Local Senator Leads Coalition Advocating for Armenian American Census Checkbox Inclusion

A coalition of California senators led by Senator Anthony J. Portantino, who represents Pasadena,  have joined forces this week to submit a letter to the White House urging President Biden to address the exclusion of Armenian Americans from the Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) checkbox in the U.S. census.

The bipartisan effort underscores the significance of acknowledging the contributions and historical importance of the Armenian American community, a statement from Senator Portantino said.

“I am deeply concerned that hundreds of thousands of Armenian Americans were excluded from the MENA checkbox,” Portantino said. “Excluding an entire segment of the population in the census has serious repercussions for equality, justice, and democracy.”

Portantino said Armenian Americans have a rich and vibrant history in the United States, especially in the 25th Senate District, which includes Pasadena. He added Armenian Americans have made significant contributions to the cultural, economic, and social fabric of the state and the United States.

“It is imperative that they are accurately counted and represented in the census to ensure fair allocation of resources and equitable representation,” the senator said.

The advocacy effort comes in response to the Office of Management and Budget’s announcement of revisions to Statistical Policy Directive No. 15 (SPD 15).

SPD 15 was formulated in 1977 to ensure the comparability of race and ethnicity across federal datasets and to maximize the quality of these data by ensuring the format, language, and procedures for collecting the data are consistent. It has only been previously revised once, resulting in an update in 1997.

The newest revisions in March this year were aimed at enhancing the accuracy of census data for individuals with Hispanic, Middle Eastern, and North African heritage. The revisions excluded Armenian Americans from the new MENA category, the California senators said.

“California is home to the largest population of Armenian Americans in the nation,” Senator Scott Wilk said. “Excluding them from the census fails to acknowledge the atrocities their people have faced, and diminishes their ability to be represented. I strongly urge the Biden Administration to right this wrong.”

Senators Bob Archuleta, Maria Durazo, Henry Stern, Caroline Menjivar, and others also signed the letter. Portantino chairs the Senate Select Committee on California, Armenia, and Artsakh Mutual Trade, Art, and Cultural Exchange.

The senators said Armenian Americans should be accurately counted and represented in the census, and their cultural heritage, contributions to society, and historical significance recognized within the fabric of California and the United States.