The U.S. Census Bureau and several states are updating their data collection methods to provide more detailed information about Americans’ race and ethnicity. This shift is aimed at allowing individuals to choose identities that better represent how they see themselves and to shine a light on disparities in various areas like housing and health outcomes. The Census Bureau recognizes the importance of this data for guiding civil rights policies and government programs.
The new approach includes checkboxes for main categories, followed by more specific options and the option for people to write in their own identities. For the first time, Middle Eastern/North African will be included as a separate category. Some experts suggest including a “visual race” question to capture how others perceive individuals in addition to how they identify themselves.
Several states are independently pushing for more detailed data collection, with laws in place or being considered to include options for multiracial and Middle Eastern/North African identities. Organizations like the NALEO Educational Fund are supporting efforts to provide individuals with more autonomy in choosing their racial and ethnic identities.
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