WHY RACE TOGETHER? At a recent Chicago town hall meeting, Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz listened as employees talked about the effect of race on their lives. R acial diversity is the story of America, our triumphs as well as our faults. Yet racial inequality is not a topic we readily discuss. It’s time to start. Conversation has the power to change hearts and minds. At Starbucks, we’ve seen this firsthand. Recently, as racially charged events unfolded across our country, we felt a responsibility to act. To start, we called our partners [employees] together and invited them to express what they were thinking or feeling. In forums from Oakland to New York to Chicago, as well as St. Louis, people shared personal experiences and ideas about how to move our country forward. Men and women from backgrounds as diverse as America’s own populace spoke about their childhoods and their neighborhoods, their fears and their hopes. Each story, each voice, offered insight into the divisive role unconscious bias plays in our society and the role empathy can play to bridge those divides. In most of the cities we visited, we also met with senior police leaders to hear their concerns and share what we were learning. At USA TODAY, while covering those dramatic news stories in Ferguson, Mo., and New York City, among others, we committed to telling the story of the changing face of America. We used our graphical and human storytelling strengths to help our readers better understand the underlying issues that have brought us to this place. We examined our nation, community by community, to help every American learn about each other and rise above bias. What more can we do together? RACE TOGETHER is an initiative from Starbucks and USA TODAY to stimulate conversation, compassion and action around race in America. Over the next year we plan to do just that, using all of our strengths in publishing and in stores across America. Our companies share a philosophy: Elevating diversity is the right thing to do, but it is also a necessity. Our nation is only becoming more diverse. To ignore, dismiss or fail to productively engage our differences is to stifle our collective potential. Diversity of thought and skills lead to more creative ideas and higher performance. Bias, even unintentional slights, sap our potential for shared prosperity while denying our shared humanity. For all our country’s progress, barriers to social justice and economic equality exist in far too many corners. The following pages reveal this reality. Today, we invite you to read this special section, then share your thoughts with family, friends, strangers and with the country. And please see the back page for ways to send us your feedback. RACE TOGETHER is not a solution, but it is an opportunity to begin to re-examine how we can create a more empathetic and inclusive society — one conversation at a time. Howard Schultz Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Starbucks Coffee Company Larry Kramer President and Publisher USA TODAY March 2015 USA TODAY DIVERSITY INDEX WHAT IS THE CHANCE THAT THE NEXT PERSON I MEET WILL BE DIFFERENT FROM ME? On a scale of 0-100, the chance that two random people are different by race and ethnicity. 0 - 15 16 - 30 31 - 45 46 - 55 56 - 100 1960 NATIONAL INDEX NUMBER 20 2010 NATIONAL INDEX NUMBER 55 2060 NATIONAL INDEX NUMBER 71 Sources: Census Bureau; NHGIS, University of Minnesota; ProximityOne, Alexandria, Va. THE DIVERSITY INDEX, A TOOL EXCLUSIVE TO USA TODAY, EXPRESSES AS A SINGLE NUMBER – NOT A PERCENT -- THE LEVEL OF RACIAL AND ETHNIC DIVERSITY IN A GIVEN AREA. EXPLORE YOUR COUNTY AT USAT.LY/DIVERSITY Q “ In elementary school, I remember very vividly having a fight with kids on the playground because they said I needed a green card and I didn’t know what that meant. I went home to my grandparents just absolutely upset. That was the first time I realized I might be perceived as something different. Teresa Benitez-Thompson, 36, is a Reno social worker and Nevada state lawmaker. “ “ When did you first become aware of your race? When I first came to the U.S. (in 1979) I saw the big difference. It's not like in El Salvador where we are all Latino. Here you could see the differences in everything, not just the difference in how we conduct ourselves but also how we eat, drink or even how we have fun. Carlos Castro, 60, is owner of Todos Supermarkets in Woodbridge, Va. As a black person in America, you’re made aware of race at a very young age. I can remember back as early as first grade being conscious of being black. Another thing that makes you realize your race in America is the media. You watch a lot of (TV) shows, and the people don’t look like you. Chad Golden, 27, works for a health care company in Louisville. “ That would be in elementary school. Our family moved to the Philadelphia Main Line (from West Philadelphia) and it was the first time when being black made me feel different. Everything I did – going to school, making friends, meeting people – every new situation reminded me that I was an outsider. Melinda D. Anderson, 51, is a Washington, D.C.