Report: Multiracial Americans becoming the new normal

More Americans will be multiracial.

AMERICA'S FUTURE is going to be a lot more colorful, that's for sure.

More and more Americans are identifying themselves as multi-racial, according to a Pew Research Center report released on June 11. "Multiracial Americans are at the cutting edge of social and demographic change in the U.S.—young, proud, tolerant and growing at a rate three times as fast as the population as a whole," says the report.

Multi-racial Americans make up about 7 percent, or 9 million, of the total U.S. population. But with a tendency to marry other multiracial people, that group identity will certainly grow exponentially. In Hawaii, multiracial people make up 20 percent of the population.

Because of the many racial combinations, it is difficult to generalize about this group but the most striking thing that stood out in the report is how socially liberal they are, thus tend to lean Democrat politically. A large number identify as independents. 

Those multiracial individuals who identify more white, along with those who see themselves as American Indian, tend to be more conservative. Those who identify with one of the other groups of color, were more liberal. 

Among multiracial people, the largest group, 50 percent, are made up of the combination of white and American Indian. 

White/Asian is at 4 percent but the demographic trend indicates this will change dramatically in the future. In 2013 majority of mixed-race babies were either biracial white and black (36 percent) or biracial white and Asian (24 percent). Only 11percent were white and American Indian.

If current trends continue—and evidence suggests they may accelerate—the Census Bureau projects that the U.S.'s multiracial population will triple by 2060. In other words, about 1 in 5 Americans will identify themselves as multiracial.

A festival celebrating being multiracial

The timing of the Pew center's report couldn't be more timely. On June 13, multiracial artists, writers, comedians, musicians, multiracial and multicultural families—are expected to gather at the Mixed Remixed Festival at the Japanese American National Museumin in Los Angeles, to celebrate the stories and lives of multiracial people and families. 

Related: 'Hapa-palooza' Celebrates Canada's Mixed-Heritage Residents

"Our goal is to raise awareness that the mixed race experience is very much the American experience," Mixed Remixed Festival Founder and Executive Producer Heidi Durrow, told NBC News. "The festival isn't about mixed-race pride. It's about breaking the silences we have about the complexities of racial and cultural identity."

Actress Sharon Leal is half-Filipina

If pop culture is any indication about the future of our country, producers and marketers seem to be preferring racially ambiguous characters in its television commercials and magazine fashion ads.

In the entertainment industry, the abundance of multiracial entertainers abound: Beyonce,  Hallie Barry, Norah Jones, Keanu Reeves, Enrique Iglesias, Sharon Leal, Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson and the list goes on and on. Lest we forget to mention: the current occupant of the White House is biracial.

The prominence of multiracial celebrities in our society makes it easier to have an environment of acceptance and tolerance towards people of different races. How could someone be bigoted against someone they may be related to? At least in these terms, the future looks brighter.

How will America react to this trend? That's the only negative possibility - acts of bigotry may actually rise as the last gasp of that group that has traditionally been in power, i.e. white males. In the 1950s, whites were 85 percent of the U.S. population. When conservatives talk about the "good old days," that is what they are talking about. When they say they want "to take America back," what they are saying is they don't want to share the abundance of this country.

As white people lose their power and dominance, certain elements may feel cornered and will do all they can - including inducing fear of the nonwhites - to maintain the status quo. Look how Obama's election brought the rise of repressed racism out into the open and into the courts and state legislatures and onto the streets.

We shouldn't be afraid of the future. Instead, as the races continue to blend and the American spirit is reinvigorated by immigrants eager to take advantage of the opportunities this country provides, the American dream will continue to act as a lure for the best, bravest, brightest and most ambitious people from throughout the world. As the immigrants who came before them, they will meet each other, fall in love and have multiracial babies.

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#racetogether update

Starbucks: Talking about race is not enough

Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz listened to hundreds of employees before embarking on #racetogether.

WOW. The vitriol and snarkiness that was directed at Starbucks for its #racetogether campaign was to be expected. Even though some of the critics made valid points, it's easier to tear down than to build up.

The coffee chain asked its "partners" to stop writing #racetogether on the coffee cups given to customers. The corporation said that phase was always intended to end. It was just the start of the conversation on race.

