Local News

Caribbean Nationals Reminded To Make Nationality Count This Census

NEW YORK – Caribbean nationals and Caribbean Americans across the U.S. are being reminded to ensure they write in their nationality on their 2010 Census forms this census.

The message was repeated many times over this past weekend as Carib ID founder, Felicia Persaud, took to the airwaves of Caribbean shows across the U.S. to drum home the write in message to Caribbean nationals.

Persaud kicked off her Saturday with a live radio interview into Atlanta at noon where she told Caribbean listeners of the Future Movement radio show with Pat Baccas on 1420AM WATB and 1430AM that the moment was now to not simply fill out and return the census forms but to write in their nationality under the some other race section of question 9 of the form while filling in their race.


Felicia Persuad

Which means if you are Guyanese and black or Jamaican and White, then simply place an X next to that ethnic category on question 9 and another X near the Some Other Race Section and write in Guyanese or Jamaican or whatever your country of origin or roots are. This applies to any one from the Caribbean or Africa including those from Belize. (See sample below)

`This is the moment to truly stand up and count,` said Persaud, who repeated the message to Lady D on WOKB 1600 AM in Orlando, Florida.

`It`s not enough to simply be proud to be Caribbean,` said Persaud. `Now is the time to make history as we document this fact. In 2010, Caribbean nationals must be the new sought after bloc.`

At 1:25 p.m., she joined Irie Jam radio on WVIP 93.5 FM in New York to urge listeners on that station to wave their flags like they do in parties and fill out the Census form while writing in their nationality.

At 5 p.m. on Saturday, Persaud used the airwaves of WWRL 1600 AM`s `Caribbean Corner` show, which she appears on weekly, to link in with various Caribbean leaders in order to drive home the census message.

She was joined by attorney and radio personality, Marlon Hill, of South Florida, who at 4:15 pm Saturday completed his Census form live on the airwaves of WZAB radio with Eddy Edwards. Persaud also completed her form live on the WWRL show.

Hill for his part encouraged all listeners to take less than 10 minutes and return the forms for the future of the community and their children.

The message was reiterated by Haitian radio personality, Ricot Duprey who repeated the write in message in Kreyole for listeners even as U.S. Census, New York, representative, Irwine Clare, urged listeners to ensure they get the services they deserve in their communities and the representation by filling out and returning the form.

At 8:40 p.m. Persaud was live into Caribbeana show on WPFW 89.3FM with Von Martin in D.C. to repeat the write in message and stress the urgency. She wrapped up her day with an 11 p.m. interview into Miami, telling Hot 105 FM`s Tanto Irie and Lady English that the census is nothing to be afraid of but one that can help us all, not through social services, but in ensuring that the undocumented can use it as proof that they have been living in the U.S. to legalize their status once immigration reform occurs.

Carib ID was founded by Persaud in 2008 to get Caribbean nationals accurately counted in the Census.

She will appear on One Caribbean Radio this morning after completing similar interviews on Radio Soleil, the Haitian radio station in New York, the CaribZone with Ian Eliger and the BBC Caribbean.

Meanwhile, Jason Walker of WRFG 89.3 FM in Atlanta, will complete his own form live on March 26th while Lloyd Cummings of the award-winning Caribbean Rhythms on WURD 900 AM in Philadelphia will complete his form live on March 27th.

Walker, who is also part of CaribLifeCentral.com along with Sheldon Mundle, has actively been promoting the Caribbean write in message. CaribLifeCentral.com has launched its `I Am Caribbean` Census Awareness Campaign to encourage Caribbean-Americans to ensure they count in 2010. As part of the `I Am Caribbean` awareness campaign CaribLifeCentral.com has produced a Web-based public service announcement available through YouTube at: www.sflcn.com/multimedia.php?id=bIZMZGd91s0

And new advocacy organization Caribbean One is timing its launch with the 2010 Census, as it joins the Carib ID push through a distribution of thousands of posters and information cards to Caribbean-American businesses across New York.

`Being Caribbean is not a race,` says Kendrick Ross, Caribbean One`s founder. `Caribbean Americans can be Black, White, Asian, Indian, or a combination of races, in addition to their Caribbean heritage. And that heritage means interests and concerns that are distinct from other groups.`

Sample Census Form

Related Articles

Back to top button