{"id":11231010,"date":"2025-03-27T16:07:19","date_gmt":"2025-03-27T20:07:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.baltimoresun.com\/?p=11231010"},"modified":"2025-03-27T16:07:19","modified_gmt":"2025-03-27T20:07:19","slug":"andre-johnson-america-is-at-a-crossroads-commentary","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.baltimoresun.com\/2025\/03\/27\/andre-johnson-america-is-at-a-crossroads-commentary\/","title":{"rendered":"Andre Johnson: America is at a crossroads | COMMENTARY"},"content":{"rendered":"

Harford County and the United States stand at a defining moment. The conversation around Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) has been politicized, stripped of its core intent and turned into a battlefield. If some wish to discard the term, so be it. What truly matters is the principle \u2014 ensuring that diversity, equity and inclusivity remain the foundation of our society.<\/p>\n

The math of America\u2019s future<\/h4>\n

The numbers don\u2019t lie. In 1950, America was 90% white. Today, nearly 40% of the population is Black and Brown. Within the next decade, minorities will be the majority. History proves that every global superpower thrives on economic strength, and the United States is no exception. If we fail to include all Americans in our economic future, we risk national decline.<\/p>\n

We are living through America\u2019s Third Reconstruction. The first followed the Civil War, promising economic empowerment to freed slaves \u2014 promises that were swiftly broken. The second, the Civil Rights Movement, brought progress but also fierce resistance. Today, in the wake of the Obama presidency and the racial reckoning after George Floyd\u2019s murder, we see a familiar backlash.<\/p>\n

But this time, we have the power to break the cycle. The most diverse companies and regions are the most innovative and profitable. America is, at its core, a capitalist democracy \u2014 where money talks. Our nation\u2019s success depends on embracing diversity and ensuring equitable opportunities for all.<\/p>\n

AI and the future of inclusion<\/h4>\n

While we debate DEI, a far greater force is reshaping our world \u2014 artificial intelligence. AI is projected to displace 75 million jobs across industries. It won\u2019t discriminate; it will simply replace those unprepared to adapt.<\/p>\n

That is the real challenge. If we fail to equip our communities \u2014 Black, brown, white and everyone in between \u2014 for an AI-driven economy, the consequences will be devastating. That\u2019s why I propose establishing an AI Council in Harford County and across Maryland to prepare young people for AI-driven careers. We must build a pipeline of AI-ready workers, ensuring no community is left behind in this technological revolution.<\/p>\n

If some want to erase the term “DEI,” let them. Words are secondary to action. What truly matters is that we prepare\u00a0all\u00a0our children for the future.<\/p>\n

The real storm isn\u2019t DEI \u2014 it\u2019s AI. If we fail to prepare, we fail our communities. The future belongs to those who seize it.<\/p>\n

Andre Johnson Jr., a Democrat, is a Maryland state delegate representing District 34A in Harford County.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Harford County and the United States stand at a defining moment, writes Del. Andre Johnson.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":234,"featured_media":116177,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"apple_news_api_created_at":"2025-03-27T20:07:21Z","apple_news_api_id":"9e782a85-cb30-46b0-bc1a-29c8b78da50e","apple_news_api_modified_at":"2025-03-27T20:07:21Z","apple_news_api_revision":"AAAAAAAAAAD\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/w==","apple_news_api_share_url":"https:\/\/apple.news\/AnngqhcswRrC8GinIt42lDg","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_is_hidden":false,"apple_news_is_paid":false,"apple_news_is_preview":false,"apple_news_is_sponsored":false,"apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_metadata":"\"\"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"middle","apple_news_slug":"","apple_news_sections":[],"apple_news_suppress_video_url":false,"apple_news_use_image_component":false,"subheadline":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[503,504],"tags":[],"feature":[],"location":[325,223],"type-of-work":[],"coauthors":[25045],"class_list":["post-11231010","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-aegis","category-aegis-opinion","location-harford-county","location-maryland"],"post_status":"","edit_last":0,"edit_lock":0,"highlights":"","original_byline":"","original_canonical":"","original_category":"","original_email":"","original_id":0,"original_pubdate":"","original_source":"","primary_section":"504","primary_tag":0,"print_workflow_body":{"deck_headline":"","print_title":"Andre Johnson: America is at a crossroads","print_subheadline":"","print_priority":"","print_placement":"inside","print_planned_ready":"","print_pub_date":"1743134400","print_slug":"AEG-L-ANDRE-0328","print_budget_line":"","print_excerpt":"Harford County and the United States stand at a defining moment, writes Del. Andre Johnson.","print_notes":"","photo_limits":"Photo limits are: 1 featured image, 5 featured gallery images, 5 embedded gallery images and 5 in-article embedded images. Articles that exceed these limits will not export. Please adjust images to reflect these limits.","print_featured_gallery_richtext":"","print_inline_galleries_richtext":"","print_inline_images_richtext":"","print_content":"

