Progress 2050: New Ideas For A Diverse America
Progress 2050: New Ideas For A Diverse America
Progress 2050: New Ideas For A Diverse America
Progress 2050
New Ideas for a Diverse America
Vanessa Crdenas, Julie Ajinkya and Daniella Gibbs Lger October 2011
w w w.americanprogress.org
Progress 2050
New Ideas for a Diverse America
Vanessa Crdenas, Julie Ajinkya and Daniella Gibbs Lger October 2011
Progress 2050, a project of the Center for American Progress, seeks to lead, broaden, and strengthen the progressive movement by working toward a more inclusive progressive agenda one that truly reflects our nations rich ethnic and racial diversity. By 2050 there will be no ethnic majority in our nation and to ensure that the unprecedented growth of communities of color also yields future prosperity, we work to close racial disparities across the board with innovative policies that work for all.
Contents
1 4 6 8
Introduction and summary The coming demographic change Harnessing the talent of all Americans How does Progress 2050 work?
12 Conclusion
Center for American Progress | Progress 2050: new Ideas for a Diverse America
in part because of the comprehensive work by groups that focus on closing these gaps and in part due to the work of demographers who outline the urgency of reducing these disparities before we reach a point in American history when communities of color together make up a numerical majority. But there is a pressing need today to analyze the implications of the demographic change for local and national policy. We need to better understand how local communities are managing these changes in the face of daunting obstacles so that ultimately we can outline a positive vision of what our country could look like in 2050 if we truly work to close the gaps that exist over the next 40 years. Doing so will enable our nation to harness the full talent and drive of all our people. Progress 2050, a project of the Center for American Progress, seeks to do just that by: Working with the Centers policy teams to create a more informed and inclusive policy agenda Exploring the implications of this demographic change for our economic, political, and cultural landscape Fostering a localized dialogue about the challenges and opportunities of diversity in communities across our country Helping craft a policy framework and narrative squarely focused on the opportunities of diversity for the future prosperity and well being of our nation Without open and frank discussion about the opportunities and challenges of diversity, anxieties about where our country is headed combined with the coming demographic change may generate more division and disturbing stories that counter the fundamentals of American democracy. We as a nation have been down this road before many times as wave upon wave of new immigrants, new Americans, arrived on our shoresoften to face brutal discrimination and hardship. We triumphed each time, sometimes after many decades of discrimination, enabling the latest generations of Americans to assimilate and thrive, breathing new life into our economy and our democracy. But the stakes are even higher today. Today, discrimination abounds. Escalation in voter suppression tactics. Hate crimes. Anti-immigrant sentiment. And a general sense across the country that our federal, state, and local governments and social and economic institutions are failing to provide the leadership needed to move us meaningfully beyond the economic crisis of the Great Recession.
Center for American Progress | Progress 2050: new Ideas for a Diverse America
Progress 2050 is uniquely positioned to counter these challenges by offering an alternative. Certainly a progressive voice is needed now. We cannot allow the conversation about the future of this country to be dominated by voices on the right who advocate a very narrow definition of the American ideal. The demographic shift is a reality we must accept and embrace. And a clear vision of where we want our country to be in 2050 and how to get there is urgently needed. Working in collaboration with progressive and civil rights organizations, Progress 2050 will help devise that path forward.
CAPs Progress 2050 will lift up and add weight to demographic issues that often get shoved into separate policy silos.
