vox--2020-05-12--The pandemic may leave communities of color undercounted in the census. It could cost them billions.

The pandemic may leave communities of color undercounted in the census .
It could cost them billions .
Share All sharing options for : The pandemic may leave communities of color undercounted in the census .
It could cost them billions .
As a community organizer in Los Angeles , Antionette Saddler has worked to combat police brutality , poverty , and homelessness , particularly in black and brown communities .
Now the 26-year-old activist is focused on another issue at the intersection of social and racial justice : the 2020 census .
Historically , “ data has shown that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we see this happening yet again , ” says Saddler , a team lead with the California Black Census & Redistricting Hub , a.k.a .
the CA Black Hub .
A project of the civic nonprofit California Calls , the network of more than 30 organizations aims to maximize statewide participation in the census and redistricting process .
“ With Covid-19 hitting our communities at rapid rates , folks are being told to social distance .
Which means our opportunity to spread the word to some of the most undercounted communities has become @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out .
If these communities aren ’ t reached , the implications are vast .
The census shapes political representation and the allocation of public funding over the next decade , determining state Electoral College votes , as well as how local , state , and federal legislative district lines are drawn .
This is particularly important with a new redistricting cycle slated for 2021 .
Gerrymandering — wherein politicians in power manipulate district maps and boundary lines to favor their party winning elections — has long been used as a weapon to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ African Americans and other communities of color .
Additionally , the census drives the distribution of $ 1.5 trillion in tax dollars for communities nationwide and vital public needs : schools , housing , mass transportation , health programs , infrastructure ( roads and highways ) , public safety , Medicaid , emergency services , and more .
“ Billions in federal dollars flow to state governments and to the local level , ” Michael C. Cook Sr. , a spokesperson for the US Census Bureau , told Vox .
“ It ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shapes the future.
” And historically , power has not moved in the direction of America ’ s most vulnerable populations — the ones who have the most to gain from public services and the most to lose in redistricting .
The Urban Institute , a nonpartisan think tank , has projected that more than 4 million people could be undercounted in the 2020 census .
And advocates such as the CA Black Hub worry that the health crisis could dramatically impact this year ’ s census count .
Before the pandemic , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Black Counts ” campaign around a mix of outreach , including education , digital advertising , social media , telephone calls , and door-to-door canvassing .
Starting last fall , they ’ d reached 25,000 residents — California ’ s black population nears 3 million — by phone and door-knocking , according to Ama Nyamekye , CA Black Hub ’ s project manager .
With safety top of mind now , they ’ ve suspended in-person contact and are using a virtual phone bank platform that enables coalition members to efficiently call and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the census .
At least 5,000 calls were made in April , they say .
“ I have talked to many community members who didn ’ t even remember the 2020 census was live , or they feel discouraged right now , ” says Saddler .
“ This pandemic has shaken people , but it is my duty to remind them that they do matter , that they do count.
” Conducting the census in the time of coronavirus Mandated by the Constitution , every person in America and its five territories @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Samoa , the Northern Mariana Islands , and the US Virgin Islands — is supposed to be counted in the US census .
The first count happened in 1790 , occurring every 10 years since , with Congress charged with providing oversight .
While the 2020 census headcount officially kicked off in January in an Alaska Native village , Covid-19 has led to operational adjustments for the Trump administration .
The bureau , under the auspices of the US Department of Commerce , announced March 18 it would temporarily suspend field operations .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ phased restart ” in some areas — i.e.
, packets being dropped at front doors in areas where households don ’ t receive mail — with additional operations to resume at different times around the country based on federal , state , and local public health guidance .
“ This pandemic has shaken people , but it is my duty to remind them that they do matter , that they do count ” Although the count was originally to be completed by July 31 , the Census Bureau has moved that date @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asking Congress for a 120-day delay of statutory deadlines to provide a cushion in case field operations need to extend even longer .
Moreover , instead of census numbers being provided to the president on December 31 , that ’ s been pushed to April 30 , 2021 .
Despite deadline extensions and outreach efforts slowly ramping back up , other potential consequences of the pandemic loom .
For one , state redistricting timelines could be affected .
In April , Census Bureau Director Steven Dillingham and top officials briefed the House Committee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ members of Congress the road ahead includes determining which states may need to take legislative action delaying the redrawing of political maps .
New Jersey and Virginia , for example , hold off-year elections that could be affected by the bureau ’ s request to delay the delivery of redistricting data .
Meanwhile , New York City , the epicenter for a rash of coronavirus cases , stands to lose billions in federal funding if the city ’ s nearly 9 million residents are undercounted , according to NYC Census 2020 .
Moreover @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s 12 congressional seats could hang in the balance , advocates say .
The jurisdiction has so far had a lower response rate than the national average , according to the Census Bureau .
In the country overall , 58 percent ( more than 86.4 million households ) have completed the census , as of May 9 .
In 2010 , the final self-response was 66.5 percent , with more than 86 million respondents .
With funding and representation on the line — which could be even more vital in the wake of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being undertaken to ensure underrepresented populations are counted during the pandemic .
Communities of color and low-income neighborhoods will feel the greatest impact from underreported census counts Data shows that people of color , children , seniors , undocumented immigrants , people with disabilities , LGBTQ folks , Native people in tribal areas , the homeless , and low-income people are among the least likely to be counted accurately in the census .
Across the country , both national coalitions and grassroots groups are getting the word out to ensure what the census @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aren ’ t left out .
There have been celebrity PSAs ( John Legend , Cardi B , and Taraji P. Henson ) , and other big names ( Selena Gomez , Megan Rapinoe , Janelle Monáe ) making video cameos promoting the census , too .
( Legend is a Vox Media board member . )
Then there is the on-the-ground — or now virtual — work of making sure people are not only aware the census exists but also fill it out .
Some groups are getting creative : Color of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New Orleans outside Burnell ’ s Market in the Lower Ninth Ward last month — a few hundred attendees completed census pledge cards and received a catered meal .
Meanwhile , campaigns like Census Counts work with dozens of national , state , and community-based organizations and a network of elected officials to ensure a fair and accurate process .
Among its partners is the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee , which has a joint project with the Arab American Institute Foundation called Yalla Count Me In , a grassroots coalition-led movement to count Arab @ @ @ @ @ @ @ yalla ” is slang for “ hurry up ” or “ let ’ s go ” ) .
Getting an accurate count is imperative : The 2010 census estimated Arab Americans — those with roots in the Middle East and North Africa ( MENA ) region — to be 1.5 million ; the Arab American Institute has placed the figure closer to between 3.5 and 3.7 million .
Arab communities in the US have long grappled with the race and ethnicity question on the census forms ( advocates have tried unsuccessfully to get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many households choosing “ white ” in the absence of more descriptive categories .
In 2010 , the “ Check it right , you ain ’ t White ” campaign encouraged respondents to check off the “ some other race ” category and write in their family origin ( for instance , Iranian , Lebanese , Egyptian , Palestinian , Yemeni , etc . )
, an option that is available again this year .
For the 2020 census , multiple languages — including Arabic , Portuguese , Mandarin , Tagalog , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and millions of households have also received bilingual census forms in Spanish and English .
Still , Arturo Vargas , a member of the Census Bureau ’ s National Advisory Committee on Racial , Ethnic , and Other Populations , warns of potential undercounts .
Latinos in the country comprise upward of 59.7 million people , according to past census data .
“ The Census Bureau ’ s request for deadline extensions is a sobering reminder of the importance of completing the census in a timely manner without sacrificing accuracy , ” he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our side.
” Vargas is also the CEO of NALEO Educational Fund , a national Latino civic engagement organization that offers resources such as a bilingual national census hotline and has been collaborating with Spanish-language media partners like Univision and Telemundo to get the word out .
But as is the case with other organizations , NALEO ’ s efforts have been impacted by Covid-19 .
In response , they ’ ve pivoted to Facebook Live , Twitter events , and virtual town halls .
And in Texas , they ’ ve shifted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ volunteers to virtual spaces , Genesis Sanchez , one of NALEO ’ s regional census campaign managers , told Vox .
“ We definitely have concerns about what this new and changing landscape looks like for Texas , as the state has a significant percentage of hard-to-count populations , many of whom are Latinos , ” adds Elizabeth Bille , Texas state director at NALEO .
“ The challenges in Texas were already significant before Covid-19 , highlighted by a lack of state infrastructure and investment , combined with the public battle over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Census Bureau ’ s request for deadline extensions is a sobering reminder of the importance of completing the census in a timely manner without sacrificing accuracy .
Time is not on our side.
” In March 2018 , Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross announced plans to add a citizenship question to the 2020 census questionnaire , purportedly to obtain improved data for enforcement of the Voting Rights Act .
But as Vox ’ s Andrew Prokop wrote last year , including the question could have resulted in lower response rates among noncitizens and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Trump administration ’ s goal .
In response , legal challenges were mounted around the country — by state attorneys general in New York and California , the American Civil Liberties Union , and the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund ( MALDEF ) , among others .
On June 27 , 2019 , in a 5-4 decision , the US Supreme Court rejected Commerce ’ s rationale for adding the citizenship status question to the 2020 census , upholding lower court rulings .
Eventually , the Trump administration abandoned plans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
However , coming on the heels of anti-immigrant fervor , ICE raids , and the Trump administration ’ s earlier “ Muslim travel ban , ” advocates say the damage was already done .
