First, we need to broaden our approach toward similar problems to find solutions that can ultimately affect society. As professional organizations, we have been talking to ourselves. We need to talk to each other.

Second, we need to tend to these solutions and understand that change takes time. We can easily say that the problems we faced 10, 20, 30 years ago still exist. Leaders have placed solutions - in the case of the civil rights movement, media retention of minorities, the Fairness Doctrine - now, we are witnessing the results of those solutions erode.

Third, we need to broadly invest in this effort. Just like the problems are universal so are the solutions and thus, so is the variety of those that need to buy into this thinking.

Finally, the need for MDPI is the current shortage of institutions and organizations that address the specific issues related to Latinos and media, and generally, Latino issues, that are preparing us to become the nation's largest minority and newest majority. When we talk about minority issues, we see that they are not that different than societal issues. They are parallel. What is different is what brought us to this point - our cultural background and the segregation of thought and history that has left our history, in great part, unwritten.

The Media, Democracy & Policy Initiative was developed under the auspices of Chuck Tatum, dean of the College of Humanities, and has been funded and housed in the college since 2004.