Blacks and Latinos Now Majority in Many U.S. Counties

Los Angeles, Chicago and New York may remain among the fastest-growing centers for Latinos, but according to a report released today by the U.S. Census Bureau, Latinos are extending out across the eastern half of the United States in rapid numbers, settling in rural and suburban counties far from these traditional immigrant communities. Between 2000 and 2006, the total population in small towns and rural areas increased by 3 percent, but the Latino population in these counties grew 22 percent, according to the census. The data also showed that blacks, Latinos and immigrants are now the majority in several of these counties. Non-whites now make up a majority in almost one-third of the most-populous counties in the country and they are nearly one in 10 in all 3,100 counties. "The new wave of immigration, along with its continued dispersal to the suburbs and Sun Belt, is transforming the places which are now being classified as multiethnic and majority minority," says William Frey, demographer at the Brookings Institution. "We'll be able to see how well America can adapt to multiethnic populations." Read more.

New York Claims 'Queer' Is Offensive

New York is the first state to enforce the banning of several derogatory terms, including the N-word, "bitch" and most recently the word "queer." When Christopher Barton Benecke, from "Queer Awareness," a nonprofit agency geared to the LGBT community, tried to register the name, the state told Benecke he could not use the word queer in the title because it is offensive. But "gay" or "lesbian" didn't fit for Benecke's purposes. Read more.  

(See also: After Burying N-Word, NYC Moves to Next Target)

Wealth Gap Increasing, New Study Shows

A new research study conducted by the University of Michigan discovered that the wealth gap in America is increasing steadily. Rich families are becoming wealthier and the poor are getting poorer. Based on data provided by from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics, the study found that over the last 20 years, the net worth of the top two percentiles of American families has nearly doubled, from $1,071,000 in 1984 to $2,100,500 in 2005. The poorest quarter of American families lost ground over the same period, with their 2005 net worth below their 1984 net worth. Other findings compare blacks and whites, including the rate at which they buy stock. Approximately 6 percent of black families owned stock in 2003, compared with 5.3 percent in 2005—an 18 percent decline. Among white families, the percent owning stock fell from 32 percent to 28 percent during the same period, a 12 percent drop. And there's more. Read more.
 

Would You Vote for a Politician Supported by Gay-Rights Groups?

As the 2008 Democratic presidential candidates prepare for the first televised debate devoted to gay issues, which takes place in Los Angeles tonight, a new poll has found that voters in at least three U.S. states—Florida, Ohio and Pennsylvania—are not swayed by whether a gay-rights group supports a presidential candidate. Quinnipiac University in Connecticut conducted the poll and found that in Ohio, 54 percent say such endorsements make no difference, while 34 percent said they were less likely to support a candidate. Ten percent said it would make them more likely to back a campaign. All Democratic presidential hopefuls plan to attend today's debate except for Sen. Joseph Biden of Delware and Sen. Chris Dodd of Connecticut. The debate, televised by LOGO, the LGBT cable channel, will give candidates the opportunity to discuss their viewpoints individually, in 15-minute intervals during the two-hour forum. Be sure to read DiversityInc.com tomorrow for coverage of the debate. Read more.

(See also: Would You Vote for a Politician Who Had an All-White Campaign Staff?)

Homeland Security to Crack Down on Undocumented Workers in the Workplace

The Department of Homeland Security is in the process of planning a workplace crackdown on undocumented workers after Congress failed to overhaul immigration laws last month. Russ Knocke, a spokesperson for the department, said they will officially announce the final version of a new rule that will require employers to fire workers with false identification documents within the next few days. The rule states that any employers who refuse to comply will face fines of up to $10,000. Read more.

Fewer Mexican Immigrants Send Cash Back Home

Bank officials are noticing a decline in the number of Mexican immigrants sending money back home. According to a 2006 report released by the Inter-American Development Bank, the overall percentage of Mexicans who regularly sent money home fell to 64 percent in the first half of this year, compared with 71 percent for all of last year. Donald F. Terry, general manager of the Multilateral Investment Fund at the bank, said the decline reflects a growing sense of insecurity and uncertainty about whether they will choose to stay in the United States. Terry also says some Mexican immigrants may be already planning on a possible move back to Mexico. The report also notes that the reduction in funds transferred back into Mexico will impact on at least 2 million people in Mexico, leaving natives without the same financial help they had once received. Read more.

For more information on banks and multicultural marketing, be sure to check out DiversityInc's July/Aug. 2007 issue.

Former Washington, D.C., Mayor Immortalized

Washington, D.C., Mayor Marion Barry Jr. was arrested for cocaine more than a decade ago, but this hasn't stopped him taking on new projects. Barry, 71, now a city councilman, was chosen along with 600 others by Madame Tussauds to have their bodies immortalized in a wax museum scheduled to open in October. Other soon-to-be immortals include Oprah Winfrey, Al Gore, Denzel Washington, Halle Berry, Cal Ripken Jr. and Nancy Reagan. Barry topped a list of candidates and will be the only local official represented in a "Spirit of Washington" room with figures of former U.S. presidents George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, George W. Bush and others. Read more.

Are U.S. Muslims Funding Terrorist Organizations?

Prince Muhammad al-Faisal al-Saud of Saudi Arabia remembers feeling welcome when he first arrived in the United States, but since the 9/11 attacks, it seemed to change. A member of the Saudi royal family and a pioneer of Islamic finance, al-Saud was a pillar of a Saudi business establishment with historical ties the United States. While some people view al-Saud as a founding father of Islamic finance, a thriving piece of the global economy that approaches $800 billion in assets, his critics see him as the prince, a follower of the puritanical Wahhabi sect of Islam and as the invisible hand behind a flow of money to terrorist organizations like al-Qaeda. In the wake of the 9/11 attacks, there is a tendency to connect the businesses of established Muslim financiers such as al-Saud to Islamic extremist organizations, to the point where many are being interrogated by government officials and examined in lawsuits following the 9/11 attacks. Read more.

Same-Sex Classes Vs. Co-Ed: Which Works Best?

There is an education debate brewing concerning the benefits of same-sex classes versus classes in co-educational schools. More than 300 U.S. school districts are currently in the process of experimenting with single-gender classroom settings. In an opinion piece, editors at USA Today speak out on behalf of the experiment, describing it as a worthy approach for many students, particularly boys. Opponents like Kim Gandy, president of the National Organization for Women, feel the notion of single-sex learning environments is out-of-date, divides men and women and further perpetuates gender stereotypes, especially toward females. Read more.

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