Center for American Progress | Progress 2050: new Ideas for a Diverse America
Center for American Progress | Progress 2050: new Ideas for a Diverse America
means the dependency ratio (the number of people of working age, compared with the number of young and elderly) will rise sharply.5 Yet while 8 in 10 older Americans today are non-Hispanic whites, one-third of Americans under the age of 65 are people of color, making the futures older Americans a more racially and ethnically diverse group.6 In 2050 one in three children (34 percent) will be foreign born or will be the U.S.born son or daughter of an immigrant. The number of Hispanics in the elderly population will nearly triple, from 6 percent in 2005 to 17 percent in 2050, but will still be substantially less than the proportion of Hispanics in younger age groups.7 Accompanying this broad demographic shift will be the new geographic migration of African Americans. Reversing the Great Migration of the 20th century out of the segregationist South, there will be a pronounced shift back to the South. Economic progress, cultural ties, and an emerging black middle class have made cities such as Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, and Raleigh attractive to greater numbers of blacks. There is also the phenomenon of black flight from big cities to suburban areas, due to newer generations of African Americans with fewer ties to the segregated city neighborhoods of their parents and grandparents.8 All of these changes will not alter our nations third-place ranking in global population. We will stay at this rank in 2050, behind China and India. The U.S. fertility rate is projected to stay at or above replacement level (2.1 births per woman age 15-44) through 2050.9 Low fertility rates in other countries, in conjunction with rapidly graying populations, mean that other developed countries such as much of Western Europe, Japan, and other advanced economies in Asia are struggling with a shrinking labor force and the implications that will hold for their economic growth.10 In contrast, the labor force in the United States is projected to continue to grow, largely due to immigration and the children of immigrants. Between 2000 and 2050 new immigrants and their children will account for 83 percent of the growth in the working-age population.11 What this means for our economy, our society, and our democracy is the subject of the next section of our paper.
In 2050 one in three children (34 percent) will be foreign born or will be the U.S.-born son or daughter of an immigrant.
Center for American Progress | Progress 2050: new Ideas for a Diverse America
Center for American Progress | Progress 2050: new Ideas for a Diverse America
Research by University of Michigan professor Scott E. Page, director of the universitys Center for the Study of Complex Systems, also establishes that diversity has a positive impact on systems and organizational performance, particularly because people from different backgrounds have different tools or ways of looking at problems.16 This research indicates that the United States could improve its global competitive advantage by embracing diversity as one of its greatest assets. Finally, there is the Millennial generationAmericans born between 1978 and 2000. They will play a key role in Americas diverse future. As the generation that will take the reins of our economy and society over the next few decades, the increasingly progressive views of young people on issues of race and ethnicity holds promise for a more tolerant and inclusive future. Why? Because Millennials tend to be far more progressive than earlier generations. Case in point: New Progressive America: The Millennial Generation, a 2009 report by the Center for American Progress, detailed the progressive values of this generation through the lens of public opinion polls and voting patterns.17 Millennials, the report found, are tolerant of religious and family diversity [and] have an open and positive attitude toward immigration. And a telling 2006 Gallup poll showed that 95 percent of young people (ages 18 to 29) approved of interracial datingcompared with only 45 percent of respondents over the age of 64.18 Given that this generation will help shape U.S. policy and identity for years to come, it will be important to follow its understanding of demographic change and Millennials positive outlook for the future.
Center for American Progress | Progress 2050: new Ideas for a Diverse America
Center for American Progress | Progress 2050: new Ideas for a Diverse America
nature of modern family life and work. Analysis of the survey delved deeply into the Latino population to show that they accept and welcome the rising status of women in American life, and report many of the same needs as others in terms of balancing work and family life.21 Immigration: All Immigration is Local. Historically, immigrant integration has focused on immigrants, but positive community relations require the concerted action of both immigrant and native-born residents. This report is a call to action for such engagementfor reorienting discussions around immigration to local integration challenges and for proactively bridging the gaps between native and newcomer. 22
Center for American Progress | Progress 2050: new Ideas for a Diverse America
Multiracial coalition work to reduce interethnic tensions. Any honest discussion about the struggles communities of color face must address racial and ethnic tensions between these communities as well. Nonetheless, there are strong examples of multiracial coalition work that unite different groups behind common interests by creating a stronger, collective political voice.
