WEBVTT - Robert Santos Counts the Future

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<v Speaker 1>I absolutely know that issues exist, and they are cultural

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<v Speaker 1>and they are baked into society, but that doesn't mean

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<v Speaker 1>we don't have an obligation to try. That's what I'm doing,

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<v Speaker 1>That's what we all have to do, and we have

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<v Speaker 1>to do it together.

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<v Speaker 2>From Fudro Media and BrX, It's Latino USA. I'm Marieno

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<v Speaker 2>Rosa today a conversation with Robert Santos, the first Latino

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<v Speaker 2>to lead the US Census Bureau. Dear listener, you might

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<v Speaker 2>remember that in twenty nineteen, the Supreme Court blocked the

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<v Speaker 2>Trump administration's push to include a question about citizenship status

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<v Speaker 2>in the twenty twenty census. Well, in early May of

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<v Speaker 2>twenty twenty four, House Republicans passed a bill that is

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<v Speaker 2>reminiscent of those very same efforts. The Quote Equal Representation

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<v Speaker 2>Act is a measure that seeks to include a citizenship

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<v Speaker 2>question on the next census, scheduled for twenty thirty, and

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<v Speaker 2>to exclude people who are not citizens from the census count.

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<v Speaker 2>That bill now sits with the majority Democrat Senate, and so,

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<v Speaker 2>dear listener, we felt that it was important to share

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<v Speaker 2>with you again a conversation that we had with Robert Santos,

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<v Speaker 2>who is the director of the US Census Bureau. Santos

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<v Speaker 2>told us why being counted in the Census is important

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<v Speaker 2>and what exactly he was doing to rebuild trust among communities.

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<v Speaker 2>Here's my conversation with Robert Santos from twenty twenty two.

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<v Speaker 2>President Joe Biden announced last April that his intended nominee

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<v Speaker 2>to lead the US Census would be Robert Santos. Then

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<v Speaker 2>just a few weeks later, Santos went before the Senate

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<v Speaker 2>Homeland Security Committee for his confirmation hearing.

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<v Speaker 1>It's an honor and I'm humbled to appear before you

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<v Speaker 1>today as the nominee for the director of the Census Bureau.

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<v Speaker 1>I'd like to thank the President and Secretary Rimando for

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<v Speaker 1>the trust they have placed me with this nomination.

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<v Speaker 2>Santos is super proud about being born and raised in

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<v Speaker 2>the barrios of San Antonio, Texas. He has served as

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<v Speaker 2>President of the American Statistical Association, vice President and chief

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<v Speaker 2>methodologist at the Urban Institute, along with other big roles

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<v Speaker 2>throughout his career. Santos has more than forty years of

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<v Speaker 2>experience in survey research, and he specializes in quantitative and

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<v Speaker 2>qualitative research design.

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<v Speaker 1>I wouldn't be here today without the endurance support of

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<v Speaker 1>my family. At age eighteen, I married my wife, Adela,

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<v Speaker 1>and we've now been married forty eight years. She's my

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<v Speaker 1>most important source of support, counsel, and love. Are two children,

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<v Speaker 1>Emilio and Cladissa, always support me and are constant sources

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<v Speaker 1>of comfort and pride.

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<v Speaker 2>During his confirmation hearing, Santos was asked about redistricting along

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<v Speaker 2>with potential big challenges for the upcoming twenty thirty Census.

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<v Speaker 2>Santos was confirmed in November of twenty twenty one. A

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<v Speaker 2>few months later and January of this year, he was

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<v Speaker 2>sworn in as the twenty sixth Director of the US Census,

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<v Speaker 2>and he is the first Latino to hold that position.

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<v Speaker 1>Hi Robert Santos I, Robert Sambo will support in defan

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<v Speaker 1>will support in the fan.

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<v Speaker 2>Santos is no stranger to the US Census. Before his

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<v Speaker 2>nomination and confirmation, he warned in October of twenty twenty

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<v Speaker 2>that former President Trump's interference with the census count could

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<v Speaker 2>result in one of the most flawed census counts in history.

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<v Speaker 2>Census counts are important because they helped determine the number

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<v Speaker 2>of seats each state has in the US House of Representatives.

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<v Speaker 2>It's also used to help allocate and distribute billions of

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<v Speaker 2>federal dollars across local communities throughout the entire country. Trump

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<v Speaker 2>wanted a question on the past census that asked for

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<v Speaker 2>people's US citizenship status. Well, you need it for many reasons.

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<v Speaker 1>Number one, you needed new words with Congress, you needed

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<v Speaker 1>for Congress spati picking.

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<v Speaker 2>You needed for appropriations. Citizenship has been on that thing

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<v Speaker 2>most of the time for many many years. A citizenship

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<v Speaker 2>question had not been on the census for several decades,

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<v Speaker 2>and of course citizenship status is not used for redistricting.

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<v Speaker 2>And after several lawsuits, the Supreme Court ultimately blocked the

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<v Speaker 2>citizenship question from being on the twenty twenty census, but

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<v Speaker 2>the damage had already been done and there was an

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<v Speaker 2>even further gap in trust with communities across the United States.

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<v Speaker 2>The weaponization of the US Census isn't something new. We've

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<v Speaker 2>seen it with the founding of this country, when enslaved

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<v Speaker 2>Africans were counted as three fifths of a person, and

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<v Speaker 2>later when Japanese Americans were in prison and tracked down

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<v Speaker 2>by using the census. So on today's episode, I have

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<v Speaker 2>a conversation with director Robert Santos about his new role,

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<v Speaker 2>his love for his hometown of San Antonio, and the

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<v Speaker 2>complicated history of the US Census. Director Robert Santos, Hello,

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<v Speaker 2>and thank you so much for being with me here

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<v Speaker 2>today on Latino USA.

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<v Speaker 1>I was ready to climb a ladder and do the

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<v Speaker 1>interview upside down if I could have the opportunity to

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<v Speaker 1>be a part of this experience with you, because I've

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<v Speaker 1>always valued everything that you've done on your program.

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<v Speaker 2>Oh my gosh, well, thank you. I don't I am

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<v Speaker 2>actually I'm having a moment. Did the director of the

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<v Speaker 2>US Census just say to me that he values the

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<v Speaker 2>work that I've been doing and knows my work? I

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<v Speaker 2>really am having a moment.

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<v Speaker 1>Every week we listen to your program and the job

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<v Speaker 1>you're doing to help the United States understand the value

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<v Speaker 1>of our rich diversity of Latinos, I think is amazing.

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<v Speaker 2>Thank you, Director Santos for being for being a supporter

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<v Speaker 2>of our work and knowing our work. It really means

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<v Speaker 2>a lot. And I think I'm going to start there

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<v Speaker 2>because if I think about my experience as a Latina

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<v Speaker 2>in the media over the last thirty years, I think

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<v Speaker 2>that people always saw me kind of like, you know, like, oh,

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<v Speaker 2>here she goes again bringing up Latinos and Latinas, and

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<v Speaker 2>I think, I mean, I'm not a big mathematician or

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<v Speaker 2>a statistician like you, but I can read a demographic

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<v Speaker 2>chart and I could see that the Latino population was

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<v Speaker 2>just increasing. And so for a lot of my career,

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<v Speaker 2>people have kind of been like, oh God, here she

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<v Speaker 2>comes talking about Latinos again. I always found it very

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<v Speaker 2>interesting that people felt like it was a bother or

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<v Speaker 2>like a threat or a problem instead of just like, no,

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<v Speaker 2>but we're just kind of looking at that, And I'm

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<v Speaker 2>wondering if you're kind of having that same sensation in

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<v Speaker 2>your life right now.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, thank you for offering that perspective, because actually I've

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<v Speaker 1>been having that type of interaction my entire career. I've

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<v Speaker 1>had episode after episode where I was the sole Latino

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<v Speaker 1>in a room of research decision makers who maybe hadn't

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<v Speaker 1>realized that when they come to the table and they

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<v Speaker 1>frame research questions or they perceive problems that they want

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<v Speaker 1>to help society solve, they do it with their cultural lens.

