It's no longer an educated prediction, now, it's a statistical fact; sometime around the mid-century mark the United States will become a country mainly populated by people of color.
Recent data from the U.S. Census Bureau reveals that around 2043, whites will slip to minority status—a historic shift already being felt in America's schools, workforce and electorate.
In particular, Latinos, which currently number 52 million nationwide, are expected to reach upwards of 140 million total residents by 2050 and, at an estimated 30 percent of the total population, become the dominant ethnic group in the country.
About 70 percent of all Latinos surveyed in a recent study by the Pew Hispanic Center described their ethnic community in the U.S. as a great array of different Hispanic cultures and points of view.
Indeed, Latinos indicated they were fairly evenly divided between conservative and liberal points of view. The Pew numbers showed 32 percent consider themselves conservative, 31 percent moderate and 30 percent liberal, and those differences are apparent in the ways Latinos look at issues such as abortion, gay rights and even immigration reform.
Yet, many pundits on both the left and right of the political spectrum narrowly frame Latinos as a homogeneous voting block focused almost to the exclusion of every other issue on easing immigration policies; a group politicians must court and placate with promises of immigration reform as they seek future election.
"There exists a stereotype that needs to be broken, that sees Latinos as only interested in immigration and employment or novelas," noted Latinos Post publisher Mark Robertson. "I can only hope we may serve as a catalyst for changing the conceptions people have about Latinos."
That said, Latinos Post is setting out to better illustrate the diversity of America's Latino population through a unique video series featuring community members from all walks of life and levels of achievement.
Kicking off our video series is Nury Martinez, a 39-year-old mother of one who faces a runoff election July 23 for the last remaining seat open on the Los Angeles City Council.
Born and raised in the city's heavily Latino East San Fernando Valley, Martinez is the mother of one daughter who, at 35, was elected to the board of the Los Angeles Unified School District in 2009.
She credits her focus on public service to the economic and social disparities she witnessed as a young Latina, as well as the inspiration and support she received from her mother, a leading community activist, and father, who rode the bus many hours every day for many years to his job as a dishwasher, but made sure his two daughters always believed their personal possibilities were endless.
Ms. Martinez recounts her early years living in a neighborhood of hardworking and caring families, her first experiences helping her mother fight to keep jobs in their community and the adventures that led her to current journey through politics.
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