Sure, it was perhaps a little naive to think that 20-something baristas could discuss something as complicated and emotional as race relations in this country.

But the criticism heaped on the coffee giant was largely undeserved. This country desperately needs to talk about race. Civil rights leaders, social scientists, President Obama and most people of color agree that conversation needs to be had. But whenever someone starts to talk about race, our defenses go up and our cynicism rises to the top. That says a lot of where we are as a country. We can't raise our head above the crowd without someone trying to lop it off.

DISCLAIMER: I don't have any stock in Starbucks. I actually prefer a rival's product over Starbucks' coffee, but with 4,500 outlets in the U.S. alone, Starbucks sure is convenient. 

Watch and listen to the first 10 minutes of the video below taken at the Starbuck's 2015 Annual Meeting of Shareholders.

It's hard to view that without getting a lump in your throat.

In a letter to shareholders, CEO Howard Schultz said #racetogether will move into a new - probably more impactful - phase. He wrote:

"We have a number of planned Race Together activities in the weeks and months to come: more partner open forums, three more special sections co-produced with USA TODAY over the course of the next year, more open dialogue with police and community leaders in cities across our country, a continued focus on jobs and education for our nation's young people plus our commitment to hire 10,000 opportunity youth over the next three years, expanding our store footprint in urban communities across the country, and new partnerships to foster dialogue and empathy and help bridge the racial and ethnic divides within our society that have existed for so many years."

 

Cynics - hold your snide remarks. For communities that are struggling, 10,000 jobs is nothing to sneeze at. Starbucks is one of the more enlightened companies to work for. It has raised the minimum wage of its workers and through its benefits (including health care for part-timers), the firm offers scholarships for its workers. That action will hopefully offer a lot of opportunities for youth who need it.

Starbucks is going where most businesses fear to go. You have to give them credit: rather than ignore the issues of the day, it faces them head on. That's more than what I'd expect from most American businesses. It was even willing to take an economic hit when "partners" took a few minutes off their busy schedule to talk about race. Imagine that, a business willing to sacrifice a few dollars if it somehow moves a customer or employee to understand - or at least, seriously contemplate - race and all its ramifications. Here's another blog praising Starbucks. Sometimes, it doesn't mean you have to have an a-ha moment, but maybe raise your consciousness and then tuck it away as you finish your latte.

I know, I know. Sometimes you just want a cuppa joe. That's OK, I understand.

The unfortunate reality is, with the host of negative press that Starbucks received, other corporate bosses will surely hesitate to make such bold statements within their own companies. And that's too bad.

RELATED 
Talking about race over a cup of coffee
Deaf Filipina finds understanding

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Talking about race over a cup of coffee

Starbuck campaign backfires, but some say it is working

Starbuck baristas can - but are not required to - write "Race Together" on the coffee chain's coffee cups.

SOME PEOPLE like their coffee black; others add sugar or cream. Still others like a cup of to add steamed milk, or something stronger like espresso to which they can transform into latte or a cappuccino. One thing they don't like - apparently - is to talk about race when they go to their local coffee shop.

At the very least, they get REALLY, REALLY uncomfortable.

I never intended to write about Starbucks in two consecutive posts but I didn't know they would launch this campaign about race the day after I praised them for their sensitivity to the needs of their community.

The Atlantic wrote today:

When Starbucks announced that it would host conversations about race at brick-and-mortar locations across America, a campaign dubbed "Race Together," the venti coffeehouse chain and co-working space immediately found itself facing an acerbic backlash. The brand is now under fire and its leadership is being subjected to intense personal attacks. Companies found guilty of racial discrimination have attracted less heat.

Starbuck's intention with its latest campaign, wherein their baristas write #racetogether on the paper coffee cups given to customers, was to start a conversation about race relations in the country, something civil rights organizations and the President of the United States have been saying desperately needed to be done in order to complete the healing process between the races. 

