Come On Harlem, New York Is Still At Risk For A Census Undercount

September 2, 2020

F.Y. Eye, New York’s leading nonprofit media group, announced the ten winning designs of their 2020 Census Civic Art Challenge to be distributed in emergency food packages through New York City. With less than four weeks left to count over forty percent of New York City’s population, F.Y. Eye is making one final push to inspire New Yorkers to do their part and complete the two-minute Census questionnaire—a quick, easy and safe way each proud New Yorker can bring money and political power to local schools, hospitals, and nonprofit services for the next decade.

F.Y. Eye partnered with artists in their Impact Artist Collective and the Creative Action Network to crowdsource designs that visually communicate why the Census matters. Now, F.Y. Eye is doing what they do best—bringing meaningful PSAs to vulnerable New Yorkers, meeting them where they are through creative vehicles. F.Y. Eye is teaming up with trusted community-based organizations that are a part of their PSA Network to place postcards and posters featuring the Census designs in emergency food packages being delivered to New Yorkers in need.

Distribution partners include: African Services Committee, Center for Family Life, Commonpoint Queens, Korean Community Services, Mosholu Montefiore Community Center, New Settlement Community Center, Queens Community House, and West Side Campaign Against Hunger. The encouraging, action-oriented designs will also be shared with the New York Counts 2020 Coalition—a broad-based statewide coalition composed of racial, ethnic, immigrant, religious, health, education, labor housing, social services, and business groups working to ensure every New Yorker is counted.

“The COVID-19 pandemic and fears stoked by the Trump administration have presented countless difficulties for the 2020 Census in New York City. The compounding impacts of New Yorkers who have fled the City, immigrant communities who are distrustful of government, the reduced scope of in-person canvassing, and the plan to halt the count a month early, have increased the likelihood of a severe undercount. New Yorkers need to step up; and we hope this campaign helps educate and motivate people on the importance of participating in the Census,” said Melissa Demarest, F.Y. Eye’s Nonprofit Engagement Manager.

“Being counted is such a fundamental part of our democracy, and yet it can feel abstract to many people. Art has a unique power to reach people in a way nothing else can, and these artists have stepped up, using their talents to illustrate how important being counted is. F.Y. Eye is doing such important work, and we’re proud to support their efforts in making sure everyone is counted,” said Max Slavkin, Creative Action Network’s Chief Executive Officer.

“We are pleased to have a long-standing partnership with F.Y. Eye. As a community-based organization, Mosholu Montefiore Community Center has used the digital PSA Network to promote critical messages affecting the underserved. As we enter the final few weeks of Census 2020, it is more crucial than ever to reinforce the importance of community participation and support. These federal funds will help to transform the social and economic landscape of neighborhoods in need for the next decade. F.Y. Eye’s visual art campaigns helped bolster engagement and bring about awareness that is desperately needed,” said Rita Santelia, Mosholu Montefiore Community Center Chief Executive Officer.

Congratulations to the artists of the winning designs: Blythe Gurche, Momodou Janneh, Serina Kammuller, Mandy Licata, Jennifer Ponds, Alana Salcer, Emma Werowinski and the Hester Street organization. Their work will be circulated widely and bring attention to this vital issue of public concern.

New Yorkers can still step forward by taking two minutes to fill out the Census. The deadline to fill out the Census has been moved up to September 30th, 2020. All New Yorkers can access the 2020 Census online at my2020census.gov, by phone at 844-330-2020, or by mail.

F.Y. Eye is a New York-based and focused full-service nonprofit advertising group that works exclusively with other nonprofits, social enterprises, and government agencies to build public awareness about the wealth of social, civic, educational, legal, financial and health-related resources available to New Yorkers in need. F.Y.

Eye achieves this mission by creating and disseminating PSAs that generate attention and action on issues of public concern. Their cornerstone program is the digital PSA NetworkTM, an ecosystem of over 100 screens located in high-traffic nonprofits throughout New York, built specifically to promote critical advocacy messages and community programs.

Additionally, they oversee the Impact Artist Collective–a community of creative people who use their skills for the public good. F.Y. Eye is building awareness, urgency and confidence in the 2020 Census through a range of creative and strategic GOTC initiatives to make sure New York gets its fair share of federal funding and congressional representation. For more information, please visit https://www.fyeye.org/.

Photo credit: Serina Kammuller


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