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<v Speaker 1>I've had many instances where I basically say, excuse me

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<v Speaker 1>if you do that, you actually will be doing harm

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<v Speaker 1>and not good. Even though the statistical design and the

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<v Speaker 1>research design was pristine. However, if you frame the question

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<v Speaker 1>the wrong way, or you capture information in a way

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<v Speaker 1>that doesn't really reveal what's going on, or interpret it

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<v Speaker 1>by talking to people in the community to help get

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<v Speaker 1>it better understanding, you can end up actually doing more

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<v Speaker 1>harm than good.

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<v Speaker 2>And the other thing I need to know, Director Santos,

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<v Speaker 2>I'm sorry, I just need to know. I know you

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<v Speaker 2>used to have a ponytail. Do you still it's growing? Holy.

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<v Speaker 1>I was asked to be considered for the nomination and

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<v Speaker 1>I decided to do it. I did it out of

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<v Speaker 1>you know, Goda Son. I wanted to help my country,

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<v Speaker 1>and I believed I could offer something as a Latino

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<v Speaker 1>from my rich perspective, cultural perspective, and research perspective. But

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<v Speaker 1>the one thing that I decided is that I have

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<v Speaker 1>to be myself, and myself is Santhos with the ponytail.

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<v Speaker 1>And so I'm going to be myself and try to

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<v Speaker 1>do the best I can to help the Census Bureau

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<v Speaker 1>to help the American people. And if it works, great,

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<v Speaker 1>and if it doesn't, I tried.

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<v Speaker 2>I think it's really cool. I just want to say,

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<v Speaker 2>because one you're rocking it, it works, and two I

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<v Speaker 2>just think you're saying something about just having to be yourself. Right.

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<v Speaker 2>So recently I was in San Antonio. That's the city

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<v Speaker 2>of where you were born and raised. I was at

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<v Speaker 2>Trinity University giving a lecture, and you know, I love

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<v Speaker 2>San Antonio. It's one of my favorite cities because what

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<v Speaker 2>I've been going to it ever since a little girl,

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<v Speaker 2>because I was always driving through Texas to get from

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<v Speaker 2>Chicago to Mexico. It's a majority Latino city in the

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<v Speaker 2>United States, in the state of Texas. So yeah, not

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<v Speaker 2>as a kid from San Antonio, but as somebody who

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<v Speaker 2>understands the power of the work of the census, demography

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<v Speaker 2>and the picture of the future of the United States.

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<v Speaker 2>I mean, is San Antonio in fact the future of

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<v Speaker 2>what the United States looks like? And what does that

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<v Speaker 2>mean to you?

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<v Speaker 1>Well, there are many really interesting things about San Antonio.

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<v Speaker 1>The fact that it has always had a very prominent

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<v Speaker 1>place for Mexican Americans in particular, but Latinos more generally

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<v Speaker 1>as being part of the city. Yet when I was

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<v Speaker 1>growing up, it was pretty effectively segregated and even in

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<v Speaker 1>some of the Latino communities. You know, I lived on

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<v Speaker 1>the side of the Woodland Lake that you know, wasn't

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<v Speaker 1>considered the best part, and so if I went into

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<v Speaker 1>the other side where there were folks were better off,

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<v Speaker 1>I might be looked upon a little differently. But it's

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<v Speaker 1>interesting that we've embraced the culture of the Mexican American

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<v Speaker 1>community in San Antonio.

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<v Speaker 2>I mean, I guess the reason why one of the

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<v Speaker 2>reasons why I keep on asking about San Antonio as

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<v Speaker 2>a city of the future and and what it looks like.

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<v Speaker 2>And you're right. I mean, you get out of the

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<v Speaker 2>airport in San Antonio because I was just there and

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<v Speaker 2>there were these like huge artist representations of Lata's, the

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<v Speaker 2>Chipotle Chiles, Chipotle Salsa ervees, and I was like, only

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<v Speaker 2>in San Antonio, will you see this? Like at the

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<v Speaker 2>airport it's and and and all of this is like

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<v Speaker 2>we're talking about San Antonio, and you know, as it

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<v Speaker 2>relates to a kind of city of the future with

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<v Speaker 2>a kind of sense of joy and hope and laughter.

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<v Speaker 2>But you know this, Director Santos, that actually the way

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<v Speaker 2>the narrative goes right now in the United States today

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<v Speaker 2>is that Latinos and Latinas post some kind of a

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<v Speaker 2>threat that we're majority not from the United States, that

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<v Speaker 2>we're coming here, that we're new. So put those two

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<v Speaker 2>things together for me, h.

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<v Speaker 1>Well, it's not unusual for societies to have segments of

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<v Speaker 1>the population that view individuals of different backgrounds to be threats,

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<v Speaker 1>when in fact it's very much of an opportunity. We

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<v Speaker 1>could not survive without immigrants coming in and helping our

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<v Speaker 1>economy in ways that otherwise the citizen population would not

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<v Speaker 1>be able to contribute. So I very much value the diversity,

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<v Speaker 1>and I think that's one of our strongest points as

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<v Speaker 1>a nation, and that's why I take so much pride

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<v Speaker 1>in being able to advance the measurement and the counting

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<v Speaker 1>and the learning about the rich diversity of our population

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<v Speaker 1>and how it's getting more diverse. It's inevitable, as you said,

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<v Speaker 1>it's coming, and we need to find better ways to

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<v Speaker 1>leverage and embrace that because it's going to improve society.

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<v Speaker 1>But I bring a different perspective. I think to research

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<v Speaker 1>and the Census Bureau and sort of research more generally

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<v Speaker 1>social science research, and I believe that you have to

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<v Speaker 1>bring your whole self. So I believe in diversity, equity, inclusion,

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<v Speaker 1>and I think in order to be a better scientist,

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<v Speaker 1>a better mathematician, a better statistician, you need to bring

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<v Speaker 1>your culture to the table when you talk about and

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<v Speaker 1>think about research, about interpreting results, about how you analyze it,

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<v Speaker 1>even how you frame what it is that you're going

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<v Speaker 1>to look at, because that way you can actually learn

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<v Speaker 1>more and gain more relevant insights into particular problems, whether

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<v Speaker 1>it's hunger or housing, or the pandemic and vaccination statuses

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<v Speaker 1>or whatever.

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<v Speaker 2>Okay, so, Director Santos, I actually want to take you

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<v Speaker 2>back to those days when you were growing up as

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<v Speaker 2>a kid in San Antonio. You were on the west

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<v Speaker 2>side of the city. You said it was a very

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<v Speaker 2>segregated city, and so you growing up what was life

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<v Speaker 2>like back then as a were you like, yeah, we're

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<v Speaker 2>definitely the majority. We got this, We're going places. Or

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<v Speaker 2>did you feel like, wow, this country's in the middle

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<v Speaker 2>of a civil rights era. Latinos and Latinas were not

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<v Speaker 2>necessarily visible.

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<v Speaker 1>So what was it To be honest, I was a

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<v Speaker 1>kid in the sixties, I was in elementary school and

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<v Speaker 1>middle school, and I graduated in seventy two, and son't

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<v Speaker 1>I wasn't able until I was maybe in grad school

0:14:29.600 --> 0:14:35.040
<v Speaker 1>at Michigan to really connect the dots fully, to realize

0:14:35.080 --> 0:14:38.720
<v Speaker 1>the value and importance of being a Latino. And that's

0:14:38.760 --> 0:14:43.400
<v Speaker 1>where between my college and graduate school years where I

0:14:43.480 --> 0:14:49.880
<v Speaker 1>really embraced and understood the magnitude of the societal issues.

0:14:49.560 --> 0:14:50.560
<v Speaker 3>That we were dealing with.

0:14:51.280 --> 0:14:54.720
<v Speaker 1>But back when I was a kid, I was basically surviving.

0:14:55.440 --> 0:14:58.720
<v Speaker 1>I was fortunate enough to go to parochial school for

0:14:58.760 --> 0:15:04.160
<v Speaker 1>twelve years that instilled some great values in me that

0:15:04.280 --> 0:15:08.200
<v Speaker 1>I take with me and I use every day of

0:15:08.240 --> 0:15:10.920
<v Speaker 1>my forty year career as well as.

0:15:10.920 --> 0:15:12.520
<v Speaker 3>Now my continuing career.

