CaribPR Newswire, NEW YORK, NY, Fri. June 20, 2008: A campaign to lobby for a non Hispanic Caribbean/West Indian category on the U.S. Census to help nationals from this region become accurately counted has kicked off officially in New York on One Caribbean Radio on June 20th.

`CaribID2010,` a movement initiated by Hard Beat Communications` Felicia Persaud, is a gigantic effort to get Caribbean from the English, Dutch and French-speaking Caribbean, who have no way now of self-identifying themselves on the U.S. Census form, secure a category.

Irwine Clare, of the Caribbean Immigrants Services, and Sherra Pierre Marche, of CbeanMedia.tv, co-initiators in the effort, shared the economic, political and social importance of being accurately counted by the U.S. Census, as other guests gathered at the event listened.

The movement now is lobbying for a bill to be introduced in Congress to push for a single line to be added to the U.S. Census form while the Institute of Caribbean Studies of D.C. and the Caribbean Research Center works with the U.S. Census Bureau to raise the community’s concern.

Nationals who number millions across the U.S. and are from English, Dutch and French-speaking Caribbean nations are now forced to choose between checking the box misidentifying themselves as either African American, Asian American or Hispanic or simply as other.

The `discriminatory` move keeps the community undercounted, under empowered and disrespected, says Persaud, as thy remain invisible to mainstream Americans.

Irwine Clare, of the Caribbean Immigrant Services insists, `This is a timely endeavor for the Caribbean community as we seek to capitalize and maximize in any meaningful way on our presence here in these United States.` Sherra Pierre March, of CbeanMedia added, `This CaribID2010 movement is critical to determining the economic futures of our communities.  Every year the census data directly affects how more than 300 billion dollars is allocated to communities across the U.S.`

Every Caribbean national is urged this movement to help Caribbean nationals get the respect they deserve as the important bloc they are.