The Census and Us

The Pastor’s Page

We are in the early days of March but it is time for us to talk about the upcoming census.
Census Day is April 1, 2010, and it is extremely important for everyone to fill out the forms, but especially important for people of color to participate.
By law, all United States citizens are supposed to be counted. It is required by the United States Constitution that a census be taken every 10 years.
The federal government allocates more than $400 billion to states and communities based in part on census data. These funds are used for all sorts of projects, but for African Americans and people of color, the projects for which money can be allocated are critical for the well being and growth of our communities.
Included projects include Title 1 grants to schools, Head Start programs, the Women, Infant and Children (WIC) program, public transportation, road rehabilitation and construction, programs for the elderly, emergency food and shelter and the creation of empowerment zones.
Money allocated is based on the number of people in given communities. If we do not fill out the forms, the federal government will have an inaccurate snapshot of our communities and our needs. We will not get the money we need in order to flourish. In other words, we hurt nobody but ourselves if we do not participate in the census.
Historically, people of color have been distrustful of the government and of the government’s intentions when it has come to census data. We have believed that the government’s history of not treating people of color well is something that will be a reality no matter what we do.
But that is not true. We have a responsibility to do what we can in order to protect our communities and get resources for members of our community. Here in Advent’s community, there are still streets that need sidewalks and curbs; we have a growing population of both children and the elderly. We need, therefore, resources to improve and build schools and facilities which service our elderly, including health clinics and shelters.
The census consists of 10 questions; it takes 10 minutes to complete. By law, the Census Bureau cannot share an individual’s questionnaire responses with anyone, including other federal agencies and law enforcement agencies.
In spite of doubts about the honesty of the government, we have nothing to lose and everything to gain by filling out the forms. Not filling out the forms is like African Americans not voting in local, state and federal elections. In those instances, if we get elected officials who do not care about us or have our best interests at heart, we have nobody to blame but ourselves.
Be clear: there are people in other congressional districts who are quite clear about what is at stake with the census. They know that if they don’t do what they can now to uplift and help their communities, it will be another 10 years before they have another opportunity.
Ten years is too long to wait for resources and services that we need now.
We will have a sample census form in Varner Hall and posted in the narthexes for you all to see so that you can ask questions. My hope, no, my claim, is that 100 percent of our congregation will fill out the form and that you will talk to people in your neighborhoods and other groups in which you are involved about the importance of their taking 10 minutes to fill out the form.
Yes, the government has been dishonest, but if we do our part, if the numbers of people in our communities fill out the census forms in numbers that show our strength, we give more power to a dishonest government. We are the masters of our fate; we are the captains of our souls.
Fill out the forms. It’s our communities that will suffer if we do not.

Pastor Smith