Max Smith, 212-558-5371
msmith@nul.org

CENSUS RESULTS HERALD A WAKE UP CALL: A STATEMENT BY THE NATIONAL URBAN LEAGUE

New York, NY, March 8, 2001–In response to 2000 Census reports that reveal the Hispanic population has equaled African Americans as the nation\'s largest minority group, as well as revealing a higher-than-expected number of blacks who included themselves in more than one race, National Urban League President Hugh B. Price issued the following statement:

"For generations, African Americans have been the nation’s largest minority group. This is a new century, however, and, as the census reminds us, it’s a brand new day.

Instead of fearing the new reality revealed by the 2000 census–Latinos outpacing us, biracial identification as a growing factor in American life– African Americans must rise to meet the challenge, and be alert and prepared to respond to politicians who will view these realities as blacks having diminished clout and cohesiveness.

Though some predict increased tension between our two groups, African Americans and Latinos have engaged in collaborative efforts for years. Many of our concerns are the same — inferior schools, a lack of affordable housing, low-paying jobs, little attention from the two major political parties and a biased criminal justice system.

The changing demographics offers opportunities for us to form partnerships and to become stronger working together towards a common goal: better schools, better jobs, improved housing, greater political inclusion and an end to racial profiling and a biased judicial system.

In the African American community, now more than ever, we must be prepared to compete for jobs, to have the technological skills and the educational background necessary to remain competitive in an increasingly global and technological society.

We’ve got to educate our children so they’re economically self-reliant and academically prepared to compete with the brightest minds in the world.

We must focus on starting businesses, building wealth, increasing home ownership, and increasing our electoral participation

And more than becoming technologically literate, we must become technologically astute, so that using hardwired and wireless technologies becomes second nature to us, such that when employers go looking for workers in the technology industry, ours is one of the first doors on which they come knocking.

The key to success going forward is to move from a deficit mindset to an asset mindset. The evolving demographics of our society demand that the opportunity structure be inclusive. Americans of all races and ethnic groups must work together in a spirit of inclusion, compassion and unity, to create a better future for all our nation’s children.