Latinos Kick Off Campaign to Counter Census Fears

The Post's Carol Morello reports:

A coalition of prominent Latinos kicked off a nationwide campaign Thursday urging people to fill out the 2010 census forms. It is an attempt to counter fears that census data could lead to deportation and comes amid calls for a census boycott to protest the lack of immigration reform.

The 47 million Hispanics living in the U.S. comprise the nation's largest minority group.

In a campaign called "Ya es hora. Hagase contar!" or "It's time to make yourself count," Spanish-language television and newspapers plan to run a barrage of messages stressing that federal funds for communities and political power rise out of the count.

The Telemundo television network will cast a soap opera with a character who is a census worker. Another Spanish-language network, Univision, will broadcast a 30-minute program in late March in which viewers are guided step-by-step through the process of filling out their forms. Public service announcements will feature pro-census messages from well-known news anchors, sports announcers, judges and gossip columnists.

Continue reading this report >>>