Wednesday, May 1

QUEENS, NY – One year before the 2020 Census count begins, Borough President Melinda Katz and the U.S. Census Bureau today announced they will hold a job fair at Queens Borough Hall on May 1st to help recruit workers to assist with the 2020 Census count.  The upcoming job fair is just one of the ways Borough President Katz and her Queens Complete Count Committee are helping to make sure the upcoming 2020 Census accurately counts Queens’ resident population. The decennial Census determines the borough’s representation in the U.S. House of Representatives, as well as how much federal funding Queens receives for schools, infrastructure, health services and more.

“A Census undercount is something Queens simply cannot afford,” said Borough President KATZ. “As the largest borough in New York and the most diverse county in the nation, we will have a lot of ground to cover once the Census begins a year from today. We’re serious about having all hands on deck to help reach every corner of every community throughout this great borough to help ensure as complete and accurate a count as possible.”

The job fair will take place on Wednesday, May 1, 2019 from 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM in Queens Borough Hall, 120-55 Queens Boulevard in Kew Gardens. Representatives from the U.S. Census Bureau will be available at the May 1 job fair to answer questions. Walk-ins are welcome, but participants are strongly encouraged to RSVP in advance at queensbp.org/rsvp or 718.286.2661.

“While a Census is a national event, in order to be successful, it must be conducted at the local level,” said JEFF T. BEHLER, Regional Director, New York Region Census Center, U.S. Census Bureau. “This starts with hiring people to work in their own communities.  We look forward to working with the Queens Borough leadership to ensure that together we provide easy and ample opportunities for local community members to apply to Census jobs.”

The Census Bureau is hiring for a variety of temporary jobs, including census takers, recruiting assistants, office staff, and supervisory staff.  The jobs in New York City pay a minimum of $25 per hour. Eligibility requirements can be found at https://2020census.gov/jobs, where applicants may also apply for Census jobs online.

Later that day on May 1 following the job fair, the New York State Complete Count Commission formed by Governor Andrew Cuomo will hold a public hearing at Queens Borough Hall to gain public input and hear from Census experts and advocates.

The 2010 Census saw dramatic undercounts in Queens neighborhoods, particularly areas with high immigrant populations such as East Elmhurst and Jackson Heights, where tens of thousands of people were overlooked. As a whole, the 2010 Census reported the population of Queens rose by only 1,300 people over the prior decade, a dubious number that is likely wildly inaccurate.

As part of her determined efforts to prevent another undercount, Borough President Katz first hosted a Census Town Hall at Borough Hall in November 2018 to propel public discourse and engagement for the 2020 Census. Shortly thereafter in January 2019, Borough President Katz announced the formation of her “Queens Complete Count Committee” of an initial 70 trusted community leaders and activists tasked with strategizing and maximizing participation in the 2020 Census.

About the Queens Complete Count Committee (QCCC) First announced by Borough President Katz in her 2018 State of the Borough address, the QCCC brings together trusted community leaders and activists to learn about key 2020 Census issues, report back to their diverse communities and strategize how to ensure everyone in Queens is counted accurately.  Through May 2020, Queens CCC members will partner with government agencies and non-profit organizations on developing and executing strategies and messaging to raise awareness about the Census and the importance of responding to it.

Follow Borough President Katz via @QueensBPKatz on Twitter and Facebook 

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