Hawai'i's racial, ethnical diversity unrivaled in U.S.
| • | Chart (opens in new window): Population of Hawai'i, by race and county |
By Timothy Hurley
Advertiser Staff Writer
With Hawai'i leading the way, America is becoming a more racially and ethnically diverse nation.
Hawai'i is tops in the United States with a nonwhite population of 77 percent, a number driven primarily by its diverse groups of Asians, according to new U.S. Census Bureau population estimates released today. As a whole, Asians made up 58 percent of the Hawai'i's population, the largest proportion among the 50 states, according to estimates as of July 1, 2002.
Hawai'i also posted the largest population of Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders at 271,000, as well as the largest proportion at 22 percent.
Across the country, two other states showed nonwhite majorities — New Mexico at 56 percent and California at 54 percent — as well as the District of Columbia at 72 percent. Thirteen other states have at least one-third minority populations.
Census Bureau Director Louis Kincannon said the data signals the continued increase in the nation's diversity — a trend that saw America's minority populations grow at 13 times the rate of the white population during the past decade.
But while growing diversity on the Mainland is fueled primarily by an increasing proportion of Hispanics, Hawai'i's majority is largely comprised of a mix of Asian ethnic groups.
"It doesn't reflect what's going on in the Mainland at all," said Gary Fuller, director of the University of Hawai'i's Population Studies Program.
Amy Agbayani, director of the UH Student Equity, Excellence and Diversity Office, said that although Hawai'i is indeed diverse demographically, it doesn't necessarily translate into equity for the state's nonwhite population, which continues to battle the economic, political and historic forces that left members in disadvantaged positions.
Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders, for example, are overrepresented on the negative side of the state's health, welfare, crime and prison statistics, Agbayani said, while they are underrepresented at such institutions as the University of Hawai'i, where nonwhite student and faculty numbers don't come close to matching general population proportions.
"Diversity for diversity's sake isn't useful. It takes more than numbers. You've got to look at equity issues to improve excellence," Agbayani said, noting that the university needs to do a better job of affirmative action.
In Hawai'i, Asians have constituted a majority of the population for almost a century. In fact, when statehood was being considered, the nonwhite character of the Islands was an issue for many U.S. lawmakers.
Today, according to the census, Honolulu County is tops in the country, leading all other counties with the highest share of Asians in the total population, at 62 percent.
Los Angeles County had the largest population of Asians (1.3 million) as well as the largest numerical increase (47,000), while Forsyth County, Ga., had the largest percentage increase (139 percent).
On the state level, California had the largest population of Asians (4.5 million) and the largest numerical increase (265,000) since April 2000, while South Dakota posted the largest percentage increase (21 percent).
As for Native Hawaiians and other Pacific islanders, the numbers actually show a drop of 12,000 from the 2000 Census.
But Glenn Ifuku, head of the state's Research and Economic Analysis Division, said the figures probably reflect a flaw in the definition of the race and in how the numbers were calculated. He said his division is talking to the Census Bureau about the problem and that a revision may be needed.
For now, census estimates show that California had the largest numerical increase (13,000) in Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders from April 2000, while Oklahoma, registered the largest percentage increase (15 percent).
On the county level, Honolulu County had the largest population (179,000), while Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders in Hawai'i County made up the largest percentage of the population total (30 percent). Bronx County, N.Y., had the largest numerical increase (4,000) since April 2000, while Delaware County, Ohio, the largest percentage increase (130 percent).
Before 2000, the Census Bureau lumped Asians with Pacific Islanders, which included Hawaiians, in the category "Asians and Pacific Islanders."
Reach Timothy Hurley at thurley@honoluluadvertiser.com or (808) 244-4880.
