SACRAMENTO - AMERICA'S MOST INTEGRATED CITY
Recently, Harvard University did a research project on American cities to find out which city is the most diverse and the most integrated.
When we say that a city is diverse, we mean that people of different races, cultures, and religions live in that city. Diversity (the amount that a city is diverse) is a very common term in America these days.
Although a city might be diverse, and have people of many races living in the same city, often these people don't really live together. Instead, they live apart in different areas of the city.
So in addition to diversity, these Harvard researchers also investigated the amount of integration of American cities. A city with high levels of integration means that people of different races, cultures and religions live near each other, and interact with each other in places such as schools, supermarkets, and churches.
The number one city in America with the highest level of integration is Sacramento, California. This city is the capital of California.
The researchers found an interesting situation in Sacramento. Historically, most major American cities have a majority (more than 50%) as white Americans. In Sacramento, however, they found that all groups are in the minority.
This means that no racial group has more than 50% of the population. In Sacramento, 41 percent are white, 22 percent are called Hispanic (Hispanics, or Latinos, are those whose heritage is from Mexico, Central or South America), 17.5 percent are Asian, and 15.5 percent are African American (black.)
According to the researchers, the races in Sacramento live well side by side. They live near each other, work, play and go to church together. Apparently the reasons include local government policy to help people live together. The government, for example, helps provide housing for poor people to help them live in better areas.
There are many places in America where people live only in areas with people of their own race or religion. In Sacramento, California, the people have shown that different people can successfully live together.
