February 2019 OUTSIDE THE BOX WHAT DESIGN THINKING TAUGHT KPCC ABOUT THE 2020 CENSUS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR PUBLIC SERVICE JOURNALISM 02 This report was researched and written by Ashley Alvarado, Kristen Muller, and David Rodriguez Additional research by Tran Ha and Sarah Pineda Research supported by 03 Table of Contents Introduction..............................................................................................4 Process and Methodology...............................................................................6 Landscape analysis............................................................................9 Development of stakeholder map and target characteristics.........9 Stakeholder interviews................................................................................10 Synthesis..........................................................................................................13 Brainstorming.................................................................................................17 Development of potential prototypes...................................................18 Conclusion............................................................................................................20 Appendix I: Guide to Census Outreach...................................................21 Appendix II: Stakeholder Interviews.........................................................29 04 Introduction Southern California has a lot at stake in the 2020 census. The decennial count determines the allocation of some $800 billion in federal tax dollars and the number of seats each state has in the U.S. House of Representatives. Hospitals. Roads. Schools. Social services. Much of what Southern Californians depend on in their daily lives is tied to census-determined funding and programs. Experts describe Los Angeles as the hardest-to-count county in the country, thanks in large part to its sprawling geography; multigenerational households1; linguistic, ethnic, and socioeconomic diversity; and large immigrant population (among the 3 million 3 immigrants 2, an estimated 1.05 million live in the county without legal status). Historically, media coverage of the census has not been commensurate with its impact on public policy. Ahead of the 2010 census, for example, major TV news outlets—the way in which most 4 people consume their news —dedicated only a fraction of a percent of their total programming to the subject. The highest percentage of programming time allocated by CNN was 0.6 percent; for NPR's major newsmagazine broadcasts, it was about 0.3 percent.5 The challenges to getting a complete and accurate count in 2020 appear greater than ever. 1. https://www2.census.gov/programssurveys/decennial/2020/program-management/final-analysisreports/2020-report-2010-undercount-childrenexamining_coverage_demo.pdf 2. https://censusreporter.org/profiles/05000US06037-losangeles-county-ca/ 3. www.migrationpolicy.org/data/unauthorized-immigrantpopulation/county/6037 4. www.journalism.org/2016/07/07/pathways-to-news 5. Data provided by NPR's Research, Archives and Data Strategy department 05 This is the first time the federal government is trying to conduct the census primarily online, a move that has raised concerns about access and data security. The Trump administration’s efforts to include a citizenship question has also sparked controversy and more than a half dozen lawsuits, which are expected to make their way to the U.S. Supreme Court. KPCC (Southern California Public Radio) is in its early planning stages for census coverage. Before we start reporting, we want to understand how to reach people outside of KPCC’s traditional distribution channels (onair, online, and in-person events), including people who are at the highest risk of being undercounted, and define the unique role journalists can play in the public discussion. Our team conducted dozens of interviews with community organizations and stakeholders across Southern California. We found that there is a general lack of understanding as to what the census is; this is consistent with findings from the Census Bureau’s own 6 research. Surprisingly, this lack of knowledge exists regardless of how much news people consume. Additionally, we found that there is a strong sense of identity that may not correspond to the official demographic categories on the census form. For instance, interview subjects who self-identify as Muslim said there was no box that matched their identity. The stakes are high, the possibility of an undercount significant, and the need for public service journalism critical. What follows is a report on the research we conducted, key findings, and how we plan to carry the work forward. 6. https://www2.census.gov/programssurveys/decennial/2020/program-management/pmrmaterials/02-01-2019/pmr-cbams-comm-2019-02-01.pdf?# 06 Process and Methodology KPCC launched its census work with one goal: Beyond informing and engaging KPCC’s existing audiences, we will seek to discover and meet the information needs of communities at high risk of being undercounted and of historically underrepresented communities. The goal represents a shift from the traditional journalistic process wherein editors assume the audiences most in need of information already have a habit of consuming our journalism. Rather than report every development in the 2020 census—work already being done well by other public media journalists like NPR correspondent Hansi Lo Wang, who has been closely following legal challenges to the census—we decided to focus first on identifying the communities we could serve and then spend time better understanding the kinds of news and information they most need. In other words, we had to first dedicate an appropriate amount of time framing the problem before we could come up with a meaningful solution or set of solutions. 07 In October 2018, KPCC hired David Rodriguez as an assistant engagement producer to help lead research into the census. Inspired by recent work redesigning KPCC’s early childhood education coverage, we employed a humancentered design framework to our research. Humancentered design, a form of design thinking, is at its most basic “an agile process for solving complex problems. It’s a way of understanding the needs of the people you’re building a solution for and testing that 7 solution with them before creating it.” In this instance, the human-centered design process can be broken down into six steps: 1. Landscape analysis: Identify the community organizations working on 2020 census outreach 2. Development of stakeholder map and target characteristics: Identify which communities we should target with our research 3. Stakeholder interviews: Meet with community members in their homes or workplaces 4. Synthesis: Analyze interviews and identify trends or patterns 5. Brainstorming: Identify potential news services and distribution models that could reach and engage community members at risk of being