Assmb. Rivera, Voto Latino, Time Warner Cable, Hispanic Complete Count Committee Unvail Statewide Census PSA

Latinos Comprise the Largest and Fastest Growing Ethnic Group in the Country and in NY State. Municipalities That Fail to Ensure a Proper and Complete Count Will Lose Millions of Dollars in Federal Aid As the Census Is Used to Distribute Federal Funding

ALBANY, NY (02/20/2010)(readMedia)-- As the nation's largest minority, Latinos have been historically under-counted by the census for a variety of reasons, including a lack of bilingual information for Spanish speakers, mistaken fears of immigration raids and too few Latino census workers. Voto Latino's Census initiative seeks to redress these issues by creating a powerful online media tool/widget as well as a high profile, celebrity-driven national PSA campaign and on the-ground special events that inform and motivate Latinos to be counted. Mass media organizations are urged to help get the message out to their viewers as U.S. Census forms will be mailed to household beginning next month.

For More Information on the Campaign, visit www.BeCountedRepresent.com

WHO:

Josh Norek, Deputy Director, Voto Latino

Rory Whelan, Time Warner Cable Northeast Regional VP of Government Relations

Assemblyman Peter M. Rivera & Other Democratic and Republican Elected Officials

Hispanic Complete Count Committee
WHAT:

With only a few weeks left before the U.S. Census forms are mailed to every household in America, Voto Latino will unveil its New York Census Campaign and screen its star-studded “Be Counted, Represent!” public service announcements (PSAs) featuring Rosario Dawson, Luis Guzman, Demi Lovato (Disney’s Camp Rock franchise), Ana Ortiz (“Ugly Betty”), Wilmer Valderrama (“That Seventies Show”) and Jorge Garcia (“Lost”). The multiplatform initiative includes high profile online, television & radio PSAs, a groundbreaking digital partnership with iTunes/Apple and a mobile/text messaging program targeting Latino youth, who are the key influencers in their community.

Time Warner Cable, a major media presence throughout New York State, will announce its commitment to broadcasting the PSA through its multimedia capabilities. The Hispanic Complete Count Committee has organized to work with and encourage such efforts since June 2009, and is assisting in a proper count and has partnered with Voto Latino to ensure that growing Hispanic communities in Upstate New York are adequately counted. The U.S Census has estimated that there are over 38,000 Latinos in the Capital Region and that almost 60% of k-12 children in Rochester schools are Hispanic. Cities and towns throughout Upstate New York have seen an explosion in the growth of Hispanics.
WHEN: Tuesday February 23, 2010 at 11:30AM Eastern Time (US & Canada)
WHERE: LCA Press Room
Room 130 Legislative Office Building
Albany, New York 12248