“ Feedback from the community shows us that many feel left out of our democratic process and don ’ t believe that participating in the census will benefit them , ” said Bille .
How the census has historically been used to hurt vulnerable populations Undercounting minority communities in the census harks back to the first count of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of slavery .
In 1787 , when the US Constitution was being written during the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia , delegates debated over the number of seats in the House of Representatives .
In 1790 , a compromise between Southern and Northern states resulted in the Three-Fifths Compromise , meaning that for every five enslaved people , only three would count for congressional representation and taxation purposes .
According to the Constitutional Accountability Center , the accommodation was not intended to relegate black people to three-fifths of a person , but rather was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ political power of Southern slaveholding states .
It was such government-sanctioned inhumanity that would later set the stage for gerrymandering .
Janai Nelson , associate director-counsel with the NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund , told Vox via a spokesperson that the 2010 census resulted in multiple lawsuits finding intentional racial discrimination during the redistricting process .
One went all the way to the Supreme Court in 2018 : Justices reversed rulings by a San Antonio court that had ordered two congressional districts and nine statehouse districts redrawn because they “ relied on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Latinx communities , to result in ‘ an impermissible racial gerrymander , ’ ” Nelson said .
She also noted prison-based gerrymandering , which results from the census counting incarcerated persons “ in their place of imprisonment instead of the community of their last place of residence.
” This practice , Nelson notes , results “ in the exportation of black and brown bodies to correctional facilities in white rural communities , and the siphoning of both political and financial resources away from underfunded neighborhoods.
” “ The census should accurately capture the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rather than replicating the discriminatory practices of the past that whitewashed our population count , ” she added .
To ensure the census count doesn ’ t leave out racial minorities , the Congressional Tri-Caucus — composed of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus , the Congressional Black Caucus , and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus — have helped secure billions in additional funding for census operations .
Rep. Steven Horsford ( D-NV ) , chair of the CBC 2020 Census Task Force , told Vox that lawmakers have also fought to ensure those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it diversity in hiring or advertising and spending with diverse media outlets such as black newspapers .
“ The same forces who don ’ t want African Americans and people of color to vote don ’ t care about an accurate and fair census count , ” said Horsford .
“ The same forces who don ’ t want African Americans and people of color to vote don ’ t care about an accurate and fair census count ” According to the Urban Institute , the Decennial Statistical Studies Division of the Department @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of about 4 percent for African Americans ” in 1990 .
This number was lowered to “ 2 percent — around 800,000 people — in the 2000 census , but the most recent census in 2010 showed no significant change to the Black undercount.
” The institute ’ s own data indicates there could be an undercount of 1.7 million black people for 2020 .
“ If we don ’ t participate , we can lose congressional seats .
We don ’ t get the services we are entitled to , ” said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and president of the National Action Network ( NAN ) , which , along with 40 or so groups ( NAACP , National Urban League ) , is part of the “ Unity Diaspora Coalition ” to count black communities .
“ If we don ’ t participate , we become accomplices in the undercount .
We will take ourselves off the grid.
” Nefarious use of data has led some communities to distrust the census — and watchdog groups are keeping tabs To say that the manipulation of census data has caused @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would be an understatement .
However , federal law requires the Census Bureau to protect any personal and household information it collects and bars it from sharing such information with any other government agencies for 72 years .
That includes the Department of Homeland Security , law enforcement , housing authorities , and public benefits administrators , among others .
To hold the census accountable , advocacy organizations have adopted the role of watchdog .
Nearly 300 civic leaders , nonprofit organizations , elected officials , and state and local groups have forged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protect the confidentiality of 2020 census data .
The effort is led by the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund ( MALDEF ) , the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights , and Asian Americans Advancing Justice ( AAJC ) .
They have vowed to use their collective expertise and influence to safeguard the strict census data confidentiality requirements .
A key thrust is assuring people that they should participate in the census and can do so without worry .
“ Heightened distrust in elements of the federal government is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to secure an accurate census , which is so critical to our democracy ’ s next decade , ” said Thomas A. Saenz , MALDEF president and general counsel .
Despite the federal laws , the potential threat of disclosure runs deep .
For example , during World War II , the US government used census data in the internment of Japanese Americans , relocating and incarcerating more than 120,000 men , women , and children .
“ We continue to hear concerns reverberating through communities of color , particularly the Asian American @ @ @ @ @ @ @ communities , about the confidentiality of their information , ” says John C. Yang , president and executive director of AAJC .
“ For a community that includes undocumented immigrants and individuals in mixed-status households , it is imperative to remind them about the legal protections that will protect their responses.
” The Trump administration ’ s xenophobic immigration policies , which have continued during the coronavirus pandemic with an April 22 White House proclamation limiting certain green cards being issued , has only inflamed these fears .
Advocates nationwide told Vox they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ represented — not marginalized or erased .
Adds Yang : “ We have had to fight for a fair and accurate census before , and we will do it again if necessary.
” Every day at Vox , we aim to answer your most important questions and provide you , and our audience around the world , with information that has the power to save lives .
Our mission has never been more vital than it is in this moment : to empower you through understanding .
Vox ’ s work is reaching @ @ @ @ @ @ @ distinctive brand of explanatory journalism takes resources — particularly during a pandemic and an economic downturn .
Your financial contribution will not constitute a donation , but it will enable our staff to continue to offer free articles , videos , and podcasts at the quality and volume that this moment requires .
Please consider making a contribution to Vox today .

The pandemic may leave communities of color undercounted in the census — and cost them billions
Share All sharing options for: The pandemic may leave communities of color undercounted in the census — and cost them billions
Editor’s note, October 15: This article was published in May. On October 13, the Supreme Court allowed the Census Bureau to end its count on October 15 instead of at the end of the month, following an emergency request from the Justice Department. Advocates say this could lead to an undercount of immigrants, Native Americans, and other vulnerable communities.
As a community organizer in Los Angeles, Antionette Saddler has worked to combat police brutality, poverty, and homelessness, particularly in black and brown communities. Now the 26-year-old activist is focused on another issue at the intersection of social and racial justice: the 2020 census.
Historically, “data has shown that black communities are always undercounted, and we see this happening yet again,” says Saddler, a team lead with the California Black Census & Redistricting Hub, a.k.a. the CA Black Hub. A project of the civic nonprofit California Calls, the network of more than 30 organizations aims to maximize statewide participation in the census and redistricting process.
“With Covid-19 hitting our communities at rapid rates, folks are being told to social distance. Which means our opportunity to spread the word to some of the most undercounted communities has become little to none,” Saddler points out.
If these communities aren’t reached, the implications are vast. The census shapes political representation and the allocation of public funding over the next decade, determining state Electoral College votes, as well as how local, state, and federal legislative district lines are drawn.
This is particularly important with a new redistricting cycle slated for 2021. Gerrymandering — wherein politicians in power manipulate district maps and boundary lines to favor their party winning elections — has long been used as a weapon to thwart and dilute the political strength of African Americans and other communities of color.
Additionally, the census drives the distribution of $1.5 trillion in tax dollars for communities nationwide and vital public needs: schools, housing, mass transportation, health programs, infrastructure (roads and highways), public safety, Medicaid, emergency services, and more. “Billions in federal dollars flow to state governments and to the local level,” Michael C. Cook Sr., a spokesperson for the US Census Bureau, told Vox. “It’s about power and money. It shapes the future.”
And historically, power has not moved in the direction of America’s most vulnerable populations — the ones who have the most to gain from public services and the most to lose in redistricting. The Urban Institute, a nonpartisan think tank, has projected that more than 4 million people could be undercounted in the 2020 census. And advocates such as the CA Black Hub worry that the health crisis could dramatically impact this year’s census count.
Before the pandemic, CA Black Hub planned its “My Black Counts” campaign around a mix of outreach, including education, digital advertising, social media, telephone calls, and door-to-door canvassing. Starting last fall, they’d reached 25,000 residents — California’s black population nears 3 million — by phone and door-knocking, according to Ama Nyamekye, CA Black Hub’s project manager.
With safety top of mind now, they’ve suspended in-person contact and are using a virtual phone bank platform that enables coalition members to efficiently call and communicate the importance of everyone being counted in the census. At least 5,000 calls were made in April, they say.
Even so, challenges abound.
“I have talked to many community members who didn’t even remember the 2020 census was live, or they feel discouraged right now,” says Saddler. “This pandemic has shaken people, but it is my duty to remind them that they do matter, that they do count.”
Conducting the census in the time of coronavirus
Mandated by the Constitution, every person in America and its five territories — Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the US Virgin Islands — is supposed to be counted in the US census. The first count happened in 1790, occurring every 10 years since, with Congress charged with providing oversight.
While the 2020 census headcount officially kicked off in January in an Alaska Native village, Covid-19 has led to operational adjustments for the Trump administration. The bureau, under the auspices of the US Department of Commerce, announced March 18 it would temporarily suspend field operations. This month it’s beginning a “phased restart” in some areas — i.e., packets being dropped at front doors in areas where households don’t receive mail — with additional operations to resume at different times around the country based on federal, state, and local public health guidance.
“This pandemic has shaken people, but it is my duty to remind them that they do matter, that they do count”
Although the count was originally to be completed by July 31, the Census Bureau has moved that date to October 31. It’s asking Congress for a 120-day delay of statutory deadlines to provide a cushion in case field operations need to extend even longer. Moreover, instead of census numbers being provided to the president on December 31, that’s been pushed to April 30, 2021.