0:15:12.640 --> 0:15:16.760
<v Speaker 1>The Census Bureaum and those values of trying to help people,

0:15:17.280 --> 0:15:21.840
<v Speaker 1>those values of being inclusive and treating people fairly and

0:15:21.880 --> 0:15:24.920
<v Speaker 1>trying to help society, those are really important and they

0:15:25.040 --> 0:15:28.360
<v Speaker 1>drive me and they've drive everything that I've done, you know,

0:15:28.440 --> 0:15:32.680
<v Speaker 1>treating people with respect, regardless of race, color, creed, religion,

0:15:32.760 --> 0:15:33.160
<v Speaker 1>or whatever.

0:15:33.960 --> 0:15:37.000
<v Speaker 2>So your mom and dad worked at the air Force base, right.

0:15:37.160 --> 0:15:41.760
<v Speaker 1>Yes, there were some very fortunate to have civil service

0:15:41.880 --> 0:15:45.360
<v Speaker 1>positions at Kelly Air Force Base while it was open.

0:15:46.040 --> 0:15:49.320
<v Speaker 2>So this notion of I see you as my equal,

0:15:49.800 --> 0:15:52.920
<v Speaker 2>a child of the civil rights era. Where was that

0:15:52.960 --> 0:15:56.240
<v Speaker 2>coming from? Was that your mom and dad bringing it home?

0:15:56.360 --> 0:15:58.680
<v Speaker 2>And talk to me a little bit about having a

0:15:58.720 --> 0:16:01.920
<v Speaker 2>mom and dad in the air force, because I mean,

0:16:02.160 --> 0:16:05.360
<v Speaker 2>my dad was a scientist, medical doctor, researcher. But we

0:16:05.440 --> 0:16:08.560
<v Speaker 2>didn't talk that stuff over dinner. But like your dad

0:16:08.640 --> 0:16:12.000
<v Speaker 2>was asking you math questions, So take me a little

0:16:12.000 --> 0:16:12.600
<v Speaker 2>bit back.

0:16:13.040 --> 0:16:18.200
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, it's interesting. We had a really tightly knit family

0:16:18.920 --> 0:16:25.800
<v Speaker 1>and everything circulated around familiar and because everything revolved around family,

0:16:26.720 --> 0:16:30.560
<v Speaker 1>our focus was we didn't necessarily at the dinner table

0:16:30.640 --> 0:16:34.560
<v Speaker 1>talk about the inequities of society as much as talked

0:16:34.560 --> 0:16:38.920
<v Speaker 1>about familia and how we help each other and how

0:16:39.080 --> 0:16:42.320
<v Speaker 1>we need to strive to get better education and get

0:16:42.320 --> 0:16:43.000
<v Speaker 1>good jobs.

0:16:43.040 --> 0:16:44.840
<v Speaker 3>I mean, that was what it was all about.

0:16:45.160 --> 0:16:49.160
<v Speaker 1>And you know, how could anyone blame familias for talking

0:16:49.200 --> 0:16:52.080
<v Speaker 1>about that in San Antonio who were Mexican American and

0:16:52.120 --> 0:16:57.400
<v Speaker 1>whose grandparents had fled because of the revolution, the violence

0:16:57.720 --> 0:17:00.680
<v Speaker 1>in northern Mexico that was going on to survive and

0:17:00.720 --> 0:17:04.960
<v Speaker 1>they started in new life and with almost nothing, and

0:17:05.119 --> 0:17:10.320
<v Speaker 1>my grandparents starting with jobs as gardeners or as cleaning people.

0:17:10.840 --> 0:17:12.520
<v Speaker 3>We then grew and.

0:17:12.760 --> 0:17:17.280
<v Speaker 1>Generation after generation improved and that pursuit of the American dream.

0:17:17.680 --> 0:17:22.320
<v Speaker 1>That's really what was the focus of discussion. And me

0:17:22.359 --> 0:17:25.719
<v Speaker 1>as a little kid with my brother who's no longer

0:17:25.720 --> 0:17:28.640
<v Speaker 1>with us, our focus was on trying to have as

0:17:28.720 --> 0:17:31.760
<v Speaker 1>good of a time as we could, especially with my

0:17:31.920 --> 0:17:34.840
<v Speaker 1>parents both being off to work in us being latchkey kids,

0:17:34.840 --> 0:17:36.680
<v Speaker 1>so we got into all kinds of mischief.

0:17:37.640 --> 0:17:40.320
<v Speaker 2>Okay, well, I need to know what mischief looks like

0:17:40.440 --> 0:17:43.919
<v Speaker 2>in West San Antonio. Then give me a couple of examples.

0:17:43.920 --> 0:17:44.920
<v Speaker 2>What were you guys doing.

0:17:45.840 --> 0:17:48.800
<v Speaker 1>Well, it was mischief in the sense of, you know,

0:17:48.840 --> 0:17:53.600
<v Speaker 1>we'd have you know, mudball fights in San Antonio where

0:17:53.720 --> 0:17:56.399
<v Speaker 1>the back of the house was yeah, mudball. We just

0:17:56.480 --> 0:17:59.760
<v Speaker 1>you know, throw water in the dirt, make mudballs and

0:18:00.200 --> 0:18:02.880
<v Speaker 1>come at it and the back of the house would

0:18:02.880 --> 0:18:05.800
<v Speaker 1>be covered with mudballs that stuck to the side of

0:18:05.840 --> 0:18:09.560
<v Speaker 1>the house. Or we'd grab our bicycles and we were

0:18:09.600 --> 0:18:12.760
<v Speaker 1>like what eight, nine, ten years old now, I'd say ten,

0:18:12.840 --> 0:18:16.960
<v Speaker 1>eleven or twelve, and then head off from Woodlawn Lake

0:18:17.000 --> 0:18:21.080
<v Speaker 1>area to pass downtown to Hemisphere where it was being built,

0:18:21.119 --> 0:18:24.720
<v Speaker 1>so we could watch the tower going up wow, or

0:18:25.000 --> 0:18:27.360
<v Speaker 1>go out to the airport and watch the jets come

0:18:27.400 --> 0:18:30.960
<v Speaker 1>in and that's really long distances for kids in the

0:18:30.960 --> 0:18:32.480
<v Speaker 1>middle of the summer with no water.

0:18:32.960 --> 0:18:33.760
<v Speaker 3>We just stop at.

0:18:33.640 --> 0:18:38.760
<v Speaker 1>Gas stations, but we would do crazy, crazy stuff like that.

0:18:40.000 --> 0:18:42.720
<v Speaker 2>It's kind of incredible that kids get into all that

0:18:42.800 --> 0:18:45.639
<v Speaker 2>mischief and survive, right, It's kind of amazing.

0:18:45.840 --> 0:18:48.680
<v Speaker 1>What's really important, though, is if you combine that sense

0:18:48.720 --> 0:18:53.840
<v Speaker 1>of adventure with the values that were instilled during the

0:18:54.200 --> 0:18:58.439
<v Speaker 1>schooling that I had. It's those two things that have

0:18:58.680 --> 0:19:03.200
<v Speaker 1>propelled me to take chances and risks where maybe other

0:19:03.280 --> 0:19:07.840
<v Speaker 1>folks would not have done it. So pretty much in

0:19:07.920 --> 0:19:11.120
<v Speaker 1>every job I've ever taken, it's been a step up,

0:19:11.240 --> 0:19:13.520
<v Speaker 1>and I've said, oh my god, can I Am I

0:19:13.560 --> 0:19:16.040
<v Speaker 1>really going to be able to do this? And then

0:19:16.080 --> 0:19:18.560
<v Speaker 1>I'd end up saying, well, look, just like I told

0:19:18.560 --> 0:19:20.959
<v Speaker 1>you earlier, I'm going to try my best. I'm going

0:19:21.000 --> 0:19:24.679
<v Speaker 1>to be myself and if I can contribute, great, and

0:19:24.720 --> 0:19:27.199
<v Speaker 1>if I can't, I'll be able to look myself in

0:19:27.240 --> 0:19:28.919
<v Speaker 1>the mirror and say I tried my best.

