FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  MARCH 10, 2010

Contact: Fred Ortega, Office of Congressmember Judy Chu
(626) 448-1271, (202) 525-9348
Christen Marquez, Asian Pacific American Legal Center
(213) 241-0233
Mark Masaoka, Asian Pacific Policy & Planning Council
cell: (323)  356-6352

ASIAN PACIFIC ISLANDER LEADERS TO PUSH FOR PARTICIPATION IN 2010 CENSUS ON MARCH 13

Saturday, March 13, 2010   9:30 am   Korean Resource Center, 900 Crenshaw Bl. Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA – Congressmember  Judy Chu and Assemblyman Mike Eng will join a broad coalition of local, state, and federal elected officials and community leaders on March 13th to make a call for Asian & Pacific Islander Americans to complete and submit their Census form to ensure that every person is counted.  The U.S. Census Bureau will mail out the Census 2010 Questionnaires on March 15.

Speakers will discuss the importance of a complete count of Asian & Pacific Islander community members.  In addition, services such as language assistance resources will be shared to build public awareness about the tools available to make the census accessible.  The Press Conference will also highlight outreach efforts in the Korean, Thai, Filipino, Chinese and Pacific Islander communities.

The event is part of a series of similar events occurring across the State today to encourage every Asian & Pacific Islander household to mail back their form by April 1, 2010.  The U.S. Constitution requires all residents of the United States, including immigrants, to participate in the decennial Census. Census statistics determine reapportionment and political representation, and are also used for allocating $440 billion annually in federal funding for scores of social and economic programs that benefit the states and localities.

At 9:30 am, at the Korean Resource Center, the site of the press conference, volunteers will be finishing their training and preparing to do door-to-door outreach promoting the Census.  The press conference will take place at 9:45 am.

WHO:         Rep. Judy Chu, D-CA32, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus
                  Assemblymember Mike Eng, California Asian Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus
                  API Counts!  Asian American & Pacific Islander Census 2010 Network
                  Saneha Desai, Assistant Regional Center Manager, U.S. Census Bureau    

WHAT:       Asian Pacific Islander Leaders Push for Participation in 2010 CENSUS

WHEN:       Saturday, March 13, 2010, 9:30 a.m.

WHERE:     Korean Resource Center, 900 Crenshaw Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90019