Progress 2050 is a project of the Center for American Progress that develops new ideas for an increasingly diverse America. The United States will become a nation with no clear racial or ethnic majority by the year 2050. This expected transition provides the progressive movement with an exciting opportunity to help America live up to its ideals of equality and justice for all.
Progress 2050 recognizes that diversity can be our nation’s greatest competitive advantage and seeks to build a progressive agenda that is more inclusive and reflects our country’s rich racial and ethnic makeup. We do this by promoting innovative policy ideas, facilitating honest dialogue about the intersection of race and policy, analyzing demographics, and developing new leaders.
Video: Progress 2050: Promoting New Ideas for a Changing Nation:
A video from Progress 2050 shows where the United States has come from, where it is heading, and how diversity has played an important role in our history.
Interactive Map: America's Changing Demographics:
Explore the changing demographics of the United States as people of color increasingly become a majority across the nation.
Race & Beyond
Are Americans in Denial About Inequality?:
Sam Fulwood III explains why Mitt Romney’s overestimation of the middle class could very well be an indication of how unaware Americans are of the class divisions in this country.
Featured Content
Pell Grants Suffer a Serious Setback:
Julie Ajinkya and Sophia Kerby demonstrate how a proposal to lower the time limit in the Pell Grant program disproportionately affects the most vulnerable students.
How “Occupy Our Homes” Speaks to Communities of Color:
John Griffith, Jasmin Jones, and Sophia Kerby discuss how the "Occupy Our Homes" movement relates to communities of color.
The Importance of Extending Both the Payroll Tax Cut and Emergency Unemployment Benefits for Communities of Color:
A by-the-numbers look at how extending both the payroll tax cut and emergency unemployment benefits will greatly help communities of color.
Uncovering Race:
Daniella Gibbs Léger speaks with longtime journalist and author Amy Alexander, whose new book explores race coverage in the media.
More Diverse Teachers for More Diverse Schools:
Jennifer Rokosa explains why the nation’s demographic shifts are already pointing to the need for more teachers of color to work with the growing numbers of nonwhite students.
Race and Ethnicity:
A new voter ID law in Mississippi would disenfranchise black voters, writes Henry Fernandez.
Progress 2050:
Vanessa Cárdenas, Julie Ajinkya, and Daniella Gibbs Leger explain the demographic changes our nation will experience over the next four decades and why a progressive vision is needed to ensure we take advantage of diversity as one of our greatest assets.
How Deficit Reduction Proposals Would Affect Communities of Color:
Julie Ajinkya cites two recent reports laying out the dire consequences of slashing entitlement programs these groups rely on for medical care and income.
Congress Shouldn’t Delay Justice Any Further:
Nick Lepham explains why it’s time to give closure to the many Chinese immigrants who suffered under the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882.
Toward 2050 in Virginia:
Julie Ajinkya and Sam Fulwood discuss the need to understand how demographic change will affect our politics and policy, as well as the effort required to ensure accessibility and inclusiveness in an increasingly diverse nation.
Fast Facts: Virginia’s Growing Diversity:
Studying Virginia’s ongoing demographic changes will better prepare us to ensure the unprecedented growth of communities of color also yields future prosperity.
A Better, More Diverse Senior Executive Service in 2050:
Jitinder Kohli, John Gans, and James Hairston on the need for action to address the diversity gap in the Senior Executive Service.
The Realities of 'The Help' :
“The Help” is a pretty good movie, but it’s time for Hollywood to start making movies about people of color, by people of color, writes Daniella Gibbs Leger.
Women and Communities of Color Could Suffer from the Super 12’s Lack of Diversity:
The committee tasked with finding trillions more in deficit reduction is made up largely of people of different races and genders than those who would be the most affected by cuts, writes Julie Ajinkya.
Cuts to Community Health Centers Harm Communities of Color the Most: With funding at risk, the importance of community health centers in meeting the health care needs of the most disadvantaged and underserved can’t be overstated, write Julie Ajinkya and Gabby Bryant.
The Quintessential (Muslim) American Story: A recent Gallup poll provides insight into the changing demographics of our nation, writes Julie Ajinkya.
The African American Electorate: Daniella Gibbs Leger shows where black American voters stand as a politicized demographic in the United States.
Address the Economic Crisis in Communities of Color: Today’s employment numbers are another reminder of why we need to focus on jobs for black and Latino Americans, writes Folayemi Agbede.
America’s Legacy of Tolerance: Julie Ajinkya discusses why it’s important to recognize our tradition of diversity in light of recent anti-Muslim acts and rhetoric.

