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Taken Out of My Community Because We Didn’t Count

By Thomas Williams

As a young black teen in a largely black community of East Palo Alto, I should be able to connect to my town, connect to my roots. I want to, but that can’t happen. It can’t happen because a long time ago, they decided to tear down the only high school in East Palo Alto, and thus began the system of bussing youth out of our community to go to high school . Now, five times a week, I am surrounded by all these white people that can’t relate to me in a personal way, and I'm beginning to have some hate for anything that is regarded as "BLACK." Had I grown up with the kids that I lived with in E.P.A. and not the ones in Palo Alto, I think I would have more love for Black People. And that’s why you have to fill out the Census.

Had the government known that there were so many kids in E.P.A., they possibly could have kept the high school. But the census numbers didn’t show how many we were or what we needed, so out we all went. It sucks to not like what I see in the mirror because of all the negativity and stereotypes that follow my skin.

Doing the census, I feel, isn't just something that they do to get the population count, it's about getting the resources populations need. I’m working on being more proud of my race, because being taken from them made me question my identity. Do the census, and don't make someone else feel what I did.

Count In the Census, Like I Count On You

By Theresa Marsh

To my Mother and Father,

Please listen closely. This letter is my recommendation, my information, and my promise to a brighter future. The Census is back, and we need to prepare for its arrival. These funds can help us all, Mom! No more cutbacks on school funding and jobs, so you won’t have to scavenge for money or food.

Maranda, Vito, Cecilia, Jeremy, and Lee can find jobs. Maranda will not have to be evicted because she can find a job and go back to school. There can be school funding so she gets a good education. We can finally go back to the chiropractor to fix our scoliosis and Rachel's foot problem that keeps her in pain.

Please Dad, do not give up on the economy. Through the Census, we can fund colleges and provide more grants, giving me the chance to go to college without owing the government for all my days. Remember what you told me? "School comes first.” But remember how you contradicted your statement as I got closer to college? Remember when you told me I either needed to get grants and scholarships so I can pay for the school; otherwise, I could not go? Here's our chance!!! My future, your future. Count yourselves into the census, like I'm counting on you.

With Love,
Theresa

Count So We Can Stay in California

By Steven Trujillo

The Census is important to my family, but mostly me, because the economy is really bad and going down. With education, teacher cuts hurt my family because my mom is a teacher and she might lose her job. Also, since construction is on a low, my stepdad got laid off. So with the economic downfall, it is hurting California a lot; so with this, my family may be forced to move to Colorado so we can "live" without any hardships. With the Census, more money can go to my community so that I won't have to move and other people can actually go on in life.

Less Youth Will Have Trouble with the Law If You Do the Census

By Vanessa C.

I am doing community service hours today because I got in trouble with the law. I got caught recently at Sears shoplifting with a couple of my friends. Earlier that day, my friends and I were discussing what we should do that day. Shoplifting came to our minds. Shoplifting shouldn't have to be an option. Teens should be able to have fun in their youth and not get in trouble just because they didn't have anything to do. I myself can get bored very easily, and when I am bored, I will do almost anything to have a little fun in my life. This has caused me to shoplift and also drink heavily. I personally think that teens should not have to make decisions like that; gangs, drinking, and drugs should not be solutions to boredom. I know that most teens would do anything just to get out of their house and do something that teens like to do. The city of San Jose has tons of teens that would love to have an option to do something exciting and not get in trouble with their parents or the law. Even just a couple of programs would help the community and the teens in it. It would help them keep themselves on the right path. Teens in San Jose deserve to have the option to do the right thing. Giving them something to do will help them be one step closer to making the right choice. If our community filled out the Census and was counted, we could get funding for community centers and create programs for youth.