WASHINGTON, D.C. — A new episode of the CitiesSpeak podcast from the National League of Cities (NLC) features Mayor Pro Tem Alejandra Chavez (El Paso, Texas) in conversation with Dante Moreno, NLC Legislative Advocacy Manager, about why cities, towns and villages should begin preparing now for the 2030 Census. Chavez joined the podcast while in Washington, D.C., ahead of a congressional briefing focused on the 2020 Census undercount of young children and its consequences for communities.
During the episode, Mayor Pro Tem Chavez discusses El Paso’s experience building trusted community partnerships to improve Census participation, the challenges of counting young children and residents in multigenerational and mixed-status households, and the direct connection between an accurate count and local planning and resources. She also explains why municipalities should begin identifying trusted partners and historically undercounted neighborhoods well before 2030.
Highlights from the Conversation
On what is at stake when children are undercounted:
“When children are undercounted, that doesn’t mean that they go away. It just means that they are less visible. And what they need in the future, and as I mentioned, we are basically counting what we’re gonna need between 2030 and 2040. What those children need in the future doesn’t go away.” — Mayor Pro Tem Alejandra Chavez (El Paso, Texas)
On the importance of building trust before 2030:
“Trust, I think, is just as important as access when it comes to filling out the census. So, we need to start building that trust today so that when we do get to 2030, we have all the tools necessary and all the organizations ready to go to help us in this process.” — Mayor Pro Tem Alejandra Chavez (El Paso, Texas)
On why cities cannot wait to prepare:
“You know, we’re in 2026. If you start in 2029, you’re too late. You need to start organizing today. You need to start identifying those key players in your area to make sure that together you will be able to do all the outreach that’s going to be necessary to ensure that your city is going to have an accurate count for the next census.” — Mayor Pro Tem Alejandra Chavez (El Paso, Texas)
The CitiesSpeak podcast features conversations with leaders and policy experts on the biggest issues facing America’s cities, towns and villages.
Listen to the full conversation, also available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube.
About CitiesSpeak
Each episode of NLC’s podcast, CitiesSpeak with Clarence Anthony, dives into a critical issue facing local leaders today, featuring conversations with elected leaders and policy experts from across the country. The podcast is a relaxed and entertaining resource for local policymakers looking for ideas and information to bring back to their communities. The podcast is hosted by NLC CEO and Executive Director Clarence Anthony, who previously served as mayor of South Bay, Florida, for more than two decades.
New episodes of CitiesSpeak are available on all major podcasting platforms and on YouTube. If you have feedback for the show or ideas for future guests, email us. Happy listening!