undercounted 6. Development of potential prototypes: Choose which ideas to implement and identify how we will know success 7. https://medium.com/we-are-hearken/design-thinking-andjournalism-go-together-here-s-how-e7d286c02b49 30 08 1. Landscape Analysis There is no shortage of community organizations who are already advocating for participation in the census. Rodriguez surveyed dozens of them to better understand which communities were being targeted. He interviewed representatives from three dozen organizations operating in Los Angeles County. He analyzed data from think tanks like the Public Policy Institute of California, Migration Policy Institute, and NALEO 8 Educational Fund. And he reviewed materials provided by the U.S. Census Bureau, California Complete Count, and the Los Angeles County Complete Count Committees, among others. See Appendix I on page 21 for the complete list of the 36 organizations, foundations, think tanks, and government agencies Rodriguez interviewed as well as a summary of their census-related work. 2. Development of stakeholder map and target characteristics When designing a news service for a specific group, it’s important to reach out to stakeholders and solicit feedback. But when it comes to the census, everyone could be counted as a stakeholder. Our challenge was in narrowing “everyone” down to a group that we could more clearly define. We wanted to focus on communities most at risk of being undercounted. So we first mapped the whole system to better understand who fit within that high-risk category. We wanted to identify which select interviews outside of that core group would provide helpful insights for the process. From there, we looked for stakeholders with extremely different experiences. By interviewing them and identifying shared information needs and habits, we could come up with solutions that would better serve a range of people (this is often described as a halo effect). 8. https://census.ca.gov/maps/ 09 The bulk of our efforts were aimed at those at risk of being undercounted, but we also interviewed some who work in census outreach and those at risk of complacency in order to better understand how information flows. We sought to learn from these perspectives and use them as a starting point for narrowing in on our interview subjects. Within that group we sought individuals who represented a range of experiences: Undocumented Citizen Non-citizen 13–16-year-old with foreign-born parent(s) Intergenerational household African-American senior African-American 20s to 30s Civically/politically active Not civically active Older Muslim Younger Muslim American-born Chinese Foreign-born Chinese A mapping of census stakeholders. Rapidly growing urban community of color Native American Low-response area Spanish-speaking Speaks non-dominant primary language Homeless Didn’t participate in last census but not from a community of color or foreign-born LGBTQ We also sought to interview people who were planning to conduct community outreach around the census, including: Worker with organization doing community outreach with homeless Worker with organization doing community outreach in low-response ZIP codes Lastly, we sought out individuals who were at risk of being complacent during the census, including: Agriculture/rural small business owner New resident of gentrifying neighborhood Splits time between more than one home 10 3. Stakeholder Interviews Human-centered design interviews are a significant departure from the traditional journalism approach. When journalists are on deadline, we focus on a few critical, very direct questions that need precise answers. (Think “yes” or “no” questions.) Humancentered design, on the other hand, stresses deep listening as a way to empathize with audiences and better understand their needs and habits. (In this case, empathy means a willingness to have assumptions challenged.) In these interviews, we focused on openended and indirect queries like, “Tell me about a time or experience that made you feel like you belonged in this community” and “How do you learn about what’s going on in your community?” Why the shift? Because these interviews and questions are designed to surface not only explicit but also implicit needs. Explicit needs are what we can see and/or what is directly stated (what people say and do); implicit needs include emotions, values, and beliefs (what people think and feel). Though harder to observe, implicit needs often provide deeper insight and focus. Census interviews primarily took place in interview subjects’ homes or places of business. This allowed us to observe the interviewees in their natural environment to better understand what commands their attention throughout the day...and when and where KPCC’s journalism might fit into their routines. For a review of all 16 stakeholder interviews, see Appendix II on page 29. Here we highlight four interviews, including areas of misunderstanding and confusion regarding the census. 11 Beatriz Target characteristics: Small business owner, citizen Age: 40 Gender: Female Race/ethnicity: Latina Location: La Puente Description: Formerly undocumented, Beatriz came to the United States as a child and is now a citizen and business owner. She worked on the 2000 census. Census participation: 2010 2020 Consumes SCPR journalism: Yes Memorable quote: “We've had this conversation even with our employees at work, like they have real concerns. And these are either legal residents or naturalized citizens who are concerned that should they even participate.” Luz Target characteristics: Undocumented, Spanishspeaking, hard-to-count low-response area, intergenerational household Age: 40 Gender: Female Race/ethnicity: Latina Location: South Gate Description: An undocumented immigrant, Luz has limited English and lives in one of the lowestresponse areas in Los Angeles County. She was previously a professor in her native Mexico. Census participation: 2010 2020 Consumes SCPR journalism: No Memorable quote: Luz is not planning to participate in the 2020 census “because of fear of my illegal status. And I think I heard on the news that the president wants to now put a particular question about immigration status. So, now it's even less. Now, there's like thousands of people who are not going to be counted.” 12 Gabriella Target characteristics: Worker doing community outreach in a low-response area, citizen, civically/politically active Age: 33 Gender: Female Race/ethnicity: Latina Location: Miracle Mile Description: While Gabriella lives in the Miracle Mile, she works with Alliance for a Better Community and focuses on--and relates to--the southeast L.A. community. Census participation: 2010 2020 Consumes SCPR journalism: Yes Memorable quote: "What we hear was the fear around the citizenship question and why it was on there, and the fact that even if it didn't turn out that it was on there, the damage had already been done. The fear had already been instilled in the immigrant communities." Maryam Target characteristics: Citizen, civically/politically active Age: 50 Gender: Female Race/ethnicity: Middle Eastern Location: Pacific Palisades Description: As an immigrant from Iran and somebody who considers herself as very civically active, Maryam is very concerned about the labels used on the census and the inability to select what she considers her identity. Census participation: 2010 2020 Consumes SCPR journalism: Yes Memorable quote: "We've made enough contributions to this society to be identified. And still, we don't have a box to check." 