#AdvocacyMatters: Count Us In

December 15, 2023 / #AdvocacyMatters

Communities found at the fringe of society are often kept there by a lack of understanding of their needs and awareness of their existence. This cycle of marginalization repeats again and again, maintaining the status quo and preventing significant progress towards equity. We must do better.

The American Community Survey (ACS) is administered by the U.S. Census Bureau and is used by officials to track detailed population and housing information. This information is critical in creating federal, state, and local policies that impact members of the disability community.

Earlier this fall, the Census Bureau introduced proposed changes to the ACS questions regarding disability that advocates believe will lead to undercounting of the disability population. This undercounting puts at risk funding for critical programming. Most troublingly, these changes were drafted and proposed without meaningful input from those they affect most – the disability community.

You can take action and submit feedback to the Census Bureau on these changes by utilizing the National Disability Rights Network’s Action Alert tool, linked here: https://ndrn.salsalabs.org/censusdisability/index.html

A fair and accurate understanding of our communities is the only way to make progress towards an inclusive and equitable society. By doing our part and speaking up, we can both raise awareness of these issues and the chances of a clear, accurate result.
#AdvocacyMatters