The bureau gave a demonstration of the
new technology at conference early this year.
Employees showed how they could analyze
county subdivisions on maps by looking up a
certain percentage of Spanish speakers or those
making a certain amount of money.
The specific addresses pinpointed by the aerial
imagery are largely kept private, but can be
shared with some tribal and city governments to
help create boundaries and zoning areas, Bishop
said. After a certain period, the information has
to be destroyed, she said.
The head of the Census Bureau came to New
Mexico last month for a firsthand look at the
struggle to count people who live in far-flung
places where the new technology could help.
Dillingham and a group from the Navajo Nation
ventured along a winding dirt road through
mesas and small canyons to the home of Daniel
Piaso, about 12 miles (19 kilometers) west of
To’Hajiilee, New Mexico.
Dillingham tried to ask Piaso, who speaks only
Navajo, about the dwellings on his property.
A confused Piaso responded with help from
an interpreter.
Arbin Mitchell, a tribal partnership specialist
with the U.S. Census Bureau, said elders like
Piaso are most at risk of missing out.
“They do not trust strangers who might
approach them asking questions about the
census,” Mitchell said.
U.S. Sens. Martin Heinrich and Tom Udall, both
New Mexico Democrats, wanted Dillingham to
see the challenges of counting rural and poor
populations with little to no internet access.
“We have a lot of concerns, so we are doubling
down to get the message out to people about
how important the census is,” Heinrich said.
antfer
(Antfer)
#1