- Details
- By Native News Online Staff
TOKSOOK BAY, Alaska — Census Day—April 1, 2020—is still more than two months away, but Census 2020 is beginning its count in Toksook Bay, Alaska on January 21 to ensure everyone is counted.
Toksook Bay is located on an island and currently has a population of 651. Members of the Alaska NativeNunakauyarmiut ('People of Nunakauyaq') make up almost the entire population.
In a new conference held at Toksook Bay on Friday, Census 2020 officials shared that as an agency, it is going to great lengths to count everyone living in the United States.
“This is the most comprehensive attempt to ensure everyone is counted in history,” said Census Bureau Director Steven Dillingham, who was in Alaska to kickoff Census 2020.
The official census takes place across the United States once every decade. American Indians and Alaska Natives have been undercounted for decades and roughly one quarter (26 percent) of Natives currently live in hard-to-count Census tracts, according to the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights.
Dillingham said Census 2020 is beginning the Alaska count this early because of the remoteness of the land creates accessibility challenges. In addition, many residents leave following the spring thaw to fish and hunt or for other warm-weather jobs, making it difficult to get an accurate count in the days leading up to Census Day (April 1).
“Some of the ground it frozen, so we send census takers out on snowmobiles to reach residents living in remote areas,” said Dillingham.
The remaining portion of the state of Alaska, including Anchorage and Fairbanks, will be counted with the rest of the country beginning in March.
More Stories Like This
Native News Weekly (August 25, 2024): D.C. BriefsUS Presidents in Their Own Words Concerning American Indians
Native News Weekly (August 4, 2024): D.C. Briefs
Seattle Seahawks Tackle Preservation Projects at Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center for Annual Day of Service
Native News Weekly (June 15, 2025): D.C. Briefs
Help us tell the stories that could save Native languages and food traditions
At a critical moment for Indian Country, Native News Online is embarking on our most ambitious reporting project yet: "Cultivating Culture," a three-year investigation into two forces shaping Native community survival—food sovereignty and language revitalization.
The devastating impact of COVID-19 accelerated the loss of Native elders and with them, irreplaceable cultural knowledge. Yet across tribal communities, innovative leaders are fighting back, reclaiming traditional food systems and breathing new life into Native languages. These aren't just cultural preservation efforts—they're powerful pathways to community health, healing, and resilience.
Our dedicated reporting team will spend three years documenting these stories through on-the-ground reporting in 18 tribal communities, producing over 200 in-depth stories, 18 podcast episodes, and multimedia content that amplifies Indigenous voices. We'll show policymakers, funders, and allies how cultural restoration directly impacts physical and mental wellness while celebrating successful models of sovereignty and self-determination.
This isn't corporate media parachuting into Indian Country for a quick story. This is sustained, relationship-based journalism by Native reporters who understand these communities. It's "Warrior Journalism"—fearless reporting that serves the 5.5 million readers who depend on us for news that mainstream media often ignores.
We need your help right now. While we've secured partial funding, we're still $450,000 short of our three-year budget. Our immediate goal is $25,000 this month to keep this critical work moving forward—funding reporter salaries, travel to remote communities, photography, and the deep reporting these stories deserve.
Every dollar directly supports Indigenous journalists telling Indigenous stories. Whether it's $5 or $50, your contribution ensures these vital narratives of resilience, innovation, and hope don't disappear into silence.
The stakes couldn't be higher. Native languages are being lost at an alarming rate. Food insecurity plagues many tribal communities. But solutions are emerging, and these stories need to be told.
Support independent Native journalism. Fund the stories that matter.
Levi Rickert (Potawatomi), Editor & Publisher
