Diversity : Buzz

Reporting on a recent study of volunteerism, USA Today noted that Minneapolis and St. Paul had the highest rate of volunteering in the country in 2010 among large metro areas.

In a story this month from The Economist titled "A Warmer Welcome in a Colder State," the magazine describes the receptive atmosphere for immigration in the Twin Cities, and beyond.

Despite a 130 percent increase in foreign-born people in the state between 1990 and 2000--compared with the 57 percent national average for the same period--"Minnesota has largely avoided the backlash seen in states such as Arizona," it reads.

The state is far removed from Latin America, and unauthorized migration isn't a big concern here, the story says. However, the state has been proactive in this area, with strong refugee resettlement programs that go back to the 1980s.

The Twin Cities have also established a number of related support initiatives for immigrants. For starters, Minneapolis and St. Paul are "sanctuary cities," which prevents police from collaborating with Immigration and Customs Enforcement in their regular work.

Government money has also gone to help immigrant entrepreneurs.

Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak acknowledges that while there have been plenty of challenges, "it has an enormous upside in a global economy.".

Reporter John McCormick details some of Minnesota's census and economic data in a March 17 Bloomberg Businessweek article.

Minnesota's population grew 7.8 percent from 2000 to 2010--80 percent of that increase from minorities, according to U.S. Census Bureau data released March 16.

Non-Hispanic whites account for 83.1 percent of the population (down from 88 percent in 2000). The Hispanic population grew by 74.5 percent, the black population by 59.4 percent, and Asians by 51 percent.

That "economic diversity has helped Minnesota weather economic downturns that have hurt other cold-weather states," writes McCormack.

The state's two largest cities saw slight population declines: Minneapolis fell by a mere 40 residents to a population of 382,578, while St. Paul fell 2,083 to 285,068.

Minnesota's unemployment peaked at 8.4 percent in May and June 2009, and never rose above the national average during the recent recession. Minnesota stocks perform better than the national average as well, as measured in the Bloomberg Star Tribune 100 Index, a price-weighted measure of Minnesota companies.

He notes that Minnesota companies exported a record $4.6 billion in products in the fourth quarter of 2010.

Downtown Minneapolis is seeing more resident families with children, reports the Star Tribune. They lobbied for a new playground that will be built along the Mississippi riverfront. It seems to signal a generational shift in attitudes about work, home and family:

"Many millennials and younger Gen-Xers say their American dream is not a big house and yard in the suburbs. It's walking to work, no lawn mowing, more family play time and culture at their doorsteps.

"'I'm seeing a changing of the guard from baby boom empty nesters looking for a retirement place to young couples and families,' said Cynthia Froid, a real estate agent who has even included a crib in one of her for-sale units. 'People want to live closer to where they're working and being entertained. You just want a little bit more of a village and not have to get in your car for everything.'"

Read the full article here.

Working Mother magazine has once again named General Mills one of the Best Companies for Multicultural Women.

Multicultural women are just 7 percent of the company's U.S. workforce, but they made up 18 percent of last year's salaried hires, 16 percent of management hires, and 23 percent of rehires. Nine out of ten multicultural women who work at General Mills said the company supports diversity.

The company brings in executive coaches to work with high-performing Hispanic, African-American, and Asian managers. It also has a "co-mentoring" program that pairs senior executives with director-level women and people of color.

"If a woman of color has a thirst for learning and a focus on results, this is the place for her," Kelly Baker, General Mills' vice president for human resources, tells Working Mother.

Read the entire report here.