Assignment:
I would like for someone to critique this short article. It should be approximately one page, double spaced and contain, the purpose of the message being conveyed, a brief conclusion and what can be learned in relations to understanding racial and cultural diversity in organizations and problems relevant to American society. Please see below.
Multicultural America
Charles Taylor President
Praxis Publications, Inc.
The demographics provided at the end of this intro¬duction offer clear evidence that there will be a "new" America in the twenty-first century. The growth rate of AHANA (African, Hispanic, Asian and Native Americans) groups is outpacing that of white ethnic groups everywhere. Newly revised census numbers show increases in population growth and in racial diversity that exceed all previous estimates. America's population is expected to grow from 255 million in 1992 to almost 383 million by 2050. People of color are expected to become the new majority then, a phe¬nomenon that has already occurred in many school districts and urban areas throughout the nation.
Looking at the global picture by the year 2000, 80 percent of the six billion people expected to popu¬late the planet, will be non-white. As descendants of the world's peoples, America's population will reflect this diversity.
The statistical almanacs presented in the previous chapters provide important data on each AHANA group. However, there are some additional statistics worth mentioning:
- During the 1980s the while population declined in 16 states. while the AHANA population saw double-digit percentage increases in 41 states. The white population is expected to peak in size by 2020 and (lien steadily decline)
- More immigrants will arrive in the 1990s than did in (lie 1980s. over70 percent will be non-European.
- The U.S. is already a multilingual society. It is currently home to 20 million foreign born residents
- More than 30 percent of all new U.S. workers will be people of color by the year 2000; African Americans and Hispanics will be the majority populations in nearly one third of the nation's 50 largest cities
- AHANA people represent a $400 billion consumer market, an amount that is continuously increasing
- The AHANA population his a younger median age than the white population. Currently 31 percent of the country's 64 million children am children of color
These changing demographics portend some pro¬found changes for America. This" browning" will occur faster in some places than others, but its impact will be felt throughout the land. Evidence of this change can be seen in the graphs following this intro¬duction. Implicit in the numbers are shifts in the polit¬ical, economic and social character of the country. These shifts could provide tremendous opportunities never before witnessed in this society--or they could result in isolated racial enclaves that ate dangerous. to the common welfare.
Unlike Europe, America's social problem am largely racially-based. The racial "peace" that exists is far too fragile to predict what the social outcome will be.
Racism is still a formidable barrier and its tragic effects can be gauged in the comparison of people of color*s educational. housing, employment. health, economic, political and social status to that of white ethnics. By any standard of measure, there are wide disparities that genet-ally fall along racial lines.
America is, however, still capable of greatness. Throughout her history. individuals of goodwill have come forward offering new hope. The organizations represented in this chapter offer such goodwill a s they work to lift the nation to a higher calling. It is these organizations that offer the promise of a new America. Their sheer presence demonstrates that coalitions can be formed and that the nation is strengthened when it supports cultural diversity. These organizations address. on a daily basis, the tension that is inherent in cross-cultural interaction. They have often succeeded in developing a contemporary perspective about race and culture.
These organizations are proof positive that when people are respected. bridges can be built. Their real value is that they focus on what America can become, rather than what she has been. The creation of these effective multicultural alliances might translate some¬day into authentic involvement of all races in the deci¬sion-making structures of society.
We present these organizations to help the readers discover, share and broaden their awareness of them¬selves in relationship to the multicultural world at large. Issues of cultural diversity will continue to chal¬lenge us for the foreseeable future. That's why we must support these and other multicultural organiza¬tions that will be established in the years ahead.
We must help Americans understand that accept¬ing diversity is more than just feigning toleration-it's key to our survival as a "united" nation and as a lead¬ing member of the world community.
Readings:
Multicultural America
By Charles Taylor President