Members of the Caribbean-American community are lobbying for their own category in the U.S. census, saying it's the only way to get an accurate count of the population.

Caribbean groups across the nation want either Caribbean-American or West Indian added as a separate racial or ethnic category for non-Hispanics who were born in the region or are descendants of people who were. While the change likely would not take place in time for the 2010 census, organizers say they want to build momentum for future census questionnaires.

"We don't want to be invisible anymore," said Felicia Persaud, CEO of Hardbeat Communications in New York and a spokeswoman for the campaign. "It's impacting everything from economics to social and political issues."

Persaud said the community is missing out on federal funding that could help businesses and social programs because the number of West Indians in the United States is underestimated.

Census data are used to determine how $300 billion in federal money is spent on such things as schools and roads. Demographic data are also considered when redrawing political districts in the states.

About 300,000 West Indians live in Broward and Palm Beach counties, according to estimates based on ancestry data collected on American Community Surveys. Such figures are calculated annually.

The West Indian community is one of the fastest-growing groups in South Florida.

"The Caribbean community is maturing and trying to manifest itself in being a part of the social fabric of America," said Marlon Hill, regional chairman of the Jamaican Diaspora Advisory Board. The community wants "to be recognized in a manner that gives true credence to our growing number."

Various ethnicities have lobbied for their own category on the census. Arab-Americans lobbied for their own racial category in the 1990s, but it was never adopted.