Despite deadline extensions and outreach efforts slowly ramping back up, other potential consequences of the pandemic loom. For one, state redistricting timelines could be affected. In April, Census Bureau Director Steven Dillingham and top officials briefed the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, telling the members of Congress the road ahead includes determining which states may need to take legislative action delaying the redrawing of political maps. New Jersey and Virginia, for example, hold off-year elections that could be affected by the bureau’s request to delay the delivery of redistricting data.
Meanwhile, New York City, the epicenter for a rash of coronavirus cases, stands to lose billions in federal funding if the city’s nearly 9 million residents are undercounted, according to NYC Census 2020. Moreover, two of New York state’s 12 congressional seats could hang in the balance, advocates say. The jurisdiction has so far had a lower response rate than the national average, according to the Census Bureau.
In the country overall, 58 percent (more than 86.4 million households) have completed the census, as of May 9. In 2010, the final self-response was 66.5 percent, with more than 86 million respondents.
With funding and representation on the line — which could be even more vital in the wake of the Covid-19 crisis — myriad efforts are being undertaken to ensure underrepresented populations are counted during the pandemic.
Communities of color and low-income neighborhoods will feel the greatest impact from underreported census counts
Data shows that people of color, children, seniors, undocumented immigrants, people with disabilities, LGBTQ folks, Native people in tribal areas, the homeless, and low-income people are among the least likely to be counted accurately in the census.
Across the country, both national coalitions and grassroots groups are getting the word out to ensure what the census calls “hard to count” populations aren’t left out. There have been celebrity PSAs (John Legend, Cardi B, and Taraji P. Henson), and other big names (Selena Gomez, Megan Rapinoe, Janelle Monáe) making video cameos promoting the census, too. (Legend is a Vox Media board member.)
Then there is the on-the-ground — or now virtual — work of making sure people are not only aware the census exists but also fill it out. Some groups are getting creative: Color of Change hosted a drive-through community dinner in New Orleans outside Burnell’s Market in the Lower Ninth Ward last month — a few hundred attendees completed census pledge cards and received a catered meal. Meanwhile, campaigns like Census Counts work with dozens of national, state, and community-based organizations and a network of elected officials to ensure a fair and accurate process.
Among its partners is the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, which has a joint project with the Arab American Institute Foundation called Yalla Count Me In, a grassroots coalition-led movement to count Arab Americans for the 2020 census (“yalla” is slang for “hurry up” or “let’s go”). Getting an accurate count is imperative: The 2010 census estimated Arab Americans — those with roots in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region — to be 1.5 million; the Arab American Institute has placed the figure closer to between 3.5 and 3.7 million.
Arab communities in the US have long grappled with the race and ethnicity question on the census forms (advocates have tried unsuccessfully to get a separate MENA category), with many households choosing “white” in the absence of more descriptive categories. In 2010, the “Check it right, you ain’t White” campaign encouraged respondents to check off the “some other race” category and write in their family origin (for instance, Iranian, Lebanese, Egyptian, Palestinian, Yemeni, etc.), an option that is available again this year.
For the 2020 census, multiple languages — including Arabic, Portuguese, Mandarin, Tagalog, and Haitian Creole — have been added, and millions of households have also received bilingual census forms in Spanish and English.
Still, Arturo Vargas, a member of the Census Bureau’s National Advisory Committee on Racial, Ethnic, and Other Populations, warns of potential undercounts. Latinos in the country comprise upward of 59.7 million people, according to past census data.
“The Census Bureau’s request for deadline extensions is a sobering reminder of the importance of completing the census in a timely manner without sacrificing accuracy,” he said. “Time is not on our side.”
Vargas is also the CEO of NALEO Educational Fund, a national Latino civic engagement organization that offers resources such as a bilingual national census hotline and has been collaborating with Spanish-language media partners like Univision and Telemundo to get the word out. But as is the case with other organizations, NALEO’s efforts have been impacted by Covid-19.
In response, they’ve pivoted to Facebook Live, Twitter events, and virtual town halls. And in Texas, they’ve shifted from in-person meetings and training sessions for volunteers to virtual spaces, Genesis Sanchez, one of NALEO’s regional census campaign managers, told Vox.
“We definitely have concerns about what this new and changing landscape looks like for Texas, as the state has a significant percentage of hard-to-count populations, many of whom are Latinos,” adds Elizabeth Bille, Texas state director at NALEO. “The challenges in Texas were already significant before Covid-19, highlighted by a lack of state infrastructure and investment, combined with the public battle over the failed citizenship question.”
“The Census Bureau’s request for deadline extensions is a sobering reminder of the importance of completing the census in a timely manner without sacrificing accuracy. Time is not on our side.”
In March 2018, Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross announced plans to add a citizenship question to the 2020 census questionnaire, purportedly to obtain improved data for enforcement of the Voting Rights Act. But as Vox’s Andrew Prokop wrote last year, including the question could have resulted in lower response rates among noncitizens and Latinos, which many critics believed was the Trump administration’s goal.
In response, legal challenges were mounted around the country — by state attorneys general in New York and California, the American Civil Liberties Union, and the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF), among others. On June 27, 2019, in a 5-4 decision, the US Supreme Court rejected Commerce’s rationale for adding the citizenship status question to the 2020 census, upholding lower court rulings.
Eventually, the Trump administration abandoned plans to put the question on the census. However, coming on the heels of anti-immigrant fervor, ICE raids, and the Trump administration’s earlier “Muslim travel ban,” advocates say the damage was already done.
“Feedback from the community shows us that many feel left out of our democratic process and don’t believe that participating in the census will benefit them,” said Bille.
How the census has historically been used to hurt vulnerable populations
Undercounting minority communities in the census harks back to the first count of early Americans — and the abhorrent institution of slavery. In 1787, when the US Constitution was being written during the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, delegates debated over the number of seats in the House of Representatives. In 1790, a compromise between Southern and Northern states resulted in the Three-Fifths Compromise, meaning that for every five enslaved people, only three would count for congressional representation and taxation purposes. According to the Constitutional Accountability Center, the accommodation was not intended to relegate black people to three-fifths of a person, but rather was favored by Northern abolitionists to reduce the political power of Southern slaveholding states.
It was such government-sanctioned inhumanity that would later set the stage for gerrymandering.
Janai Nelson, associate director-counsel with the NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund, told Vox via a spokesperson that the 2010 census resulted in multiple lawsuits finding intentional racial discrimination during the redistricting process. One went all the way to the Supreme Court in 2018: Justices reversed rulings by a San Antonio court that had ordered two congressional districts and nine statehouse districts redrawn because they “relied on the manipulation of both African American and Latinx communities, to result in ‘an impermissible racial gerrymander,’” Nelson said.
She also noted prison-based gerrymandering, which results from the census counting incarcerated persons “in their place of imprisonment instead of the community of their last place of residence.” This practice, Nelson notes, results “in the exportation of black and brown bodies to correctional facilities in white rural communities, and the siphoning of both political and financial resources away from underfunded neighborhoods.”
“The census should accurately capture the multiracial, multiethnic country that America is rather than replicating the discriminatory practices of the past that whitewashed our population count,” she added.
To ensure the census count doesn’t leave out racial minorities, the Congressional Tri-Caucus — composed of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, the Congressional Black Caucus, and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus — have helped secure billions in additional funding for census operations. Rep. Steven Horsford (D-NV), chair of the CBC 2020 Census Task Force, told Vox that lawmakers have also fought to ensure those funds are being properly allocated — be it diversity in hiring or advertising and spending with diverse media outlets such as black newspapers.
“The same forces who don’t want African Americans and people of color to vote don’t care about an accurate and fair census count,” said Horsford.
“The same forces who don’t want African Americans and people of color to vote don’t care about an accurate and fair census count”
According to the Urban Institute, the Decennial Statistical Studies Division of the Department of Commerce estimated “a net undercount of about 4 percent for African Americans” in 1990. This number was lowered to “2 percent — around 800,000 people — in the 2000 census, but the most recent census in 2010 showed no significant change to the Black undercount.” The institute’s own data indicates there could be an undercount of 1.7 million black people for 2020.
“If we don’t participate, we can lose congressional seats. We don’t get the services we are entitled to,” said the Rev. Al Sharpton, founder and president of the National Action Network (NAN), which, along with 40 or so groups (NAACP, National Urban League), is part of the “Unity Diaspora Coalition” to count black communities. “If we don’t participate, we become accomplices in the undercount. We will take ourselves off the grid.”
Nefarious use of data has led some communities to distrust the census — and watchdog groups are keeping tabs
To say that the manipulation of census data has caused distrust in how it’s collected would be an understatement. However, federal law requires the Census Bureau to protect any personal and household information it collects and bars it from sharing such information with any other government agencies for 72 years. That includes the Department of Homeland Security, law enforcement, housing authorities, and public benefits administrators, among others.
To hold the census accountable, advocacy organizations have adopted the role of watchdog. Nearly 300 civic leaders, nonprofit organizations, elected officials, and state and local groups have forged a coalition pledging to help monitor and protect the confidentiality of 2020 census data.
The effort is led by the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF), the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, and Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAJC). They have vowed to use their collective expertise and influence to safeguard the strict census data confidentiality requirements. A key thrust is assuring people that they should participate in the census and can do so without worry.
“Heightened distrust in elements of the federal government is a threat to our nation’s ability to secure an accurate census, which is so critical to our democracy’s next decade,” said Thomas A. Saenz, MALDEF president and general counsel.
