Golis: Demography is destiny — it’s time to embrace change

With exceptions that will go unmentioned here, I have nothing against white men of a certain age. Some of my best friends are white men. And yes, in my life I’ve enjoyed advantages only available to white men.

But times are changing. If you believe in fairness and justice and common sense, they aren’t changing as fast they should.

But they’re changing nevertheless. Except among politicians who like to pretend it’s still 1950, we’re beginning a journey to a more equitable society.

The current city manager of Santa Rosa is an African American woman. So is the mayor. The sheriff is an African American man. The county administrator is a Latina.

Not so long ago, these were jobs reserved for white guys.

Women make up more than half the population of Sonoma County. Almost 30% of the population of Sonoma County is Latino.

We can only wonder why it took so long for them to gain a place at the table.

In some red states, politicians are eager to outlaw programs that promote diversity and equity. They fear change, and they think they can stop the rush of history and demographics.

They might as well try to outlaw gravity. They’re only fomenting divisions and delaying the inevitable.

That’s the thing. Some want to believe that they can deny demographics and resist the pressure to do what’s right. Promoting diversity is optional, they say, and the work of naive do-gooders.

Promoting diversity may be the work of do-gooders, but it’s also the work of anyone who can see how the world is changing — people who have seen the demographic tables, people who know the future depends on creating opportunities for everyone.

In case you missed it, the demographics of Sonoma County are on the move. In May, Staff Writer Martin Espinoza reported that 39% of the white population is more than 60 years old, while only 10% of the Latino population is more than 60 years old.

The youngest baby boomers turn 60 next year.

The boomers, the most populous generation, are retiring faster than communities can recruit new doctors and nurses, restaurant employees and construction workers, and a whole bunch of other folks. Ask an employer and you’ll learn that unsuccessful recruitment efforts are making life difficult.

Boomers may not appreciate the simile, but here’s what the Washington Post reported: “For the past 50 years, the baby boomer generation, born between 1946 and 1964, have worked through the American labor force like a big meal inside an anaconda. As they age, the workforce is becoming older than ever. As they retire, they’ll push the worker-to-retiree ratio lower than ever … It’s not that younger people are less willing to work. They just make up a smaller share of the population than boomers did at the same age.”

Vox reported last week that boomers turning 65 today have a 70% chance of needing long-term care at some point in their lives — thus creating an additional burden for their working-age children.

In Sonoma County, the number of people under 55 years old decreased between 2017 and 2021, while the number of people over 55 increased.

Espinoza reported that 28% of the population is 60 or older, making Sonoma the second oldest county in the Bay Area. An aging population will challenge providers of health care and other social services as well as employers.

In these parts, boomers also are aging in place — one more reason there is shortage of housing.

For helping the next generation of workers to be successful, education will be key.

About 45% of the students beginning classes this fall at University of California campuses are the first in their family to go to college, the Los Angeles Times reported this month.

From the first immigrants, this has always been the American story — and one of the best measures of our capacity to provide equal opportunity for all.

Once one member of the family goes to college, the door opens for all those who come later.

When women and people of color find success, they also become role models for others.

Covering a campaign stop in Texas, I once stood near an African American woman holding her young son. The candidate was Barack Obama. The woman held up her son, pointed to the podium and said, “He’s going to be president someday.”

At that moment, a child was allowed to see that his future held promise.

We say we’re for equal opportunity, but prejudice and ignorance convince some among us to wish they could turn back the clock. They may delay history, but in the end, they will be disappointed.

Think of it this way: When more people find success, we’re on our way to a more prosperous and peaceful world. Plus, someone will be there to take care of you when you need it.

Pete Golis is a columnist for The Press Democrat. Email him at golispd@gmail.com.

You can send letters to the editor to letters@pressdemocrat.com.