Okay, so you know how we're all humans, right? But we also have different physical features like skin color, hair texture, and eye shape. These physical features that people share can be called a race.
In the United States Census, people are asked what their race is. The Census asks people to mark one or more boxes that best represent the racial group they identify with. Some of the choices include White, Black or African American, Asian, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, and American Indian or Alaska Native.
But there's more to a person's identity than just race. Ethnicity is also important. Ethnicity refers to a person's culture and where their family comes from. For example, a person can have a race of White and be of Irish or Italian ethnicity.
So, when people fill out the United States Census, they are asked about both their race and ethnicity. This helps the government to gather information about the country's population and better understand the diversity of people living in the United States.
It's important to remember that everyone is unique and different, and that labeling someone based on their race or ethnicity doesn't define them entirely. The Census simply collects data to help understand the demographics of the United States population.