Despite the federal laws, the potential threat of disclosure runs deep. For example, during World War II, the US government used census data in the internment of Japanese Americans, relocating and incarcerating more than 120,000 men, women, and children.
“We continue to hear concerns reverberating through communities of color, particularly the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities, about the confidentiality of their information,” says John C. Yang, president and executive director of AAJC. “For a community that includes undocumented immigrants and individuals in mixed-status households, it is imperative to remind them about the legal protections that will protect their responses.”
The Trump administration’s xenophobic immigration policies, which have continued during the coronavirus pandemic with an April 22 White House proclamation limiting certain green cards being issued, has only inflamed these fears.
Advocates nationwide told Vox they’re determined to ensure all are represented — not marginalized or erased. Adds Yang: “We have had to fight for a fair and accurate census before, and we will do it again if necessary.”


vox--2020-05-12--How chain necklaces for men got sexy

How chain necklaces for men got sexy

Since the release of Normal People , the steamy adaptation of Sally Rooney ’ s bestselling novel , the silver chain that dangles ever so slightly from actor Paul Mescal ’ s neck has become hot fodder for internet discourse .
“ i finished normal people and I am here to report that connell ’ s chain is now the only thing tethering me to this life , ” reads one tweet .
“ what i would do to be the silver chain around connell ’ s neck , ” reads another .
Chains are not , by any means @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ve been worn since ancient times , and you ’ ve likely seen iterations before on celebrities ( Jay-Z , Migos , Timothée Chalamet , and Harry Styles are frequent chain-wearers ) , in films ( Matt Damon in Good Will Hunting and John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever ) , or on your fashion-forward male friends .
Their popularity in mainstream American fashion is largely attributed to their roots in hip-hop and black culture .
What is new about the chain is the skyrocketing levels of online lust it ’ s invoking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ metal became the sexiest male accessory of 2020 .
The Instagram account @ connellschain , which only posts pictures of Connell ’ s chain , has more than 75,000 followers .
While people have brazenly pined after men in plain white tees , beanies , and even gray sweatpants , the neck chain is a subtle , genteel accessory that successfully draws a person ’ s attention to a man ’ s neck/collarbone area .
It ’ s not as explicitly erotic as , say , a sweatpants bulge .
Perhaps now more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a pandemic , people are comfortable unabashedly expressing how touch-starved and sex-deprived they are , which makes the chain yet another symptom of the online phenomenon that is “ being horny on main.
” On TikTok , the accessory is somewhat of a meme : A teenage boy ( usually good-looking and with higher-than-average self-esteem ) will , sometimes shirtlessly , dangle his chain suggestively in front of the camera to the song “ Slow Down ” by Selena Gomez .
In quarantine , girls have filmed TikToks dangling a chain necklace on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sways in their face during sex , as a joke about their perpetual horniness .
Its popularity on TikTok and among Generation Z can be partially attributed to the e-boy subculture and aesthetic , which features bulky , punk-style silver chains .
Yet the neck chain has been a staple accessory in the men ’ s fashion world for years , if not decades .
“ I like wearing a chain because it reminds me of a 1970s Elliott Gould leading man kind of accessory , ” GQ senior style editor Sam Schube @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a cool thing to throw on with a T-shirt and a pair of blue jeans .
You feel 10 percent more dressed than you would otherwise be.
” The frenzied thirst surrounding Connell ’ s chain is slightly perplexing to Schube .
“ Chains were popping up on GQ ’ s radar a couple of years ago , ” he said .
“ We ’ d see Timothée Chalamet wearing his very delicate gold chain , and there were skaters that were influential in the fashion universe rocking a finer , delicate chain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Throughout antiquity and most of history , neck chains were primarily worn by royalty and the rich .
The Greeks and Romans , among other early cultures , wore gold and silver necklaces with decorative pendants and semi-precious stones , and in the Byzantine era , chains were commonly adorned with crosses to showcase religious piety .
In modern times , though , jewelry has become so easily accessible that these accessories have evolved into a hallmark of someone ’ s personal style and identity , while also serving as an indicator of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ religion .
In The Sopranos , for instance , many recurring characters wear gold chains with crosses to display their Catholic faith — a jewelry tradition that has existed since the Middle Ages .
Over the decades , various styles of chains have gone in and out of style in the US : Rappers and hip-hop artists in the ’ 70s and ’ 80s draped themselves with flashy and extravagant jewelry — bling — which became a mainstay of hip-hop culture and style in the 2000s and beyond .
One of the most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ diamond chains , worn by artists to symbolize their wealth and upwardly mobile status .
“ The chain ’ s popularity is almost entirely due to hip-hop culture , ” Schube told me .
Today , instead of gravitating toward heavyweight bling , most celebrities and fashion influencers have opted for finer , more subtle chains .
Thanks to celebrity fashion , the forces of TikTok , and now Normal People , the neck chain has evolved into a mainstream internet fad — obsessed over by chain enthusiasts and observers alike .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those little neck chains so sexy ?
” Vice ’ s Annie Lord wrote , “ One does not want to over intellectualise the chain .
It is just accidentally , indescribably hot .
...
But it is worth noting that , within the thin strand of silver , lies a whole sign system of power , bad boy behavior , and effeminate glamour.
” The necklace in Normal People , on the other hand , was intended to signify Connell ’ s working-class background .
The chain was briefly referred to in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ friend as “ Argos chic , ” in reference to a retailer that ’ s described as the United Kingdom ’ s equivalent of Target or Walmart .
Costume designer Lorna Marie Mugan revealed on a radio show that Paul Mescal , the actor who plays Connell , insisted on wearing a chain for his character .
“ We quickly went out and got a selection of chains , gave him a choice , and he picked that , ” Mugan said .
“ It was just on him and that was it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it too much.
” In an interview with Refinery29 , Mugan added that Connell ’ s chain is a constant of his character : “ He carries it right through the story .
And Marianne says she recognizes it because he had it in school , so it was crucial that he bring it right the way through .
He has nothing else really that stands out.
” “ The necklace maintains this social narrative through the many scenes where clothing isn ’ t readily available as a prop , ” Caroline Stevenson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the London College of Fashion , wrote to me via email .
“ In contrast to Marianne ’ s delicate silver earrings , the silver chain necklace reminds us of the social divisions between them.
” Connell ’ s neck chain , Stevenson said , is reminiscent of the 1980s New Man — “ hard-bodied on the outside , but soft , caring , and sensitive on the inside ” — and because the accessory is so plainly unadorned , it ’ s natural for audiences to assume it must carry some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jewelry usually signifies the commitments they ’ ve made and values they place on family , heritage , and status , ” Stevenson concluded .
“ For this reason , Connell ’ s chain — cheap and silver — doesn ’ t represent aspirational values beyond his working-class status .
… Rather the necklace is a potent signifier of Connell ’ s strong alignment with his family and community.
” The unbridled thirst for the neck chain is an amusing , pleasant , and harmless distraction from the often depressing daily news cycle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will probably dissipate in due time , when the internet finds another item of clothing or accessory to sink its horny claws into .
Might I suggest : face masks .
Every day at Vox , we aim to answer your most important questions and provide you , and our audience around the world , with information that has the power to save lives .
Our mission has never been more vital than it is in this moment : to empower you through understanding .
Vox ’ s work is reaching more people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of explanatory journalism takes resources — particularly during a pandemic and an economic downturn .
Your financial contribution will not constitute a donation , but it will enable our staff to continue to offer free articles , videos , and podcasts at the quality and volume that this moment requires .
Please consider making a contribution to Vox today .

Since the release of Normal People, the steamy adaptation of Sally Rooney’s bestselling novel, the silver chain that dangles ever so slightly from actor Paul Mescal’s neck has become hot fodder for internet discourse.
“i finished normal people and I am here to report that connell’s chain is now the only thing tethering me to this life,” reads one tweet. “what i would do to be the silver chain around connell’s neck,” reads another.
Chains are not, by any means, a new accessory. They’ve been worn since ancient times, and you’ve likely seen iterations before on celebrities (Jay-Z, Migos, Timothée Chalamet, and Harry Styles are frequent chain-wearers), in films (Matt Damon in Good Will Hunting and John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever), or on your fashion-forward male friends. Their popularity in mainstream American fashion is largely attributed to their roots in hip-hop and black culture.
What is new about the chain is the skyrocketing levels of online lust it’s invoking, and how this thin piece of metal became the sexiest male accessory of 2020.
The Instagram account @connellschain, which only posts pictures of Connell’s chain, has more than 75,000 followers. While people have brazenly pined after men in plain white tees, beanies, and even gray sweatpants, the neck chain is a subtle, genteel accessory that successfully draws a person’s attention to a man’s neck/collarbone area. It’s not as explicitly erotic as, say, a sweatpants bulge.
Perhaps now more than ever, in the midst of a pandemic, people are comfortable unabashedly expressing how touch-starved and sex-deprived they are, which makes the chain yet another symptom of the online phenomenon that is “being horny on main.”
On TikTok, the accessory is somewhat of a meme: A teenage boy (usually good-looking and with higher-than-average self-esteem) will, sometimes shirtlessly, dangle his chain suggestively in front of the camera to the song “Slow Down” by Selena Gomez. In quarantine, girls have filmed TikToks dangling a chain necklace on their foreheads, simulating how the accessory sways in their face during sex, as a joke about their perpetual horniness. Its popularity on TikTok and among Generation Z can be partially attributed to the e-boy subculture and aesthetic, which features bulky, punk-style silver chains.
