Counting in, not out

Those of you reading this column will probably answer the 2010 Census. Those who don't read it also are ignoring the radio and TV commercials that are supposed to encourage them to participate.

Many people don't want to be identified or counted for a multitude of reasons. The "hard-to-reach" folks are the bane of the census, and decade after decade they elude it because they are very suspicious of the outcome. They expect punishment and deportation, instead of the many benefits that will actually result.

Counting the hard to reach is a daunting task because they fear the census or view it as an intruder.

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is about equality and the preservation of human rights, so we understand the critical role the census plays in our mission and for America as a whole. Many elusive citizens have to be convinced that there will be no punishment or repercussions if they participate. We know that they must trust census advocates.

Unfortunately, the group identified as hard to reach grows every 10 years armed with new fears and excuses. We are prepared for all of these challenges. We have been very successful in eliminating those fears in the past.

Florida has 88 active NAACP branches, youth councils and college chapters that are ready to launch new grassroots strategies essential to a successful effort. This is what we do. Counting people in, instead of out, ultimately benefits us all. The revenues, jobs, health care and thousands of other resources are returned to communities to improve our quality of life.

This year the census is targeting hard-to-reach groups in 10 categories: Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders, Native Americans, African Americans, Caribbean groups, migrant workers, Hispanics, the homeless, college students and part-time residents. Seven of the 10 groups are people of color, with their own unique cultural fears and reservations about the census. We have already identified over 600,000 of Florida's hard to reach and are prepared to mobilize to count them.

The abysmal economy demands action, and we can all do our part to ensure that Florida receives its fair share of resources. It's time we all become activists for the good of this great state. Because, quite frankly, the census isn't accurate unless we count everyone.