13 Once all of the interviews were completed, the research team dived into the synthesis process. 4. Synthesis Once all interviews had been conducted, we worked with humancentered design specialist Tran Ha to analyze interviews and identify patterns and themes in the interviews and observations. This synthesis is critical; it allowed us to identify key insights that will drive our 2020 census reporting and engagement. The synthesis revealed three key barriers to participation in the census: knowledge, access, and vulnerability (feeling at risk by revealing personal information). As a leading public media newsroom with far reach (roughly 1 million people access KPCC on air or online monthly), we know that focusing on knowledge as a lever is where we, as journalists, can have impact. There is less opportunity to focus on access or vulnerability: Rodriguez’s landscape analysis made clear there are already many organizations working to help give people access to the census, and there is little KPCC can do when it comes to adjusting vulnerability, perceived or real. 14 Knowledge Among the interview subjects, there was a spectrum of knowledge about the census. Through the synthesis process, we identified three groups on the spectrum: high knowledge, low knowledge, and no knowledge. High knowledge: The people in this group have a keen understanding of the census, either because they work in organizations that are closely linked to the census for funding or because they are civically active and may have official or unofficial leadership roles in the community. This group is not at risk of being undercounted, but they could act as influencers to reach those who are. Low knowledge: This group comprises the majority of interviewees and cuts across age, gender, race, geography, and other demographics. They know some general information about the census —that it’s about counting and representation—but beyond that, there are huge gaps and misinformation about why the census is important and why participation is essential and beneficial. Within this low-knowledge group, there are two compelling targets for KPCC: Educated information seekers: People within this category include SCPR news consumers and other well-read news consumers who consider themselves to be civically engaged and for whom census details should be a relevant part of the work they do. If activated, this group could potentially influence some of the more passive information seekers in their families and/or communities. Fearful to share: For this group, there is great fear, worry, and distrust about where their personal information may be shared and how it may be used. This fear is exacerbated by their low level of knowledge and assumptions about how sharing the type of information required by the census might put them at risk. This group includes a number of subgroups: Undocumented immigrants: This group lives in fear of being identified and deported; they are cautious with any context where identifying details are required and won't even open the door for strangers. This group also is highly reliant on community services that may be affected by census data. Legal residents and naturalized citizens: Even though these communities have legal status, distrust in the government (Trump administration and its immigration policies were cited multiple times), as well as the current political climate, stokes the fear of profiling or potential misuse of personal information for immigrants and legal residents. Seniors: Many seniors are on high alert for scammers in the digital space and are highly sensitive to sharing personal information, especially in unfamiliar and digital contexts. Those worried about privacy for other reasons. 15 No Knowledge: The youngest people we interviewed fell into this group, although it also includes some of the legal and undocumented immigrants from the above group. This group is characterized by low or limited information-seeking behavior; the information they do consume is generally consumed passively and/or is limited to the few topics that are relevant to them or have the most immediate effects on their day-to-day lives (rent prices, crime in their neighborhood, immigration). Issues of Identity Personal identity was a strong theme that showed up across all the interviews. Related to the census, identity-related questions and issues triggered the strongest responses. Some more specific insights include: “Where I live is not necessarily who I am”: The communities with whom people identify and care most about aren’t always tied to where they live geographically, which is core to the census. “Let me define me”: There’s a great disconnect between the clinical, limiting approach of the census and its boxes versus the deeply emotional, personal feelings and complexities people have about their identities. As Maryam stated in her interview, as a Persian American, she is frustrated about being lumped into “white” as a race category. Because of that, the census doesn’t feel inclusive and is another context where many (especially those not represented by the labels provided) feel others have the power to define them. “Everyone should be counted”: There was a strong consensus that everyone should participate in the census so that they are counted, included, and represented in this process. Leverage Points The synthesis process illuminated not only obstacles to participation but also potential ways to get people engaged in census coverage. “Those I care about more than myself”: A way to activate those who don’t see a personal benefit to participating in the census is through the people and issues they care about. This insight reveals potential audience entry points into distribution and/or engagement with census information: Families with kids Small business owners with vulnerable employee populations Groups and communities people care about Organizations that serve vulnerable populations Schools are most trusted in communities: Schools and teachers were cited as trusted resources and hubs of information in most communities. Schools (U.S. history teachers) also are the origination point for education about the census. 