Yet the neck chain has been a staple accessory in the men’s fashion world for years, if not decades. “I like wearing a chain because it reminds me of a 1970s Elliott Gould leading man kind of accessory,” GQ senior style editor Sam Schube told me. “It’s a cool thing to throw on with a T-shirt and a pair of blue jeans. You feel 10 percent more dressed than you would otherwise be.”
The frenzied thirst surrounding Connell’s chain is slightly perplexing to Schube. “Chains were popping up on GQ’s radar a couple of years ago,” he said. “We’d see Timothée Chalamet wearing his very delicate gold chain, and there were skaters that were influential in the fashion universe rocking a finer, delicate chain. That was definitely a moment.”
Throughout antiquity and most of history, neck chains were primarily worn by royalty and the rich. The Greeks and Romans, among other early cultures, wore gold and silver necklaces with decorative pendants and semi-precious stones, and in the Byzantine era, chains were commonly adorned with crosses to showcase religious piety.
In modern times, though, jewelry has become so easily accessible that these accessories have evolved into a hallmark of someone’s personal style and identity, while also serving as an indicator of their wealth, social status, or religion. In The Sopranos, for instance, many recurring characters wear gold chains with crosses to display their Catholic faith — a jewelry tradition that has existed since the Middle Ages.
Over the decades, various styles of chains have gone in and out of style in the US: Rappers and hip-hop artists in the ’70s and ’80s draped themselves with flashy and extravagant jewelry — bling — which became a mainstay of hip-hop culture and style in the 2000s and beyond. One of the most identifiable types of bling was gold and diamond chains, worn by artists to symbolize their wealth and upwardly mobile status. “The chain’s popularity is almost entirely due to hip-hop culture,” Schube told me.
Today, instead of gravitating toward heavyweight bling, most celebrities and fashion influencers have opted for finer, more subtle chains. Thanks to celebrity fashion, the forces of TikTok, and now Normal People, the neck chain has evolved into a mainstream internet fad — obsessed over by chain enthusiasts and observers alike. In her aptly titled piece “Why are those little neck chains so sexy?” Vice’s Annie Lord wrote, “One does not want to over intellectualise the chain. It is just accidentally, indescribably hot. ... But it is worth noting that, within the thin strand of silver, lies a whole sign system of power, bad boy behavior, and effeminate glamour.”
(After encountering one too many chain-dangle TikToks, I now associate the trend with the “I’m trying too hard to be a fuckboy” aesthetic, which isn’t entirely true for all chain-wearers but destroys the mystique of the accessory in my eyes. On a recent FaceTime call with my friend Steven, who recently acquired a thin gold chain, he asked me if his newfound accessory was “too fuckboy-ish.” Unfortunately, it was.)
The necklace in Normal People, on the other hand, was intended to signify Connell’s working-class background. The chain was briefly referred to in the novel by Marianne’s best friend as “Argos chic,” in reference to a retailer that’s described as the United Kingdom’s equivalent of Target or Walmart.
Costume designer Lorna Marie Mugan revealed on a radio show that Paul Mescal, the actor who plays Connell, insisted on wearing a chain for his character. “We quickly went out and got a selection of chains, gave him a choice, and he picked that,” Mugan said. “It was just on him and that was it. We didn’t think about it too much.”
In an interview with Refinery29, Mugan added that Connell’s chain is a constant of his character: “He carries it right through the story. And Marianne says she recognizes it because he had it in school, so it was crucial that he bring it right the way through. He has nothing else really that stands out.”
“The necklace maintains this social narrative through the many scenes where clothing isn’t readily available as a prop,” Caroline Stevenson, head of cultural and historical studies at the London College of Fashion, wrote to me via email. “In contrast to Marianne’s delicate silver earrings, the silver chain necklace reminds us of the social divisions between them.”
Connell’s neck chain, Stevenson said, is reminiscent of the 1980s New Man — “hard-bodied on the outside, but soft, caring, and sensitive on the inside” — and because the accessory is so plainly unadorned, it’s natural for audiences to assume it must carry some deeper meaning.
“Men wearing meaningful jewelry usually signifies the commitments they’ve made and values they place on family, heritage, and status,” Stevenson concluded. “For this reason, Connell’s chain — cheap and silver — doesn’t represent aspirational values beyond his working-class status. … Rather the necklace is a potent signifier of Connell’s strong alignment with his family and community.”
The unbridled thirst for the neck chain is an amusing, pleasant, and harmless distraction from the often depressing daily news cycle. Our collective fixation on the necklace will probably dissipate in due time, when the internet finds another item of clothing or accessory to sink its horny claws into. Might I suggest: face masks.


vox--2020-05-12--The one thing keeping me going in quarantine: Video games

Jeff and Eric Rosenthal , brothers in their mid-30s who live in New York City , have been playing a whole lot of Super Mario lately .
The duo , who operate a comedy/hip-hop podcasting empire under the name ItsTheReal , told me that when they realized they ’ d be stuck in their apartment for a long time , they bought an old-school Nintendo Entertainment System ( NES ) console , preloaded with 30 classic games .
They ’ d played video games on and off throughout their childhood , but gaming really wasn ’ t a big part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ games like Tetris and Super Mario , and separate forays into Grand Theft Auto in college .
“ Ever since we ’ ve lived in New York City , ” Eric said , “ neither Jeff nor myself has really touched a controller , nor had a console in our house.
” That changed when the quarantine order came down .
“ I think there is a comfort in going back to a game that ’ s sort of safe and nostalgic , ” Jeff said .
“ There ’ s this warm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ‘ Oh right , that ’ s where you warp , ’ or ‘ Oh right , that ’ s the trick to get through this board.
’ ” In this vein , since the beginning of March at least half a dozen friends have asked me if they should get a video game system .
These friends aren ’ t that into video games , or at least they haven ’ t been in years .
They might have played the odd phone game .
They might have pleasant , vague memories @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all definitely have is boredom , fear , and an implacable need , in this moment , for comfort .
My best friend Aude , who historically has totally ignored video games ( and lightly bullied me and our shared gamer friends about our habits ) , commandeered her boyfriend ’ s new Switch during the start of quarantine in order to play Breath of the Wild , the sprawling open-world Zelda game .
Her boyfriend sent our group chat a picture of Aude , toothbrush hanging out of the side of her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ controls .
I missed her so much in that moment , even though we ’ d been video chatting near constantly ; I missed our life .
“ I think one of the reasons I like this game right now , ” Aude texted us , “ is that you get to explore this big , vast , natural landscape .
It feels a little bit like freedom.
” I ’ ve seen this sentiment echoed across the internet ever since the spread of the novel coronavirus took hold in the US and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ self-isolating indoors .
It ’ s not limited to the Switch , or even to specialized consoles — plenty of people have rediscovered The Sims on their computers , for one , while others are doubling down on iOS and Android apps for their phones .
In a time that makes truly no sense , the surge in gaming does .
Of course we want escapism .
Of course we want to be soothed .
Of course we want to feel like the right combination of buttons and strategies will result in victory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ digital farm or the tidy conquering of a fictional nation .
It would be difficult to overstate what a huge chunk of my own brain space video games occupy right now .
I ’ ve always loved games — I ’ ve been obsessed ever since I got a Game Boy Color when I turned 10 years old — but now they aren ’ t so much fun diversions as they are a handful of places I can go when I can ’ t really go anywhere else .
I wake up and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spend my downtime at work scrolling through Fire Emblem memes ( in order to drop them into my Fire Emblem Slack and Fire Emblem Discord channels ) , I roam around the vast landscape of Breath of the Wild until it ’ s time to go to sleep .
I write out paper lists of tasks I ’ d like to accomplish in each of my respective games , giving credence to Katie Heaney ’ s theory for the Cut that games are basically to-do lists you can play , in a good @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sounds like an absolute nightmare to some people , but to me it ’ s a relief to have a series of small milestones I know I can reach , even when I ’ m finding it difficult to feed myself regularly or write emails any human would be able to parse .
I ’ m having a lot of trouble with my IRL to-do list right now , with feeling like a permanent failure even though I know there is no endgame to quarantine productivity beyond whatever you personally glean from it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Having a list of virtual to-dos , with no stakes , helps .
Many folks , including those who haven ’ t been into them their entire sentient lives , seem to be getting some measure of solace from video games right now .
When I asked Jeff and Eric why they chose to buy an NES rather than something new like the Switch , Jeff said it largely came down to price .
But that ’ s not all : “ I looked into other gaming systems and it was like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The variety was really important to me , ” he said .
Availability was an issue too .
“ All the Switches were sold out !
” Eric said .
“ It was the weekend of Animal Crossing , which I guess has continued to be a month and a half of Animal Crossing , and the price [ of the Switch ] kept going up and up and up .
I was like , fuck that.
” According to the NPD Group , Switch sales in March more than doubled from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ One sales were up more than 25 percent year over year , VentureBeat reports .
This news comes in tandem with the fact that the Switch has been hard to get ahold of for months ; the original version , which can be played on your TV ( called “ docked mode ” ) or handheld , is sold out from virtually every direct retailer , with some third-party prices reaching as high as double the original .
The Switch Lite — which retails for a hundred dollars less , is smaller , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mode — is still somewhat available , but even then it ’ s scarce at major retailers , or available for purchase only as part of a more expensive bundle .
