What do you think about the US Census combining race and ethnicity and adding North Africa and the Middle East?

The new lists both ethnicity and race in one section. The categories are:

- American Indian or Alaskan Native
– Asian
– Black or African American
– Hispanic or Latino
– Middle Eastern or North African
– Native Hawaiin or Pacific Islander
– White

Previously, Hispanic/Latino was a separate ethnicity question, not listed within the race categories, and Middle Eastern was not a specific category on its own, it was just listed as white.

Do you think people will read the directions and check off all boxes that apply, or more likely just check one box? Do you like that they added Middle Eastern and North African to the highlighted groups? Do you predict the new set up will shift the demographic percentages in the country due to people answering differently because of how the question is arranged? Do you think it will be more accurate or less or no change in accuracy compared to previous years?

Here is a link if you have interest in reading more about it. https://www.census.gov/newsroom/blogs/random-samplings/2024/04/updates-race-ethnicity-standards.html#:~:text=Among%20the%20biggest%20updates%3A%20directives,of%20the%20SPD%2015%20updates.