0:19:35.359 --> 0:19:38.320
<v Speaker 2>Coming up on let you know, USA Director Santos on

0:19:38.720 --> 0:19:43.480
<v Speaker 2>rebuilding trust and facing the systemic problems at the Census,

0:19:43.800 --> 0:20:11.520
<v Speaker 2>Stay with us, Yes, Hey, we're back. We're going to

0:20:11.560 --> 0:20:14.359
<v Speaker 2>continue now with my conversation with Director of the US

0:20:14.400 --> 0:20:25.080
<v Speaker 2>Census Bureau Robert Santos. The interesting thing, Director Santos, is

0:20:25.080 --> 0:20:28.840
<v Speaker 2>that I have a lot of feelings about the Censes.

0:20:29.480 --> 0:20:33.720
<v Speaker 2>With the Censes, it's actually something that has had an

0:20:33.760 --> 0:20:37.000
<v Speaker 2>impact in my life in very interesting ways. And I

0:20:37.080 --> 0:20:38.560
<v Speaker 2>kind of be honest with you, and I'm sure you're

0:20:38.600 --> 0:20:40.479
<v Speaker 2>not going to be surprised when I'm like, it's kind

0:20:40.520 --> 0:20:43.840
<v Speaker 2>of a love hate relationship with the Senses. I think

0:20:43.880 --> 0:20:46.879
<v Speaker 2>I remember as a little girl that Hispanic was a

0:20:47.000 --> 0:20:52.000
<v Speaker 2>term that was created for the Census by a Republican administration,

0:20:52.320 --> 0:20:54.840
<v Speaker 2>and my family did not like the Republicans. So I

0:20:54.920 --> 0:20:57.280
<v Speaker 2>was like, I'm not Hispanic, I'm not a term that

0:20:57.400 --> 0:21:00.520
<v Speaker 2>was created. So the Census has this kind of again

0:21:00.560 --> 0:21:03.359
<v Speaker 2>this impact. In fact, in twenty ten, when I form

0:21:03.600 --> 0:21:07.399
<v Speaker 2>Futuro Media, my own company, one of the things that

0:21:07.680 --> 0:21:09.920
<v Speaker 2>made me believe that I could do it was data

0:21:09.960 --> 0:21:12.880
<v Speaker 2>from the Censes. Right. The data was that the Latino

0:21:12.920 --> 0:21:17.280
<v Speaker 2>population growth from twenty to twenty ten had grown at

0:21:17.480 --> 0:21:23.600
<v Speaker 2>forty three percent. So the Census is an organization that

0:21:23.720 --> 0:21:27.760
<v Speaker 2>we I think you too have had a love hate

0:21:27.800 --> 0:21:30.880
<v Speaker 2>relationship with am I right? How do you see how

0:21:30.920 --> 0:21:34.399
<v Speaker 2>the Census has impacted your personal life. Were you that

0:21:34.440 --> 0:21:38.400
<v Speaker 2>guy who was like thinking about the censes like decades.

0:21:38.000 --> 0:21:43.160
<v Speaker 1>Ago, actually decades ago? I was because I actually did

0:21:43.240 --> 0:21:47.119
<v Speaker 1>projects for the Census as a as a researcher. I

0:21:47.280 --> 0:21:51.000
<v Speaker 1>served for six years on the advisory committee and said

0:21:51.040 --> 0:21:54.040
<v Speaker 1>the same thing day one as I did six years

0:21:54.080 --> 0:21:56.400
<v Speaker 1>later as I walked out the door in terms of advice.

0:21:56.880 --> 0:22:00.720
<v Speaker 1>But I actually have not had a love hate relationship.

0:22:00.800 --> 0:22:04.480
<v Speaker 1>I've had a love love relationship with the Census my

0:22:04.880 --> 0:22:08.600
<v Speaker 1>entire career because I recognize.

0:22:08.080 --> 0:22:11.800
<v Speaker 2>Love love like I mean, you've been critical of it, though.

0:22:11.720 --> 0:22:15.560
<v Speaker 3>Right, because I love the Census Bureau.

0:22:16.040 --> 0:22:18.040
<v Speaker 2>Are you, like really that person who's like, oh my god,

0:22:18.080 --> 0:22:20.399
<v Speaker 2>I've always loved this. Are you that person?

0:22:21.440 --> 0:22:26.160
<v Speaker 1>I am in the sense that I want it and

0:22:26.240 --> 0:22:29.200
<v Speaker 1>we need it to improve and to be the best

0:22:29.240 --> 0:22:33.679
<v Speaker 1>that it is. It's been, It's done some exceptionally great

0:22:33.720 --> 0:22:39.960
<v Speaker 1>stuff in the past. All statistics have strengths and limitations.

0:22:40.359 --> 0:22:45.320
<v Speaker 1>The limitations for desennial Census historically have been ones where

0:22:45.359 --> 0:22:49.680
<v Speaker 1>people of color are undercounted. That's an issue. I've been

0:22:49.720 --> 0:22:54.120
<v Speaker 1>critical before the Census, and now that I'm director, we're

0:22:54.200 --> 0:22:56.400
<v Speaker 1>looking at that and it's not like they don't look

0:22:56.440 --> 0:23:00.159
<v Speaker 1>at it every you know, day of our lives. We

0:23:00.200 --> 0:23:04.399
<v Speaker 1>have experts who are trying their best to think of

0:23:04.480 --> 0:23:08.080
<v Speaker 1>new creative ways to help with participation, et cetera. But

0:23:08.200 --> 0:23:12.240
<v Speaker 1>I recognize that the data that the census provides is

0:23:12.280 --> 0:23:19.480
<v Speaker 1>a vital part of our democracy. We can't improve communities, neighborhoods,

0:23:19.760 --> 0:23:24.960
<v Speaker 1>we can't identify problems unless we can measure properly the

0:23:25.640 --> 0:23:28.520
<v Speaker 1>state of the nation who we are as a people.

0:23:29.160 --> 0:23:32.520
<v Speaker 1>And it's in that context that I've always loved the

0:23:32.560 --> 0:23:36.359
<v Speaker 1>Census Bureau because I admire them doing the best that

0:23:36.400 --> 0:23:39.520
<v Speaker 1>can be done, even though it's not perfection.

0:23:39.800 --> 0:23:41.720
<v Speaker 2>Because I mean, that's what I was going to say. So,

0:23:41.840 --> 0:23:46.080
<v Speaker 2>so is it that you've been up at night not

0:23:46.320 --> 0:23:49.520
<v Speaker 2>now just because you're the director of the Senses, but

0:23:49.560 --> 0:23:55.560
<v Speaker 2>that in the past because the undercounting of in particular

0:23:55.680 --> 0:24:02.560
<v Speaker 2>Latino Latina LATINX community and frankly, and I know this

0:24:02.600 --> 0:24:05.000
<v Speaker 2>is not a surprise to you, there's deep distrust now

0:24:05.040 --> 0:24:09.360
<v Speaker 2>with any government institution in the United States. I mean

0:24:09.520 --> 0:24:11.560
<v Speaker 2>those things that have kept you up at night. This

0:24:11.600 --> 0:24:15.040
<v Speaker 2>whole notion of like the deep, deep undercounting that comes

0:24:15.040 --> 0:24:20.280
<v Speaker 2>from one I suppose deep disorganization, but also deep distrust.

0:24:21.320 --> 0:24:23.560
<v Speaker 1>I'm not prepared to say it keeps me up at night,

0:24:23.640 --> 0:24:29.080
<v Speaker 1>as much as it's a core issue that we need

0:24:29.119 --> 0:24:33.560
<v Speaker 1>to address for the future, we need to recognize its existence.

0:24:34.280 --> 0:24:37.760
<v Speaker 1>There are mistrust issues that have been historical as well

0:24:37.800 --> 0:24:41.520
<v Speaker 1>as more recent, and I would never have taken this

0:24:41.640 --> 0:24:44.600
<v Speaker 1>job unless I thought I could help in that regard.