( Nintendo declined to comment for this story . )
One reason for this run on consoles , as Eric alluded to , is undoubtedly the release of a Switch game that ’ s emerged as a metonym for gaming in the coronavirus era .
Animal Crossing : New Horizons , a game that makes useless the term “ much-anticipated , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stroke of stunning timing .
People on Twitter had been half-jokingly-but-not-really-jokingly calling for its early release as soon as the urgent need for social distancing became clear , and others were probably glad just to have the excuse to play more frequently .
Of the timing , New Horizons producer Hisashi Nogami told the Verge , “ I am very disheartened and saddened by the events happening across the world .
Considering the timing , we hope that a lot of the Animal Crossing fans will use this as an escape , so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time.
” And enjoy themselves they certainly have .
I live in a self-selected bubble , to be sure , but it ’ s been rare to open Twitter or Instagram in the past month without seeing screenshots from my friends ’ Animal Crossing islands , the small , cozy homes they ’ ve built and furnished for their avatar-selves , the clothes they ’ ve customized to wear .
The appeal isn ’ t just in the game itself , but in its social nature fully separate from the virus .
As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ social element hasn ’ t been entirely positive , but it has certainly been robust .
The explosive popularity of Animal Crossing has spawned a miniature cottage industry of writing about whether it ’ s actually a capitalist hellscape , a twist on the stereotypically colonialist island-paradise fantasy , or the game we really need right now at all .
These opinions are all varying degrees of valid ; still , the game is giving plenty of people plenty of things to talk about that aren ’ t mounting death tolls or the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) for medical professionals or the lack of leadership from the people who are supposed to make all of this better .
You could blame the uptick on the hot-take industrial complex , sure , and the fact that seemingly every journalist is struggling to get a foothold , however oblique , in the biggest story of our lifetimes .
But I ’ d like to think there ’ s something purer in play : the need to come together even when we can ’ t do it physically , to have conversations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are , for now , still alive .
That groundedness , that connectedness even when you ’ re playing by yourself , is the essential quality I think video games provide , despite the fact that they themselves are hardly essential .
( Case in point : GameStop attempted to declare itself an “ essential ” service in a bid to remain open during coronavirus lockdowns , only relenting after significant public outcry .
This move , in my opinion , was not only tone-deaf , short-sighted , and dangerous to both employees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for gamers . )
Having that ability to focus in on a game , not to mention the time and money to play right now , is , of course , a massive privilege .
For some , it ’ s also the thing that ’ s providing a foothold in a time with precious few .
Playing video games has taken on a new and quiet urgency for me in this indoor time , the same way brushing my teeth or going outside to take a walk has — something I used @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the fabric of my day but that now feels somewhat integral to my sanity , my rhythm , my continued grip on reality .
I need to check in on my “ horny magic war school ” students and my turnip prices the same way I need to check my bank account , my temperature , my heart rate , and my dwindling-but-holding-strong supply of antidepressants and chickpeas .
I want a place that ’ s not here , a set of problems that aren ’ t these , something I can talk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strangers that isn ’ t going to claw me apart with anxiety .
Games are designed to provide exactly that .
Every day at Vox , we aim to answer your most important questions and provide you , and our audience around the world , with information that has the power to save lives .
Our mission has never been more vital than it is in this moment : to empower you through understanding .
Vox ’ s work is reaching more people than ever , but our distinctive brand of explanatory journalism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and an economic downturn .
Your financial contribution will not constitute a donation , but it will enable our staff to continue to offer free articles , videos , and podcasts at the quality and volume that this moment requires .
Please consider making a contribution to Vox today .

Jeff and Eric Rosenthal, brothers in their mid-30s who live in New York City, have been playing a whole lot of Super Mario lately.
The duo, who operate a comedy/hip-hop podcasting empire under the name ItsTheReal, told me that when they realized they’d be stuck in their apartment for a long time, they bought an old-school Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) console, preloaded with 30 classic games. They’d played video games on and off throughout their childhood, but gaming really wasn’t a big part of their upbringing beyond brief dalliances with games like Tetris and Super Mario, and separate forays into Grand Theft Auto in college.
“Ever since we’ve lived in New York City,” Eric said, “neither Jeff nor myself has really touched a controller, nor had a console in our house.”
That changed when the quarantine order came down. “I think there is a comfort in going back to a game that’s sort of safe and nostalgic,” Jeff said. “There’s this warm feeling when you’re like, ‘Oh right, that’s where you warp,’ or ‘Oh right, that’s the trick to get through this board.’”
In this vein, since the beginning of March at least half a dozen friends have asked me if they should get a video game system. These friends aren’t that into video games, or at least they haven’t been in years. They might have played the odd phone game. They might have pleasant, vague memories of Pokémon or Neopets. What they all definitely have is boredom, fear, and an implacable need, in this moment, for comfort.
My best friend Aude, who historically has totally ignored video games (and lightly bullied me and our shared gamer friends about our habits), commandeered her boyfriend’s new Switch during the start of quarantine in order to play Breath of the Wild, the sprawling open-world Zelda game. Her boyfriend sent our group chat a picture of Aude, toothbrush hanging out of the side of her mouth, hands clutched around the red-and-blue controls. I missed her so much in that moment, even though we’d been video chatting near constantly; I missed our life.
“I think one of the reasons I like this game right now,” Aude texted us, “is that you get to explore this big, vast, natural landscape. It feels a little bit like freedom.”
I’ve seen this sentiment echoed across the internet ever since the spread of the novel coronavirus took hold in the US and resulted in a vast swath of people self-isolating indoors. It’s not limited to the Switch, or even to specialized consoles — plenty of people have rediscovered The Sims on their computers, for one, while others are doubling down on iOS and Android apps for their phones.
Just realized in 25 years there’s gonna be an American Girl doll who lived through the coronavirus pandemic and her $86 accessories will be a little Nintendo Switch, a tiny thing of Clorox wipes and fake bread that she learned to bake herself from a YouTube video. — Caroline Moss (@CarolineMoss) March 21, 2020
In a time that makes truly no sense, the surge in gaming does. Of course we want escapism. Of course we want to be soothed. Of course we want to feel like the right combination of buttons and strategies will result in victory, whether that looks like a well-tended digital farm or the tidy conquering of a fictional nation.
It would be difficult to overstate what a huge chunk of my own brain space video games occupy right now. I’ve always loved games — I’ve been obsessed ever since I got a Game Boy Color when I turned 10 years old — but now they aren’t so much fun diversions as they are a handful of places I can go when I can’t really go anywhere else. I wake up and check my Animal Crossing island, I spend my downtime at work scrolling through Fire Emblem memes (in order to drop them into my Fire Emblem Slack and Fire Emblem Discord channels), I roam around the vast landscape of Breath of the Wild until it’s time to go to sleep. I write out paper lists of tasks I’d like to accomplish in each of my respective games, giving credence to Katie Heaney’s theory for the Cut that games are basically to-do lists you can play, in a good way.
I’m sure this sounds like an absolute nightmare to some people, but to me it’s a relief to have a series of small milestones I know I can reach, even when I’m finding it difficult to feed myself regularly or write emails any human would be able to parse. I’m having a lot of trouble with my IRL to-do list right now, with feeling like a permanent failure even though I know there is no endgame to quarantine productivity beyond whatever you personally glean from it, no moral vector in play here. Having a list of virtual to-dos, with no stakes, helps.
Many folks, including those who haven’t been into them their entire sentient lives, seem to be getting some measure of solace from video games right now. When I asked Jeff and Eric why they chose to buy an NES rather than something new like the Switch, Jeff said it largely came down to price. But that’s not all: “I looked into other gaming systems and it was like, you only get one game. The variety was really important to me,” he said.
Availability was an issue too. “All the Switches were sold out!” Eric said. “It was the weekend of Animal Crossing, which I guess has continued to be a month and a half of Animal Crossing, and the price [of the Switch] kept going up and up and up. I was like, fuck that.”
According to the NPD Group, Switch sales in March more than doubled from the year before, and PS4 and Xbox One sales were up more than 25 percent year over year, VentureBeat reports. This news comes in tandem with the fact that the Switch has been hard to get ahold of for months; the original version, which can be played on your TV (called “docked mode”) or handheld, is sold out from virtually every direct retailer, with some third-party prices reaching as high as double the original. The Switch Lite — which retails for a hundred dollars less, is smaller, and doesn’t have a docked mode — is still somewhat available, but even then it’s scarce at major retailers, or available for purchase only as part of a more expensive bundle. (Nintendo declined to comment for this story.)
One reason for this run on consoles, as Eric alluded to, is undoubtedly the release of a Switch game that’s emerged as a metonym for gaming in the coronavirus era. Animal Crossing: New Horizons, a game that makes useless the term “much-anticipated,” came out on March 20 in a stroke of stunning timing. People on Twitter had been half-jokingly-but-not-really-jokingly calling for its early release as soon as the urgent need for social distancing became clear, and others were probably glad just to have the excuse to play more frequently.
Of the timing, New Horizons producer Hisashi Nogami told the Verge, “I am very disheartened and saddened by the events happening across the world. Considering the timing, we hope that a lot of the Animal Crossing fans will use this as an escape, so they can enjoy themselves during this difficult time.”
