In 2015, 78 percent of America’s seniors were white while 49 percent of the nation’s youth were people of color — a phenomenon that we call the racial generation gap. To the extent that racial divides result in predominantly white seniors choosing not to invest in a more racially diverse young population, this could hamstring the development of the next generation of workers and leaders. This research brief examines the growth of the racial generation gap and its effect on per-child k-12 education spending. We find that every percentage-point increase in the racial generation gap is associated with a decrease in state and local per-child education spending of around 1.5 percent. This adds up in places that have seen a lot of demographic change. For example, Nevada’s spending could be about $2,600 more per student if there was no racial generation gap. Given this relationship, it is critical to ensure equitable school funding, direct investments in youth, and build multi-generational coalitions for change. Download the BRIEF or DATA.

Las Cruces, New Mexico is already 63 percent people of color; growth and transformation in the city has been driven mostly by an increase in the Latino population. By growing good jobs, connecting younger generations with older ones, integrating immigrants into the economy, building communities of opportunity, and ensuring educational and career pathways, the city can secure a bright future for the city and region. This equity analysis was developed with the support of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. Read the profile.

The diversity of the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area region is a tremendous economic asset – if people of color are fully included as workers, entrepreneurs, and innovators. Equitable growth is the path to sustained economic prosperity. In fact, closing racial gaps in income would boost the regional economy by more than $200 billion. The 2017 Nine-County Bay Area Equity Profile complements an initial five-county profile released two years ago and recently updated. Read the profile.

The five-county San Francisco Bay Area region is already a majority people-of-color region, and communities of color will continue to drive growth and change into the foreseeable future. While the Bay Area economy is booming, rising inequality, stagnant wages, and persistent racial inequities place its long-term economic future at risk. In fact, closing racial gaps in income would boost the regional economy by nearly $138 billion. This is an update to an initial profile released two years ago. It was developed to assist The San Francisco Foundation in integrating equity throughout its grantmaking. Read the profile.

Read the 2015 summary (web version/download PDF) and the full profile (web version/download PDF). 

Media: Study Finds S.F.’s Ethnic Diversity Dwindling (SF Chronicle), A Startling Map of How Much Whiter San Francisco Will Be in 2040 (CityLab), S.F. Could Be Much Whiter in 25 Years, While the Rest of Region Gets More Diverse (KQED News), Study Shows San Francisco Getting Less Diverse (KGO 810 News), San Francisco Poised to be "Whitest County" in Bay Area (NBC Bay Area), SF Is on Track to Be the Whitest County in the Region (SF Curbed)

Located in the Mississippi Delta, Sunflower County is home to a resilient community of residents, local leaders, and advocates committed to reversing systemic, pervasive disparities. Looking forward, communities of color will continue to represent the majority of residents in the county. Equitable growth could provide a path to sustained economic prosperity in Sunflower County. By advancing policy strategies to grow good jobs, build healthy communities of opportunity, prevent displacement, and ensure just policing and court systems, Sunflower County can put all residents on the path toward reaching their full potential. This equity analysis was developed with the support of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. Read the full profile.