0:24:45.000 --> 0:24:49.399
<v Speaker 1>So one of the primary agenda items for me, or

0:24:49.640 --> 0:24:52.840
<v Speaker 1>contributions that I want to make as Director of the

0:24:52.840 --> 0:24:56.239
<v Speaker 1>Census Bureau is to put a human face on the

0:24:56.240 --> 0:24:59.959
<v Speaker 1>Census Bureau. We're not a bunch of mathematicians in our

0:25:00.119 --> 0:25:05.119
<v Speaker 1>little offices thinking big thoughts. We're actually human beings. We

0:25:05.200 --> 0:25:08.560
<v Speaker 1>all have cultures, we all have issues, we all are

0:25:08.680 --> 0:25:12.880
<v Speaker 1>human in nature. And I'm bringing that because I think

0:25:12.960 --> 0:25:17.080
<v Speaker 1>I can. I'm going to outreach to communities, to neighborhoods,

0:25:17.160 --> 0:25:22.200
<v Speaker 1>to stakeholders, to congress, to local governments, to tribal communities.

0:25:22.680 --> 0:25:24.600
<v Speaker 1>I want to get out there and I want to

0:25:24.680 --> 0:25:28.760
<v Speaker 1>find out what those issues are with my staff. So

0:25:28.840 --> 0:25:31.119
<v Speaker 1>the Census spiritA will be a part of all of

0:25:31.160 --> 0:25:36.520
<v Speaker 1>that and establish a continuous relationship with people and with

0:25:36.640 --> 0:25:41.640
<v Speaker 1>communities rather than simply two years before a Census, saying Okay,

0:25:41.680 --> 0:25:44.560
<v Speaker 1>it's time for us to have partnerships. We recognize that

0:25:44.600 --> 0:25:47.199
<v Speaker 1>we need to have this continuously, and I'm going to

0:25:47.240 --> 0:25:51.639
<v Speaker 1>be upfront and center trying to work with everyone to

0:25:51.800 --> 0:25:56.080
<v Speaker 1>establish a true two way relationship, not just to help

0:25:56.160 --> 0:26:00.439
<v Speaker 1>us get participation, but also here is information that's useful

0:26:00.440 --> 0:26:03.679
<v Speaker 1>for your specific community. Here are some tools you can

0:26:03.800 --> 0:26:07.399
<v Speaker 1>use to identify community needs, to solve problems, to create

0:26:07.480 --> 0:26:11.679
<v Speaker 1>more economic development. That's the type of two way relationship

0:26:11.720 --> 0:26:12.480
<v Speaker 1>that I really want to.

0:26:12.400 --> 0:26:17.959
<v Speaker 2>Get, Director Santos. The last administration and all of the

0:26:18.000 --> 0:26:24.240
<v Speaker 2>controversy leading up to the twenty twenty senses has I mean,

0:26:24.320 --> 0:26:31.040
<v Speaker 2>it's so polarized, and it forced people more into a

0:26:31.080 --> 0:26:34.080
<v Speaker 2>place of darkness, I suppose in regards to the senses.

0:26:34.160 --> 0:26:38.480
<v Speaker 2>So I mean you're trying to kind of I don't

0:26:38.480 --> 0:26:40.320
<v Speaker 2>want to say catch up, because you're actually trying to

0:26:40.359 --> 0:26:42.720
<v Speaker 2>do something very futuristic. But you've got a lot of

0:26:43.680 --> 0:26:47.880
<v Speaker 2>lead from the last administration and last decades. I mean

0:26:47.880 --> 0:26:50.120
<v Speaker 2>that lead is how do you deal with that lead

0:26:50.119 --> 0:26:52.960
<v Speaker 2>that is weighing you down, which is part historical and

0:26:53.240 --> 0:26:54.679
<v Speaker 2>you know, systemic.

0:26:55.080 --> 0:26:58.560
<v Speaker 1>I do not view this as an issue of oh

0:26:58.600 --> 0:27:01.000
<v Speaker 1>my god, look what's happened in the past. I view

0:27:01.040 --> 0:27:03.680
<v Speaker 1>it as where do we need to get into the

0:27:03.720 --> 0:27:07.040
<v Speaker 1>future and how do we need to address these types

0:27:07.080 --> 0:27:07.520
<v Speaker 1>of issues.

0:27:07.560 --> 0:27:08.800
<v Speaker 3>So I'm I'm.

0:27:08.680 --> 0:27:14.160
<v Speaker 1>Looking forward because one of the greatest attributes and strengths

0:27:14.160 --> 0:27:18.040
<v Speaker 1>of the Census Bureau is that it is a non

0:27:18.200 --> 0:27:22.800
<v Speaker 1>partisan federal statistical agency. So I'll say it again, it's

0:27:22.800 --> 0:27:27.719
<v Speaker 1>a non partisan federal statistical agency, which is the only

0:27:27.840 --> 0:27:32.520
<v Speaker 1>reason that I was willing to join. Because the notion

0:27:32.600 --> 0:27:39.160
<v Speaker 1>of scientific integrity objectivity is something and transparency not many

0:27:39.280 --> 0:27:42.400
<v Speaker 1>organizations want to reveal, like the good and the bad

0:27:42.440 --> 0:27:45.480
<v Speaker 1>and the ugly about everything we do. We put that

0:27:45.640 --> 0:27:47.919
<v Speaker 1>up front because that's part of our job that the

0:27:47.920 --> 0:27:51.840
<v Speaker 1>American people deserve to hear and to see the strengths

0:27:51.840 --> 0:27:55.280
<v Speaker 1>and limitations of all of our data products. And it's

0:27:55.400 --> 0:27:59.000
<v Speaker 1>because of that scientific integrity and our non partisan nature

0:27:59.600 --> 0:28:03.160
<v Speaker 1>that I think we have a really good starting point

0:28:03.480 --> 0:28:06.560
<v Speaker 1>to take wherever we are right now and move forward

0:28:06.640 --> 0:28:09.919
<v Speaker 1>and create really great ties to communities and great things.

0:28:10.119 --> 0:28:12.239
<v Speaker 1>And That's what I'm going to be doing, and I

0:28:12.280 --> 0:28:14.200
<v Speaker 1>know that that's what the rest of the Census Spirit

0:28:14.280 --> 0:28:15.240
<v Speaker 1>is going to be doing as well.

0:28:15.640 --> 0:28:18.240
<v Speaker 2>Your excitement about being at the Census is clear, like

0:28:18.280 --> 0:28:20.800
<v Speaker 2>we can feel it. We absolutely can feel it. I

0:28:20.840 --> 0:28:23.639
<v Speaker 2>can see it. So I want to zoom out for

0:28:23.680 --> 0:28:26.480
<v Speaker 2>a bit because when I think about the senses, I

0:28:26.520 --> 0:28:29.280
<v Speaker 2>think the other word that comes to mind is white

0:28:29.280 --> 0:28:33.600
<v Speaker 2>supremacy and systemic racism, and how that is a part

0:28:33.680 --> 0:28:37.679
<v Speaker 2>of the institution. We have to acknowledge how people in

0:28:37.720 --> 0:28:41.000
<v Speaker 2>this country were first counted, right, Enslaved black people were

0:28:41.040 --> 0:28:44.360
<v Speaker 2>basically counted only as three fifths of a human being,

0:28:45.000 --> 0:28:48.200
<v Speaker 2>and areas with large enslaved populations benefited from this in

0:28:48.280 --> 0:28:52.200
<v Speaker 2>terms of federal funding and political power and representation. So

0:28:52.960 --> 0:28:56.240
<v Speaker 2>again your excitement to be at the census, But the

0:28:56.320 --> 0:28:59.600
<v Speaker 2>question I'm going to ask you is, well, should the

0:28:59.640 --> 0:29:04.160
<v Speaker 2>sense be dismantled? Should it be reassembled? How do we

0:29:04.280 --> 0:29:06.440
<v Speaker 2>deal with the fact that, you know, close to four

0:29:06.480 --> 0:29:09.440
<v Speaker 2>out of the five senior executives at the bureau identify

0:29:09.600 --> 0:29:13.040
<v Speaker 2>as white according to an NPR study from last year.

0:29:13.080 --> 0:29:17.200
<v Speaker 2>So you're dealing with your big dreams and a powerful institution,

0:29:17.360 --> 0:29:22.000
<v Speaker 2>but one that has, in this case issues of white supremacy.

