headphones 3 WAYS TO LISTEN

1. Listen to the full article here.
2. Right click here and “save as” to save an mp3 of the article to your computer.
3. Listen to sections of the article by pressing the play buttons that appear before a set of words in the article below.

READING LEVEL 5

Ask Not What the Census…

…Can Do for You, But What You Can Do for the Census

Raheem A. Forbes

I have learned that some people in the U.S. do not want to fill out the census form. This news hits me hard. It is totally unacceptable! Think of all the money spent on advertisements promoting things for us to buy.By comparison, not very much money is spent educating the public about the census. I see we will have to make up the difference ourselves!

I am still learning about the census. As I learn about why it matters, all I know is I want in! And I want my community to be counted too.

I will share what I know with others. Here are a few ways you, too, can spread the word about the 2020 Census: You can start by going to your local library to get more information. You can visit the job booth and apply for a job with the Census Bureau.You can also encourage people in your community to share census content via social media with their friends, family, and followers. I will pass on what I learn and encourage others to do the same.

John F. Kennedy said in a famous speech, “Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country.” He wanted us to contribute to society and take action instead of being passive. It is important that we use our resources to make change.

Raheem A. Forbes lives in Florida; he is 23 years old and has lived here his entire life. He is an ABE student at Atlantic Technical College in Fort Lauderdale, FL. He likes to read and is open to new experiences.

Back to Issue 50