At UNO, Nebraska Leaders Raise Awareness of 2020 Census

Community and state leaders came together at UNO’s Barbara Weitz Community Engagement Center to encourage all Nebraskans to take part in the 2020 Census.

The press conference also served as a celebration of the grand opening of the Nebraska Area Census office, which will serve as the operational hub for the Constitutionally-mandated count.

Kicking off the event, Chancellor Jeffrey P. Gold, M.D., committed to making the census a priority on campus.

“Making sure that the resources match the needs is absolutely critical, and frankly that’s why I have joined you here today and I’m sure that’s why all of you are here today as well,” Dr. Gold said. “We want to be among the highest participation states in the country. I can commit to you that the students of this great campus and the entire university system are going to stand side-by-side to work hard to make that happen.”

Among other local speakers at the event: Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts; Anne Branigan, Senior Vice President of the Greater Omaha Chamber; Thomas H. Warren, President and CEO of the Urban League of Nebraska; Linda Lin Steele, President of the Nebraska Chinese Association; and Lazaro Arturo Spindola, M.D., Executive Director of the Nebraska Latino American Commission. The event also featured a performance by two members of the Karen Society of Nebraska.

The 2020 Census will have three ways to respond – phone, mail and online. This online option will make early self-response easier and more efficient for most Nebraska residents

Census data is responsible for the distribution of more than $675 billion in federal funds and grants annually, which support states, counties and communities across the country. This money is spent on schools, hospitals, roads, public works and other programs vital to all Nebraska residents. Also, the U.S. Census Bureau is hiring thousands of people for temporary positions to staff the office and for field operations in Nebraska.