Mitch Landrieu, founder of E Pluribus Unum, Statement on U.S. Census Bureau’s Data Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 12, 2021

Contact: Kristal Swim, 606-356-5018, kristal@unumfund.org 

NEW ORLEANS, Aug. 12, 2021 — E Pluribus Unum Founder & President and former Mayor of New Orleans Mitch Landrieu released the following statement in response to the 2020 Census data release today from the United States Census Bureau.

“The promise of America is that everyone has an equal opportunity to participate in our democracy and that starts with being counted in the Census. That’s one big reason E Pluribus Unum (EPU) partnered with Stacey Abrams and Fair Count on Census in the South to ensure southern states and communities of color were more accurately represented. We commend the U.S. Census Bureau staff who completed the count under very trying circumstances.

Today’s numbers highlight what we all know – the South is diversifying and growing rapidly. We are a beautiful mosaic, with large increases in African American, Hispanic, Asian American, and multi-racial populations. Simply put, our diversity is our strength both economically and culturally.

And as demographic changes continue, it is critical we view public policy change with a lens of equity, this Census count will be important as the nation recovers from the COVID-19 global pandemic to ensuring that communities receive their fair share of resources for fundamental infrastructure projects and programs like Medicaid and Head Start, as well as political power through reapportionment and redistricting. Southern state legislatures must prioritize creating fair maps that provide equitable representation for their state’s population.

EPU will continue engaging in this fight so that these numbers are used to help us all live up to our nation’s promise.”

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About E Pluribus Unum
Founded by former New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu in 2018, E Pluribus Unum (EPU) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization whose mission is to build a more just, equitable, and inclusive South, uprooting the barriers that have long divided the region by race and class. Incubated at Emerson Collective, EPU is focused on changing the divisive narratives that perpetuate systemic and interpersonal racism, cultivating and empowering courageous leaders who are advancing racial equity, and championing transformative policy change. To learn more, visit www.unumfund.org.