The Twin Cities’ racial and ethnic demographics are rapidly changing. By 2040, people of color and American Indians will comprise more than half of our region’s population. In fact, some metro-area cities like Brooklyn Center and Brooklyn Park are already majority people of color.
At the same time, the Twin Cities’ white population is both declining and aging. Between 2007 and 2013, only 2,470 white people were added to our region’s workforce, compared to 78,003 people of color and immigrants.
Without a doubt, people of color and American Indians are the future of our region’s economy. Demographic changes present a significant opportunity to undo centuries-old systems that have excluded people of color from the workforce. Yet structural racism remains a significant barrier to accessing opportunities.