Our friends at Voto Latino — a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to increasing American Latino youth civic participation — have just launched an important campaign to ensure that the Latino community is accurately accounted for in the 2010 census.

Be Counted: Represent! makes it easy to stand and be counted. And if you pledge your participation via Voto Latino's site, you'll recieve 25 free songs from major artists like Pitbull, Aventura, Morrissey, Mos Def, Jaguares and Los Tigres del Norte.

But why is the census so important to the Latino community? Actress and VL founder Rosario Dawson explains it like this:

This year we have the unprecedented opportunity to make a difference in Latino communities across the United States simply by filling out the 2010 U.S. Census form. Based on the results of the census, the federal government will allocate more than $400 billion in funds for hospitals, schools, job-training centers and public works projects.

Mi gente, we cannot do this without you. I ask that you take a stand and pledge your participation in the 2010 Census today on our site. . . remember to stay tuned as Voto Latino will be bringing you updates and many census events to help spread the word. But most importantly, remember to pledge, be counted, and represent!

And check out this NBC Washington interview about Be Counted with Wilmer Valderama ("That '70s Show"). Addicted to your iPhone? There's even "an app for that."

Head to the Be Counted: Represent! page for details and more behind-the-scenes extras.