U.S. Census 2010: How to Be Counted As a Rusyn

On March 1 all Americans will begin to receive their census forms—and it’s important that you and your family members get counted as Carpatho-Rusyn. If we indicate our Rusyn ethnicity on the census, and the number of us counted as Carpatho-Rusyn increases since the last census, this increases our chances as a community to access federal funding and other programs that can support our culture in the United States. So when you get your Census form, go to Question No. 9, (for the Person 1 )check White (or your race) THEN fill in the words CARPATHO-RUSYN in the blocks provided under Some Other Race also check some other race block.  Complete this same question for additional persons living at that address but it will be Question No. 6  



While this may seem odd, this is the instruction we were given by the Census Bureau when we asked the question for how to capture our ethnicity on the form. So, be counted on your census form—and tell all your friends, neighbors, church fellows and family who are Carpatho-Rusyn to fill it out too.

If you write in Slavic, Lemko, Carpatho-Russian or Ruthenian there is no guarantee you will be counted as Carpatho-Rusyn.

NOTE: This is the official position of the Carpatho-Rusyn Society on how U.S. residents should fill out the 2010 Census to indicate Carpatho-Rusyn ancestry



 
Sincerely,
John J. Righetti
President