ABOVE: Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee and Mayor Sylvester Turner serving as Grand Marshals of the 2020 Census Caravan in Third Ward
This past Saturday, September 19th, a processional of vehicles surprised many Third Ward residents as the 2020 Census hosted a “Get Out the Count” Census Caravan to encourage residents to complete the 2020 Census before the September 30 deadline.
The caravan began at Trinity United Methodist Church at 2600 Holman Street and continued through many of the streets and major thoroughfares all across the Third Ward community. Third Ward residents cheered the caravan as they honked their horns, waved and passed out candy and trinkets, as part of the caravan’s effort to promote self-response to the 2020 Census.
The entire effort was led by the U.S. Census in partnership with Trinity United Methodist Church, Houston Society for Change and 88 C.H.U.M.P. A host of entities, elected officials, organizations, churches and local businesses, like the Houston Forward Times, which is located in the heart of Third Ward.
Grand Marshalls of the event included Congresswoman Shelia Jackson Lee; Mayor Sylvester Turner; and Houston City Council Member Dr. Carolyn Evans-Shabazz (District D). The Co-Grand Marshalls were Pastor Ed Jones of Trinity United Methodist Church; Pastor Dr. D.Z. Cofield of Good Hope Missionary Baptist Church; and Laurie Vignaud, president and CEO of Unity National Bank.
Results from the 2020 Census will help determine how hundreds of billions of dollars in federal funding flow into communities, like Third Ward, every year for the next decade. These funds will shape many different aspects of every community, no matter the size, no matter the location.
The current response to the 2020 Census is as followed:
National Self-Response Rate: 65.8%
State of Texas: 61.40%
City of Houston: 57.2%
District D (includes Third Ward): 58.70%
Please complete the 2020 Census and commit to being counted.