Redistricting and Helping Communities of Color

This story is written by James Hill and is published in Non-profit Vote:

If 2020 has done anything, it served as a reminder that when society suffers, communities of color suffer worse. Even during times of national stress — whether that’s COVID infection rates, police brutality or unemployment numbers — America’s structural shortcomings have a disproportionate impact on populations of color. 

And while the former administration, aided by the Supreme Court, ended the 2020 Census prematurely last Fall, the ripple effects of COVID-19’s disruption and political interference are signaling unique challenges for historically undercounted communities of color. Chief among these concerns: 

1. 1.  The quality of Census data and its usefulness for apportionment and redistricting considering the numerous errors and anomalies have been found in 2020 census data requiring additional time to process and correct the data and, 
   2. Final census results (state population totals), will not be transmitted to the President for apportionment before April 30 while detailed block-level data needed for state redistricting would be delayed until September 30 at the earliest. 

Read the full story here.