16 Other Key Insights For Educated Information Seekers, there’s a level of shame and embarrassment around not knowing more about the census, so most avoid or cover up their lack of knowledge. Lack of accountability around census participation makes it very much an opt-in process in which everyone “should participate,” but there is no clear consequence for those who don’t. The census doesn’t feel connected to immediate needs, which makes it feel less urgent. Most also struggle to see obvious, short-term benefits or outcomes related to participation. Information (news needs that directly affect people and the communities they care about) trumps the perceived quality of the news outlet. 17 5. Brainstorming KPCC journalists gathered to brainstorm potential news services and distribution models that could reach our target audience—community members at risk of being undercounted—and enhance the strength of our journalism. We organized around questions inspired by the key insights—questions like “How might we incorporate census information and context into the news educated information seekers are already consuming with KPCC?” and “How might we show legal residents and naturalized immigrants the tangible benefits of participating in the census?” As journalists, we are not going to advocate for census participation, but we can play a role in showing why the census matters, communicate what’s at stake and activate audiences to seek out and engage more deeply with this information. 18 6. Development of Potential Prototypes During the brainstorming process, potential prototypes and paths forward emerged. Some options involve shifts in KPCC’s storytelling approach or story assignment. These are possible changes within the organization’s current capacity. (They are also changes many newsrooms could adopt without additional resources.) Other, more meaningful shifts would require additional funding. Based on the insights, here are prototypes we can employ immediately to stem apathy and misinformation: Reframe current census coverage: Several of our interviewees mentioned that they associate the census with the citizenship question since it has been in the news so often. Instead of leading our stories with updates on court cases regarding the citizenship question, we will start by explaining why the census is important and the role it plays in our lives so that audiences have a better understanding of the stakes before they hear about incremental developments in the court battles. Produce explanatory reporting that connects how census results affect everyday life in Los Angeles: We will aim to turn dry policy reporting into entertaining, shareable reports that could be distributed across a range of platforms and partners. Assess the newsroom’s current coverage against the insights provided in the research: As people process the news, their understanding—or misunderstanding —of the census is shaped not only by the census coverage but also by the entire picture being presented. A review of the ways in which related news areas are covered may allow for opportunities to deepen people’s census knowledge through other beats like infrastructure, immigration, and education. 19 With additional funding and the hire of one census reporter-producer, KPCC would aim to implement a more transformational approach. Here are three prototypes we would test: Connecting the Census to Self: During the interviews, we heard how strongly people identify with communities that are not listed on the census form. This interactive digital project would aim to connect people’s concerns and sense of identity to policies affected by the census count. The goal is to make the census something that is directly tied to your life through the issues and communities (psychographic versus geographic) you care about most. Rumor Patrol: While interviewing stakeholders, we heard concerns that Immigration and Customs Enforcement might increase the number of raids during the census or use the data that is collected. We also heard people describe the census as voluntary. Given the amount of misinformation that is already circulating, we could act as a realtime fact checker to verify or debunk rumors about the census as it’s being conducted. We’d partner with ethnic media outlets to ensure we have a strong distribution network to present timely, accurate information and to investigate where the rumors are originating. Collaborative journalism project: The collaboration with other California newsrooms would produce comprehensive coverage, interactives, and in-person convenings that elevate not only the production of census-related information but also, more important, awareness of the census and its implications. In addition to one census reporter-producer, this would require a project manager and a producer. 20 Conclusion As the census quickly approaches—with court battles and misinformation intensifying—it’s critical that KPCC help Southern Californians (especially those most at risk of being undercounted) better understand the importance of the census: how it works, how it affects their daily lives, how it affects the country, and how they can participate. Our goal is to ensure residents are receiving accurate information that is accessible, compelling, and timely. As our findings illustrate, there are immediate opportunities to increase knowledge among existing KPCC audiences and viable entry and leverage points for audiences traditionally outside of our reach. The investment in this research made clear where KPCC could most effectively spend its time and efforts. We are dedicated to carrying out this work and sharing our learnings. With the 2020 census, the need for public service journalism is demonstrable, as are the opportunities for innovation and modeling paths forward in audience development and engagement. 21 Appendix I: Guide to Census Outreach KPCC interviewed 36 organizations, foundations, think tanks, and government agencies about their census-related work. FOUNDATIONS AND PHILANTHROPIC INSTITUTIONS California Community Foundation Census-related work: The California Community Foundation is focusing on hard-tocount populations like Latinos, African Americans, people with disabilities, and Native Americans to increase response rates and reduce undercounts in L.A. County. Outreach: They are working with L.A. County and the City of L.A. to fill in gaps of census outreach work. They are providing trainings and distributing $500,000 in grants to Asian Americans Advancing Justice - Los Angeles, California Calls Education Fund, California Native Vote, Council on American-Islamic Relations California, Disability Rights California, NALEO Educational Fund, and the Pacific Institute for Community Organizations. Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees (GCIR) Census-related work: GCIR facilitates the California Census 2020 Statewide Funders' Initiative of more than 30 funders to ensure that hard-to-count populations in California are accurately counted and to build a stronger movement infrastructure across the state that can improve opportunities and conditions for Californians who have been politically, economically, and socially marginalized. Latino Community Foundation Census-related work: LCF is focused on Latinos nationally but primarily in California. Outreach: They plan to form giving circles to raise money to support grassroots organizations spreading the word about the census. There is an summit, where they will discuss the census to provide a roadmap for a fair and accurate count. The James Irvine Foundation Census-related work: The James Irvine Foundation is focusing on census policy and advocacy relating to hard-to-count, low-income populations through the work of organizations within the Census Advocacy Policy Network led by Advancement Project. It is also working with other funders to convene a national funder table. Outreach: The plan of the network is to focus on census investment and outreach, education, and a regional pool fund. Outreach methods like door-to-door visits or phone banking may be used. Census outreach begins early 2019. Technical assistance includes message testing and identifying trusted messengers. 22 Some barriers the foundation is mindful of: this is the first census to shift to digital; technology is not as accessible for people used to paper versions of the census; the citizenship question causes fear; general mistrust of the government; young children are usually undercounted; and low-visibility housing without clear addresses. They anticipate responding to unknown problems. Mi Familia Vota Education Foundation Census-related work: Mi Familia Vota Education Foundation focuses on Latinos in California, Nevada, Arizona, Colorado, Texas, and Florida. They are a plaintiff in the Maryland lawsuit to remove the citizenship question from the census and advocate that Congress support and pass policies like Every Person Counts Act (to prevent inclusion of citizenship question). They are also planning to do census education. Outreach: They are working to get on census committees in the aforementioned states and plan to work with local organizations and institutions like schools in Fresno, Modesto, and Riverside to provide computer and internet access so that people can complete the census. Southern California Grantmakers Census-related work: SCG is focused on hard-to-count and marginalized communities. Research: Philanthropy groups have also been working to figure out how to engage (focus groups, messaging, overall knowledge of census); this understanding would be shared with media, specifically ethnic media. The philanthropic sector uses census data on how and where they're going to fund. If there is inadequate funding for the census, philanthropy can help, but it won't make up the difference. Corporate members of SCG (like retail, banks) often use the census data the most. Outreach: Their outreach plans can be broken down into three phases: 1) Educate philanthropists, researchers, and community leaders on why fund the census and how; 2) Work with congressional representatives on policy; 3) Work with other California philanthropic associations. Weingart Foundation Census-related work: The Weingart Foundation is focusing on historically undercounted hard-to-count groups throughout L.A. County. Weingart is participating in different table meetings in California to discuss which strategies are most useful with other funders, administrative community-based organizations, and the citizenship question. Outreach: Weingart identifies the role of a funder as supporting messaging and other census work so they'll support nonprofits engaged in census policy advocacy, field research, census outreach and education, nonprofits, and collaboration-leading like the Census Policy Advocacy Network. Training and tech assistance will be provided to community organizations for outreach and education, integrating census outreach with work already being done, census promoting (communications and media, ethnic media), get-out-the-count activities. Many participate in local, regional, and statewide funder tables to coordinate strategy. Community-based organizations should be ready to start by spring 2019. 23 GOVERNMENT Long Beach Department of Health & Human Services Census-related work: The Long Beach Department of Health & Human Services is focused on the homeless population in Long Beach. Outreach: They will count people experiencing homelessness in Long Beach monthly in order to have the data to know where people are ahead of the 2020 census. FOUNDATIONS2020 Initiative Mayor's Office of Budget and Innovation/Census Census-related work: The Census 2020 Initiative focuses on hard-to-count groups in L.A. County. Outreach: Los Angeles is ahead of the curve in census planning and is setting the example for other cities. It started three years ahead of 2020, rather than only one year ahead (as it did for 2010). The city and county will be providing access to computers so that people can access census information and complete the census. ORGANIZATIONS Advancement Project California Census-related work: Advancement Project California is focused on all hard-to-count populations in California and has written reports on some hard-to-count groups. Outreach: They are leading the Census Policy Advocacy Network, a coalition of 15 nonprofit organizations in California working on 2020 census policy, outreach, and funding. FOUNDATIONS Alliance for a Better Community Census-related work: Alliance for a Better Community is focused on Latino and immigrant populations in the southeast L.A. region. They have held census town halls in South Gate to hear questions and concerns about the census and citizenship question. Outreach: They expect to work with schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District. Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Los Angeles Census-related work: AAAJ-LA is focusing on Asian Pacific Islanders in California. Outreach: They will work with local ethnic and community-based organizations across seven regions in California to target hard-to-count populations. They will also be involved with policy and advocacy work at the national level (language-assistance census shortcomings). 