The campaign was launched after discussions with Starbuck employees. One of them is "Dennis," who writes:

I was adopted from the Philippines during their revolution in 1986. Growing up in suburban Connecticut I did not feel or know that I was of a different race, that I wasn't white. My family and friends were truly color blind to that fact. It wasn't until middle school that I met another black boy, Tim who I became friends with. Throughout school I suppose I wasn't as popular as most because I was a nerd but my high school valued academic excellence so it wasn't a lonely existence. It would be fair to say, that almost all my friends were white growing up. Again, I didn't feel that my brown skin was a stigma because in my town, it's 90% white. People just didn't think anything about race relations.

I attended Boston College and graduated in 2006. I decided to join the Marine Corps. I remember the recruiter, said to me when I came into the office after calling, "Oh we thought you were white. You sound like it." And I thought well, I know that my accent is what people would consider educated.

Now as an adult, I find more people view my skin color and do make judgments. For example, some people don't think that I know English. Some try to talk to me in Spanish. I know that a few times police have stopped me for no reason but simply for the color of skin. Some of us call it DWB "driving while brown." The police apologize afterwards when they realize I'm a veteran and was not breaking any laws. Race relations in this country are a serious and grave concern. But also we need to move forward and almost have a childlike innocence. We not only want tolerance, we want acceptance.

Race - as Starbucks found out - is a subject people have intense feelings about, even if some of their espresso-sipping customers won't admit to themselves. The last thing many of them don't want to see is #racetogether on their morning joe because that's too difficult and upsetting a subject to contend with when all you want is a jolt of caffeine to start the day.

Here are some of the snarkiest comments:

For more tweets, click here.

Sure, Starbuck's campaign may seem a bit simplistic but I think the intention is well-meaning. If it upsets a few people, well, that is to be expected on a topic as incendiary as race. I'm sure the Starbuck executives were aware of the risk they were taking when they conceived and launched their bold move.

I'm a bit amused at Starbucks' critics because by reacting as they are doing, they unintentionally are fulfilling the coffee chain's goal - to start talking about race. 

I seriously doubt the caffeine addicts will stop going to their local Starbucks to get their daily fix but that remains to be seen. Not everybody has a rival coffee shop nearby.

Whether or not the conversation about race extends beyond the coffee shop and snarky tweets ... that's up to all of us.

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A deaf Filipina American finds understanding

It is possible for corporations to contribute to the quality of life ... if they want to

Sherilynn finds support and understanding at a Starbucks.

HAVE YOU ever been in a room full of deaf people and they are communicating with each other using sign language? Hands a flutter going a million miles a minute. If you're elite me and totally ignorant in the use of signing, you'd feel lost, frustrated and left alone.

Now imagine if your deaf and you are surrounded by a group of people talking each other.

Without knowing anyone, Sherilynn went to a deaf meet-up at Starbucks, where she found a new community that changed her life.

This video was released by Starbucks a couple of years ago, way before this blog was born. It is so well done, I thought I'd share it with you all, especially because it featured a couple of Filipino Americans.

It's also a reminder that a corporation doesn't have to be an asshole to in order to make money, a belief that they must teach at business schools because that's the image the big bosses project to their shareholders.

UPDATE: Oops! Starbucks stumbles on its attempt to start a conversation on race relations. #racetogether

In 2011, it was alleged that some deaf customers were treated badly in one of Starbuck's New York City franchises. In response, the company issued this statement.

Recent allegations have surfaced in the media regarding the treatment of some Deaf customers in two of our New York City stores. On behalf of the over 200,000 partners (employees), we want to take the opportunity to be clear that discrimination of any kind is not tolerated at Starbucks. We take these allegations very seriously, and believe they are neither consistent with our values nor our track record of engaging the Deaf community both as partners and as customers...

Starbucks is a business with humanity at its soul and communities in which we have the opportunity to serve are the heart of our business.

Even though the world's top coffee roaster didn't exactly do the series of vignettes out of the goodness  of their heart, what they did produce in response to some allegations is pretty damn good (as the video below shows)

For more about Starbucks and its policy of inclusion, click here. To be clear, like other companies, Starbucks is in business to make money, but it demonstrates that a giant corporation doesn't have to exploit its workers, ruin the environment or ignore the public in order to meet the needs of its investors and still be a contributing member of our communities.

If the Supreme Court continues to insist that a corporation is a "person," (Citizens United vs. FEC) then those "persons" need to step up to the plate and be good citizens. Starbucks is a good example of corporate responsibility.

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