Just imagine: A few minutes of your time is worth hundreds of billions of dollars every year in federal funding to help rebuild our broken communities. Not hundreds of millions — hundreds of billions. Ludacris is undertaking a five-city tour with the U.S. Census Bureau, called the 2010 Census Luda on the Block, to motivate fans to spend 10 minutes on 10 questions in order to resuscitate the neighborhoods where they live and raise their children.
The U.S. Census enlisted the services of Ludacris, the superstar rapper, entrepreneur and philanthropist, whose combined star power and instant street credibility will help impart the paramount importance of being counted to his fans.
“I look at our communities now and I see many empty lots, closed clinics, dilapidated schools and an overall breakdown of social services for the poor and elderly,” says Ludacris. “Today is a day for change. I plan to knock on doors in various neighborhoods around this country to try and dispel any myths about the Census,” the Grammy-winning rapper adds. “It’s important that we all stand up and be counted so we can help create potential financial opportunities for our dying communities.”
Luda understands that the federal government has given African Americans plenty of reasons to mistrust it over the decades and centuries. But blacks’ blanket mistrust and disassociation with Uncle Sam has to come to an end, Ludracris urges. Just 10 minutes to fill out 10 questions will ensure that African Americans and other communities of color will get a greater share of the $400 billion allotment each year. This will be used for job training, schools, emergency services, maintaining bridges, tunnels and public works and other services. And if you look at our communities across the nation, you know that African American communities are in dire need of resources.
The 2010 Census “Luda on the Block” radio and home visit tour destinations include: Dallas (March 19), New Orleans (March 23), New York (April 5), Washington, D.C. (April 6) and Atlanta (April 9). The tour gives Ludacris’ fans an opportunity to log on to participating radio station Web sites and write about how their neighborhoods could benefit from 2010 Census funding. Lucky fans will get a chance to meet and discuss the 2010 Census with Luda in person. –terry shropshire
