Matt Stoller recently wrote here about the State of Black America conference which takes place annually during Black History Month. Beginning in August 2006, I was invited to write a weekly summary of race and politics in the blogs with a focus on left-leaning bloggers on MyDD and cross-post on my own blog at Jack and Jill Politics. The goals of "Racial Politics This Week -- A Roundup" at the time were:

1. To increase discussion about how race impacts American politics in the progressive blogosphere
   
2. To introduce MyDD readers and bloggers to new perspectives on smaller blogs and build bridges across the racial divide
   
3. To strengthen unity in diversity in what is perceived as a homogenous group of politically-active internet-connected folks
   
4. To build awareness and generate creative thinking among some really smart people (that's you) around race and politics for Election 2006 with an eye to 2008
   

Why is this important? After all, talking about race and U.S. politics is to explore a territory dotted with painful landmines in the national psyche. Race is not easy to talk about. It's not easy for me. I expect for all of us, no matter your ethnicity, talking or even thinking about how race and ethnicity has screwed us up and held us back as a country is difficult.  

For progressives, it is essential that we do a better job understanding this dynamic than our competitors for the nation's hearts and minds. The demographics of our country are changing rapidly. This has the potential to create a solid base of power for progressives if we tap and expand traditional alliances among minorities, liberals, labor and spiritual communities. Costly missteps such as those seen in the 2004 election cycle that will undermine this fragile connection can be avoided with greater awareness and discussion.

The stakes are high.

Crablaw described in a Racial Roundup comment the changing demographics in MD that can be seen across the country:

In Maryland, Steele was (almost) able to take advantage of conditions that will not exist again.

First, African-American, Latino and Asian-American (specifically Korean-American) communities are growing larger, and that will affect redistricting significantly.  Maryland has the second largest Korean-American community in the country by proportion of population...Meanwhile, the old beat-up rural white part of the state is losing population or at least proportion.  The parts that are growing are, with one exception, turning bluer."

Or could turn bluer. Building a strong long term progressive base with minority support is promising, but success is not guaranteed.

I've been looking at Racial Roundups that got over 10 comments to see what struck a nerve. Looking back the comments really vary. There are 2 one comment posts and several that got lots (27, 50, 60) of comments.

People tended to comment on items that they'd seen in the media or the blogs already and were eager to discuss:

-- Candidates you like or hate: esp. Burns, Steele, Cardin, Webb, Donna Edwards (but not Al Wynn), Obama, Ford vs Corker, Dollar Bill Jefferson v. Karen Carter (Again more Carter, less Jefferson)
-- Campaign ads: racist or not
-- Republican racism in general: the concept and history and specific examples like immigration
-- Affirmative action -- the general concept and history but not specific examples like the so-called Michigan Civil Rights Initiative
-- Pop culture and politics: Obama, Oprah, Borat
-- Leading Democrats signifying on race: Dean's comments after the election, the Clinton blogger lunch

There's more...