0:29:23.720 --> 0:29:27.160
<v Speaker 1>Well, I think that you know, pundits and others can

0:29:27.240 --> 0:29:31.040
<v Speaker 1>characterize the Census Bureau as they might. I do know

0:29:31.160 --> 0:29:34.920
<v Speaker 1>that because of things like the pandemic, we are at

0:29:34.960 --> 0:29:41.640
<v Speaker 1>a wonderful inflection point where we understand the value of diversity,

0:29:42.400 --> 0:29:47.520
<v Speaker 1>equity and inclusion, and everyone I've spoken to wants to

0:29:47.560 --> 0:29:51.800
<v Speaker 1>make progress in this regard, including myself. I think that

0:29:52.120 --> 0:29:55.080
<v Speaker 1>it's it would be naive to think that any government

0:29:55.160 --> 0:30:00.520
<v Speaker 1>or any society does not have issues with them with

0:30:00.640 --> 0:30:04.000
<v Speaker 1>regard to historical you know, racism and things of that sort.

0:30:04.640 --> 0:30:07.880
<v Speaker 1>But in terms of where we go from now, by

0:30:08.400 --> 0:30:14.520
<v Speaker 1>leveraging this diversity, equity and inclusion principles, we are recognizing

0:30:14.560 --> 0:30:19.360
<v Speaker 1>the value not only for creating a more diverse workforce

0:30:19.480 --> 0:30:23.880
<v Speaker 1>within the Census Bureau, but also questioning every single thing

0:30:24.000 --> 0:30:27.080
<v Speaker 1>we do with regard to what we measure, how we

0:30:27.160 --> 0:30:31.000
<v Speaker 1>measure it, how relevant it is, and not only that

0:30:31.400 --> 0:30:35.440
<v Speaker 1>when we produce it, how valuable it is, based on

0:30:35.520 --> 0:30:39.520
<v Speaker 1>community engagement and getting folks reaction to results and things

0:30:39.520 --> 0:30:43.200
<v Speaker 1>of that sort. So I'm very much you know, I

0:30:43.240 --> 0:30:48.800
<v Speaker 1>am absolutely not a Pollyanna. I absolutely know that issues

0:30:48.920 --> 0:30:53.360
<v Speaker 1>exist and they are cultural and they are baked into society.

0:30:53.400 --> 0:30:56.520
<v Speaker 1>But that doesn't mean we cannot don't have an obligation

0:30:56.640 --> 0:30:59.800
<v Speaker 1>to try. That's what I'm doing that's what we all

0:30:59.880 --> 0:31:01.760
<v Speaker 1>have to do, and we have to do it together

0:31:02.000 --> 0:31:03.400
<v Speaker 1>and we need each other's support.

0:31:04.120 --> 0:31:07.040
<v Speaker 2>Director Santos, forgive me that I should know the answer

0:31:07.160 --> 0:31:10.840
<v Speaker 2>to this question, but I don't. Has the Census apologized

0:31:11.520 --> 0:31:14.640
<v Speaker 2>for the fact that the data from the census was

0:31:14.760 --> 0:31:20.320
<v Speaker 2>used to enter, ie imprison American citizens of Japanese descent,

0:31:20.760 --> 0:31:23.720
<v Speaker 2>and that they were targeted because of the use of

0:31:23.800 --> 0:31:26.160
<v Speaker 2>the census data. Has there been a formal apology that

0:31:26.200 --> 0:31:28.040
<v Speaker 2>I just didn't know about.

0:31:28.520 --> 0:31:32.520
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, thank you for asking. That's a really really important question.

0:31:33.560 --> 0:31:38.960
<v Speaker 1>Can crew it actually years back apologized formally to representatives

0:31:38.960 --> 0:31:40.200
<v Speaker 1>of the Japanese community.

0:31:40.880 --> 0:31:43.200
<v Speaker 2>So how do we because you know this as well

0:31:43.440 --> 0:31:47.160
<v Speaker 2>in our community, especially after the last administration, the previous

0:31:47.200 --> 0:31:51.959
<v Speaker 2>administration in particular Latinos and Latinas and building this trust

0:31:52.800 --> 0:31:59.040
<v Speaker 2>and immigrants and refugees, undocumented people, how do you rebuild

0:31:59.120 --> 0:32:00.800
<v Speaker 2>the trust? And I know, oh, I get the whole

0:32:00.880 --> 0:32:03.280
<v Speaker 2>Like we are the Census, we are you, But I

0:32:03.320 --> 0:32:06.920
<v Speaker 2>mean you also deal with hard facts. You also want

0:32:06.960 --> 0:32:09.640
<v Speaker 2>to deal with the humanizing of it. How do you

0:32:09.720 --> 0:32:13.719
<v Speaker 2>create trust in an institution that is so large and

0:32:13.800 --> 0:32:16.720
<v Speaker 2>that has this past history And I know you want

0:32:16.720 --> 0:32:18.760
<v Speaker 2>to look at the future. So in the future, how

0:32:18.800 --> 0:32:19.760
<v Speaker 2>do you want to create.

0:32:19.640 --> 0:32:23.040
<v Speaker 1>Sure and we are already taking steps in that direction.

0:32:23.880 --> 0:32:28.040
<v Speaker 1>It is critical that we engage with the public with

0:32:28.280 --> 0:32:31.360
<v Speaker 1>we engage in local communities. We engage with people of

0:32:31.400 --> 0:32:37.480
<v Speaker 1>color and communities of color in their various manifestations, whether

0:32:37.560 --> 0:32:40.240
<v Speaker 1>it's through with Non Leyo or a maldef or the

0:32:40.280 --> 0:32:45.440
<v Speaker 1>Asian American associations that look out for those interests. It's

0:32:45.520 --> 0:32:50.040
<v Speaker 1>really important to have those types of conversations that are continuous,

0:32:50.680 --> 0:32:57.880
<v Speaker 1>and it's through having those conversations and demonstrating that their

0:32:58.000 --> 0:33:05.200
<v Speaker 1>concerns matter by incorporating those into actions we take in

0:33:05.240 --> 0:33:09.120
<v Speaker 1>the future. Through that loop and through us demonstrating with

0:33:09.280 --> 0:33:13.560
<v Speaker 1>hard data that we can we can help their communities

0:33:13.920 --> 0:33:17.640
<v Speaker 1>and all communities, I think we will build build trust.

0:33:18.360 --> 0:33:19.600
<v Speaker 2>And what are we going to do or what are

0:33:19.640 --> 0:33:21.120
<v Speaker 2>you going to do with the fact that there's an

0:33:21.120 --> 0:33:26.120
<v Speaker 2>acknowledgment of a pretty severe undercount that happened, particularly in

0:33:26.240 --> 0:33:32.200
<v Speaker 2>black Latino Latino LATINX communities. What's your plan? You again,

0:33:32.800 --> 0:33:34.720
<v Speaker 2>if you're like, well, we can't deal with what happened

0:33:34.760 --> 0:33:36.800
<v Speaker 2>in the past, that's already happened, But then what is

0:33:36.840 --> 0:33:39.800
<v Speaker 2>the plan? Like a very specific plan.

0:33:40.760 --> 0:33:43.720
<v Speaker 1>Yes, and we're in the midst of forming plans for

0:33:43.800 --> 0:33:47.360
<v Speaker 1>the twenty thirty census. But please be aware that the

0:33:48.120 --> 0:33:53.880
<v Speaker 1>plans for increasing participation and representation in the data collections

0:33:53.880 --> 0:33:57.120
<v Speaker 1>that we do are spread to all of the one

0:33:57.200 --> 0:34:00.720
<v Speaker 1>hundred and thirty or so surveys that we do every year,

0:34:01.160 --> 0:34:03.920
<v Speaker 1>as well as our economic censuses that are coming up.

0:34:04.200 --> 0:34:08.440
<v Speaker 1>And Latinos and African Americans have local businesses and such,

0:34:08.880 --> 0:34:12.640
<v Speaker 1>so we're looking to to do that.

