Selena Gomez, Tom Hanks & More Stars Urge Fans To Complete 2020 Census: ‘Be Seen, Heard & Counted’

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Amidst the chaos that is the coronavirus pandemic, it’s easy to let things like filling out the 2020 Census fall by the wayside. But our friends at When We All Vote, in partnership with ATTN: and Census Counts, aren’t letting that happen. When We All Vote’s celebrity co-chairs put together an urgent video message for their fans about how deeply impactful participating in the 2020 Census is to shaping the future of communities across the United States — especially now. In the video, released on Census Day, April 1, Tom Hanks, Selena Gomez, Janelle Monáe, Faith Hill, Liza Koshy, and Megan Rapinoe join forces to spread the word.

You can watch the PSA, called Everyone Counts, in its entirety above. “The 2020 Census could be the most important in our lifetimes,” Tom begins. “It will decide how over 650 billion dollars — are distributed to local communities across the country. That includes where money is distributed for things like health care, public schools and food stamps,” Janelle and Liza say together. The celebrities stress that filling out a census form is not only important, but it’s super easy, too. “Be seen, be heard, be counted, for lasting change. It makes a difference,” their message ends. But let’s back up. If you’re confused about what a census even is, here’s the skinny.

The 2020 Census will count every person living in the United States and its five territories. Every household is encouraged to fill out a short questionnaire, which will arrive in the mail, to share critical data with the government that lawmakers, business owners, teachers, and others use to provide tailored support to communities. The data also determines how many seats each state will have in the House of Representatives, and how $700 billion in federal funding will be distributed among communities throughout the nation.

“At a time like this, we are feeling a lot of uncertainty, and it’s critical that the people representing us understand our communities and our needs,” Selena said in a statement. “I’m excited to encourage everyone to take a few minutes to participate in the 2020 Census online, over the phone, or by mail — because we all can have an impact on what our future looks like.” You can complete the 2020 Census online HERE.