The United States is moving inexorably toward a future of greater diversity.  Latest Census figures show that minorities make up 34 percent of the total U.S. population, numbering 102.5 million people.

Latinos especially gained ground in 2007 remaining the largest minority group at 45.5 million people. African Americans are close behind at 40.7 million.  Minority groups are pushing statewide demographic trends.  Four states and the District of Columbia have a larger share of minorities than non-minorities:  Hawaii (75 percent), District of Columbia (68 percent), New Mexico (58 percent), California (57 percent) and Texas (52 percent).  Close behind are Nevada, Maryland, and Georgia at 42 percent each.

Is America prepared to reap the benefits of diversity and embrace a bright future?

One issue that remains a stumbling block is the rate of incarceration for drug-related offenses.  A May 10 editorial in The New York Times highlights two new reports by The Sentencing Project and Human Rights Watch  which show “large disparities in the rate at which blacks and whites are arrested and imprisoned for drug offenses, despite roughly equal rates of illegal drug use.”

The editorial concludes that “all is not gloomy,” pointing to an emerging shift in policy toward drug treatment as an alternative to prison and to a change in federal sentencing guidelines.

Last month, there was also positive news with the signing of the Second Chance Act, a bipartisan solution that authorizes $165 million in spending per year to help released prisoners reintegrate into society.

At a time when one in nine black men aged 20 to 34 are serving time, along with 1 in 36 adult Hispanic men, we need to take stock of what can be done to tap the abilities and potential of all Americans. We’re starting to move in the right direction but it will take all of our efforts to ensure continued progress toward that bright future.

Tags: African-American, Census, Diversity, Latino, minorities, people of color

This entry was posted on Tuesday, May 13th, 2008 at 3:47 pm and is filed under Diversity. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.