March 20, 2020 – The U.S. Census quietly got underway last week. As it has for nearly all facets of life, COVID-19 has dramatically changed plans for how to encourage participation from historically undercounted populations. The Census is vital for states like New Mexico, which have large numbers of people who are part of those groups. The state also depends on federal funding more than most, and an undercount could project the impact of the COVID-19 isolation far into the future. Correspondent Antonia Gonzales sits down with Charlotte Little and Jamie Gloshay of the New Mexico Native Census Coalition to talk about the challenge of avoiding an undercount on the state’s 19 pueblos, the Navajo Nation, Apache tribes, and in its urban Native populations – and the ways in which the community is responding.
Guests:
Jamie Gloshay, Albuquerque Urban Indian Census Coordinator
Charlotte Little, Pueblo Census Coordinator
Additional Information
New Mexico Native Census Coalition
This segment is part of the “Your New Mexico Government” Project (#YourNMgov), a collaboration between New Mexico PBS, KUNM Radio, and the Santa Fe Reporter. This endeavor is funded by the New Mexico Local Journalism Fund with public media support provided by the Thornburg Foundation.