After decades of suffering the grim reality and public stigma of economic decline, America's cities show promising signs of renaissance. Plummeting urban crime rates mean in reality safer streets and neighborhoods, even if these are all but ignored by local television news editors. Increasing numbers of restaurants, shops, and new homes have led to more active nightlife and an aura of vitality in close-in neighborhoods that were shunned not long ago. More and more people of all races and ethnicities have contributed to the vibrant urban mix that symbolizes the diversity and strength of an immigrant nation.