DIVERSITY IN AMERICA
Building Bridges Between Multicultural Markets

Commentary By William Reed

“There ain’t a dimes worth of difference,” assert many African Americans about Asian and Arab merchants that operate in their neighborhoods. Eighty-five percent of blacks live in the America’s urban areas and most go to Arabs and Asians to get food, dry cleaning or their nails done. Differences among blacks and Arab and Asian storekeepers to breed high levels of resentment

As America becomes a mosaic of cultures and colors, we need to take a true picture of what “us” in the U.S. means. Blacks, as well as whites, must rid themselves of their tensions and lack of communication.

As a “minority,” we must also address the divisions, which exist between minorities and within minorities, because such actions hamper progress for all. Isn’t it time all Americans engage in programs and processes that address issues and practical realities of cultural diversity.

While they may all look alike to you, did you know that there are four major Hispanic sub-groups? There are Mexicans, Cubans, Puerto Ricans and Spanish-speaking people from Central and South America, the Caribbean and Spain here. There’s a tremendous difference between Puerto Ricans in New York, Cubans in Miami and Mexicans and Central and South Americans in the Southwest.

Among Asians there are over two-dozen ethnic groups, each with a distinctive language, religion and culture: Chinese (who may speak Mandarin or Cantonese), Filipinos, Japanese, Asian Indians, Koreans and Vietnamese. The Arab-American population is quite young, many in their childbearing years or native born children and teenagers. They are better educated than the average American.

Among blacks, French-speaking Haitian-born Americans often have little in common with those that are U.S.-born. Seventy percent of Asian Americans arrived here since 1970. Half of Hispanic adults spent their formative years in Latin America.

Reaching diverse societies should become increasingly important to all, and “multicultural specialists” are helping Americans gain insights about others; shaping perspectives of inclusion rather than exclusion. For example, the Detroit-based A. Miller Group helps smart capitalists learn more about people of color and how to tap into ethnic culture and markets. They say that since the 1980s, the Asian-American population exploded by 107 percent; Hispanics, 53 percent; Native Americans, 38 percent; Arab-Americans 30 percent and African-Americans by 13 percent. These populations have gained substantial clout while white economic power increased just six percent. Blacks’ earn over $500 billion a year, Hispanics $400 billion, and Asian Americans have the nation’s highest average household income.

It’s time ethnic groups got together. As minorities become the “new majority,” their combined influence will increase. The A. Miller Group (AMillerGroup@aol.com) is helping ethnic communities to bridge their communications and commerce.

On January 28th and 29th the AMG will provide an opportunity for community and corporate leaders to increase their capacity to successfully trade and interact with “other” people and backgrounds. Alan Miller, a former automotive company diversity executive, will host the world’s first seminar on external diversity events — “Diversity Events Planning: Best Practices for 2003.”

Diversity experts assembled at the forum will reflect America’s true colors and provide timely discussions on: provision of quality services to all populations; techniques to assist special markets professionals; research data; and information on promoting public awareness and understanding of the various ethnic groups and cultures.