DATA COLLECTION AND THE RACIAL AND ETHNIC CATEGORIZATION OF ITALIAN AMERICANS 

Racial and ethnic categories in the U.S. have always been the subject of fierce debate. Seeing flaws in the current framework, the federal government is undertaking an overhaul of the racial and ethnic categories, with final recommendations set to be released in the summer of 2024. The federal government has encouraged people of all backgrounds to share their perspectives on how the categories can be improved. 

A coalition of 30 Italian American organizations, led by NIABA, has recently advocated to the federal government on how to improve the racial and ethnic categorization of Italian Americans. The advocacy shared insights on contemporary self-perception within the Italian American community and the importance of accurate data for civil rights enforcement. In April 2023 the coalition submitted a public comment, and in September 2023, we presented directly to the federal government working group. 

For details on our advocacy, see our public comment and powerpoint presentation.