( CNN ) -- The millennial generation is big , diverse and changing the American landscape . A new infographic and book , `` The Next America , '' by Paul Taylor and the Pew Research Center , examines the data about the change . It 's revelatory . Taylor calls the demographic transformations `` dramas in slow motion . '' The Gen Y -- or millennial -- generation 's lack of religious affiliation , indifference to political parties and strong liberal views are a contrast to previous generations . Additionally , a great deal of the `` next '' in `` The Next America '' has to do with racial and ethnic identity . Immigration , intermarriage and the growing percentages of people who identify as mixed race are drastically recoloring the nation 's racial tapestry . Today , just a half-century after interracial marriages were illegal in one-third of the states , nearly 1 in 6 newlyweds marry across racial lines . Immigrants and their children are projected to make up about 37 % of America 's population by mid-century , the highest share in our history . But what does this all mean ? There is often a focus on data highlighting the size and diversity of the millennial generation , drawing the conclusion that it is inevitable that our values will soon take over . But research shows other factors are equally important : Our generation 's economic insecurity , dependence on our parents and most notably , the unprecedented size of the older generation . I want to challenge the notion of inevitability , that just because we are more diverse , liberal and `` huge , '' millennials will soon win the culture wars and easily transform our society to reflect our values . In my early 20s , as a Gen Y proselytizer and a person of color , I thought I knew exactly what the demographic changes meant : Millennials , in all of our black , brown and liberal glory , were taking over politically . I spent the early part of my career working on progressive policies and cause campaigns geared toward youth and diverse communities . I even founded a program that applied a racial equity lens to public policy development in part because of the country 's changing demographics . The unspoken premise was this : Political elites had better `` get hip '' and start authentically working toward equity . Otherwise , they would be left in the change-making millennial dust . This premise was grounded in what I now call the myth of inevitability . Although I worked hard to increase civic engagement , activism and community involvement amongst my peers , deep down inside , I believed that the odds were in our favor . We would inevitably win the culture wars because of our sheer size and diversity . I believed that increasing our involvement and voice would make the difference of when the United States would be transformed to reflect our values , not if . I was not alone . Others deeply believed this to be true , too . But there are a few important factors that we forgot to consider . First , the country is n't just young and diverse . It is also getting old very quickly . The second major demographic `` drama '' detailed by Pew is one of older Americans living longer than ever before . Ten thousand baby boomers will turn 65 every single day between now and 2030 . For the first time , by 2060 , there will be almost as many Americans older than 85 as younger than 5 . Thus the joke about `` waiting for the older generation to die off '' to see our political and social goals realized is n't just crass : It not a realistic path to social change . And that 's not all . There are other cultural realities standing in the way of an `` inevitable '' political takeover . Millennials are economically insecure , politically unaffiliated and , according to Pew , not at all interested in generational warfare . Unlike previous generations , we actually like our parents and grandparents -- perhaps because we 're still living with them . Suddenly , revolution does n't look as inevitable as it once did . But it is still possible . I propose that the value wars that play out on issues such as immigration , women 's rights , equality , criminal justice and America 's treatment of the poor will be determined by three factors : participation , leadership and systems innovation . Participation in the political process is key . In the research from Pew , it confirms that millennial voting has actually been remarkably solid , increasing and staying strong in presidential elections since 2004 . If this continues , adequate political representation should follow . But leading and participating in the system is not enough when the systems are broken , such as the impending doom around Social Security and other programs if left as is . The only way to fix them is to innovate and create them anew . Innovation can come from first learning the ins and outs of the current system , applying creativity and technological prowess to the problems and third , taking the risk to experiment and start enterprises that challenge the status quo if and when necessary . The data about the country 's race and age transformation is clear . But millennials will only make a transformational political impact when we take the reins , lead and recreate the United States from the inside out . Now that will be a demographic drama worth watching . Share your thoughts in the comments , on Twitter @ CNNLiving or on CNN Living 's Facebook page . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Erica Williams Simon .
A new book details changing U.S. demographics and the role of millennials in that change . A millennial responds to the myth of her generation 's inevitable takeover . To have change , millennials need participation , leadership and innovation , author says .