Inside the American Community Survey - A Non-Planner's View
The apartment where Ishmael Sanchez lives was randomly selected to participate in the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey. He's not a planner or a demographer, and doesn't use or particularly care about Census data. But, because he was required by law to do so, he responded to the survey.
I recently received a postcard from the U.S. Census Bureau informing me that I would soon be mailed a copy of the "American Community Survey". The postcard also informed that I was required by law to respond.
The American Community Survey, I found out, is a data-collection process that is part of the U.S. Census. It collects data on a rolling basis, unlike the main Census, which is only conducted once every ten years. I'm not a planner or a demographer and don’t really use any census data in my job or in my daily life. The following is a summary of my experience filling out the survey.
Two days after my first correspondence from the Census Bureau, I received a thick envelope containing a dense 28-page booklet, a prepaid envelope, and a note from the Census Bureau reminding me that I was required by law to complete the survey. Various pamphlets were also included, describing what the survey is and what it does, along with help documents explaining how to complete the survey and FAQ's about the survey itself. After sorting through all the documents I placed them in my "to do" pile. Three days later I received another postcard from the Census Bureau saying that they just recently sent the "American Community Survey" and, once again, reminding me that I was required by law to respond to the survey. My prompt response, they said, would be beneficial.
The American Community Survey, and all its accompanying documentation.
I opened up the booklet, read the directions and dutifully began filling out the survey. The directions stated that it takes, on average, approximately 40 minutes to complete. I quickly answered the basic questions: age, sex, martial status and how many people reside at my residence. These were pretty straightforward questions, and
Next I was asked whether I am Spanish, Hispanic or Latino. I am, so I mark an X next to the subchoice labeled "Yes, Mexican, Mexican American, or Chicano". However, the next question was a bit perplexing. It asked "What is this person’s race?" -- a question I thought I had just answered. Above this question was a blurb stating that Spanish, Hispanic and Latino were not considered races by the survey! Seeing that my group was not an option, I was left with the following choices: White, Black or African American, American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian Indian, Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, other Asian (print race), Native Hawaiian, Guamanian or Chamorro, Samoan, Pacific Islander (print race) or some other race (print race). I picked "other" and entered "Mexican American".
The set of questions that followed were much more straightforward: place of birth, citizenship, school enrollment, educational attainment, ethnic origin, languages spoken, residence one year ago and children born in the past twelve months.
The subsequent series of questions was focused on my housing, and I had to answer questions pertaining to the building I live in: the number of units in the structure, the year it was built, the date I moved in, the building's acreage, whether any businesses or medical offices are located on the property, and the number of rooms and bedrooms. The last couple questions didn't quite apply to me, as I live in a studio apartment.
The questions then got more detailed and asked whether I had piped water, what kitchen appliances were available (sink, stove and refrigerator), what telephone service I used to make and receive calls, what fuel/s was/were used in the unit. Other questions asked about the cost of utilities and which utilities were used by the building, whether I owned or rented the building, cost of insurance, rent cost, taxes on the property, real estate taxes and my estimated value of the building overall.
Once I completed that section I was asked to fill out information about the other people residing with me. I live alone so I was able to skip about a third of the survey.
The next set of questions seemed concerned with disability, work and labor. I was asked if I had any long-lasting disabilities, if I was a veteran and when I served. I found this line of questioning interesting because it actually applied to me; I did serve on active duty in the military and I do have a long lasting disability.
Next, I had to answer whether I was currently working, and how many weeks and hours I worked, on average, in the past twelve months, and what type of industry I was in. The survey also asked about the location of my current employment and how I got to work on average (car, public transit, walk, etc.), and my income (I had to cite various sources: salary and disability income, accrued interest and investments) and my overall income during the past twelve months.
After I completed all of the sections that applied to me (approximately 12 of the 28 pages) I closed the booklet and placed it in the postage-paid envelope according to the directions stated on the survey.
Aside from the confusing race and ethnic questions, the annoying reminders, and some intrusive questions, my experience with the American Community Survey was fairly painless. I just hope that all the information I provided helps out.
Ishmael Sanchez is a web developer for Urban Insight Inc., a Los Angeles-based internet consulting firm. He is a native of Madison, Wisconsin. He really enjoys living and working in Los Angeles.
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census question re race
Interesting subject. Here is another variation on the question of race. I usually find it annoying to have to answer questions of race, since I never seem to be able to identify with any of the choices given. The reason is that I am Jewish, and given the history of the Jews, i.e., a history of oppression and persecution, usually by "white" people, once referred to as "aryans", or "europeans", I cannot bring myself to say that I am "white", even though if you saw me you would see a white person with blue eyes, etc. I am certainly not "black" either, or any of the other "races" that are provided as choices. I therefore think that questions regarding race are really a red herring. I don't believe there really is a technically valid definition of race, and to ask the race question will always engender more confusion and mininformation than it is worth. So with respect to the race questions on surveys, my usuall answer is "other". So much for useful data.
Hispanic & Race? Can I have a 'Mestizo' choice?
As a Hispanic, I agree with your confusion about this question. It often seems to pop up on surveys, though I never received the ACS.
I understand, as my anthropology/sociology friends tell me, that race and ethnicity are different. The Census is concerned whether you are black-Hispanic, white-Hispanic, asian-Hispanic. The Census here wants to distinguish a Black Puerto Rican from a White Puerto Rican, for example.
The problem that I always find with these surveys is that I do not consider myself "white-Hispanic." Although I think that is technically what I am (just your run-of-the mill kind-of-tan Hispanic). In the Census data, the vast majority of Hispanics do identify as "White Hispanic." So in a way, I think thats what you and I are.
The problem with this is that I consider myself different than "white." I know I'm not Black or Asian. If anything, my bloodline consists of a healthy mix of white European and indigenous Central American blood. Both of my parents were born in Nicaragua, and my family goes back a long way in Central America. I don't know when the European mix came in, but I figure it is there.
I know White Hispanics. I grew up in Miami. There were Cubans who were Whiter than White people I knew. Blonde hair, blue eyes, the whole typical Caucasian look. When I think of "White Hispanic," I think of these people....or some Argentines or Chileans.
So what do I consider myself? I consider myself Mestizo Hispanic, if we have to make a distinction among Hispanics, but that is not a standard choice. I think we need to distinguish Hispanics who look white from Hispanics who look more, well...Hispanic. That is to say, I am likely to face more discrimination with my "visible minority" status than a fair-skinned, blonde-haired, blue-eyed Hispanic will. Isn't this the distinction that we want to make? It doesn't seem to make sense clumping the "mestizo" Hispanics with "white" Hispanics.
I think there is a difference.
- Michael Rodriguez