ADA, Okla.—Chickasaw Nation Governor Bill Anoatubby recently announced a partnership between the U.S. Census Bureau and Chickasaw Nation to help ensure Native Americans are counted accurately during the 2020 census.
“There has been an undercounting of certain populations and, as Native Americans, we have had a long-term issue that affects us,” Governor Anoatubby told census officials.
Native Americans were undercounted by about 4.9 percent, a rate more than double the next population group.
The Chickasaw Nation has formed a committee to address this disparity and is developing an awareness campaign, which will include advertising in tribal and local outlets and direct mail pieces.
Census participation takes place throughout the year online, through social media, as well as informational booths and kiosks at facilities and events.
“We encourage all tribal Nations to institute their own initiatives to encourage their citizens to participate and to form their own complete count committees for the 2020 census. Every tribe can form its own complete count committee,” Governor Anoatubby explained.
The unique government-to-government relationship between tribes and the U.S. government is at the heart of accurately counting all Native Americans.
“An accurate accounting of Native Americans is particularly important because of the government-to-government relationship. The federal government has treaty responsibilities to provide certain services (to Native Americans). Education is one; health care, housing and other services,” he said. “For these reasons and others, it is vital we conduct an accurate census. It is very important we all be involved in the gathering of this important information.”
Many tribes are isolated and in rural areas that might be overlooked during the census count, with approximately 26 percent of Native Americans living in census tracts that are difficult to access and analyze.
“In some reservations, you do not have street names; you do not have convenient ways to identify households,” Anoatubby said.
“It is important that we, as tribes, step up and become partners. By participating, we speak for the generations of Native people that preceded us and for those yet to come. The funding that results from our participation will help us to continue to build a bright future for our people. We will do our part to ensure that every Native American is counted in 2020.”