Communications
Progress 2050 works to elevate the issues important to communities of color in the mainstream media while continuing to expand our reach directly to these groups. It seeks to bring attention to CAPs work as well as the work of organizations that work with underserved communities through traditional press outreach, podcasts, video, and original writing such as our Race and Beyond columns, written by Senior Fellow Sam Fulwood, a long-time journalist and observer of race relations in our nation. To that end, we will continue working with the Center for American Progress Action Funds blog ThinkProgress and the Centers new media teams to specifically cover issues from the perspective of communities of color. In addition, Progress 2050 hosts unique events at the Center that highlight new leaders representative of our diverse communities. Examples of some of our past events include: The Moral Complexity of a Diverse Latino Community. In collaboration with CAPs Faith and Progressive Policy team, Progress 2050 brought together faith leaders and advocates for a panel in August 2011 that pushed back against the notion that Latinos are monolithic and socially conservative on key social issues such as gay and transgender equality and reproductive rights and justice. The African American Vote in 2012 and Beyond. In August 2011 Progress 2050 also organized a dynamic conversation about African Americans and their importance and place in the electorate. The panel discussed the impact of the nations first black president on the course of the civil rights movement and whether or not the increasing numbers of black immigrants and young biracial African Americans will have a dramatic effect on the policy agenda of the black community.
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Center for American Progress | Progress 2050: new Ideas for a Diverse America
Asian American and Pacific Islander Voters in the Electorate. Progress 2050 hosted an event in May 2011 with Asian American and Pacific American leaders to discuss how integral voters from these communities of color are to election outcomes. This event highlighted political trends within these communities as well as the electoral impact of growing Asian American communities.
Leadership development
The Leadership Institute is the Centers response to the dearth of people of color in the public policy field. The nine-month fellowship program seeks to identify, equip, and advance a new generation of leaders from diverse backgrounds and communities to assume responsible roles in the development and implementation of progressive public policies. For more information please visit CAPs Leadership Institute webpage.
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Center for American Progress | Progress 2050: new Ideas for a Diverse America
Conclusion
While the demographic shifts in the U.S. population present some challenges, we can and should implement policy solutions that address these problems today. If we close the economic and social gaps facing different racial and ethnic communities of color, then there is every reason to believe we will be better off as a nation in the year 2050. Diversity can strengthen our competitive global advantage and be our greatest asset moving forward. Progress 2050 will work in collaboration with other progressive organizations to establish a clear vision of where we want our country to be in 2050 and how to get there.
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Center for American Progress | Progress 2050: new Ideas for a Diverse America
which seeks to build a progressive agenda that is more inclusive of the rich racial and ethnic makeup of our nation. She came to American Progress from the National Immigration Forum, where she was a policy/communications associate and outreach coordinator. At the Forum, she participated in numerous local and national organizing and legislative campaigns including the efforts to pass immigration reform in 2006 and 2007, organizing in support of the Immigrant Workers Freedom Ride, and the campaign to defeat Proposition 200 in Arizona. Vanessa earned her B.A. in government and politics and a masters in public administration, both from George Mason University. She is a 2010 fellow of the National Hispana Leadership Institute and an alum of the Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership at the University of Virginia.
Julie Ajinkya is a Policy Analyst for Progress 2050 at American Progress. Her work
focuses on race/ethnic, gender, and immigration politics, and pays particular attention to the changing demographics of multicultural societies such as the United States and Western Europe. Prior to joining American Progress, she was a research fellow and policy analyst at Gender Action, where she focused on the gendered impacts of International Financial Institution investments in the developing world. She was also a New Voices Fellow from 2003 to 2005 at the Institute for Policy Studies, where she coordinated the national outreach for the institutes Foreign Policy in Focus project. Julie earned her M.A. and Ph.D. in government from Cornell University and a B.A. in political science from Amherst College.
Daniella Gibbs Lger is Vice President for New American Communities Initiatives at
American Progress. Prior to joining the Center, Daniella served as a special assistant to the president and director of message events in the Obama administration. In this role she was responsible for helping plan and execute the presidents official domestic events. Prior to joining the White House in January 2009, Daniella was the Vice President for Communications at American Progress. Before joining the Center, Daniella was deputy director of communications at the Democratic National Committee. During her tenure at the DNC, Daniella was communications director for the Womens Vote Center, handled African American and specialty media, and was a regional media director during the 2004 presidential cycle. Daniella spent two years at the National Newspaper Publishers Association as their marketing associate and political liaison before joining the DNC. And before moving to Washington, D.C., Daniella worked at Sony Music in New York City for three years. Daniella holds a degree in government and a minor in sociology from the University of Virginia.
