By: Marlon Hill
MIAMI – The Caribbean-American community and other communities of color are underserved, underfunded, and under-supported. We are beyond “down under”. Notwithstanding this reality and despite the vestiges of history, we hold the power to change the rules of the game. It begins with recognizing the depth of who we are as a community. You cannot know where you are going without, in this case, knowing WHO you are.
Miami-Dade County and South Florida as a region has one of the most diverse communities in the nation and world. Unfortunately, as a community, we overlook the richness of our multi-ethnic resources, the inspiration drawn from our varied experiences, and the hemispheric access to many of our global challenges.
The 2010 Census is our moment to change our long standing neglect of self identification. Out of the 10 simple questions in the form that you should have already received in the mail, we need to focus on counting every single person in every black family household in answering question number 9 strategically. If the hue of your skin glows with the beauty of some melanin, please self identify in the category of “Black”. In addition, if the heritage of your family descends from the Caribbean, Latin America, or Africa, you should also note the particular country of nationality (e.g. Haiti, Jamaica, Bahamas, Nigeria, or Belize) at the bottom of question 9 (by checking “Some Other Race”). This will help us to understand and appreciate the true depth of our diversity and to raise the level of our cultural competence in meeting the very needs that are underserved in the halls of our governing bodies nationally and locally.
It is absolutely critical that we not fall off the bandwagon on this task. We cannot afford to give away our power. It is one of our untapped oil wells. The power to exist. No one can take this away but us. This Census information affects the numbers of seats our state occupies in the U.S. House of Representatives and we also use the census data to appropriate the necessary funds and resources to our already strained communities.
We do not have any excuses in this instance. The information is private and protected and it does not take any work time to complete. We have the power to ensure that underserved and undersupported communities receive their fair share of how more than $400 billion dollars of federal funding each year is spent on infrastructure and services like hospitals, job training centers, schools, senior centers, bridges, tunnels and other-public works projects, emergency services, and other services.
So if you are “Black” and of Bahamaian, Trinidad & Tobago, Barbadian, Jamaican, Haitian, or Antigua & Barbuda heritage, or from any of the other nations south of Miami (of any other self-identified race), this is your moment to stand up and be counted. Our community needs a clear mirror to see what we look like and to reaffirm the richness of our existence in South Florida.
My question 9 will note BLACK (and additional handwritten note in “Some Other Race”, JAMAICAN).
You have the power to tell your story.
Marlon Hill is a partner with the law firm of delancyhill, P.A. and civic commentator with Caribbean Riddims, 880AM, every Saturday, 4pm.
Sample Census Form
