La Mesa Reflects King Dream of Racial and Ethnic Diversity, Living Together

La Mesa is living Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream of racial and ethnic diversity.  In fact, nearly 6 percent of the city’s population—3,338 residents—claim at least two racial or ethnic categories, according to the 2010 U.S. census.

Like the country as a whole, which is 74.8 percent white—La Mesa is predominantly Caucasian at 71.8 percent of the city’s 57,065 count in the latest census.

Black or African-American was the second-largest La Mesa population group, at 7.7 percent (4,399 residents).

Asian was the third-biggest La Mesa group at 5.8 percent (3,289)—with Filipinos being the largest subgroup of seven at 994 residents, or 1.7 percent of the city’s population.

American Indians or Alaskan natives just outnumber native Hawaiians or other Pacific Islanders in La Mesa,  431 to 318.

La Mesa has 36 Native Hawaiians, the census says.