Districts reflect diversity

Hispanic majority seen in one council area

04/01/2001

By Richard Abshire / The Dallas Morning News

Hispanics are an ethnic majority in one of Garland's eight City Council districts, a census breakdown shows.

Related stories --> DMN research <--   Fastest growing metro areas   Population trends   Minority breakdown   Growth by city council district   D/FW at a glance --> Overall maps <--   City of Dallas Population   Dallas County Hispanic population   City of Dallas Hispanic population   Dallas County Populaton   Urban area population change --> Population change by city <--   Denton   Garland   Irving   Mesquite   NE Tarrant   Northwest   Park Cities   Plano   Richardson   Rockwall-Rowlett Find data on your neighborhood More census news

The census classifies Hispanic as an ethnicity. Respondents who identify themselves as Hispanic may be of any race.

According to the North Central Texas Council of Governments breakdown, Hispanic residents in Garland increased by more than 160 percent from 21,015 in 1990 to 55,192 in 2000.

The census counted 14,045 Hispanics in District 2, making them the ethnic majority with 52.4 percent of the district's population.

"I represent all the people," said District 2 council member Jim Dunn. "It doesn't change the way I do things."

District 6 was home to the second-largest group of Hispanics with 11,758, or 41.3 percent. District 5 was third with 8,467 or 33.5 percent.

The census allowed respondents to choose from six racial categories – white, black, American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian/Pacific Islander, "other," and two or more races.

Combining four racial categories – black, American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian/Pacific Islander and "other" – gives the non-white, or minority, population for the city.Those four categories accounted for 68,702 people in Garland, 31.8 percent of the population.

District 6 reported 13,387 residents in this segment, or 47.0 percent, and District 2 was second with 11,784 or 44.0 percent.

According to the council of governments, the Census Bureau defined the racial groups as follows, with allowances for write-ins:

• White – origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East or North Africa.

• Black – origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa.

• American Indian/Alaska Native – origins in any of the original peoples of North, Central and South America.

• Asian – origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia or the Indian subcontinent.

• Pacific Islander – origins in any of the original peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa or other Pacific islands.

• Some other race – respondents who were unable to identify with any of the five race categories. Many wrote in nationalities.

• Two or more races – provided the option of reporting multiracial heritage.

Staff writer Richard Abshire can be reached at 972-272-6591, ext. 244 or by e-mail at .