Every person counts: Why we need to save the census
Every decade since 1790, the government has counted the American population, as required by the Constitution. While it took the 14th Amendment to ensure that all people were counted equally, the census has nonetheless performed an essential role in maintaining and improving our democracy.
All philanthropists have a stake in the census, no matter what they fund or where.
In this joint op-ed from Ford Foundation President Darren Walker, Gary D. Bass of The Bauman Foundation, Antonia Hernández of California Community Foundation, and Barbara Picower of The JPB Foundation, philanthropic leaders underscore that it is our responsibility to do whatever we can to ensure that the 2020 count proceeds accurately, apolitically, ethically, and efficiently.
Published in THE CHRONICLE OF PHILANTHROPY | JULY 31, 2018
Every person counts: Why we need to save the census
By Gary D. Bass, Antonia Hernández, Barbara Picower, and Darren Walker
Protecting democratic institutions and values is a crucial mission for philanthropy. That means expanding voting rights, making representation more inclusive, connecting impoverished communities with the resources they need, and so much more. But none of that happens without protecting a fundamental pillar of democracy: the census.
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The Ford Foundation is an independent organization working to address inequality and build a future grounded in justice. For more than 85 years, it has supported visionaries on the frontlines of social change worldwide, guided by its mission to strengthen democratic values, reduce poverty and injustice, promote international cooperation, and advance human achievement. Today, with an endowment of $16 billion, the foundation has headquarters in New York and 10 regional offices across Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East.