Pastors and faith leaders working locally in regions across the state including the Inland Empire, Central Valley, and Bay Area are amplifying their voices and leveraging their platforms.

As the response to COVID-19 has evolved, the California Complete Count – Census 2020 Office has maintained constant communication with contracted partners including statewide faith-based leaders and organizations such as Faith in the Valley, Faith in Action, and Congregations for Prophetic Engagement (C.O.P.E.).

Many faith leaders across the state are grappling with the same question as Terri McWilliams, Leader of the Bay Area’s Faith in Action.

Based in the Inland Empire, C.O.P.E.’s team of phone bankers and canvassers partnered with California Calls and leveraged the power of social media, encouraging congregational members to spread the word via various platforms underscoring what the Black community stands to lose if there is an undercount in 2020.

It’s important to be direct with the African American community concerning “what it costs us when we are not counted in the Census,” Pastor Trena Turner and First Lady of Victory and Praise Community Church in Stockton, CA explain.