Tribal Governments

Tribal Communities

California’s Tribal communities are among the least likely to respond to the decennial Census. To address this concern, the California Complete Count – Census 2020 Office (Census Office) has woven outreach to Native American / Alaska Native and Tribal populations through its partnership with California’s 110 Tribal Governments and Native American and Tribal communities. Native American/Alaskan Natives and Tribal Government partners utilize their networks and infrastructure to provide outreach to Native Americans living on and off Tribal lands.

Why is the 2020 Census important for California Tribal Nations and Native Communities?

Census 2020 is an opportunity to provide a better future for our communities and future generations.
An accurate count for California Tribal Nations and Native communities means fair access to resources and fair representation in local, state, and federal elected offices.
There are more than 70 programs that benefit the State of California that use Census numbers to allocate funding including education, health, and human services that directly impact California’s Tribal Nations and Native communities.
Responses to Census 2020 can help shape how billions of dollars in federal funds are distributed each year for programs and grants in Native communities.

Did you know?

$1 BILLION Census data is the basis for over $1 billion ANNUALLY that flows through Indian Country. That is $10 billion dollars of federal funding for American Indians / Alaska Natives until the NEXT decennial Census.
4.9% UNDERCOUNTED The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that American Indians / Alaska Natives living on reservations or in Native villages were undercounted by nearly five percent. Which is more than double the undercount rate of the next closest population group.
NOT COUNTED UNTIL 1890 American Indians / Alaska Natives were generally not counted until 1890 and substantially undercounted until 1980 when U.S. residents were allowed to indicate their own race.

Partners

California’s commitment to having a robust and agile outreach campaign to count Native people includes partnerships with two prominent grassroots organizations. The California Indian Manpower Consortium and the California Native Vote Project have substantial statewide networks with American Indian and Alaskan Native (AI/AN) communities and Tribal Governments to complement the Census 2020 campaign.

California Indian Manpower Consortium (CIMC)

The California Indian Manpower Consortium (CIMC) is in Sacramento and has long-standing relationships with tribal governments in California. Their membership includes 90 Member Tribes and Native organizations across the State. CIMC is working with six regional partners located throughout the state to lead outreach efforts.

California Consortium for Urban Indian Health
United Indian Nations, Inc.
Northern California Indian Development Council, Inc.
Southern California American Indian Resource Center, Inc.
Owens Valley Career Development Center

Contact:
California Indian Manpower Consortium, Inc.
Lorenda T. Sanchez, Executive Director
Teresa Marie Willson, CCC – Census 2020 Project Facilitator
M. Ligaya Hattari, Ph.D., CCC – Census 2020 Project Coordinator
Jasmine Aleman, Esq., CCC – Census 2020 Project Specialist

California Native Vote Project (CNVP)

California Native Vote Project (CNVP) has a track record of reaching and engaging Native American as the first-of-its-kind Native American statewide integrated voter engagement organization. Its outreach and organizing infrastructure reach across more than 20 California counties. CNVP’s base in Los Angeles supports outreach to the largest AI/AN population in the nation. CNVP has built a membership base of 4,000 Native Americans in California and a network of more than 50 Native organizations and leaders that work collaboratively on census outreach plans in their home communities.

Contact:
California Native Vote Project (CNVP)
Jesse Fraire, Statewide Census Coordinator
Phone: 323-688-6838

Tribal Government Partners

Tribal Government Partners are trusted messengers who can share the importance of the Census in ways that resonate the most within their communities. Tribal Governments are critical to helping the U.S. Census Bureau and the State of California reach hard-to-count Native Americans and Alaskan Natives for Census 2020. Of those 110 Tribes across the State of California, the Census Office holds direct partnership with 33 Tribal Government Partners, all other Tribes have funding made available through the California Indian Manpower Consortium. These collaboration efforts provide culturally appropriate outreach and education materials to Tribes for promoting the completion of 2020 Census Questionnaires and more specifically on how tribal communities can respond to the race question.

Native People Count California Census 2020

Native People Count California Campaign

Census 2020 Tribal Media Outreach Campaign

Launched in January 2020 – the Native People Count CA campaign is a collaboration between Governor’s Office of the Tribal Advisor, the California Complete Count – Census 2020 office, and Tribal Media Outreach Partners NUNA Consulting Group, LLC, California Indian Manpower Consortium, Inc. (CIMC), and the California Native Vote Project (CANVP).

The Native People Count California website enriched with cultural outreach and educational materials, including this toolkit.

Native People Count California
Ricki McCarroll, Tribal Media Outreach Lead
Phone: 310-365-5272
Native People Count California Campaign: info@nativepeoplecountca.org
nativepeoplecountca.org

Resources
Native People Count California resources.
Native People Count California COVID-19 resources.