- based writer. “ “ Gosh, I wouldn’t know. I really don’t. As far as being aware of different races, that’s so long ago I couldn’t tell you when that happened. Carl Crane, 60, is an auto repair shop owner in Easley, S.C. I was 3. I was wondering why my parents were so particular about what color my dolls were. I was like what’s the big deal, they look like how my friends look. That’s when it hit me, because all the little kids were white and I was the token black girl. My parents just wanted me to play with dolls that looked like me. Umaara Elliott, 19, of New York City, is a professional dancer. UNCONSCIOUS BIAS EXPERIMENT THE ATTITUDES AND BELIEFS THAT GUIDE US 1. Researchers drafted a legal memo from a hypothetical associate named “Thomas Meyer.” 2. The memo purposefully contained 22 different spelling/grammar, technical writing and analysis errors. 3. The exact same memo was sent to 60 partners at different law firms. Half were informed the litigation associate was African-American while the other half were informed the associate was Caucasian. HEREʼS HOW THE PARTNERS RESPONDED THE “CAUCASIAN” THOMAS MEYER THE “AFRICAN AMERICAN” THOMAS MEYER AVERAGE RATING (5.0 WAS “EXCELLENT”) AVERAGE RATING (5.0 WAS “EXCELLENT”) AVERAGE NUMBER OF ERRORS FOUND AVERAGE NUMBER OF ERRORS FOUND REPRESENTATIVE COMMENTS REPRESENTATIVE COMMENTS “HAS POTENTIAL” “NEEDS A LOT OF WORK” “GOOD ANALYTICAL SKILLS” “CANʼT BELIEVE HE WENT TO NYU” “GENERALLY GOOD WRITER BUT NEEDS TO WORK ON...” “AVERAGE AT BEST” 4.1 10.2 3.2 14.6 Source: Unconcious bias study by Dr. Arin N. Reeves, Nextions JOHN DOE USA TODAY REPORTERS TALKED TO PEOPLE ACROSS THE NATION TO TAP INTO THEIR FEELINGS AND EXPERIENCES AROUND RACE. SEE MORE QUOTES AND FULL STORIES AT RACETOGETHER.USATODAY.COM OR FALSE TRUE OR WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU KNOW ABOUT RACE? THE ANSWERS MIGHT SURPRISE YOU. IDENTITY Most people who identify themselves as African American in the United States have some European ancestors. A new study finds many people who identify themselves as completely white also have African a n c e s t r y. Asians recently surpassed Latinos as the fastestgrowing group of new immig rants to the United States. IMMIGRATION A l m o s t 10 % o f b l a c k s a r e new immigrants from African or Caribbean countries, especially Haiti, the Dominican Republic and Jamaica. White people control almost 90% of the nation's wealth. ECONOMICS F r o m 2 0 0 2 t o 2 0 0 7, t h e number of black-owned businesses jumped more than 60% and the number of Latino-owned businesses jumped more than 40%. About two in three black children live in singleparent homes. FAMILY More white children than black children live in single-parent homes. TEST YOURSELF AT RACETOGETHER.USATODAY.COM QUIZ RESULTS PLEASE FOLD A LO N G DOT TED LINE FOR YO U R Q U I Z R E S U LT S RESULTS TRUE TRUE TRUE TRUE TRUE TRUE TRUE TRUE Most people who identify themselves as African American in the United States have some European ancestors. Many people in the South who identify themselves as completely white also have A f r i c a n a n c e s t r y. Asians recently surpassed Latinos as the fastestgrowing group of new immig rants to the United States. A l m o s t 10 % o f b l a c k s a r e new immigrants from African or Caribbean countries, especially Haiti, the Dominican Republic and Jamaica. The nation’s wealth is concentrated in the hands of 88.4% of whites, 4% of Latinos and 2.7% of blacks. F r o m 2 0 0 2 t o 2 0 0 7, t h e number of black-owned businesses increased to 1.9 million and the number of Latino-owned businesses jumped to 2.3 million. About 67% of black children live in singleparent homes. There are nearly 2.9 million more white children than black children living in single-parent homes. MORE CONTEXT T he Human Genome Project, which mapped out the complete human genetic code, proved race could not be identified in our genes. A January 2015 study of 23andMe DNA service customers found about 5% of self-identified whites living in South Carolina and Louisiana have at least 2% African ancestry. Research conducted by USA TODAY shows the nation is in the midst of a 'second wave' of immigration not seen since the Ellis Island period of the 1880s-1920s, largely composed of young, non-European immigrants. As of July 2013, the Asian population had grown to 19.4 million, up 2.9% over 2012, while the Latino population topped 54 million, up 2.1% over 2012, the Pew Research Center notes. U nited States’ wealth remains concentrated among whites despite gains by blacks and Latinos in education and income. Calculations vary, but researchers agree that blacks are the least wealthy group in America. E verywhere you look, households are changing. Kids Count Data Center notes about 24.6 million children reside in single-parent homes, with another 3.6 million in homes where neither parent is present. According to the Pew Research Center, less than half (46%) of U.S. kids younger than 18 live in a home with two married heterosexual parents in their first marriage. SOURCES: IDENTITY: THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF HUMAN GENETICS 96, 37–53, JAN. 8, 2015, DISCOURSE & SOCIETY, VOL. 15 (4), JULY 2004. IMMIGRATION: CENTER FOR AMERICAN PROGRESS IMMIGRATION