24 Asian Pacific Policy and Planning Council Census-related work: Asian Pacific Policy and Planning Council focuses on Asian Pacific Islanders in the greater Los Angeles region. Outreach: They will use population-based outreach as opposed to geographic outreach because Asian Pacific Islanders are located in different pockets. Budget: They are currently seeking funding to start outreach and waiting for communitybased organization funding. Black Women for Wellness Census-related work: Black Women for Wellness works with black women in South L.A. as well as communities in Palmdale and Lancaster. Research: Focus group findings include the need for a campaign on census education, distrust of government and administration, and lack of access to census information. California Calls Census-related work: California Calls is focusing on African Americans and black refugees for its census outreach and education. Research: Issues that they found in census focus groups include census education among young people, availability of paper forms (especially for seniors), connection between the citizenship question and a potential undercount, and impact on black immigrants. Outreach: Their plan is to work with community-based organizations throughout the state focusing on census education, policy advocacy, and outreach among African Americans. Budget: They're applying for statewide funding with a specific focus on African Americans. California Common Cause Census-related work: California Common Cause is focusing on policy related to the census. They filed an amici brief in the New York and California lawsuits regarding the citizenship question. California Native Vote Project Census-related work: California Native Vote Project focuses on Native Americans throughout the state. Research: Findings from their census focus groups include mistrust of government (especially among elders), urban areas as challenges, and privacy concerns because of the digital format of 2020 census. Outreach: Geography-based outreach is difficult for Native Americans because there are no enclaves in Southern California. 25 California Rural League Assistance (CRLA) Census-related work: CRLA is focusing on rural communities and migrant workers. Research: They have done research on the undercount of farmworkers and migrant workers in the Central Valley and rural communities in the last census. Outreach: The plan is to work through its local field offices throughout the state, starting north of Sacramento and moving down the state providing census education to rural communities. The Center for Community Action and Environmental Justice Census-related work: The Center for Community Action and Environmental Justice focuses on low-income communities of color and homeless people in the Inland Empire, where they’re applying to lead census work. Research: They believe Hooper Valley and some areas in Riverside will be key to a complete census count since there is a large 0–5 population, as well as rural population (Hooper Valley), and 60 percent Latino population (Spanish-speaking and undocumented). There's a demand for non-English speakers aside from Spanish (Tagalog, Vietnamese). They will integrate census work into existing work. Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (CHIRLA) Census-related work: CHIRLA is focusing on Latinos and immigrants in California. Outreach: The organization will have volunteers, canvassers, radio spots, and education workshops related to the census. Council on American-Islamic Relations California – Los Angeles (CAIR-LA) Census-related work: CAIR-LA focuses on Muslims in Orange County, the Inland Empire, and Los Angeles for its census outreach and education. Research: They found that census focus groups initially had a neutral position toward the census, but their perception changed when the Rhode Island census forms with the citizenship question were shown to them. People thought the census was the American Community Survey, too long, or too short. People expressed a lot of concern about race/ethnicity questions and the citizenship question for all immigrant communities. They have planned to distribute similar community surveys at mosques, college campuses, and community events in order to cast a wide net. Outreach: They are looking at results from another focus group and still deciding on the best messaging and how to share it (pre-message testing). Empowering Pacific Islander Communities (EPIC) Census-related work: EPIC is focusing on Asian Pacific Islanders in Southern California. Outreach: They have chosen to focus on a population-based approach rather than a geographic approach because of the way in which the population is spread out. There will be outreach at churches and festivals. Equality California Census-related work: Equality California focuses on getting an accurate count among LGBTQ and hard-to-count communities in California. 26 Outreach: Equality California has fought to get the LGBTQ population considered by California as a hard-to-count population. They want to ensure there’s an LGBTQ population in each region to apply for funding at the regional level for the LGBTQ community. Housing California Census-related work: Housing California is focused on people experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity in California to make sure they’re counted in the census. Outreach: They are working to develop a plan to help on-the-ground conversations, and lead and provide resources to organizations that work on housing and homelessness outreach throughout the state. Long Beach Forward Census-related work: Long Beach Forward focuses on hard-to-count populations in Long Beach, especially Cambodians and Filipinos. Outreach: Long Beach Forward is the regional sub-convener for the L.A. Regional Census Table, which will be convening community-based organizations in the city of Long Beach. Administrative community-based organizations have not yet been selected by the state. National Association of Latino Elected & Appointed Officials (NALEO) Census-related work: NALEO focuses on Latino children 0–5, a group that was undercounted in the last census. Research: They cowrote a report on the undercount of Latino children called "The Lost Ones." They also oppose the addition of the citizenship question. Outreach: NALEO says it hopes to partner with the Los Angeles Unified School District, WIC, First 5 California, and early childhood education programs. Its big priority right now is educating community members and other partners for getting out the count. NALEO has an L.A. regional office with additional regional offices opening in Orange County, the Inland Empire, San Diego, and the Central Valley. The organization also has a census commission that holds meetings around the country in order to hear about findings of the census. Their census commission will release a report in April 2019, which is also when it will begin census-related events aimed at educating and informing the public about the importance of the census. NewVoice Interpreting Census-related work: They’re providing language-assistance services across L.A. County for organizations and other groups doing census outreach. Orange County Asian and Pacific Islander Community Alliance (OCAPICA) Census-related work: OCAPICA is focusing on Asian Pacific Islanders and census outreach in Orange County. Outreach: They are working to build trust with Asian Pacific Islander community; they report that people, especially seniors, are worried about scams with the digital census. 