DIVERSITY IS A REGIONAL ISSUE

         When I discuss the need for diversity in Washington County, there are typically three responses.  The average resident on the street places diversity near the bottom of any community wide wish list.  Some old timers even suggest that the shale/gas industry has ruptured Washington County’s economic structure and the last thing we need is a diversity campaign, encouraging minorities to live and work here, to rupture our social structure.  The second response comes from community leaders who have the power to initiate diversity programs.  Their position is often that there is no reason to take action because the County is thriving. They point out that Washington County is an open community and anyone can choose to live here or apply for employment.  Lastly are minorities who are already residents of the County.  These citizens often feel there are “bigger fish to fry” than diversity, including education, crime, racism and economic inequality.

         Before I give my reasons why I believe these views are misplaced, some facts concerning diversity and economics in Southwestern Pennsylvania are in order. First, population growth throughout the Pittsburgh region is nonexistent.  According to the US census, between 2011 and 2012, the region had a net increase of only 619, with a total regional population of 2.3 million.  Second, as reported in the May 14, 2015 Pittsburgh Post Gazette: “Pittsburgh is one the of least diverse places in the U.S., according to a new study of 200-plus cities  that consider factors such as types of jobs and industries as well as race and ethnicity.”  The study conducted by WalletHub, a Web-based Washington DC firm, ranked Pittsburgh 227 out of 230 regions.

         Many specialists in urban and community planning believe there is a strong correlation between a growing, younger population and a commitment to both economic and population diversity.  The above Post Gazette article interviewed Melanie Harrington, chief executive of Vibrant Pittsburgh, a nonprofit dedicated to diversity issues.  She found the report troubling.  Ms. Harrington believes: “Our long term future economic growth goals are dependent in part on our ability to attract and retain a diversity of people in the region.”

         Another spokesman, Harold D. Miller, Adjunct professor of Public Policy and Management at Carnegie Mellon’s Heinz School of Public Policy and Management, believes that lack of racial and ethnic diversity in our region is one of the biggest factors in holding the population back.  He concludes in his 6/2/13 blog post that: “If Pittsburgh wants its population to grow, attracting and retaining more minority residents isn’t an option, it is a necessity.”

         While many regions are keeping and attracting minorities and growing for the future, the Pittsburgh region is not.  The new restaurants, the universities, the new sports venues will not stop this trend.  In order to compete, Southwestern Pennsylvania must take action by focusing on the issues and dedicating resources to encourage diversity and soon.   Mr. Miller is persuasive in his analysis that Minneapolis, another shrinking rust belt region, was able to reverse its Pittsburgh like results by putting into place diversity programs over the last three decades.  By taking steps that dramatically expanded the number of Asians, Hispanics and African Americans living in the area, jobs in the Minneapolis region grew four times as fast as they did in Pittsburgh over the same time frame.  This point made by Mr. Miller in 2013 is reinforced by the fact that the Minneapolis region placed forty third (43) in racial and ethnic diversity on the recent WalletHub report.   

         When it comes to employment and population growth, Washington County is the outlier in our region.  A new study recently concluded by our own Washington and Jefferson College found that the energy industry supports in the range of 10,000 jobs, the equivalent to 7-9 % of total county employment.  Moreover, shale/gas resources increased county economic output by15% to 20% in recent years and has consistently placed Washington near the top of those Pennsylvania counties with the lowest unemployment.

         So why should Washington County care that the rest of the region is shrinking in population?  Why should we seek diversity when we are growing without it?  The answer is simple. Washington County is too small and the Marcellus Shale industry too undiversified in its own right to carry the region on its back.  One dimensional economic growth has its limits in the same way that a one dimensional population has its limits.  Diversity in both is the proven, rational policy to ensure sustained generational expansion in both.

         In the short term Washington County does have the growth engine that may well be the sweetest incentive to jump start economic and population diversity in Southwestern Pennsylvania.  Let’s exploit this advantage within the County by recruiting minorities in both the public and private sector into our booming economy.   Let’s partner with Allegheny County to develop meaningful incentives.  Let’s advertise the incentives to bring in the best and the brightest, including the newest crop of minority professionals in all occupations, to live and work in Washington County and throughout the region.  Let’s use our excellent regional higher education system, state of the art medical complexes and new business and technological platforms at places like Southpointe to train and retain international and home grown minorities for generations to come.

         To summarize for the naysayers why we need to act, diversity is a regional concern and Washington County stands in a unique position to be in the vanguard to address the problem.  The Marcellus Shale explosion will not last forever.  Reshaping our community and making Washington County a magnet for minority entrepreneurs and professionals of all backgrounds will transform our region for the better.  Not only is supporting diversity the right thing to do, it is the only thing to do.