Connecting with Culture and Politics Through Modern Treatise

The online cultural lifestyle magazine Modern Treatise is launching later this month.  Its audience of professional millennials of color can expect plenty of coverage in the areas of culture, politics, and style.  Some content will broadly apply to all people of color, while other content will be specific to African Americans, Hispanic Americans, or Asian Americans.  The goal is to stir up discussions that will involve each of these ethnic groups.  They will encompass viewpoints and proposed solutions to problems, all across the political and ideological spectrum.

African Americans are often at the forefront of conversations about racial equality.  While progress has undoubtedly been made over the last few decades since the Civil Rights Movement began, many gaps in income, achievement, and representation remain.  What are some ways to close these gaps?  According to a recent Pew Research Center survey, working directly with community leaders and conversations between people of different races are popular options, with a majority of Americans (79% for community leaders and 87% for conversations) agreeing that they'd be at least "somewhat effective" to achieve equality.

As is the case with many social issues, differences among opinions can be seen among racial lines, particularly for generally less popular options such as organizing protests and rallies.  More blacks than whites (40% to 19%) describe institutional discrimination as a bigger problem than discrimination based on individual prejudice.  African Americans are more likely to say they understand and support the Black Lives Matter movement than whites and Hispanics, as well as believe it will be effective in helping achieve racial equality.

Over the next several decades, American demographics will undergo significant changes, and in turn so will the American electorate.  Hispanics currently make up 15.6% of the population and are projected to nearly double to 27.4% by 2060.  This year, 27.3 million Hispanics are expected be eligible to vote in the United States, up four million from 2012.  The Hispanic electorate is quickly increasing, but its voting turnout rate has lagged behind that of white and black electorates.  A major reason is that it is youth driven; 44% of the eligible Hispanics will be millennials, an age group that votes significantly less than older generations.  The national millennial voter percentage is 31%.  Another contributing factor is that relatively few Hispanics live in swing states that have traditionally been closely contested in elections.

Not too long ago, it was rare for Asian Americans to even be mentioned in demographics reports.  This was due to their low numbers that wouldn't result in large enough sample sizes for surveys and studies.  The high cultural diversity within Asians and their lower rates of English proficiency further complicate the accuracy of general conclusions drawn about them.  That's beginning to change, as Asian Americans are a quickly growing ethnic group in the US.  They currently comprise 5.4% of the population, and are projected to be 9.4% by 2060.  Immigration will be a topic that increasingly surrounds Asians, as they have overtaken Hispanics as the largest group that's coming to the US.  Although they are still in the process of being considered a significant part of the American population, Asian Americans have established some clear trends.  They have higher household incomes (though some Asian groups have higher poverty rates), place more emphasis on family, are more educated, and are more satisfied with their lives overall compared to the general public.

When it comes to style, Modern Treatise will highlight prominent models, designers, and other rising talents and major players of color in the industry.  The days of casting directors sending explicit instructions to avoid black models appear to be over, but people of color continue to be underrepresented in fashion.  Although luxury brand consumers have greatly diversified, people within the industry haven't followed suit.  A study conducted by the Business of Fashion found that nearly 80% of models who walked in New York, London, Paris, and Milan fashion shows over a 4-week period were white.  Similar numbers have been found for ad campaigns and magazine covers.  Throwing in token people of color, often grouped together, in order to quickly fill arbitrary diversity quotas should be avoided in fashion and in general.

Through its social, political, and cultural content, Modern Treatise aims to inform young and educated people of color.  They may be aspiring politicians, social and cultural critics, or simply people who want to be more in tune with their backgrounds in an evolving American landscape.

Make sure to check out Modern Treatise when it launches in mid-summer, and find out more about its content through the Media Kit.  Don't hesitate to contact the magazine about collaborating through interviews, profiles, and more.

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