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Politics & Government

Follow Up: What Does 'Majority Minority' Really Mean?

Asking a difficult question.

Based on census figures, Maryland will have a majority of minority residents in 10 years. 

Hispanics, non-Hispanic African-Americans and Asians represented 45.3 percent of the population in 2010. That’s up from 37.9 percent in 2000. 

Overall, Maryland’s population grew 9 percent to nearly 5.8 million between 2000 and 2010–the smallest total and percent change for the state since the 1970s. All of the population growth was due to minorities. 

News outlets across the state, , have reported these figures. Each time a new census or population survey posts results, another news story is sure to appear.

Locally, Laurel Patch has reported on calls to diversify the Laurel City Council as the city has become majority-minority. 

But, in a nation of immigrants, we thought it was worth stepping back to ask, “Why do we care?”

Why is it important to document these demographic changes in Maryland? Is it important? Does it affect anything tangible in our culture? If so, how?

We asked area academic, business and community leaders these questions as a way of trying to get beyond just the numbers. Here's a summary of what they had to say:

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Rosalinda Delgado, Executive Director
Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Montgomery County

It’s important to track population changes because business owners need to know who they are serving, who they are selling their products to and how they can best serve the population, Delgado said.

The state and county governments also need to adjust their services as the population changes, she said, adding by law, all services funded by the government must be offered equally to everybody. Still, “everybody” is not the same, she said.

“In order give a quality service and equality, you have to offer them in a way the people can understand,” Delgado said. “Knowing the changes in the population helps the government design services for the growing communities. Agencies and businesses may hire people with the necessary language and cultural skills to serve the growing population.” 

When it comes to health and human services, outreach should change depending on the population.

“If the Latino population is high, we know that we might have to give better diabetes services since we know diabetes is very high in the Latino population,” she said. “HIV among Latino males is also quite high. We know for a fact that there is a great need for mental health services in the Latino community that we are not serving well because there is a lack of bilingual social workers and mental health professionals.” 

As the population changes, so does the culture, Delgado said.

“We become more aware of other cultures, their customs and their food,” she said. “As we become more diverse, we become more open minded. As we learn about other cultures, we become more fascinated. As we interact together and get to know these populations, we fall in love with their food and culture. When we get to know people personally and learn about their struggles, we become more understanding.  

“Diversity is fascinating and should be embraced,” she added. “If you look at the Southwest, for example, you cannot tell who is who. There are tortillas and salsa in every household. There is Mexican blood in pretty much everyone by now. The look of America is changing, and we need to embrace America’s new look.”

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William Hanna, Professor of Urban Studies and Planning
University of Maryland College Park

Of course it’s important to document population shifts and study the changes, the urban studies and planning, Hanna said. But he said census figures are not 100 percent accurate.

The larger the Latino population in a region, the greater the chance of a census undercount, he said. Many Latinos–whether they are citizens or not–are afraid of the U.S. government. This fear stems from stories they have heard about legal residents being thrown out of the country for minor crimes like stealing candy. 

Another factor in the undercount is the recession, Hanna said. With the slow economy, many Latinos have “doubled” and “tripled” up, he said, meaning two or three families are living in one-bedroom apartments despite policies that generally ban such practices. When a census worker comes to the door, the additional families won’t say they live at the address for fear of losing their home and violating county code, he said.

“It’s a difficult time for people from below the border because on the one hand, there is stricter enforcement of employment in the United States,” Hanna said. “You don’t feel very welcome. On the other hand, it’s not so easy to go back to the country you left.”

Hanna cited the escalating drug gang wars in Mexico as an example.

Regardless, the population is changing, and the census is probably the best way to measure those changes, he said. 

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Fred Pincus, Professor of Sociology
University of Maryland Baltimore County

It’s important to break down the non-white population in population studies, said Pincus, who teaches race relations and diversity.

In general, people are less concerned with Asian population growth in this country than Hispanic or African-American growth, he said. That’s because most Asian Americans are seen as more privileged and more educated than other minority groups. 

Still, the U.S. population overall is in for some changes by 2050. By then, Pincus said demographers expect the white population to drop below 50 percent. 

“That’s a significant thing to think about because it’s different than how people have viewed the United States,” he said, adding schools and governments need to be prepared for the changes. 

“It’s a phenomenon that’s really happening,” Pincus said.

***

Louis Diggs, Catonsville, MD, historian and author

Changes in the country’s leadership will have a serious impact on the current population majority, Diggs said.

“People do not like to give up power, and in another 10 years the majority leaders, especially in Congress, will have to give up power,” Diggs said. “Also, when one considers all of the negative remarks made by people in our society about the president of the United States (it) leaves many to question about a member of the minority population [who holds] the highest, most powerful position, not only in our country, but the world.

“I only hope that in the next 10 years that I will be around to witness this change,” Diggs added.

Diggs does not see the importance in documenting demographic changes, mostly because Republicans and Democrats are the only two political parties that represent the population, he said.

“Throughout the history of our country, including the state of Maryland, demographic changes have only been important from a political view,” he said. “However, with the liberal attitude of Democrats and the fact that many of the emerging minorities have been largely held to minor jobs and require public assistance that Republicans seem not overly concerned with, [this] will cause significant changes in the way the government spends its money.”

The majority of the population change will most likely be from Hispanics and African- Americans, Diggs said.

“Since this segment of the population requires more government assistance, I think it will dictate which direction the change will take place,” he said.

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