0:34:13.719 --> 0:34:17.239
<v Speaker 2>So again, I love the fact that I have these

0:34:17.400 --> 0:34:22.120
<v Speaker 2>very specific reactions about the census when every year, every decade,

0:34:22.120 --> 0:34:23.560
<v Speaker 2>you know, when I have to deal with this, but

0:34:24.600 --> 0:34:29.920
<v Speaker 2>the term Hispanic, the term Latino, Latina, LATINX, you know,

0:34:30.120 --> 0:34:34.840
<v Speaker 2>Afro Latini, that indigenous cells. I mean, I every time

0:34:34.880 --> 0:34:36.960
<v Speaker 2>I look at the census, I'm like, but I'm not here.

0:34:37.760 --> 0:34:41.160
<v Speaker 2>I don't feel I like, I don't the boxes, which box,

0:34:41.239 --> 0:34:43.759
<v Speaker 2>which checking of the box. I'm sure you felt this

0:34:43.800 --> 0:34:46.960
<v Speaker 2>way too, So what's your plan to kind of make

0:34:46.960 --> 0:34:50.239
<v Speaker 2>the senses like read the room, understand the United States

0:34:50.280 --> 0:34:53.359
<v Speaker 2>and it's actually living in Because it feels like it's

0:34:53.560 --> 0:34:56.920
<v Speaker 2>the census again of the white men from the nineteen

0:34:57.000 --> 0:34:59.640
<v Speaker 2>fifties that were kind of creating the paradigms, and the

0:34:59.640 --> 0:35:00.920
<v Speaker 2>paradig times have all shifted.

0:35:01.440 --> 0:35:05.799
<v Speaker 1>That is a wonderful starting point for this notion that

0:35:06.440 --> 0:35:11.440
<v Speaker 1>society has tangibly changed over the last twenty thirty forty years,

0:35:11.960 --> 0:35:17.200
<v Speaker 1>where people are understanding and embracing different cultures and ancestries,

0:35:17.920 --> 0:35:22.080
<v Speaker 1>and an organization like the Census Bureau and more broadly,

0:35:22.320 --> 0:35:25.840
<v Speaker 1>the federal statistical system, because there's lots of other groups

0:35:25.960 --> 0:35:29.399
<v Speaker 1>in the federal government that collect data, need to understand

0:35:29.480 --> 0:35:34.120
<v Speaker 1>and be contemporary with the way that people identify themselves

0:35:34.520 --> 0:35:37.240
<v Speaker 1>and our notions of who we are, especially with multi

0:35:37.360 --> 0:35:42.160
<v Speaker 1>race couples and children and multi ethnic couples and children.

0:35:42.920 --> 0:35:46.240
<v Speaker 1>People are just becoming more aware of who they are,

0:35:46.520 --> 0:35:49.200
<v Speaker 1>and when they do that, they think of themselves differently,

0:35:49.800 --> 0:35:52.799
<v Speaker 1>and so using standards like the ones we currently have

0:35:52.920 --> 0:35:57.120
<v Speaker 1>that we're developed in nineteen ninety seven aren't necessarily the

0:35:57.160 --> 0:36:02.040
<v Speaker 1>best ones to capture the rich diversity of our.

0:36:01.920 --> 0:36:03.680
<v Speaker 3>Wonderful population right now.

0:36:04.200 --> 0:36:08.600
<v Speaker 1>We are at the Census Bureau don't have the authority

0:36:08.640 --> 0:36:12.560
<v Speaker 1>to simply change race ethnicity questions. It needs to go

0:36:12.719 --> 0:36:16.719
<v Speaker 1>through a process by the federal government to update the standards,

0:36:17.160 --> 0:36:21.480
<v Speaker 1>and we are actively working with the Office of Management

0:36:21.480 --> 0:36:24.759
<v Speaker 1>and Budget, which is part of the White House. They're

0:36:24.800 --> 0:36:29.399
<v Speaker 1>the group that creates and revises standards, and our understanding

0:36:29.640 --> 0:36:34.000
<v Speaker 1>is that that process with regard to ethnicity as well

0:36:34.040 --> 0:36:39.240
<v Speaker 1>as with regard to sojiate questions, sexual orientation, and gender identity, well,

0:36:39.400 --> 0:36:44.160
<v Speaker 1>those discussions will be commencing soon, and we have existing

0:36:44.239 --> 0:36:47.560
<v Speaker 1>research that we've already done as well as ideas on

0:36:47.600 --> 0:36:51.360
<v Speaker 1>how to go forward to better capture that rich diversity

0:36:51.400 --> 0:36:57.480
<v Speaker 1>and the disaggregation of Latinos, disaggregation of whites, disaggregation African Americans, Asians,

0:36:57.760 --> 0:36:59.240
<v Speaker 1>tribal communities, and so forth.

0:37:00.120 --> 0:37:03.440
<v Speaker 2>I remember when I started hearing that term disaggregation, So

0:37:03.560 --> 0:37:06.719
<v Speaker 2>just so people get it, can you just define what

0:37:06.800 --> 0:37:09.680
<v Speaker 2>disaggregation means? Because I think while you're the head of

0:37:09.680 --> 0:37:12.719
<v Speaker 2>the census, people will be hearing that murd a lot more.

0:37:13.360 --> 0:37:14.279
<v Speaker 3>Yeah, forgive me.

0:37:14.440 --> 0:37:17.839
<v Speaker 1>I like to pride myself as being someone who can

0:37:18.040 --> 0:37:19.200
<v Speaker 1>speak more.

0:37:20.840 --> 0:37:21.480
<v Speaker 3>To the public.

0:37:22.000 --> 0:37:25.120
<v Speaker 1>But then I throw out, I bust out the term

0:37:25.880 --> 0:37:30.160
<v Speaker 1>disaggregation and oh, it's obviously it's a it's an industry term.

0:37:31.000 --> 0:37:38.960
<v Speaker 1>Disaggregation really is very basic. Latinos are not a monolithic population.

0:37:39.640 --> 0:37:42.719
<v Speaker 1>We're luck together as a group of different groups of

0:37:42.800 --> 0:37:46.239
<v Speaker 1>a set of peoples. They're Kubanos, you know, folks from

0:37:46.360 --> 0:37:51.440
<v Speaker 1>Dominican Mexicans, even you know, Central and South America and

0:37:51.520 --> 0:37:55.120
<v Speaker 1>so forth in Puerto Ricans. And it's important to be

0:37:55.200 --> 0:37:59.920
<v Speaker 1>able to understand those differences because different communities can have

0:38:00.160 --> 0:38:05.120
<v Speaker 1>different mixes of a specific type of Latino. Not to mention,

0:38:05.280 --> 0:38:09.160
<v Speaker 1>you bring in immigrant status as well, and that will

0:38:09.200 --> 0:38:13.839
<v Speaker 1>trigger notions of what types of community needs there are.

0:38:14.560 --> 0:38:18.359
<v Speaker 1>How to better address issues like, you know, how do

0:38:18.400 --> 0:38:21.399
<v Speaker 1>we convince folks to take vaccines, how do we get

0:38:21.400 --> 0:38:24.480
<v Speaker 1>folks to register to vote? How do we get folks

0:38:24.520 --> 0:38:28.920
<v Speaker 1>to understand the value of fruits and vegetables for a

0:38:28.920 --> 0:38:31.960
<v Speaker 1>more nutritious meal, even though they may not have a

0:38:32.000 --> 0:38:35.640
<v Speaker 1>libapal wage, you know, to buy those types of products.

0:38:36.160 --> 0:38:39.880
<v Speaker 1>So we really need to understand the rich diversity, and

0:38:39.880 --> 0:38:41.239
<v Speaker 1>that's what de segregation means.

0:38:41.800 --> 0:38:44.399
<v Speaker 2>I think part of what you're trying to do is,

0:38:44.440 --> 0:38:48.520
<v Speaker 2>as you say, you want you and your whole staff

0:38:48.520 --> 0:38:51.640
<v Speaker 2>to bring their entire selves into the Census Bureau because

0:38:51.680 --> 0:38:55.359
<v Speaker 2>that ultimately will lead to a better Census bureau. You

0:38:55.400 --> 0:38:59.560
<v Speaker 2>have actually and you talk a lot about equity and inclusion,

0:39:00.360 --> 0:39:03.239
<v Speaker 2>and you've actually taken some steps. So what are you

0:39:03.320 --> 0:39:06.880
<v Speaker 2>doing in terms of your own staff and that diversity

0:39:07.000 --> 0:39:08.360
<v Speaker 2>representation and inclusion.

