CONTEXT
I was asked to write an article for The Mainline explaining the importance of the U.S. Census. The target audience was young adults, and I wrote in a casual tone to match the voice of the publication.

EXCERPT

Admittedly, prior to this year, I had never filled out a census survey. In the past, I chucked them right into the trash with the rest of the junk mail. I think that, looking back on it, I was reluctant to help a government that I don’t even trust. And frankly, I didn’t understand the point of the whole thing.

That was before I sat down with the staff of Fair Count.

Fair Count is the nonprofit, nonpartisan organization created by Stacey Abrams to “achieve a fair and accurate count of all people in Georgia and the nation in the 2020 Census.” Back in December, the Mainline team was able to meet with Fair Count’s CEO Rebecca DeHart and Vice President Dr. Jeanine Abrams McLean at their Atlanta headquarters. We learned a lot.

First, the decennial census — meaning that it occurs every 10 years — is actually mandated by the U.S. Constitution. Each decade since 1790, the government has been obliged to count all people living in the U.S. As the nation’s population has grown from just under 4 million in 1790 to well over 300 million today, this task has become significantly more complex. The enumerators (and yes, that’s actually what census takers are called) really have their work cut out for them.

I’m feeling cross-eyed just thinking about it. Why even bother with the gargantuan undertaking of counting each human in the nation?

Well, hold onto your calculators, because the figures gathered in the U.S. census play a critical role in our democracy. In a geeky but well-earned flex on their website, the Census Bureau makes sure we know just how important their work is to our nation, reminding us that these statistics provide “the basis for reapportioning congressional seats, redistricting, and distributing more than $675 billion in federal funds annually to support states, counties and communities’ vital programs — impacting housing, education, transportation, employment, health care and public policy.” These numbers dictate how many congressional and Electoral College seats we get; they affect how state political districts are drawn; they help determine the quality of our schools, our roads, and important services like Medicare and housing assistance.

You can read the full article at Mainline.