And enjoy themselves they certainly have. I live in a self-selected bubble, to be sure, but it’s been rare to open Twitter or Instagram in the past month without seeing screenshots from my friends’ Animal Crossing islands, the small, cozy homes they’ve built and furnished for their avatar-selves, the clothes they’ve customized to wear. The appeal isn’t just in the game itself, but in its social nature fully separate from the virus. As Allegra Frank wrote for Vox:
I hadn’t seen my friends in more than a week when the game finally became available; I had hardly gone outside. The headlines were giving me more anxiety with each push alert. But on March 20, I emerged on a desert island, where the beach is right there, animal friends are always close by, little shops are open for business. All my friends were as excited as I was to play, staying up until midnight on release day to delve in at the same time. It was a new conversation topic, a point of unity in our lives that we could coalesce around, bridging the social gap that has been created by a global health crisis.
That social element hasn’t been entirely positive, but it has certainly been robust. The explosive popularity of Animal Crossing has spawned a miniature cottage industry of writing about whether it’s actually a capitalist hellscape, a twist on the stereotypically colonialist island-paradise fantasy, or the game we really need right now at all. These opinions are all varying degrees of valid; still, the game is giving plenty of people plenty of things to talk about that aren’t mounting death tolls or the lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) for medical professionals or the lack of leadership from the people who are supposed to make all of this better.
You could blame the uptick on the hot-take industrial complex, sure, and the fact that seemingly every journalist is struggling to get a foothold, however oblique, in the biggest story of our lifetimes. But I’d like to think there’s something purer in play: the need to come together even when we can’t do it physically, to have conversations and arguments and remind ourselves that we are, for now, still alive.
That groundedness, that connectedness even when you’re playing by yourself, is the essential quality I think video games provide, despite the fact that they themselves are hardly essential. (Case in point: GameStop attempted to declare itself an “essential” service in a bid to remain open during coronavirus lockdowns, only relenting after significant public outcry. This move, in my opinion, was not only tone-deaf, short-sighted, and dangerous to both employees and customers, but also wicked embarrassing for gamers.) Having that ability to focus in on a game, not to mention the time and money to play right now, is, of course, a massive privilege. For some, it’s also the thing that’s providing a foothold in a time with precious few.
Playing video games has taken on a new and quiet urgency for me in this indoor time, the same way brushing my teeth or going outside to take a walk has — something I used to take for granted as part of the fabric of my day but that now feels somewhat integral to my sanity, my rhythm, my continued grip on reality.
I need to check in on my “horny magic war school” students and my turnip prices the same way I need to check my bank account, my temperature, my heart rate, and my dwindling-but-holding-strong supply of antidepressants and chickpeas. I want a place that’s not here, a set of problems that aren’t these, something I can talk about with my friends and co-workers and strangers that isn’t going to claw me apart with anxiety. Games are designed to provide exactly that.


vox--2020-05-12--California’s special election to fill Katie Hill’s House seat, explained

A special election to fill the US House of Representatives seat left vacant by former California Democratic Rep. Katie Hill ’ s resignation is being held Tuesday , May 12 .
The race , considered a toss-up by Cook Political Report , is being closely watched in part because of the circumstances that led to Hill ’ s leaving Congress and in part because the race is widely seen as previewing how the coronavirus pandemic will affect November ’ s elections .
It also represents an opportunity for the Republican Party to retake one of the seats Democrats successfully flipped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the race — either Democrat Christy Smith or Republican Mike Garcia — will serve out the remaining eight months of Hill ’ s term .
Smith and Garcia will face off again in November in this year ’ s general election race .
Polls close at 11 pm ET .
Vox has live results in partnership with Decision Desk .
However , because the race will largely be conducted via mail-in voting , it may take several days for a winner to emerge .
Hill became California District 25 ’ s US representative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ former Rep. Steve Knight by less than 3 percent in 2018 .
She resigned from Congress last October after nude photographs of her were released by conservative blog RedState and after she admitted to having a consensual relationship with a staff member .
Although polling of Tuesday ’ s race has far been fairly sparse , what surveys are available show a race that is extremely close .
A poll of 500 of the district ’ s likely voters conducted by 1892 Polling in mid-March showed Garcia , a former fighter pilot , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ percent support for Smith — currently a California state representative — with 10 percent of likely voters undecided .
Given that the poll ’ s margin of error is 4.38 percent , Smith could have actually been in the lead .
That poll was taken before California Gov .
Gavin Newsom issued a shelter-at-home order on March 19 , forcing both campaigns to abandon traditional retail politicking techniques like door-knocking , in-person meet-and-greets , and fundraising events .
What effect that has had on polling is not clear , and it also is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will have .
While Newsom issued an executive order Friday ordering mail-in ballots for November ’ s general election to be sent to all registered voters in the state , Tuesday ’ s special election will be conducted via a mix of mail-in and in-person voting .
Mail-in ballots haven ’ t been returned at an overwhelming rate , according to a National Republican Congressional Committee memo , which said that as of Friday , 50,191 Republicans ( 45 percent ) had returned their ballots compared to 39,230 Democrats ( 35 percent ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unaffiliated voters .
The special election race is a likely bellwether for this fall ’ s general election Given that the race will essentially be re-run again in November , whoever wins will likely have a small incumbent advantage when they face off again in a few months .
Because it ’ s expected to be close , the race is seen as a national bellwether for this fall .
With her victory , Hill flipped a seat that had been held by Republicans since 1993 , helping Democrats take control of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to keep control of the chamber after November ’ s elections .
But a solid Smith win could indicate that another blue wave is imminent this fall , while Republicans hope that a Garcia win might signal that their party could recover several of the House seats it lost during 2018 ’ s midterm election .
Because of this , the race has drawn attention from national politicians .
President Donald Trump accused Democrats of trying to “ steal the election ” in a tweet Saturday after the National Republican Congressional Committee sent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House Republicans , asking them to “ raise hell ” about the race .
Meanwhile , Smith has been endorsed by former President Barack Obama and former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton .
And the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has spent about $ 1.5 million on the race , while the National Republican Congressional Committee spent about $ 1.7 in supporting Garcia .
Outside groups dumped about $ 4.3 million into the race , according to a recent OpenSecrets.org report .
Two years ago , Hill spent $ 8,342,521 compared to Knight ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the race , the election is being watched closely for pandemic-related campaign tactics that could be scaled to more national races .
The candidates debated over videoconference calling and both shifted toward phone-banking in lieu of door knocking .
“ We transitioned from being able to canvass , and stand on street corners waving signs , and going out to events with Mike , like meet-and-greets and that sort of thing , to all phones , ” Marian Salazar , a volunteer for the Garcia campaign , told NPR .
Smith ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made sure staffers and volunteers were equipped with pandemic-related resources for those they reached out to by phone .
“ We ’ ve made sure that all of our callers , as they ’ re reaching out , are equipped with information like how to connect to state resources , the domestic violence hotline , mental health services , or being able to connect people with their nearest food pantry , ” Smith told NPR .
Regardless of who wins Tuesday , the two candidates will continue campaigning into the fall to compete @ @ @ @ @ @ @ next two years .
Hill resigned last fall after acknowledging having a consensual relationship with a female staffer The race , with all of its Covid-19-related complications , is more complicated due to the shadow of Hill .
A Democratic rising star , 32-year-old Hill was expected to defend her seat this November after a narrow but significant victory over Knight .
Hill was part of a congressional class that included a record-breaking number of women .
As reporter Michelle Ye Hee Lee noted at the Washington Post , she was one of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Congress , and was one of the “ Big Six ” first-term members of Congress to serve in major leadership roles .
About halfway through her freshman term , however , Hill resigned after conservative outlet RedState reported that she and her husband had been involved in a relationship with a female campaign staffer , beginning in 2017 and ending after Hill moved to Washington in 2019 .
The site posted photos it said depicted the women together , with the face of the staffer , who was not named , blurred @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a woman identified by RedState as Hill is nude .
RedState went on to publish texts purportedly between the staffer and Hill ’ s husband , Heslep , alluding to abusive behavior in the relationship and to report that Hill had been involved in a year-long affair with her congressional legislative director , Graham Kelly , which caused her husband to file for divorce .
Hill said in a statement to the Post last October that “ allegations that I have been involved in a relationship with Mr. Kelly are absolutely false @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saddened that the deeply personal matter of my divorce has been brought into public view and the vindictive claims of my ex have now involved the lives and reputations of unrelated parties.
” Then , in a separate statement to constituents , Hill acknowledged a relationship with the female campaign staffer , saying she knew it was “ inappropriate , but I still allowed it to happen despite my better judgment.
” The statement was supportive of the staffer and featured a request that the public respect her privacy , but also decried @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to light .
“ Distributing intimate photos with the intent to publish them is a crime , and the perpetrator should be punished to the full extent of the law , ” she said , adding that she had notified Capitol police about the leak of the photos .
Under Washington ’ s “ revenge porn ” law , enacted in 2014 , it ’ s illegal to try to harm someone by disseminating nude photographs of that person without consent , and perpetrators can face up to three years in prison .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in more than 30 states , are a response to a very real problem : According to one 2016 study , one in 25 Americans has been a victim of “ revenge porn.
” ( Heslep did not respond to the Post ’ s request for comment . )
In announcing her resignation , Hill added that after leaving office she would work to stop revenge porn .
“ My fight is going to be to defeat this type of exploitation that so many women are victims to and which will keep countless @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” she said .
