The Census Bureau is looking for people to be a census taker for the 2020 census. (Photo by Sue Vliet) Editor’s note: This article has been updated to reflect the new census deadline. Shortly after returning home from school one day in spring 2010, Iuscely Flores, who was 13 at the time, and her mother heard a knock on the door. Peering through the window, Flores’ mother saw a man dressed in business casual holding a laptop with a lanyard around his neck. Her mother was hesitant to open the door. At the time, ICE raids were becoming more frequent and the Flores family, as undocumented residents, didn’t want to risk deportation. When Flores realized the man was a census taker, she encouraged her mother to open the door. “I remember telling my mom, it’s going to be OK. I learned about this in school,” she said. Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing! Eventually, the man came inside and for nearly an hour, Flores translated for her mother, as the census taker noted everyone who was living in the house. Currently, Flores works for Wisconsin Voices, an organization that aims to increase civic engagement. In her role as canvass training manager for the census, Flores shares her story and works on encouraging more people to participate in the census. While the census is still a couple of months away, here’s what you need to know about what it means for Wisconsin and the nation as a whole. Gov. Tony Evers signs an executive order for a Complete Count Committee for the 2020 census. (Photo by Ana Martinez-Ortiz) What is the census and its purpose? The census, in basic terms, is a way for the government to count every living person in the country. The census serves many purposes. During a news conference, Rep. David Crowley (D-Milwaukee) explained the importance of the census. The population of a state determines how many seats it receives in the House of Representatives through reapportionment. It contributes to a state’s redistricting plan. And it determines how much each state receives in terms of federal funding. There’s $675 billion of federal funding that is split among the states each year, he said. This funding contributes to education, Medicare, transportation and more. What is the history of the census? The first census was collected in 1790 when there were 13 states, Thomas Jefferson was the bureau’s director and the U.S. resident population totaled nearly 4 million people. Jefferson, who was secretary of state, spearheaded the census. Under his leadership, U.S. marshals conducted a six-question survey, which was to be done every 10 years. The questions included name, age, sex and race. In 1830, Congress approved the printing of a more uniform questionnaire. In 1940, the census had two surveys, one to count the population and the other to collect housing information. This later changed in 1960, when the two surveys were combined. In 1970 through 2000, a short-term survey was sent to all households, with a long-term survey about the household sent to some homes. In 2010, the census consisted of 10 questions. What are hard-to-count communities? Marilyn Sanders, a regional director for the U.S. Census Bureau, said the data have shown that hard-to-count communities include single parent households, children under the age of 5 and seniors. Sharon Robinson, the co-chairwoman of the Greater Milwaukee Complete Count Committee and director of the department of administration for the City of Milwaukee, said the hard-to-count communities also include the homeless, Latinx, African Americans and LGBTQ+ populations. “Our census affects the monetary resources that our state can get,” Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes said. “Meaning for every person not counted our state loses out on nearly $1,400 per person per year.” During a news conference, Gov. Tony Evers said the hard-to-count population in Wisconsin is more than 600,000. What is being done to count HTC? Sanders noted that the hard-to-count populations are typically uneducated when it comes to the census and its importance. The future starts with the count for 2020, she said. “It is our goal and our mission to get a complete count in 2020,” she said. “We must count everyone once, only once, and in the right place.” Groups such as the Complete Count Committee and Wisconsin Voices are working hard to educate people from those backgrounds on the importance of the census. To do this, the groups are relying on trusted voices in those communities to educate people on the census and that it’s quick, safe and private. Robinson said that the Greater Milwaukee Complete Count Committee is working to break down barriers that may prohibit people from participating in the census.