"The founding premise of our Nation was equal opportunity for all. That is our goal. If we are to succeed in our pursuit of that goal, we must tear down the barriers that divide us; we must reject the attitudes and prejudices, the stereotypes and discrimination that are so destructive of a truly unified people."

-- Andrew Cuomo
Secretary of Housing and
Urban Development

Our Nation is quickly approaching a time when racial and ethnic diversity will be the norm. A cursory analysis of demographic trends reveals that by the middle of the 21st century, no ethnic or racial majority will exist in the United States. By 2050, when today's minorities will comprise more than one-half of the population, will our cities and neighborhoods be more segregated -- or even Balkanized? Or will we peacefully co-exist by sharing resources and working toward the common good?

The latest issue of Cityscape: A Journal of Policy Development and Research analyzes the factors that have helped create and maintain diversity in 14 ethnically and racially diverse neighborhoods in 9 U.S. cities. Cityscape researchers identified two processes that led to stable, diverse neighborhoods: diversity by direction and diversity by circumstance.

Diversity by Direction
Communities that sustained diversity the longest became integrated as an outgrowth of the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s. Initially almost all White, these communities experienced an inmigration of African-American households. Both groups in these neighborhoods tended to see maintaining diversity as an organizing principle. Each neighborhood developed organizations, social networks, and institutions to welcome minorities into the community while attempting to ensure that existing White households did not leave.

Diversity by Circumstance
Communities that became diverse more recently became that way as a result of social and economic forces initially beyond their control, such as gentrifi-cation, poor real estate markets, and changes in neighborhood composition.

According to researchers, the proper public policy, effective leadership, and strong community-based organizational networks can help such communities grow and multiply.