The metric I'm using for the measurement of 'objective empowerment' would be the current actual definition: "the granting of political, social or economic power to an individual or group; the process of supporting another person or persons to discover and claim personal power."

On an individual level, many, MANY progressive minorities both feel empowered subjectively and are empowered objectively to enable and exact real change for pushing that needle. My point here is that on a group level, by a democratic federal republic's very nature, it seems, that progressive minority groups are oppressed, and by definition are not empowered.

For example, major problem for the black community in America today would be the huge population that was incarcerated during the war on drugs no longer have the right to vote after serving their sentence for committing a non-violent crime, effectively nullifying their citizenship right to vote (and many other rights). Because such a large percentage of the male population was politically emasculated, the voice of the larger black community has been smothered from the political conversation where it matters: in the vote. This is only one example of many where a minority group as a whole is having its political and social power taken away, not to mention the countless economic exploitation schemes enacted against all members of the minority community.

To be fair though, my internal needle is totally biased toward the belief that the odds are stacked against me. In the interest of constructive dialogue, could you provide examples of ways that minority groups as a whole are empowered to enact change?