社評0609 人口調查對社區發展之重大意義

人口調查對社區發展之重大意義

近十年來， 大休斯敦地區之亞裔及太平洋島嶼公民之社區發生了重大變化。 整個人口從百分之五躍上百分之二十六， 高達一百二十萬人， 這個驚人之數字， 將激速改變我們在各方面之影響力。

休斯敦莱斯大學開德研究中心過去四十年來， 在市民人口調查方面進行了大量工作 。該中心共有六十位工作人員每年預算高達九百萬元， 該中心在教育、文化、經濟方面之調查報告， 成為當政者非常重要之參考。

昨天上午經李雄及李娟之邀宴， 二十多位社區人士聚集一堂， 就如何在經費及調研方向進行交流 ，我們建議應該從多方面參予。

首先是把數百個亞裔及太平洋島嶼公民之社團及媒體收集完整之資訊， 這是我們社區之社會基礎， 應該從這些社團中推薦人選進行調查報告， 並且對不同族裔文字之媒體進行大量文宣，共同關注社會人口調查之重要性。

社區團體及社會人士應該給予經費之支持， 也應該主要用於我們社區之調硏， 換言之， 我們應該提出一套完整之計劃和開德中心合作推動。

當天在餐會上，中心主任吐禮博士及副主任波特教授均先後提出報告， 希望今年對我們社區進行緊密合作， 並且得到萊斯大學趙氏亞洲研究中心之大力支持。

今天我們處在一個反華亞裔之社會氛圍之中， 對於這項調研工作尤其重要， 對我們而言更是責無旁貸之責任。

The Great Significance Of Surveys For Our Community Development

Over the past decade the community of Asians and Pacific Islanders in the greater Houston area has undergone major changes. The whole population has jumped from 5% to 26% representing I.2 million people. This amazing number will rapidly change our influence in many aspects.

For over forty years, Rice University’s Kinder Institute has done a lot of work on citizen surveys. The center’s reports on education, culture and the economy have become very important reference material for politicians. 

Yesterday we were invited by Nancy Li and Kenny Li for a lunch with more than 20 members of the community. We were invited to discuss how we can work with the Kinder Institute to support them financially and with research. We are here to suggest that first we will need to collect information from hundreds of civic associations and media in our community. Then it will be easy to select a candidate for the center.

Secondly, we need to raise funds to support the center. In the meantime, we will present our completed annual plan to work with the center. 

In the meeting we heard a report from Dr. Turley, the director of the center and professor Potter. They all wanted to urge our community members to be a part of their survey in many ways.

Dr. Anne Chao also is a major supporter of the project. Today we are facing an anti-Chinese and anti- Asian social atmosphere. This resource work is especially important at this time and it is our responsibility.