Like people everywhere, those of Hispanic descent hold different political opinions. Here is my Instagram (summer, 2012), of Texas Governor Rick Perry addressing the Hispanic Leadership Network in San Antonio.
An insightful article appeared in March, 2011 in The Economist regarding the most recent population census, “Minority Report: White America’s Collapsing Birth Rate is Changing the Face of the Country.”
This article inspired me to include information in my blog regarding Hispanic, African American and Asian communities, as the nonprofit sector should be paying close attention to changes in our nation as a whole, and to make adjustments accordingly. To quote:
“The latest release of data from last year’s decennial census confirms that whites still constitute a slender majority, 54%, of those under 18, and a larger one, 64%, of the population as a whole. But America’s transformation into a much browner, more suburban, more southern and western place is rapid and relentless.”
In addition:
“The giant sucking sound emanating from the South and West, another leitmotif of American demographics, continues unmuffled. Both regions grew by 14%, while the north-east and the Midwest managed just 3% and 4% growth respectively. People are fleeing the cold: there is a strong correlation between the average temperature in January and population growth, notes Edward Glaeser, a professor of economics at Harvard University. He also attributes the rapid expansion of cities like Atlanta, Dallas, and Houston to their cheap, abundant housing.” (March 31, 2011)
From BBC News comes an in-depth article you won’t want to pass-up (May 17, 2012), “What will a white-minority America look like?”
“According to the US Census bureau, black, Hispanic, Asian and mixed-race births made up 50.4% of new arrivals in the year ending in July 2011. Much of the change is driven by high birth rates among the Hispanic population. The official notice foreshadows the day, expected in the 2040s, when non-Hispanic whites – like the group that founded America – will be in the minority.”
The affect this change will have on nonprofit fundraising – not to mention all aspects of our lives – is evolving. Increased understanding and communication skills would certainly be beneficial to those seeking improved relationships with diverse communities, as well as charitable support for our many nonprofit endeavors.
In regard to Hispanic audiences, which are a growing and influential part of the Texas population, I wanted to share a link to a website that provides a wide range of helpful information about communicating with Hispanic audiences, from the National Association of Hispanic Publications.
Included are the following: 1) US Census Bureau Overview – Raul E. Cisneros; 2) NAHP State of Hispanic Print Presesented at Summit, March 28, 2011; 3) Hispanic Print’s Online Presence: Best practices on the new mix: print, online & mobile; 4) Redistricting 2011: Shaping the Next Decade of Latino Political Progress; 5) Links to 2010 Census Profiles; and 6) Social Media and Tech Glossary.
Those lucky enough to have Hispanic heritage are also among the most active online.
Cultural Strategies, a marketing and communications firm based in Austin, Texas from which I have myself received training, “provides cultural insights, effective marketing concepts, and persuasive engagement strategies that resonate with a multicultural America.” Cultural Strategies maintains a website called, “Hispanic Trending: Documenting Latinos’ Imprint in America.”
From the website’s section on, America: A Nation of Immigrants, “You need to always remember that this country is made out of immigrants-both voluntary and involuntary (that is, those brought over by the slave trade). The only people indigenous to the US are Native Americans (there is even an argument to be made about that), which now comprise less than one percent of the total population.”
In addition, from a fundraiser’s standpoint, I have found the Hispanic PR Blog to be insightful. Both Cultural Strategies and Hispanic PR Blog are on Facebook and Twitter.
It would seem charities in the United Kingdom are struggling with diversity just as we are in America. You might enjoy the summer, 2012 issue of the magazine, “Philanthropy UK – Inspiring Giving,” which is entitled, “Minority Report.”
Cheryl Chapman, Managing Editor, notes:
“One in six people in the UK are non-White, however there are few statistics to compare this to the level of philanthropic participation by non-White people. There is little to no definitive evidence into the giving trends of British BME communities and individuals. Perhaps this issue highlights a need for research so we can gain a truer picture of diversity in UK philanthropy and can harness existing giving efforts into a movement as the USA has done. A number of trail-blazing US foundations have invested substantial dollars over the last 15 years to seed, organise and nurture their philanthropic ‘communities of colour’ and Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors has documented this activity which you can read about in our ‘Letter from America’.”
While Cheryl and her colleagues see America as providing leadership in terms of philanthropy among diverse communities – and while great strides have been made – I would argue we still have a long way to go (outside of New York and Chicago). Thanks to Sondra Shaw-Hardy for sharing these insightful reports from the UK.
Zeta and the late Melvin P. Sikes, Ph.D. (photo by Ave Bonar, Austin, Texas, 1984). Click to read my Tumblr about how we met.
Dedication
“Connecting with Diverse Communities” is dedicated to my mentor and friend of 30 years, the late Melvin P. Sikes, Ph.D.
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~ Kevin Conroy of Univision Interactive has written for Consumer Electronics Association, “Technology is Disrupting the Media Industry, but Digital Media Demand is being Driven by Hispanics” (January 16, 2013). “I’d argue … the most important trend of the New Year is the impact of U.S. Hispanics on the digital marketplace. Seventy percent of Hispanics in the U.S. own a smartphone; their consumption of online video has soared 282 percent over the last five years; 60 percent of U.S. Hispanics desire more in-language digital video and say they would likely share this content with friends; and, Latinos are more receptive to messaging through mobile and social means than other demographics (more than 70 percent are more likely to purchase products they see advertised on their cell phones than non-Hispanics).” Nonprofits need to keep these trends in mind, as well.
~ I enjoyed this article from Jon Shepherd of The Guardian in the UK, “What Can Fundraisers Learn from Different Cultures’ Charitable Giving?” (September 12, 2012). “The differences in fundraising and charitable giving in different countries and cultures can give fundraisers pause for thought. As many countries are throwing off the old orders, how can fundraisers take advantage of new opportunities?”
~ For additional information posted by me on this blog regarding diverse communities, please see the following three pages:
