In Brooklyn Center and Brooklyn Park, a push to count Asian-Americans

The cities of Brooklyn Park and Brooklyn Center will hold a community meeting Thursday to discuss how to make sure every Asian-American resident is counted for the 2020 census.

Asians make up nearly a fifth of the population in those two suburbs, so city leaders say it's important that members from that community lead the discussion.

Across the nation, Asian residents are the least likely to be aware of and fill out the census form, according to the Council on Asian Pacific Minnesotans.

Results from the census can affect how much funding a city gets from state and federal governments — and what communities that money goes to.

• Census 2020Historically undercounted communities determine funding, representation
• RelatedCoalition aims for accurate count of Minnesota's Asian population

Thursday’s meeting is open to the public. It starts at 6 p.m. Thursday at Brooklyn Park Community Activity Center in Brooklyn Park. 

The two cities will also host conversations in the winter and spring about how to reach other hard-to-count populations