The circumstances around the former lawmaker ’ s exit led to an examination of the standards men and women in public office are held to , as Vox ’ s Li Zhou explained at the time : Rep. Duncan Hunter , a Republican lawmaker who prosecutors say engaged in five affairs , including one with his own staffer , is still in office .
The uproar that Hill has encountered over these allegations serves to highlight the double standard that men and women have long faced when it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : Not only were naked photos used to shame Hill — a tactic that ’ s leveraged overwhelmingly against women — the penalty she faced was far more severe than that experienced by many of her male counterparts .
This is not to say that Hill , herself , should not have resigned , but that others fielding similar allegations — like Hunter — should have to deal with the same consequences .
Another example that ’ s been raised as a point of comparison is President Donald Trump , who ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allegations of sexual misconduct have been brought against him .
These double standards were not fully reckoned with , nor were concerns that the way Hill ’ s photographs were disseminated would discourage young women from running from office .
But they do mean Hill is not running for her old seat , and that either Smith or Garcia will soon represent the people of California ’ s 25th District .
Every day at Vox , we aim to answer your most important questions and provide you , and our audience around the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ power to save lives .
Our mission has never been more vital than it is in this moment : to empower you through understanding .
Vox ’ s work is reaching more people than ever , but our distinctive brand of explanatory journalism takes resources — particularly during a pandemic and an economic downturn .
Your financial contribution will not constitute a donation , but it will enable our staff to continue to offer free articles , videos , and podcasts at the quality and volume that this moment requires .
Please consider @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Update, May 13: Republican Mike Garcia has won the special election for California’s 25th District.
A special election to fill the US House of Representatives seat left vacant by former California Democratic Rep. Katie Hill’s resignation is being held Tuesday, May 12.
The race, considered a toss-up by Cook Political Report, is being closely watched in part because of the circumstances that led to Hill’s leaving Congress and in part because the race is widely seen as previewing how the coronavirus pandemic will affect November’s elections. It also represents an opportunity for the Republican Party to retake one of the seats Democrats successfully flipped in the 2018 midterms.
Whoever wins the race — either Democrat Christy Smith or Republican Mike Garcia — will serve out the remaining eight months of Hill’s term. Smith and Garcia will face off again in November in this year’s general election race.
Polls close at 11 pm ET. Vox has live results in partnership with Decision Desk. However, because the race will largely be conducted via mail-in voting, it may take several days for a winner to emerge.
Hill became California District 25’s US representative in 2018 after defeating ardent Trump ally former Rep. Steve Knight by less than 3 percent in 2018. She resigned from Congress last October after nude photographs of her were released by conservative blog RedState and after she admitted to having a consensual relationship with a staff member.
Although polling of Tuesday’s race has far been fairly sparse, what surveys are available show a race that is extremely close.
A poll of 500 of the district’s likely voters conducted by 1892 Polling in mid-March showed Garcia, a former fighter pilot, with 43 percent support to the 39 percent support for Smith — currently a California state representative — with 10 percent of likely voters undecided. Given that the poll’s margin of error is 4.38 percent, Smith could have actually been in the lead.
That poll was taken before California Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a shelter-at-home order on March 19, forcing both campaigns to abandon traditional retail politicking techniques like door-knocking, in-person meet-and-greets, and fundraising events. What effect that has had on polling is not clear, and it also is not clear what effect reduced in-person voting will have.
While Newsom issued an executive order Friday ordering mail-in ballots for November’s general election to be sent to all registered voters in the state, Tuesday’s special election will be conducted via a mix of mail-in and in-person voting.
Mail-in ballots haven’t been returned at an overwhelming rate, according to a National Republican Congressional Committee memo, which said that as of Friday, 50,191 Republicans (45 percent) had returned their ballots compared to 39,230 Democrats (35 percent) and 16,528 (15 percent) from unaffiliated voters.
The special election race is a likely bellwether for this fall’s general election
Given that the race will essentially be re-run again in November, whoever wins will likely have a small incumbent advantage when they face off again in a few months.
Because it’s expected to be close, the race is seen as a national bellwether for this fall. With her victory, Hill flipped a seat that had been held by Republicans since 1993, helping Democrats take control of the House of Representatives.
Democrats are expected to keep control of the chamber after November’s elections. But a solid Smith win could indicate that another blue wave is imminent this fall, while Republicans hope that a Garcia win might signal that their party could recover several of the House seats it lost during 2018’s midterm election.
Because of this, the race has drawn attention from national politicians. President Donald Trump accused Democrats of trying to “steal the election” in a tweet Saturday after the National Republican Congressional Committee sent a “call to arms” to House Republicans, asking them to “raise hell” about the race.
Governor @GavinNewsom of California won’t let restaurants, beaches and stores open, but he installs a voting booth system in a highly Democrat area (supposed to be mail in ballots only) because our great candidate, @MikeGarcia2020, is winning by a lot. CA25 Rigged Election! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 9, 2020
Meanwhile, Smith has been endorsed by former President Barack Obama and former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.
And the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has spent about $1.5 million on the race, while the National Republican Congressional Committee spent about $1.7 in supporting Garcia. Outside groups dumped about $4.3 million into the race, according to a recent OpenSecrets.org report. Two years ago, Hill spent $8,342,521 compared to Knight’s $2,582,818.
Beyond the partisan stakes of the race, the election is being watched closely for pandemic-related campaign tactics that could be scaled to more national races. The candidates debated over videoconference calling and both shifted toward phone-banking in lieu of door knocking.
“We transitioned from being able to canvass, and stand on street corners waving signs, and going out to events with Mike, like meet-and-greets and that sort of thing, to all phones,” Marian Salazar, a volunteer for the Garcia campaign, told NPR.
Smith’s campaign followed a similar playbook and made sure staffers and volunteers were equipped with pandemic-related resources for those they reached out to by phone.
“We’ve made sure that all of our callers, as they’re reaching out, are equipped with information like how to connect to state resources, the domestic violence hotline, mental health services, or being able to connect people with their nearest food pantry,” Smith told NPR.
Regardless of who wins Tuesday, the two candidates will continue campaigning into the fall to compete for control of the seat for the next two years.
Hill resigned last fall after acknowledging having a consensual relationship with a female staffer
The race, with all of its Covid-19-related complications, is more complicated due to the shadow of Hill.
A Democratic rising star, 32-year-old Hill was expected to defend her seat this November after a narrow but significant victory over Knight. Hill was part of a congressional class that included a record-breaking number of women. As reporter Michelle Ye Hee Lee noted at the Washington Post, she was one of the first openly bisexual people to serve in Congress, and was one of the “Big Six” first-term members of Congress to serve in major leadership roles.
About halfway through her freshman term, however, Hill resigned after conservative outlet RedState reported that she and her husband had been involved in a relationship with a female campaign staffer, beginning in 2017 and ending after Hill moved to Washington in 2019.
The site posted photos it said depicted the women together, with the face of the staffer, who was not named, blurred out. In one of the images, a woman identified by RedState as Hill is nude.
RedState went on to publish texts purportedly between the staffer and Hill’s husband, Heslep, alluding to abusive behavior in the relationship and to report that Hill had been involved in a year-long affair with her congressional legislative director, Graham Kelly, which caused her husband to file for divorce.
Hill said in a statement to the Post last October that “allegations that I have been involved in a relationship with Mr. Kelly are absolutely false,” and that she was “saddened that the deeply personal matter of my divorce has been brought into public view and the vindictive claims of my ex have now involved the lives and reputations of unrelated parties.”
Then, in a separate statement to constituents, Hill acknowledged a relationship with the female campaign staffer, saying she knew it was “inappropriate, but I still allowed it to happen despite my better judgment.”
The statement was supportive of the staffer and featured a request that the public respect her privacy, but also decried the manner in which the relationship came to light. “Distributing intimate photos with the intent to publish them is a crime, and the perpetrator should be punished to the full extent of the law,” she said, adding that she had notified Capitol police about the leak of the photos.
Under Washington’s “revenge porn” law, enacted in 2014, it’s illegal to try to harm someone by disseminating nude photographs of that person without consent, and perpetrators can face up to three years in prison. Such laws, now on the books in more than 30 states, are a response to a very real problem: According to one 2016 study, one in 25 Americans has been a victim of “revenge porn.” (Heslep did not respond to the Post’s request for comment.)
In announcing her resignation, Hill added that after leaving office she would work to stop revenge porn. “My fight is going to be to defeat this type of exploitation that so many women are victims to and which will keep countless women and girls from running for office,” she said.
The circumstances around the former lawmaker’s exit led to an examination of the standards men and women in public office are held to, as Vox’s Li Zhou explained at the time:
Rep. Duncan Hunter, a Republican lawmaker who prosecutors say engaged in five affairs, including one with his own staffer, is still in office. ... The uproar that Hill has encountered over these allegations serves to highlight the double standard that men and women have long faced when it comes to the treatment of their sexuality: Not only were naked photos used to shame Hill — a tactic that’s leveraged overwhelmingly against women — the penalty she faced was far more severe than that experienced by many of her male counterparts. This is not to say that Hill, herself, should not have resigned, but that others fielding similar allegations — like Hunter — should have to deal with the same consequences. Another example that’s been raised as a point of comparison is President Donald Trump, who’s still in office after more than 20 allegations of sexual misconduct have been brought against him.
These double standards were not fully reckoned with, nor were concerns that the way Hill’s photographs were disseminated would discourage young women from running from office. But they do mean Hill is not running for her old seat, and that either Smith or Garcia will soon represent the people of California’s 25th District.