27 South Asian Network Census-related work: South Asian Network focuses on South Asians across Southern California Research: They did census outreach among South Asians in 2000 and 2010 because the population is found only in small pockets. Outreach: South Asian Network has made a point of asking communities to trust the organization, but they say the citizenship question may damage that trust if census information is not used properly: "Do we risk losing the trust of our community?" Southeast Asia Resource Action Center Census-related work: The Southeast Asian Resource Action Center focuses on Southeast Asians, especially Vietnamese and Cambodians, who are critical to a complete and accurate count. Outreach: Their approach includes three steps—building a coalition of leaders, creating materials for air and ground campaign, and mobilization. TODEC (Training Occupational Development Educating Communities)Legal Center Census-related work: TODEC focuses on counting hard-to-count communities like immigrants and farming areas in the Inland Empire. Research: They are addressing awareness of the census with communities in the Inland Empire by focusing on questions and fears regarding the citizenship question. Outreach: Their plan is to push the urgency and importance of the census, as well as to elevate trust in the census process. TODEC accompanied enumerators (census workers) for 2010 census to speak with immigrant communities. UnidosUS Census-related work: UnidosUS focuses on counting and educating Latinos nationwide in the census. They are part of a task force led by the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights that meets regularly to discuss what's happening on various fronts, including comments and litigation on the citizenship question, funding around the census, the hiring of census enumerators, and the formation of complete count committees. Outreach: They're focused on field staff recruitment of culturally sensitive (in this case, Spanish-speaking) enumerators for outreach in communities that are traditionally undercounted, and getting complete count committees up and running. They are considering producing a series of webinars to inform people and get the word out. United Cambodian Community of Long Beach Census-related work: The United Cambodian Community of Long Beach is part of a larger partnership called the Cambodian Complete Count Committee. Outreach: They are currently meeting to discuss plans for the census so that they can approach the City of Long Beach, foundations, and community-based organizations for financial resources. 28 United Ways of California Census-related work: United Ways of California is focusing on low-income and moderate-income people in California. Outreach: They’re working to provide internet access to low- and moderate-income Californians and their goal is to have plans set by March 2019. THINK TANKS Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) Census-related work: PPIC focuses on producing reports, blogs, and data visualization tools for census education. Research: They did research for the 2000 and 2010 censuses, but have no current plans for major reports. Outreach: Their focus now is on producing blog posts for California counties and FOUNDATIONS providing information for stakeholders doing census work. They will hold an event in Sacramento focused on the census; they're also looking at events in the Inland Empire and L.A. County. PPIC is a good source for census data breakdowns (redistricting, hardto-count groups). UCLA, Latino Policy & Politics Initiative (LPPI) Census-related work: LPPI focuses on researching Latinos for organizations in Los Angeles County and Orange County that seek to improve census responses. Research: Trust in those conveying information will be increasingly important this census because of the census happening the same year as the presidential election. That's especially true in Muslim/Arab communities and African American communities. Matt Barreto, faculty co-director of LPPI, is an expert witness in the New York and California citizenship question cases. 29 Appendix II: Stakeholder Interviews KPCC interviewed 16 stakeholders. Here is a snapshot of what they shared, including areas of misunderstanding and confusion regarding the census: Albert Target characteristics: American-born Chinese, civically/politically active, intergenerational household, citizen Age: 26 Gender: Male Race/ethnicity: Asian Location: Alhambra Description: Albert is extremely civically active and engaged in his communities, which he primarily describes as where he lives and as the greater Asian American population. He completed the last census on behalf of his family. Census participation: 2010 2020 Consumes SCPR journalism: Yes Memorable quote: “I think a lot of people don't realize a lot the funding that the census data helps provide in terms of federal funding and state funding is that it goes into things that we don't think about like infrastructure spending and how things in our school district...how much food should we provide to students and whether or not we need extra help during the summer when students don't have access to a meal every day from school.” 30 Beatriz Target characteristics: Small business owner, citizen Age: 40 Gender: Female Race/ethnicity: Latina Location: La Puente Description: Formerly undocumented, Beatriz came to the United States as a child and is now a citizen and business owner. She worked on the 2000 census. Census participation: 2010 2020 Consumes SCPR journalism: Yes Memorable quote: “We've had this conversation even with our employees at work, like they have real concerns. And these are either legal residents or naturalized citizens who are concerned that should they even participate…” Celeste Target characteristics: Native American, not civically active, citizen Age: 22 Gender: Female Race/ethnicity: Latina and Native American Location: Downtown Los Angeles Description: A recent college graduate and new member of the workforce, Celeste also stood out among the interviews because of her family’s decision to not have internet at home and a limited data plan for their cellphones. She says she will participate in the census because of the KPCC census research project. Census participation: 2010 2020 Consumes SCPR journalism: No Memorable quote: “I have a strong relationship with the library just because I've been there. I've been going there for like so long. But it's also kind of on a need basis...I go there for Wi-Fi.” 31 Deborah Target characteristics: African American senior, civically/politically active, citizen Age: 65 Gender: Female Race/ethnicity: African American Location: Redondo Beach Description: Rodriguez met Deborah, a civically active senior, at a census meeting and sought her out to learn her thoughts on census involvement and challenges to participation for African American seniors. Census participation: 2010 2020 Consumes SCPR journalism: No Memorable quote: “They talk about the immigrant group being afraid to use the computer, but seniors are just as afraid, because they think that putting their information on the computer is the worst thing that you could ever do.” Ericka Target characteristics: Homeless, citizen Age: 39 Gender: Female Race/ethnicity: African American Location: Montebello Description: Recently housed, Ericka has experienced homelessness several times in her life. She doesn't know whether she participated in the 2010 census. Census participation: 2010 2020 Consumes SCPR journalism: No