The 2020 census is only a few short weeks away! This is one of the best ways to make sure your community is represented — make sure your friends and family have all the information that they need to participate in the census. Get started here!

Are you ready to be counted, friend?

The 2020 census is officially starting in just a few weeks and it's more important than ever that we all have the information we need for a complete and accurate count!

Census information determines how our communities will be represented in Congress, how legislative districts are drawn, and how government funding is allocated for environmental and public health programs. And a fair and accurate count is necessary to ensure that federal resources are distributed equitably, especially for communities of color, low-wealth communities, and immigrant communities that are disproportionately impacted by climate change and pollution.

These frontline communities are often undercounted in the census, and so we're doing our part today to empower as many people as possible with the information they need to be counted.

Our future depends on the information collected by the census data. Learn how to participate in the 2020 census »

We're reaching out to you today to both give you the tools to participate in the census — and importantly help those around you have the same opportunity to be counted.

Here are some resources to help:

• Explore a sample census form and learn about the kind of questions that will be asked on the 2020 census.
• Make a plan to participate online. This is the first year that households will be able to take the census online. Households will be able to complete the online questionnaire starting in mid-March. Don't fret, here's a video that walks you through the process.
• Or make a plan to participate by mail. In mid-March, households will begin receiving official U.S. Census Bureau mailings with detailed information on how to respond to the 2020 census. Simply follow these guidelines and mail your form back.
• Participate in the census using the language that is the most comfortable for you. As households in the United States speak a variety of languages, the Census Bureau is providing multiple ways to help households respond in English, Spanish, Chinese, Korean, Tagalog, and more.
• Make sure the census is accessible for you. People with disabilities have historically been hard to count within the census, and so there are a number of new and improved resources to make the process more accessible.
• The census is completely confidential. The census is a count of everyone in the United States, no matter your immigration status, and your information is completely confidential. Read all about it here.

If we don't participate in the census, our government will make decisions about OUR future without accurately understanding our communities. Participating in the census is one of the most important ways we can make sure we have a seat at the table in the decisions that will impact our health and environment.

Protecting our democracy begins with each one of us making sure we are represented in the 2020 census. Will you join me and make sure you, your family, and your friends have the information they need to participate?

Check out more information about how you can participate in the 2020 census, and help make sure everyone you know has the information they need to participate »

Thank you for helping make sure your community is counted in the 2020 census.

Justin Kwasa
Voting Rights Director
League of Conservation Voters