with places where residents are still trafficking and receiving communications from — grocery stores, schools, apartment complexes, homeowners associations, universities and food banks.

With many residents spending more time at home, this is the perfect time for residents to fill out the census, Martinez said. 

Due to COVID-19 the census has extended its deadline to Aug. 14. Census workers will begin knocking on doors sometime at the end of May for those who have not yet filled out the survey.