Memorable quote: “I feel everyone [should participate] because it's like sometimes you only get the word of people living in houses or people who have access to be able to work get a job. But what about people who are homeless? And once you get the word out there, hey, we need to be counted too, we need to know what's going on our end.” 32 Gabriella Target characteristics: Worker doing community outreach in a low-response area, citizen, civically/politically active Age: 33 Gender: Female Race/ethnicity: Latina Location: Miracle Mile Description: While Gabriella lives in the Miracle Mile, she works with Alliance for a Better Community and focuses on—and relates to—the southeast L.A. community. Census participation: 2010 2020 Consumes SCPR journalism: Yes Memorable quote: “What we hear was the fear around the citizenship question and why it was on there, and the fact that even if it didn't turn out that it was on there, the damage had already been done. The fear had already been instilled in the immigrant communities.” Jarrel Target characteristics: African American 20s to 30s, citizen Age: 30 Gender: Male Race/ethnicity: Afro-Caribbean Location: Pasadena Description: Jarrel is the married father of one daughter; he and his wife are expecting a son. He describes himself as an entrepreneur who connects the census to business development. Census participation: 2010 2020 Consumes SCPR journalism: No Memorable quote: “I'm not a big worrier if I'm being honest with you. I'm really more so just relaxed most of the time. Nothing really bothers me that much that would keep me from sleeping.” 33 John Target characteristics: Citizen, civically/politically active, didn’t participate in last census + not community of color or foreign-born Age: 53 Gender: Male Race/ethnicity: White Location: Studio City Description: John is a Southern California native who is civically engaged. He previously did not participate because of privacy concerns. Census participation: 2010 2020 Consumes SCPR journalism: Yes Memorable quote: “My understanding is it's voluntary, like as a citizen you volunteer to participate. Isn't forced upon anyone. I've been hearing that there's a drive by the Trump administration to have people declare their citizenship status, I believe. And that concerns me. I feel like that's going to take away the choice from some people.” Luz Target characteristics: Undocumented, Spanishspeaking, low-response area that is among the hardest to count, intergenerational household Age: 40 Gender: Female Race/ethnicity: Latina Location: South Gate Description: An undocumented immigrant, Luz has limited English and lives in one of the lowestresponse areas in Los Angeles County. She was previously a professor in her native Mexico. Census participation: 2010 2020 Consumes SCPR journalism: No Memorable quote: Luz is not planning to participate in the 2020 census “because of fear of my illegal status. And I think I heard on the news that the president wants to now put a particular question about immigration status. So, now it's even less. Now, there's like thousands of people who are not going to be counted.” 34 Mark Target characteristics: Foreign-born Chinese, noncitizen, civically/politically active Age: 39 Gender: Male Race/ethnicity: Asian Location: Pomona Description: As a foreign-born Chinese American who has moved around a lot, Mark, who is married, seems very disconnected from the city and neighborhood where he lives. Census participation: 2010 2020 Consumes SCPR journalism: Yes Memorable quote: "I'm stuck here." Maryam Target characteristics: Citizen, civically/politically active Age: 50 Gender: Female Race/ethnicity: Middle Eastern Location: Pacific Palisades Description: As an immigrant from Iran and somebody who considers herself as very civically active, Maryam is very concerned about the labels used on the census and the inability to select what she considers her identity. Census participation: 2010 2020 Consumes SCPR journalism: Yes Memorable quote: "We've made enough contributions to this society to be identified. And still, we don't have a box to check." 35 Michelle Target characteristics: Rapidly growing urban community of color, citizen Age: 33 Gender: Female Race/ethnicity: Latina Location: Riverside Description: A U.S. citizen who was formerly undocumented, Michelle is currently working on her master’s degree. She is married with no children. Census participation: 2010 2020 Consumes SCPR journalism: No Memorable quote: “I remember my parents being afraid to fill it out saying how many people lived there. Because as immigrants, you're always afraid to give information.” Natalie Target characteristics: LGBTQ, new resident in a gentrifying neighborhood, splits time between more than one home Age: 21 Gender: Female Race/ethnicity: White Location: Eagle Rock Description: Natalie splits her time between her Occidental College neighborhood and her hometown in Minnesota. She is highly political and consumes a lot of information. Her family completed the 2010 census. Census participation: 2010 2020 Consumes SCPR journalism: Yes Memorable quote: “I know people are very nervous about the government, especially this administration having that kind of information about them, and I think the same goes for the undocumented question and people feel the same way.” 36 Sahar Target characteristics: Younger Muslim, new resident in a gentrifying neighborhood, citizen Age: 29 Gender: Female Race/ethnicity: South Asian Location: Koreatown Description: As a South Asian Muslim, Sahar considers herself outside of the labels that are used in the census. She is an activist, but her general knowledge of the census is low. Census participation: 2010 2020 Consumes SCPR journalism: Yes Memorable quote: “I don't know, I don't know what they use the census for.” Shannon Target characteristics: Worker with organization doing outreach with homeless, citizen Age: 53 Gender: Female Race/ethnicity: White Location: San Pedro Description: As somebody focused on offering homeless services, Shannon is very well read about the census. She also demonstrated a close connection to the neighborhood where she lives (San Pedro), as well as the city where she works. Census participation: 2010 2020 Consumes SCPR journalism: Yes Memorable quote: “Everybody should be counted, and people in the river beds, people in the wetlands, people along the LA River, the San Gabriel River, all 52 square miles of Long Beach should be covered. And we do cover that in our outreach. So, everybody should be counted.” 37 Toño Target characteristics: 13–16-year-old with foreign parents, citizen Age: 16 Gender: Male Race/ethnicity: Latino Location: Altadena Description: While Toño has legal status, his parents do not. In fact, they have deportation orders. He has lived his entire life in Altadena and has no awareness of the census. Census participation: 2010 2020 Consumes SCPR journalism: No Memorable quote: When asked what he knows about the census, “The what? What’s that mean?”