Telemundo's Smart Move for the Census

For all the reasons I've written about before, it's important to see federal agencies represented in pop culture, if only so Americans know more about what their government does. But Telemundo's decision to show a character on one of its top telenovels getting a job with the Census Bureau and going to work making sure Latinos aren't underrepresented is smart for a whole host of reasons. First, it's a effectively a public service announcement, countering the statements of some Congressmen who have suggested avoiding the Census, making the case that it's important to be counted and represented. Second, the show will put a face, albeit a fictional one, on the Census, making it a process conducted by people, rather than a faceless data-collection machine. And third, the show will demonstrate a simple truth: the Census is a vehicle for employment, even if it's only part time. And the federal government can guarantee it's probably better than pole-dancing or relying on a hunky-but-doomed gangster as a means of support.