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Center for American Progress | Progress 2050: new Ideas for a Diverse America
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank all current and former Progress 2050 team members, supporters, and interns as well as CAPs Executive Team for their support.
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Center for American Progress | Progress 2050: new Ideas for a Diverse America
Endnotes
1 2 3 4 U.S. Population Projections, available at http://www.census.gov/population/www/projections/summarytables.html. Jeffrey S. Passel and DVera Cohn, U.S. Population Projections: 2005-2050 (Washington: Pew Research Center, 2008). Joel Kotkin, Milliennial Surprise, new Geography, June 22, 2010, available at http://www.newgeography.com/ content/001631-millennial-surprise. William Frey, A Pivotal Decade for Americas White and Minority Populations, Brookings Institute, March 25, 2011, available at http://www.brookings.edu/opinions/2011/0325_census_demographics_frey.aspx; William Frey, A Demographic tipping Point Among Americas three-Year-olds, Brookings Institute, February 7, 2011, available at http://www.brookings.edu/ opinions/2011/0207_population_frey.aspx. Passel and Cohn, U.S. Population Projections. Judith treas and Daisy Carreon, Diversity and our Common Future: Race, Ethnicity, and the older American, Journal of the American Society on Aging 34 (3) (2010), available at http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_7543/is_201010/ ai_n57242662/?tag=content;col1. Passel and Cohn, U.S. Population Projections. William Frey, Census Data: Blacks and hispanics take a Different Segregation Paths, Brookings Institute, December 16, 2010, available at http://www.brookings.edu/opinions/2010/1216_census_frey.aspx. Laura B. Shrestha and Elayne J. heisler, the Changing Demographic Profile of the United States (Washington: Congressional Research Service, 2009), available at http://aging.senate.gov/crs/aging4.pdf.
5 6
7 8 9
10 Congressional Budget office, Global Population Aging in the 21st Century and Its Economic Implications (2005), available at http://www.cbo.gov/doc.cfm?index=6952. 11 Congressional Budget office, the Role of Immigrants in the U.S. Labor Market (2005), available at http://ww.cbo.gov/doc. cfm?index=6853. 12 Congressional Budget office, Global Population Aging in the 21st Century. 13 Minority Business Development Agency, Minority Purchasing Power: 2000 to 2045 (Department of Commerce, 2000). 14 Robert W. Fairlie, Estimating the Contribution of Immigrant Business owners to the U.S. Economy (Washington: Small Business Administration office of Advocacy, 2008), available at http://archive.sba.gov/advo/research/rs334tot.pdf. 15 Stanley F. Slater, Robert A. Weigand, and thomas J. Zwirlein, the Business Case for Commitment to Diversity, Business horizons 51 (3) (2008): 201209. 16 Scott E. Page, the Difference: how the Power of Diversity Creates Better Groups, Firms, Schools and Societies (Princeton, nJ: Princeton UniversityPress, 2007); Claudia Dreifus, In Professors Model, Diversity = Productivity, the new York times, January 8, 2008, available at http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/08/science/08conv.html. 17 David Madland and Ruy teixeira, new Progressive America: the Millennial Generation (Washington: Center for American Progress, 2009), available at http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2009/05/millennial_generation.html. 18 Sharon Jayson, new Generation Doesnt Blink at Interracial Relationships, USA today, February 8, 2006, available at http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2006-02-07-colorblind_x.htm. 19 Jitinder Kohli, John Gans, and James hairston, Doing What Works: A Better, More Diverse Senior Executive Service in 2050 (Washington: Center for American Progress, 2011), available at http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2011/09/ses_paper.html. 20 Christian E. Weller, Jaryn Fields, and Folayemi Agbede, the State of Communities of Color in the U.S. Economy, Center for American Progress, January 21, 2011, available at http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2011/01/coc_snapshot.html. 21 John halpin and Ruy teixeira, Latino Attitudes About Women and Society, Center for American Progress, July 9, 2010, available at http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2010/07/latino_attitudes.html. 22 Michael Jones-Correa, All Immigration Is Local (Washington: Center for American Progress, 2011), available at http://www. americanprogress.org/issues/2011/09/rci.html.
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Center for American Progress | Progress 2050: new Ideas for a Diverse America
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