Harford County and the United States stand at a defining moment. The conversation around Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) has been politicized, stripped of its core intent and turned into a battlefield. If some wish to discard the term, so be it. What truly matters is the principle \u2014 ensuring that diversity, equity and inclusivity remain the foundation of our society.<\/p>

The math of America\u2019s future<\/h4>

The numbers don\u2019t lie. In 1950, America was 90% white. Today, nearly 40% of the population is Black and Brown. Within the next decade, minorities will be the majority. History proves that every global superpower thrives on economic strength, and the United States is no exception. If we fail to include all Americans in our economic future, we risk national decline.<\/p>

We are living through America\u2019s Third Reconstruction. The first followed the Civil War, promising economic empowerment to freed slaves \u2014 promises that were swiftly broken. The second, the Civil Rights Movement, brought progress but also fierce resistance. Today, in the wake of the Obama presidency and the racial reckoning after George Floyd\u2019s murder, we see a familiar backlash.<\/p>

But this time, we have the power to break the cycle. The most diverse companies and regions are the most innovative and profitable. America is, at its core, a capitalist democracy \u2014 where money talks. Our nation\u2019s success depends on embracing diversity and ensuring equitable opportunities for all.<\/p>

AI and the future of inclusion<\/h4>

While we debate DEI, a far greater force is reshaping our world \u2014 artificial intelligence. AI is projected to displace 75 million jobs across industries. It won\u2019t discriminate; it will simply replace those unprepared to adapt.<\/p>

That is the real challenge. If we fail to equip our communities \u2014 Black, brown, white and everyone in between \u2014 for an AI-driven economy, the consequences will be devastating. That\u2019s why I propose establishing an AI Council in Harford County and across Maryland to prepare young people for AI-driven careers. We must build a pipeline of AI-ready workers, ensuring no community is left behind in this technological revolution.<\/p>

If some want to erase the term \"DEI,\" let them. Words are secondary to action. What truly matters is that we prepare\u00a0all\u00a0our children for the future.<\/p>

The real storm isn\u2019t DEI \u2014 it\u2019s AI. If we fail to prepare, we fail our communities. The future belongs to those who seize it.<\/p>

Andre Johnson Jr., a Democrat, is a Maryland state delegate representing District 34A in Harford County.<\/em><\/p>"},"print_workflow_exported_ts":"1743106069","print_workflow_exported_username":"Philip Caldwell","print_workflow_shapes":"","print_workflow_side":{"print_section":"24225","print_status":"24232","add_export_buttons":"","print_endpoint":"tribune"},"really_short_title":"","short_title":"","syndication_source":"","market_neutral_title":"","social_title":"","dfm_hub_post_id":0,"paywall_level":"metered","featured_media_content":{"content_type":"image","content":{"id":116177,"title":"DQOSMIA2MVD73DF4S5SI4FLKFA","filename":"DQOSMIA2MVD73DF4S5SI4FLKFA.jpg","url":"https:\/\/www.baltimoresun.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/migration\/2023\/04\/03\/DQOSMIA2MVD73DF4S5SI4FLKFA.jpg","link":"https:\/\/www.baltimoresun.com\/2023\/04\/03\/representation-matters-in-maryland-general-assembly-commentary\/DQOSMIA2MVD73DF4S5SI4FLKFA\/","alt":"","author":"154","description":"","caption":"Democratic Del. 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