Demographics
September 8, 2017 -
Following President Trump's decision to phase out the Obama-era DACA program that spared from deportation undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children, there's a renewed urgency to pass the federal Dream Act, which would offer them a path to citizenship — and Southern lawmakers may provide the key votes needed.
August 25, 2017 -
The Census Bureau had initially planned to include the Bluefield-Beckley-Oak Hill area of West Virginia in its dress rehearsal for the 2020 census, but budget cuts forced it to scale back its plans. As a result, not a single Southern or rural community will be included in the full test, deepening worries about the count's accuracy.
August 10, 2017 -
Like a number of fast-growing Southern cities, Greenville, South Carolina, is losing its working class to more affluent residents. Efforts to address the problem are underway, but are they enough?
July 28, 2017 -
As a Mexican-American who grew up in an overwhelmingly white state, Mireya Reith experienced bigotry that inspired her to become an advocate for vulnerable communities. Through her work with the Arkansas United Community Coalition, Reith empowers immigrants and amplifies the voices of the most marginalized in the public policy arena.
June 28, 2017 -
With the 2020 count approaching, concerns are mounting that budget cuts and turnover at the U.S. Census Bureau could lead to missing significant numbers of historically undercounted residents — many in disadvantaged Southern communities that depend on accurate numbers to apportion political power and fund services.
June 27, 2017 -
While much of the country was focused on last week's special election in Georgia's 6th Congressional District, Democrat Archie Parnell pulled off a 17-point leftward swing in South Carolina's strongly GOP 5th. His near-victory offers insight for the 2018 midterms and raises questions about the kind of candidate who can win in the South.