REPORT, OCTOBER 2014, "DIVERSITY EXPLOSION" BY WILLIAM FREY (2014, BROOKINGS INSTITUTION), PEW RESEARCH CENTER. ECONOMICS: BOARD OF GOVERNORS OF THE FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM, U.S. CENSUS BUREAU'S 2007 SURVEY OF BUSINESS OWNERS, THE AMERICAN PROSPECT FAMILY: POPULATION REFERENCE BUREAU, ANALYSIS OF DATA FROM THE U.S. CENSUS BUREAU, KIDS COUNT DATA CENTER, PEW RESEARCH CENTER. PATH TO PROGRESS NUMBERS SHOW THE CHANCE THAT T WO RANDOM PEOPLE ARE DIFFERENT BY RACE AND ETHNICITY IN AMERICA ON A SCALE OF 0-100 G.I. 1901-1924 27 SILENT Born 1925-1942 36 BOOMER Born 1943-1964 45 GEN-X Born 1965-1979 58 MILLENNIAL Born 1980-2000 62 UNNAMED Born 2001-2013 67 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1906 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 1903 More than 1,200 Mexican and Japanese farmworkers in California organize the Japanese-Mexican Labor Association. 1910 Jim Crow segregation laws and poor economic conditions in the South spur the Great Migration of African Americans to Northern cities. 1915 D.W. Griffith’s landmark, racist film “The Birth of a Nation” debuts amid widespread protests. 1917 Puerto Ricans become U.S. citizens. 1924 Immigration Act declares that no one ineligible for citizenship may immigrate, almost completely ending Asian immigration to the United States. 1926 Negro History Week, forerunner to Black History Month, created by historian Carter G. Woodson debuts amid widespread protests. 1936 Jesse Owens, a runner, wins four gold medals at the Olympics in Berlin, countering Nazi racial propaganda. 1942 Following the Dec. 7, 1941 Pearl Harbor attack, President Franklin Roosevelt signs an order to put 120,000 Japanese Americans into 10 internment camps. 1945 Jackie Robinson signs with the Brooklyn Dodgers. In 1947, he becomes the first black player in Major League Baseball. 1948 President Truman orders desegregation of military. 1954 In “Brown v. Board of Education,” the Supreme Court declares racial segregation in public schools is unconstitutional. 1963 Martin Luther King Jr. delivers his “I Have a Dream” speech at the March on Washington. 1964 President Lyndon B. Johnson signs the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex or national origin. 1965 The Immigration and Nationality Act paves the way for more Asian immigrants. Johnson signs Voting Rights Act, which bans discriminatory poll practices. 1970 The U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare decides students cannot be denied access to education because of an inability to speak English. 1979 The Sugar Hill Gang’s song “Rapper’s Delight” brings hip-hop to prominence. 1983 Vanessa Williams becomes the first African-American Miss America. 1988 The Civil Liberties Act provides $20,000 in tax-free reparations and an official letter of apology to Japanese Americans interned during WWII. 1993 Toni Morrison becomes the first African-American woman to win the Nobel Prize in literature. 2001 Colin Powell becomes first African American appointed secretary of State. 2003 Latinos are pronounced the nation's largest minority group — surpassing African Americans — after Census figures show the U.S. Latino population at about 37 million. The number is likely to triple by the year 2050. 2008 Barack Obama becomes the first African American elected president of the United States. 2014 Nationwide protests erupt after the fatal police shooting of teen Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo., and after a grand jury failed to indict an officer in Eric Garner’s chokehold death on New York’s Staten Island. USA TODAYʼS CHANGING FACE OF AMERICA PROJECT FOUND THAT MILLENNIALS ARE THE NATIONʼS MOST RACIALLY DIVERSE GENERATION SO FAR, AND ALSO THE MOST TOLERANT. LOOK INTO THE FUTURE OF THE NEXT GENERATION AT USAT.LY/NEWGENERATION USA TODAY research YOUR RACE RELATIONS REALITY CHECK WHERE DO YOU STAND? USE THESE CONVERSATION STARTERS WITH YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. My parents had friends of a different race. 7. I have friends of a different race. My children have friends of a different race. 8. members of a different race live on my block or apar tment building. 9. I most of ten talk to someone of another race: At work Church Home Shopping School Q How have your racial views evolved from those of your parents? 10 . In my Facebook stream, ____ % are of a different race. In the past year, I have been to the home of someone of a different race times. In the past year, someone of a different race has been in my home times. At work, we have managers of_____different races. In the past year, I have eaten a meal with someone of a different race _____times. Q Did you have a childhood friend of a d i ff e r e n t r a c e that you’ve lost touch with? Why? Q What is A m e r i c a’s greatest race challenge? NOW WHAT? ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS, BE A PART OF THIS CONVERSATION: #RACETOGETHER YOUR VOICE WILL FEED THE NEXT INSTALLMENT IN THIS SERIES AND OUR YEAR-LONG CAMPAIGN CREDITS: USA TODAY REPORTERS YAMICHE ALCINDOR, RON BARNETT, MARISOL BELLO, ANJEANETTE DAMON, CHRIS KENNING AND GREG TOPPO. DESIGN: JEFF DIONISE, TORY HARGRO, EDITED BY NICHELLE SMITH.