Angela Glover Blackwell: America's Tomorrow: Equity Is the Answer: The face of America is changing.
And the fate of America hinges on how we react to -- and invest in -- those changes.
By 2042, a majority of Americans will be people of color. Already, California, Texas, Hawaii, New Mexico, and DC have more people of color than whites. And today, nearly half of all children are kids of color.
By definition, if they don't succeed, the nation won't succeed.
There was a time not that long ago when we listened to the voices of tomorrow and invested in our national future. The GI Bill, affirmative action, and strong unions all helped the 'Greatest Generation' establish a potent and stable middle class -- and gave their children tangible hope for the future.
But we aren't doing that any more.
Many in the still-majority white population and political establishment don't see themselves reflected in the faces of America's children. They are talking far more about slashing Medicaid and education funding than investing in the dreams and needs of our children. Too many who have achieved success for themselves now want to pull up the ladder behind them.
