Southern NM Nonprofits Focusing on Hard-to-Count Places for 2020 Census

Organizers from three Las Cruces-area nonprofit groups announced a collaborative 2020 Census campaign that will focus on reaching hard-to-count communities in Doña Ana County.

At a recent press conference hosted in English and Spanish, members of faith-based advocacy group NM Comunidades en Acción y de Fé (CAFé), the Empowerment Congress of Doña Ana County and Doña Ana Communities United spoke about educational and canvassing efforts to "Get Out the Count" regionally.

Organizers said that includes canvassing door-to-door in smaller municipalities of the county like Sunland Park and Anthony along with colonias such as Berino, Chaparral, Vado, Mesquite, La Mesa, San Miguel and La Union.

Here's a press release issued by NM CAFé:

“Three Las Cruces based non-profit organizations officially launch their Census 2020 Get Out the Count (GOTC) campaign focused on historically hard-to-count communities throughout Southern New Mexico. The GOTC campaign will include educational components and canvassing efforts to ensure all Southern NM families are counted in the 2020 Census.

Doña Ana Communities United will focus their educational and canvassing efforts in Las Cruces and Chaparral. Empowerment Congress of Doña Ana County will focus on hard-to count-communities within Doña Ana County. NM CAFe’s efforts will also expand to hard to count communities in Luna, Hidalgo, and Grant Counties.

The 2020 Census will officially begin accepting surveys through their online tool on March 12. Census 2020 Get Out the Count campaign will run through May, encouraging Southern New Mexicans, regardless of their race, immigration status, age, etc. to fill out the Census and ensure that their communities get the resources they have earned and deserve.”