0:39:09.160 --> 0:39:13.120
<v Speaker 1>Well, on the staff that I work with directly, there

0:39:13.200 --> 0:39:19.400
<v Speaker 1>is actually an incredibly rich diversity of Latinos, of African Americans,

0:39:20.080 --> 0:39:22.280
<v Speaker 1>of white individuals.

0:39:21.600 --> 0:39:22.840
<v Speaker 3>From different backgrounds.

0:39:23.480 --> 0:39:29.200
<v Speaker 1>We have efforts to transform and modernize the Census Bureau

0:39:29.520 --> 0:39:33.480
<v Speaker 1>because we absolutely need it in order to survive in

0:39:33.600 --> 0:39:37.200
<v Speaker 1>the future. And part of that is making sure that

0:39:37.239 --> 0:39:41.200
<v Speaker 1>we do things like review all of our policies and

0:39:41.280 --> 0:39:46.239
<v Speaker 1>practices for two things. One is to make sure they

0:39:46.239 --> 0:39:49.879
<v Speaker 1>are equitable, and my guess is that most, if not all,

0:39:50.000 --> 0:39:51.880
<v Speaker 1>will end up being equitable. We've got to do our

0:39:51.920 --> 0:39:56.160
<v Speaker 1>due diligence. And the second is the practice. It's policies

0:39:56.320 --> 0:40:00.319
<v Speaker 1>and practice. You can have an equitable policy, if it's

0:40:00.360 --> 0:40:04.279
<v Speaker 1>not implemented in the right way, you may as well

0:40:04.320 --> 0:40:05.280
<v Speaker 1>not have the policy.

0:40:05.880 --> 0:40:06.040
<v Speaker 3>You know.

0:40:06.120 --> 0:40:11.720
<v Speaker 1>Altogether, we're also looking in a very honed way at

0:40:12.000 --> 0:40:17.320
<v Speaker 1>assembling data from different sources in ways that can facilitate

0:40:17.400 --> 0:40:20.839
<v Speaker 1>a better understanding of community from an equity lens.

0:40:21.360 --> 0:40:23.279
<v Speaker 2>All right, Well, you've been able to tell us a

0:40:23.320 --> 0:40:26.200
<v Speaker 2>lot about you know, kind of your work right now,

0:40:26.280 --> 0:40:28.880
<v Speaker 2>but we do know that you'll there will be a

0:40:28.920 --> 0:40:31.600
<v Speaker 2>finite period of time in which you serve as the

0:40:31.640 --> 0:40:35.759
<v Speaker 2>director of the Senses. And I can tell, with all

0:40:35.840 --> 0:40:37.960
<v Speaker 2>due respect that you're a little bit of a nerd

0:40:38.239 --> 0:40:38.759
<v Speaker 2>am I right?

0:40:39.640 --> 0:40:41.040
<v Speaker 3>Yes, I confess.

0:40:42.680 --> 0:40:45.640
<v Speaker 2>So what do you want the legacy? Your legacy? You're

0:40:45.640 --> 0:40:50.400
<v Speaker 2>the first Latino to lead the Senses, You're the first

0:40:50.400 --> 0:40:53.120
<v Speaker 2>man with a ponytail that we know of in the

0:40:53.120 --> 0:40:56.160
<v Speaker 2>modern ages. So what do you want your legacy to be?

0:40:56.719 --> 0:40:59.520
<v Speaker 1>It's interesting people keep asking me that, and I keep

0:40:59.520 --> 0:41:03.360
<v Speaker 1>telling them I am not that type of leader. I

0:41:03.400 --> 0:41:06.399
<v Speaker 1>don't I don't want to leave the Census Bureau, And

0:41:06.440 --> 0:41:09.520
<v Speaker 1>folks say, well, Rob did X, Rob did Y, and

0:41:09.600 --> 0:41:13.200
<v Speaker 1>Rob did C. I would much rather because of who

0:41:13.239 --> 0:41:17.400
<v Speaker 1>I am and my belief in how I lead to

0:41:17.800 --> 0:41:22.359
<v Speaker 1>enable all kinds of staff to do great things and

0:41:22.400 --> 0:41:26.000
<v Speaker 1>then to help them find the resources to be innovative,

0:41:26.520 --> 0:41:30.359
<v Speaker 1>to tangibly demonstrate what it means to live in an

0:41:30.440 --> 0:41:34.600
<v Speaker 1>equitable work environment. So my legacy, if you look at

0:41:34.600 --> 0:41:37.120
<v Speaker 1>it from the in that sense, isn't going to be

0:41:37.520 --> 0:41:43.360
<v Speaker 1>an accomplishment as much as a driver to allow people

0:41:43.760 --> 0:41:49.680
<v Speaker 1>to become excellent. In the context of diversity, equity, and inclusion,

0:41:50.160 --> 0:41:52.880
<v Speaker 1>and that's what my legacy. I want my legacy to be.

0:41:53.200 --> 0:41:56.680
<v Speaker 1>I helped people do their job better well.

0:41:56.800 --> 0:42:01.440
<v Speaker 2>Director Robert Roberto Santos, thank you so much for joining

0:42:01.440 --> 0:42:02.400
<v Speaker 2>me on Latino USA.

0:42:03.520 --> 0:42:07.120
<v Speaker 1>It was an absolute honor, Maria, and thank you very

0:42:07.160 --> 0:42:11.120
<v Speaker 1>much for this opportunity to let folks know who I am.

0:42:14.400 --> 0:42:18.760
<v Speaker 2>Since my conversation with Director Santos, the White House Office

0:42:18.800 --> 0:42:21.799
<v Speaker 2>of Management and Budget announced that it has started a

0:42:21.840 --> 0:42:27.400
<v Speaker 2>formal review in order to revise the race and Ethnicity classifications.

0:42:28.040 --> 0:42:32.279
<v Speaker 2>It uses these to collect data across federal agencies to

0:42:32.400 --> 0:42:37.480
<v Speaker 2>quote better reflect the diversity of the American people end quote.

0:42:37.680 --> 0:42:42.360
<v Speaker 2>These classifications have not been revised since nineteen ninety seven.

0:42:57.960 --> 0:43:01.440
<v Speaker 2>This episode was produced by Renaldo Leanos Junior. It was

0:43:01.560 --> 0:43:05.600
<v Speaker 2>mixed by Stephanie Lebou and Julia Caruso. The Latino USA

0:43:05.640 --> 0:43:10.719
<v Speaker 2>team includes Victori Estrada, Andrea Lopez Brusavo, Dori mar Marquez,

0:43:10.719 --> 0:43:15.040
<v Speaker 2>Marta Martinez, Mike Sargent, Nor Saudi, and Nancy Drujuigo. Benny

0:43:15.120 --> 0:43:19.120
<v Speaker 2>les Amidez is our co executive producer. Our marketing manager

0:43:19.160 --> 0:43:22.320
<v Speaker 2>is Luis Duna. Our theme music was composed by Saniel

0:43:22.400 --> 0:43:25.879
<v Speaker 2>Roubinos I'm your host and executive producer Maria Rojosa join

0:43:25.960 --> 0:43:28.520
<v Speaker 2>us again on our next episode. In the meantime, I'll

0:43:28.560 --> 0:43:32.200
<v Speaker 2>see you on social media by te Ba Yas.

0:43:37.520 --> 0:43:41.920
<v Speaker 3>Latino USA is supported by the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, the

0:43:42.080 --> 0:43:45.760
<v Speaker 3>Tao Foundation, and Michelle Mercer and Bruce Golden.

0:43:50.239 --> 0:43:52.720
<v Speaker 2>And by the way, I hear you're a big griller

0:43:53.000 --> 0:43:54.799
<v Speaker 2>and you love to barbecue, and I'm like, Okay, I

0:43:54.840 --> 0:43:58.279
<v Speaker 2>want to be invited to that barbecue. Director Santos, Okay,

0:43:58.960 --> 0:44:01.680
<v Speaker 2>that's the barbecue. I want to be invited to. Yours,

0:44:02.160 --> 0:44:06.160
<v Speaker 2>your invitation the hand, San Antonio Barbecue. But anyway,