Leonardo Vazquez is an expert in community economic development with over 20 years of experience. He has received the American Planning Association National Planning Leadership Award for Advancing Diversity and Social Justice. Vazquez is the author of "Leading from the Middle: Strategic Thinking for Planners and Community Development Professionals" and co-editor of "Dialogos: Placemaking in Latino Communities." The document then provides statistics showing growth in buying power of various ethnic groups in New Jersey between 2010-2018, with Hispanic buying power growing 46% and Asian-American growing 56%. It also shows the increasing share of total buying power held by non-white ethnic groups and New Jersey's state rankings in cultural consumer markets.

1. Leonardo Vazquez, AICP/PP
Executive Director, The National Consortium for Creative Placemaking
20+ years in community economic development
American Planning Association National Planning Leadership Award for Advancing Diversity and
Social Justice in Honor of Paul Davidoff
Author: Leading from the Middle: Strategic Thinking for Planners and Community Development
Professionals
Co-editor: Dialogos: Placemaking in Latino Communities

2. Making the business case
for equitable
redevelopment
in New Jersey

3. Buying power by ethnicity, in NJ, 2010-18
(in million $)
2010 2018 Change Growth
Total $400,167 $496,633 $96,466 24%
White $321,375 $384,515 $63,140 20%
Hispanic $ 38,050 $ 55,446 $17,396 46%
Asian-American $ 37,105 $ 57,710 $20,605 56%
African-American $ 36.600 $ 47,152 $10,552 29%
Multiracial $ 3,758 $ 5,577 $ 1,819 48%
Native American $ 1,330 $ 1,680 $ 350 26%
Source: Multicultural Economy 2018, Selig Center for Economic Growth
Note: Hispanics can be of any race, so they are included in all buying power by race statistics

4. Share of total buying power in NJ
by culture, 2010 & 2018
0%
3%
6%
9%
12%
15%
African-American Asian-American Native American Multiracial Hispanic
2010 Share 2018 Share

5. NJ’s rank in US statewide
cultural consumer markets
Total buying power : 7th
Asian-American: 4th
Hispanic: 6th
White: 8th
African-American: 10th
Multiracial: 11th
Native American: 18th