CHICAGO (WLS) -- ABC 7 Chicago, Chicago's Number One station for news, presented the 13th installment in a series of virtual town halls, Do You Hear Me? A Discussion about Race, Thursday, September 3 at 2 p.m.on abc7chicago.com. The hour-long town hall was be moderated by ABC 7 Eyewitness News' Hosea Sanders.
In 2010, the Black population in the United States was undercounted by an estimated 2.1 percent. As we approach the September 30, 2020 Census deadline, the city's 18 predominately Black wards have some of the lowest response rates among the three major racial groups in Chicago. Under 55% of those households have submitted their 2020 Census forms; an undercount can have lasting consequences.
The 2020 Census not only determines the distribution of political power, but also directs over $1.5 trillion in federal funding toward resources like healthcare, unemployment services, schools and food stamps. Groups that remain undercounted miss out.
What are the reasons behind this? The pandemic? General skepticism about providing information to the government? Hosea Sanders raised these and other questions. Joining him in the conversation were some of our city's top community leaders whose organizations are working to educate their constituents about why they should care about the Census for themselves and their community.
ABC 7 Facebook followers are invited to submit questions in advance for possible consideration.
Panelists include:
-Dorri McWhorter, YWCA of Metropolitan Chicago
-Phyllis Logan, Chicago Westside Branch NAACP
-Donald Dew, Habilitative Systems, Inc. and The Counting on Chicago Coalition
-Kimberly Casey, UCAN Chicago
The virtual town hall was also exclusively streamed live on ABC 7's Facebook Live, YouTube, ABC 7's app, and ABC 7's connected TV apps on Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV and Roku.
PREVIOUS TOWN HALLS:
Do You Hear Me? A Discussion about Race on July 16, 2020: Hosted by Cheryl Burton, on violence
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About ABC7/WLS-TV Chicago
ABC7/WLS-TV Chicago is the No. 1 local news source and most-watched television station in Chicago. With top-rated daily newscasts spanning decades and the largest social media presence in the market with more than 2.3 million Facebook followers, ABC7 Eyewitness News provides breaking news, investigative reporting, weather, politics, traffic and sports in the multiplatform space to Chicago, the suburbs and northwest Indiana. Named Best News Operation by the Associated Press for four consecutive years, the station produces 41 hours of local news weekly and Chicago's only local weekday entertainment talk show, "Windy City LIVE," as well as its highest-rated New Year's Eve special. ABC7's award-winning programs such as "Heart and Soul," "The Ñ Beat" and "Asian Influences" showcase the city's diversity, while being the only Chicago station producing and broadcasting parades representing Chicago's rich cultural history. In addition to producing town halls focused on current social issues, the station has a long and proud tradition of broadcasting political candidate debates keeping Chicago's electorate informed. ABC7's outreach efforts include annual partnerships with the Red Cross for life-saving blood drives and, most recently, spearheading an effort to raise more than $1.5 million for area food pantries.