The collective matters. The culture of the people surrounding all the money on the coasts is what drives economic policy, fiscal policy, trade policy, immigration policy, and largely social policy. You're concerned about the mathematical tally of a person's vote and I'm concerned with the actual power they have. I think you're mistaken to conflate the two and that differential is exactly why our electoral college and senate were designed the way they are.

You seriously sound like a white person denying white privilege. Sure, the entire nation is designed to maximize your benefit, but the system is rigged in such a way that minorities sometimes get something they want. Meh, you'll be fine.