Return to the blog »

Majority Minority by 2042

Posted by: Rea Pañares on Aug 24, 2008

What does it mean to be a "minority" in the U.S. today? Well over one-third of Americans identify themselves as African-American, Asian-American, Hispanic/Latino, American Indian/Native American, Native Hawaiian, or Pacific Islander, and together comprise the "minority." But a recent article in the New York Times reports that by 2042 racial and ethnic "minorities" will make up more than half of the nation's population. This "majority-minority" shift, as it has been called, is coming eight years earlier than previous estimates.

As policy discussions continue through this election cycle, it is important to consider who is part of that conversation. While people of color are steadily becoming the "majority" population, this diversity is not reflected in the nation's leadership. For instance, only 14 percent of our Members of Congress and four of the nation's Governors identify as a person of color. This means advocates will play an even greater role in ensuring that the voices of communities of color are represented at decision-making tables, particularly as the conversation about health care reform evolves.  

For the Census Bureau's release on the report, click here.