Florida is experiencing significant population growth across various ethnic groups, positioning it as a future trendsetter for the U.S. Despite being the richest city area with a diverse population, it ranks poorly in civic health, with low voter turnout and many eligible Hispanics not registered to vote. The state faces challenges of social disengagement and a transient population, complicating its identity and community cohesion.

1. THE NEXT FLORIDA“The whole peninsula of Florida was weighted down with regret. Everyone had left behind a real life.”Cynthia Ozick, “Rosa”, 1984

2. Fact: Florida is Future AmericaFlorida’s population is tracking ahead of the US in growth of nearly every racial and/or ethnic group. It is the trendsetter.

3. Florida US White +13.2% +5.7%African American +28.4% +12.3%American Indian/ +33.5% +17.4%Alaskan NativeAsian +70.8% +43.3Native Hawaiian/ +42.4% +35.4%Other Pacific IslanderOther race +42.8% +24.4%Two or more races+25.6% +32%

7. Recession-Proof Riches and PovertyMiami/Ft. Lauderdale is richest city in the United StatesWorld’s Fifth Richest City in Individual Purchasing Power (UBS Study 2009)Poverty rate unchanged since 2000 (US Census)Gap between Rich/Poor “Recession Proof”

8. Largest % foreign-born population of any city in the world – MiamiLargest % of foreign-born in the United States – Miami Ft. Lauderdale18.7% of all Floridians were foreign-born vs. 12.4% US Average

9. Florida’s Civic HealthThe 2009 Civic Health Index ranks Florida 44th. “It is, in fact, one of the worst in the nation.”

10. The Civic Health Index: Florida vs. Other States

11. Florida’s WeakCivic Culture

12. Economic indicators have taken their toll:

13. VotingYes We Could?In 2008 Florida ranked 34th in average voter turnout..Si Se Puede?600,000Hispanics eligible to vote but not yet registered: highest percentage in nationOnly the old vote? In 2010 only 8% of Floridians under 30 voted.First Findings26% of adults used their smartphones to learn about or participate in the 2010 midterms.

14. 71% of cell owners said they voted in 2010 compared to 64% of all adults.Miami-Ft. Lauderdale the most transient region in the United StatesWest Palm Beach-Boca Raton ranked 3rdOrlando is listed as 5thTampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater are next at 20thJacksonville ranks 23rd

15. Miami is a city that is a hotel: both elites and the poor check in, use the facilities and check out again. They show little interest in their neighbors.They do not invest in social relations, they come with a sense of entitlement, and they have no stake in the future of the place…

16. Will Miami mature over time? Miami's character is built on transition.

17. Florida’s population grew by 17.3% between 2000-2009, compared to the US at 8.8%Florida lost more people to other states – nearly 10,000 more – than it gained for the first time in recent history.

18. Do we lack social capital or is it just hidden?Can Florida succeed if social capital is located in small enclaves, not across larger communities?Can Florida succeed if our population is voting and following elections in Haiti, the Dominican Republic or Brazil?Do new and different public spheres and places, such as foreign language media, social media and immigrant institutions help or hurt?

19. In the past, identity was tied to place; but in the modern “transnational” region, is our identity multi-dimensional, in flux, and not tied to place?We’re a mix :Locals (20%) – those who consider their region a “hometown,” Exiles (45%) – Florida isn’t home, nor is the U.S. Mobiles (35%: Hybrids, Cosmopolitans) – who move across cultures, jobs, geographies throughout the state.

20. Is Florida’s problem disengagement or a transitory population?Are we still two Floridas which require different strategies?