Mayor John Cooper’s office and the U.S. Census Bureau partnered with The Equity Alliance and The 200 Man Stand to hold a Census Parade in historically underserved communities and encourage Nashvillians to participate in the 2020 Census.

On August 5, the groups drove through parts of the Napier neighborhood speaking to residents and raising awareness about the upcoming census before U.S. Census volunteers begin knocking on doors at a later date. All participating groups followed Metro’s public health requirements.

The Census Parade route began at the Napier Recreation Center and traveled on several streets including First Avenue South, Hart Street, Lewis Street, and Trimble Street before returning to the Napier Recreation Center.

Cooper said as Nashville continues to grow and diversify, we must work diligently to make sure all our communities are counted.

“I’m grateful to partner with The Equity Alliance and The 200 Man Stand to safely raise awareness about the importance of the 2020 Census,” said Cooper. “Now is a critical time to take part in the census, which determines how the Federal government spends billions of dollars in communities across the country, including Nashville and Davidson County. The more people who are counted in Nashville, the more money we’ll receive for schools, hospitals, and other important public services.”

“The Napier Community is a wonderful community that may not realize it is not too late to respond to the 2020 Census,” said NaaDzama O’Ashby, Census Bureau partnership specialist. “This is a fun way to remind our neighbors to respond to the 2020 Census online, by phone, or through the mail. We also want to make sure they know responding to the 2020 Census is easy, important, and safe. A complete count helps ensure that services like school programs, Medicare, Medicaid, social security, and public transportation can support those who need them. Also, all the information you share with us is protected by law and cannot be used against you.”