Hispanics are surging in the national census data. Spanish is now being spoken in places in Georgia where a Southern drawl was once the predominant mode of speech. Hispanics, however, are not the only ethnic group growing in numbers. That California has the largest Asian population in the country may not be surprising, but that New York is second may be. Still, it is the rapid increase in Hispanics that catches the most attention.
Immigration is the driving force behind the Hispanic growth.
The demographic changes that are already taking place in the state pose challenges for Texas. The economic prospects of all Texans ride in large part on the future ability of Hispanics to get better jobs, to get a better education, to be healthier, to be wealthier consumers and to be a more productive part of the state's population. Yes, the state's Hispanic population is making strides. But while the percentage of blacks and Hispanics in the state's colleges is still significantly behind the proportion reflected in the state's population, the percentages in prison are lopsidedly out of kilter. There is nothing to fear as Texas changes and as the Anglo population grows older and loses its status as the majority population in the state.