CITY OF SANTA FE AND SOMOS UN PUEBLO UNIDO LAUNCH CITIZENSHIP & CENSUS CORNERS AT PUBLIC LIBRARIES

January 28, 2020

SANTA FE, NM - Every Santa Fe resident counts, especially when it comes to Census2020. On Tuesday, January 28th, representatives from the City of Santa Fe, Santa Fe County and Somos Un Pueblo Unido launched Citizenship & Census Corners at all three Santa Fe Public Libraries.

The Corners feature information and study materials in English and Spanish for residents who are looking to become U.S. Citizens. They also include critical information about how and why to participate in Census 2020. New Mexico has one of the highest hard-to-count populations in the country, and as part of the Santa Fe County Complete Count Committee, the City, the County and community-based organizations are collaborating to ensure every Santa Fean counts. The annual cost to Santa Fe County of an undercount for just one person is $3,745.

"Citizenship and Census participation goes hand-in-hand. We will only have adequate federal funding and political representation if everyone is counted, including the mixed status immigrant families that are so vital to our community," said City of Santa Fe Mayor Alan Webber at the launch. "That is we we have teamed with Somos and the Santa Fe Complete Count Committee to ensure that the right messengers are reaching out to the community."

The Citizenship & Census Corners are part of Citizenship Now! a partnership between the City of Santa Fe, the Santa Fe Public Libraries, Somos and several other community partners to help put eligible Santa Fe residents on the path to become U.S. citizens. Santa Fe is a part of the national Cities for Citizenship network, a group of about 80 cities and counties promoting naturalization.

"Our Citizenship & Census Corners provide a convenient central location for access to educational resources and are a great way to reach out to immigrant communities and other hard-to-count residents," said Maria Tucker, Division Director of the Santa Public Library. "The Library will further support the Census effort by providing internet access so residents can respond online,  as well as informing the public about the 2020 Census, its options for responding and how to avoid misinformation and scams."

"Citizenship Now! has become more than a tool to help immigrants become naturalized citizens. It has created new avenues for immigrant families to participate in our democracy. Participants are door knocking in their neighborhoods, getting others in the community to vote and participate in the Census. They are also engaging in the  political process at the City and New Mexico Legislature"

"This year was the first time I voted as a new citizen in Santa Fe's local election, and it will be the first time I participate in the Census as an adult," said María Lara, a Somos member and participant in the Citizenship Now! program. "Through Somos and this City partnership, I've learned so much about the importance of voting and participating in the Census."

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 Somos Un Pueblo Unido is a statewide immigrant-led civil and workers' rights organization with membership teams in eight counties and offices in Santa Fe and Roswell. In 2019, Somos launched Somos El Censo, a Census outreach program for immigrant families in four counties, Santa Fe, Rio Arriba, Lea and Chaves.