Ethnic minorities are underserved in adult education in the United States. Reasons for the lack of a national education initiative actively promoting education equity for ethnic minorities include the low status of adult education, discrimination, and lack of financial support. Programs of English as a Second Language are examples of good programs that prepare students for employment. However, after program completion, no one supplies cultural nurture to encourage the student to continue with education. Good multicultural programs are operating in the United States, but examples show the ephemeral nature of many programs. The first challenge is to realize that the melting pot concept must be replaced by a concept of cultural pluralism based on the idea that persons from many cultures can live together without forfeiting their cultural heritage. Much cross-cultural education is necessary for the adults in the dominant group to develop this realization. A second challenge is to develop a national policy to provide necessary, relevant, and accessible educational opportunities to minority adults to empower them to make educational decisions based on equity. The third challenge is the question of financing in a time of economic crisis. A fourth challenge is for adult education researchers and writers to exert their efforts in this direction. (YLB)