The "coloring" of Minnesota

As we prepare to choose our state leaders this fall, it’s time we reflect on an issue that seems to be non-existent in Minnesota’s political discussions: Racial inequalities.

As Minnesota’s communities of color become a larger part of the working age population – and the nonworking population of aging retirees remains very white – the need to address these inequalities is vital to ensuring our state’s continued economic vitality.

There’s no doubt about it: Minnesota is a very white state. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that about 85% of Minnesotans are white non-Hispanics, nearly 20 percentage points higher than the national average of 65%. Thirty-nine of the 50 states are more diverse than Minnesota.

But Minnesota is becoming less and less white. The State Demographer’s Office projects that white non-Hispanics will drop to about 75% of the population by 2035, with nonwhites and Latinos accounting for the other 25%.

Disparities and Implications for Policy

The “coloring” of Minnesota should be a concern to policymakers because, if left unaddressed, disparities we see today will affect more of the population and place a greater drag on the state economy. We must start paying attention to the differences across racial and ethnic groups, which manifest themselves primarily in the form of drastic inequalities.

Did you know, for example, that the annual unemployment rate in 2009 for white non-Hispanics in Minnesota was 7.1%, but the rate was 22.5% for Minnesota’s African Americans and 15.5% for the state’s Latinos? Indeed, the Twin Cities has the worst racial disparities in unemployment among the nation's 50 largest metropolitan areas, according to a report by the Economic Policy Institute.

Did you know that the 2008 median household income was about $60,000 for Minnesota’s white non-Hispanics, but about half of that for the state’s African Americans, at $30,000? Median household income in Minnesota that year for American Indians was about $32,500, and for Latinos was about $41,000.

In the realm of education, these inequalities are pervasive. As a graduate student at the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs, I am one of but a handful of Latinos in my class. I’m not placing blame on the institution for that situation, but rather citing it as a symptom of the state of education for communities of color.

To be sure, the share of young Minnesotans of color that enrolls and graduates from schools of higher education is very low. For Latinos, for example, only 40% enroll in a Minnesota post-secondary institution, while about 50% of whites do.

An educated population has been a staple of Minnesota for decades. The state economist and state demographer for Minnesota both say that education has been a key contributor to the state’s success. But with the expected growth in the number of Minnesotans of color, we will lose this competitive edge unless we address racial inequalities in education.

Going Forward

For Growth & Justice, the issues of educational achievement and attainment for Minnesotans – and especially for Minnesotans of color – stand out as vital to our quality of life and our economic outlook. The Growth & Justice investment proposal for Smart Investments in Minnesota’s Students identifies evidence-based approaches and programs for boosting by 50 percent the share of students who finish a post-secondary education, with greater attainment needed for Minnesotans of color and American Indian students in order to reach that goal.

A recent series of short issue briefs from Growth & Justice offers key facts about why education matters, highlights challenges for Minnesota, and recommends public policies and approaches. And Growth & Justice has called upon candidates for office to set a goal of dramatically increasing higher education completion levels over the next decade, focusing especially on the achievement and attainment gap for minority populations in the state.

We can no longer ignore the inequalities, dismissing them because they impact only a small portion of our population today. If Minnesota is to depend upon its educated residents and workers, we must ensure the success of all Minnesotans when it comes to education. This is a critical point of fact for all of us – politicians included – to address as the “coloring” of Minnesota proceeds.

- José Pacas

Comments

[Ray Marshall]

"There’s no doubt about it: Minnesota is a very white state."

Does that make us bad?

Do you suppose the winter weather and the distances from our oceans and or border with Mexico might have something to do with the fact that we are 85% white?

Even many of our own native borns fly to the South or to California as soon as they can. The number of our retirees who flee south is even higher. You don't see many San Diegans, Texans or Floridians retiring up here, do you?

I get tired of reading concerned articles about how "white" we are.

[Matt Kane]

No one here is saying that Minnesota is too white. The issue is that we have had the luxury for many years of downplaying disparities because people of color have accounted for such a small share of the state’s population. As their proportion increases and their importance as workers and taxpayers grows, we can no longer dismiss the fact that our state is among the worst when it comes to disparities for racial and ethnic groups.

It’s time to roll up our sleeves and tackle the challenge of improving educational achievement and attainment for all Minnesotans – of color included.

[Debra Leigh]

You know, I really appreciate your well thought out article and your pointing to the data that indicates the need to pay attention to the disparities that exist in Minnesota. I for one would be very interested in hearing from those running for public office what their strategies will be to address the data and close the achievement gap in education, jobs and poverty in general. As quite as its kept more and more white people are also slipping into to poverty and are failing in Minnesota schools.