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U.S. NEWS Friday 16 September 2022

U.S. moved online, worked more from home as pandemic raged

By MIKE SCHNEIDER against Asian Americans.
Associated Press Experts say this likely lead
During the first two years of some multiracial people
the pandemic, the num- who previously might have
ber of people working from identified as a single race
home in the United States to instead embrace all of
tripled, home values grew their background.
and the percentage of "The pattern is strong evi-
people who spent more dence of shifting self-identi-
than a third of their income ty. This is not new," said Paul
on rent went up, according Ong, a professor emeritus
to survey results released of urban planning and
Thursday by the U.S. Census Asian American Studies at
Bureau. UCLA. "Other research has
Providing the most detailed shown that racial or ethnic
data to date on how life identity can change even
changed in the U.S. under over a short time period. For
COVID-19, the bureau's many, it is contextual and
American Community Sur- situational. This is particu-
vey 1-year estimates for larly true for individuals with
2021 showed that the share multiracial background."
of unmarried couples living The estimates show the
together rose, Americans pandemic-related impact
became more wired and of closed theaters, shut-
the percentage of people The full harvest moon rises behind downtown buildings, Friday, Sept. 9, 2022, in Kansas City, Mo. tered theme parks and res-
who identify as multiracial Associated Press taurants with limited seat-
grew significantly. And in ing on workers in arts, en-
changes that seemed to The survey typically relies percent of households with 2021, and internet subscrip- tertainment and accom-
directly reflect how the on responses from 3.5 mil- unwed couples cohabiting tion services grew from 86% modation businesses. Their
pandemic upended peo- lion households to provide rose to 7.2% in 2021 from to 90% of households. numbers declined from
ple's choices, fewer people 11 billion estimates each 6.6% in 2019. Contrary to The jump in people who 9.7% to 8.2% of the work-
moved, preschool enroll- year about commuting pop culture images of mul- identify as multiracial — force, while other industries
ment dropped and com- times, internet access, fam- tigenerational family mem- from 3.4% in 2019 to 12.6% stayed comparatively sta-
muters using public trans- ily life, income, education bers moving in together in 2021 — and a decline in ble. Those who were self-
portation was cut in half. levels, disabilities, military during the pandemic, the people identifying as white employed inched up to
The data release offers the service and employment. average household size alone — from 72% to 61.2% 6.1% from 5.8%.
first reliable glimpse of life The estimates help inform actually contracted from — coincided with Census Housing demand grew
in the U.S. during the CO- how to distribute hundreds 2.6 to 2.5 people. Bureau changes in coding over the two years, as the
VID-19 era, as the 1-year of billions of dollars in fed- People also stayed put. race and Hispanic origin re- percent of vacant homes
estimates from the 2020 eral spending. More than 87% of those sur- sponses. Those adjustments dropped from 12.1% to
survey were deemed unus- Response rates significantly veyed were living in their were intended to capture 10.3%. The median value of
able because of problems improved from 2020 to 2021, same house a year ago more detailed write-in an- homes rose from $240,500
getting people to answer "so we are confident about in 2021, compared to 86% swers from participants. The to $281,400. The percent
during the early months of the data for this year," said in 2019. America became period between surveys of people whose gross rent
the pandemic. That left a Mark Asiala, the survey's more wired as people be- also overlapped with social exceeded more than 30%
one-year data gap during chief of statistical design. came more reliant on re- justice protests following of their income went from
a time when the pandemic While the percentage of mote learning and working the killing of George Floyd, 48.5% to 51%. Historically,
forced major changes in married-couple households from home. Households who was Black, by a white renters are considered
the way people live their stayed stable over the two with a computer rose, from Minneapolis police officer rent-burdened if they pay
lives. years at around 47%, the 92.9% in 2019 to 95% in in 2020 as well as attacks more than that.q
Patagonia founder gives company away to environmental trusts

gear company Patagonia, lective. "Instead of extracting value
long known for environ- Each year after reinvest- from nature and transform-
mental activism, says the ing profits back into the ing it into wealth for inves-
company is transferring all company, Chouinard said tors, we'll use the wealth Pa-
of its voting shares into a remaining funds will be dis- tagonia creates to protect
trust "dedicated to fight- tributed as a dividend to the source of all wealth,"
ing the environmental crisis the trusts in their ongoing Chouinard wrote.
and defending nature." efforts to fight the climate Patagonia makes outdoor
In a letter posted on the crisis. clothing, gear and acces-
privately-held company's Chouinard said the other sories for everything from
website on Wednesday options for the Ventura, skiing to climbing and
night, founder Yvon Choui- California company to camping.
nard said the 50-year-old dedicate itself to protect- Chouinard said he "never
company would transfer ing the planet — selling the wanted to be a business-
100% of the its voting stock company and donating man," and started Patago-
A Patagonia store is seen on Jan. 12, 2022, in Pittsburgh. to the Patagonia Purpose the proceeds; or taking the nia as a craftsman, making
Associated Press Trust and and 100% of its company public — were climbing gear for himself
nonvoting stock had been not viable for Patagonia's and his friends.q
By The Associated Press The founder of outdoor given to the Holdfast Col- ultimate goals.