It was but three decades ago in November 1993 that Time magazine portrayed “The New Face of America” when it dramatically displayed the face of a multiracial female as its front cover. It demonstrated the browning of America for the first time ever.
More recently, 2020 census data now indicate that shifts in demography have occurred even faster than previously projected by the Census Bureau. Accordingly, while the American landscape had been changing over time, as the White population is no longer replacing itself, losing 5% annually, societal changes seem to have occurred in stealth, catching the country by surprise. Since leadership did not keep abreast of changes and ignored trends, it is now caught unprepared to realign policies.
As a result, the country must quickly prepare for a nation that represents a slew of different needs and conditions from the past. This means that programs and policies which may have worked once are poor proxies for what needs to occur. It also means old formulas need to be revamped.
As demographic shifts inevitably convey cultural change, this reality has heightened the concerns of White Americans. As the change to a nonwhite majority will to occur before midcentury, America’s future will no longer be that of a White majority. As this never has been encountered in American history, it is unquestionable that such a change in the social makeup of the country will create new challenges. As such changes cannot be ignored, White America will push back in self-defense, as perception will be loss of White power and control.
Accordingly, when Americans were asked by Pew Research about projections from Census that a majority of the U.S. population will be nonwhite by 2050, about half of Americans said the shift will lead to more conflicts between racial and ethnic groups. In consequence, preparing for the future also means encountering new and different expectations across the country.
As is now the case, race-ethnic populations are now responsible for all national growth in the country. Furthermore, international arrivals are increasing, with current trends for foreign-born approaching 14% of the population, rapidly approaching immigrant trends a hundred years ago. Diversity across the country is also represented by the growth of language groups, where more than 1-in-5 (22%) households speak a language other than English.
At the same time, other demographic changes are rising. For example, America also is aging rapidly. It is estimated that by midcentury people 65 years and older will outnumber those under 18 years of age. With the growth of diversity changing demography, the country must not only seriously embrace this new landscape but enact more favorable policies that bring greater harmony among differences and can better thwart serious backlashes that will otherwise occur.