As pediatricians, we have listened to our friends and colleagues express their concerns and fears about the future of our country. We reflected on what the current political and social environment might mean for the nation’s children, from birth through adolescence, especially for immigrant children and children from historically targeted groups, including Latino, Black, Asian, Native American, Muslim, and LGBTQ+ communities.
Currently, 50% of U.S. children are children of color, which is expected to grow to 64% by 2060. Additionally, one in four U.S. children currently lives in an immigrant family, with projections indicating that this will increase to one in three. Given these demographic realities, how will our nation adapt to make all children successful? This is a challenge in a climate where some attempt to create divisions between "them" and "us.” Creating an environment of good versus bad groups raises the concern of how our nation’s children will build relationships across diverse groups, which are crucial for fostering a strong and united country.
Our country’s racial, ethnic, geographic, economic, and religious diversity shapes the social environment where children grow, develop their self-identity, and form relationships. Children are our future citizens and will best contribute to our nation’s future by working, living, and succeeding together. Dehumanizing statements about specific communities, especially those with a history of vulnerability to such attacks, Latinos, can impair children’s ability to succeed. More importantly, these prejudices could create generational barriers to building a prosperous, unified American society. To maintain our global leadership as a champion of democracy, a model of a nation of immigrants, and a trailblazer for economic advancement and innovation, we must ensure that our diverse society remains united in the foundational democratic principles of our country.
A report by the University of California, Los Angeles Center for the Study of Latino Health and Culture provides evidence that diversity leads to prosperity. It shows that U.S.-based Latinos have added 3.7 trillion dollars to the U.S. economy. If Latinos were considered a separate country, it would be the fifth-largest economy in the world. This economic success has occurred with the majority of Latino households having immigrant family members. Yet, this population and other communities of color are often described with potent negativity that threatens the current and future well-being of their children.
Prejudice against children of color, immigrants, and LGBTQ+ youth is well-documented and strongly linked to adverse physical and mental health outcomes. Unfortunately, the current national political climate has made racism, bias, and prejudice more acceptable, leading to concern for the well-being of his and future generations of children. Since the beginning of our nation, we have struggled to achieve equity in our society; based on the words in the Declaration of Independence, “all men (women) are created equal….” Even though this has not been achieved, each historically disenfranchised group has made significant contributions to the success of our country and, moreover, has stepped forward when called upon to defend it. Unfortunately, these contributions to our nation are not widely recognized nor valued, leading to a limited appreciation of what each group has given to make our country strong and successful, instead continuing with historical biases and prejudices.
For children and youth from targeted groups, understanding their identities and how they can contribute to society is shaped by their community, family, political leaders, and the media. Each of these influences can help mitigate the negative impacts of the current toxic political environment, but this can only happen if there is a conscious effort towards this goal at every level. Our shared objective should be to ensure that all children achieve optimal physical and psychological health and well-being, with positive reinforcement of their developing self-identities. It is crucial to support local and national leaders who communicate this message of support and respect to children and their families, demonstrating a commitment to uplifting all children in our nation.
Fernando S. Mendoza, MD, MPH, Professor of Pediatrics, Emeritus, Stanford University
Cristina R. Fernández, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Columbia University
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