via Pixabay
The census matters and you need to know why. While some people view it as just a survey, it’s much more than that. Who is counted, how they’re counted, and why they’re counted is something that affects our communities on a day-to-day basis!
The U.S. Constitution calls for proportional representation based on the population. This means that the U.S. House of Representatives and the seats in the House are based off of census population counts. If Black people are undercounted, it means we lose representation!
When they come to do the count, it’s not just for fun! “It would shape how billions of dollars a year are allocated, including for schools and hospitals… including the numbers that underpin the forecasts for Social Security beneficiaries,” according to the New York Times.
Federal and state dollars are directly related to the census and that’s why people who are not concerned about the wellbeing of our community don’t want a TRUE count. They know that our numbers are a threat when we’re fully counted, considered, and showing up!
So when the time comes, it’s important that we are counted the way we’re supposed to be because we need to make sure we claim EVERYTHING that’s rightfully ours. Black lives matter in person and on paper, so let’s make this effort count!