Muncie Times, Muncie, Delaware County, 5 April 2001 — Page 40

The Muncie Times, April 5, 2001, page 40

PRICE FROM PAGE 32 thing significant in the latter third of the old century about what it means to be an American. In addition, although some predict increased tension between our two groups, African Americans and Latinos have engaged in collaborative efforts for years. As a raft of statistics show, many of our concerns are the same: inferior schools, a lack of affordable housing, lowpaying jobs, little attention from the two major political parties and a biased criminal justice system. The changing demographic offer opportunities, not only for more inter-group tension, but also for more inter-group cooperationfor us to form partnerships and to get better at working together toward common goals. For African Americans to hold up their end of the relationship that can come into being, they must continue to prepare themselves to compete for the future-to gain the educational and the technological skills that are essentials to becoming and remaining competitive in an increasingly global and technological society. As the Urban League has been saying throughout the 1990’s, this drive toward economic self-suffic-iency is of primary importance regardless of where black Americans

stand in the numerical pecking order. That means that African Americans have got to educate our children so they’re prepared to compete with the brightest minds in the world. That we’ve also got to focus in starting businesses, building wealth, increasing home ownership, and increasing our electoral participation. That we’ve got to become more technologically astute, so that using hardware and wireless technologies becomes a second nature to our children and us. Considered in those terms, the rise of Hispanic Americans is a reminder to African Americans that they’ve only just begun to work to get ready for the 21st century. But the evolving demographics of American society are also a reminder to all Americans that as the American people be-come more and more diverse, the American opportunity structure must become more and more inclusive. Amer-icans of all races and ethnic groups must work together to create a better future for all of our nation’s children. Which means that it’s a good time for us to reintegrate to our Hispanic brothers and sisters: Welcome to the club. Hugh B Price is president of the New York City based National Urban League.

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