Need open, honest opinions about possible move to Atlanta (Tucker: houses, buy)

[homebound2007]

Hello Everyone,

My husband and I had to relocate from New York City for numerous reasons, i.e. health issues, quality of life and cost of living. The original plan was to move to Atlanta because he claims that the homes are comparably affordable and there's a good tolerance for interracial couples (black/white). We're now living in South Florida because we learned soon after our move that I was pregnant. So, moving close to family seemed like the most logical thing to do...right? Wrong!! Not only do we hate South Florida but it's been hectic living so close to family. We desperately want to leave but the idea of moving to Atlanta petrifies me, especially now that we have our beautiful son to consider. As a New Yorker, I've always took pride of my liberal upbringing and exposure to the varying ethnicities/race. My husband (a progressive Texan?) would love to raise our family in Atlanta. Hopefully I will receive honest and insightful advise from those who understand my concern. Thanks in advance for taking the time to respond.

[dncngrl1964]

I dont think you will have ANY problem here in Atlanta there is such a diversity in cultures that anyone is really welcome here.

[TakeAhike]

Originally Posted by homebound2007

Hello Everyone,

My husband and I had to relocate from New York City for numerous reasons, i.e. health issues, quality of life and cost of living. The original plan was to move to Atlanta because he claims that the homes are comparably affordable and there's a good tolerance for interracial couples (black/white). We're now living in South Florida because we learned soon after our move that I was pregnant. So, moving close to family seemed like the most logical thing to do...right? Wrong!! Not only do we hate South Florida but it's been hectic living so close to family. We desperately want to leave but the idea of moving to Atlanta petrifies me, especially now that we have our beautiful son to consider. As a New Yorker, I've always took pride of my liberal upbringing and exposure to the varying ethnicities/race. My husband (a progressive Texan?) would love to raise our family in Atlanta. Hopefully I will receive honest and insightful advise from those who understand my concern. Thanks in advance for taking the time to respond.

I don't know if anywhere in the world can compare with NYC or New York in general.

Atlanta is diverse and most people just live their own lives.

There are a lot of people from all over the nation and the world here--in every part of the city.

Gwinnett county, Hall county and neighboring communities are very diverse--many affluent communities and professional people--UGA is located in Athens---east of Lawrenceville, Duluth, Gainesville. Lake Lanier--Cumming, Suwanee, Buford, Gainesville, Dawsonville---very progressive--the Atlanta Falcons train at Flowery Branch--and if you like vineyards --go to Braselton, Chateau Elan.

That is 'How' the northeast metro area is. There are some 'Old Timers' that are fixed in their attitudes. The Hospitality/Tourism industry is a major source of revenue for the state of GA--imo, that has 'Opened' minds.

Come and visit --always the best thing to do.

sls

[Missing GA]

Originally Posted by homebound2007

Hello Everyone,

My husband and I had to relocate from New York City for numerous reasons, i.e. health issues, quality of life and cost of living. The original plan was to move to Atlanta because he claims that the homes are comparably affordable and there's a good tolerance for interracial couples (black/white). We're now living in South Florida because we learned soon after our move that I was pregnant. So, moving close to family seemed like the most logical thing to do...right? Wrong!! Not only do we hate South Florida but it's been hectic living so close to family. We desperately want to leave but the idea of moving to Atlanta petrifies me, especially now that we have our beautiful son to consider. As a New Yorker, I've always took pride of my liberal upbringing and exposure to the varying ethnicities/race. My husband (a progressive Texan?) would love to raise our family in Atlanta. Hopefully I will receive honest and insightful advise from those who understand my concern. Thanks in advance for taking the time to respond.

Well, I live about an hour to a hour and a half from New York and I would have to say that I would move to Georgia before moving to New York. Atlanta and New York are two very busy places, but nothing beats that Southern Hospitality. I love it. The cost of living is SOOOO MUCH CHEAPER in Atlanta than in New York. That's why my husband and I want to move back so badly. Where we currently live they are selling homes for 400k plus and the house barely sits on a lot and you can look out your window into your neighbors.

I also wanted to address to you that in another statement someone made is that there are so many nationalities in Georgia (Bi-racial couples or any other couples) are not judged. My husband and I love it. People don't stare they speak. I also can relate on the pregnancy. A week before we moved to Georgia I found out that I was pregnant. We didn't know anyone in Georgia, but we had no other choice but to move. We had paid for a place to live down there and we didn't want to give that up. I also had a son. I love him dearly but I think if I had found out that I was pregnant way before we had moved; we wouldn't had made that move. Your husband is right the houses are so much cheaper and from experience do what you feel is best for you and your husband. Your family can always come and visit. When we had our son in Ga, his grandmother drove from Richmond to see her grandson born. Also, the move to GA made my husband and I marriage that much stronger. Our vows were truly tested. I know the feeling about being scared about a move to a state where you know no one. I am going to tell you a little about where we lived. We lived in Duluth, which is located in Gwinnett county. Where we lived we could literally walked to everything (but I didn't), except for the Walmart it was a little far. Everything else was 5 min away. My OB doctor, Dentist for the kids and myself, Pediatrics, Library, CVS the Grocery store and other places that was very important also. Feel free to send me a private message. I don't want to bore everyone that is reading the message. If not, I wish you and your family nothing but the best. Check out Gwinnett. (Pleasant Hill and Peachtree Industrial)

[ATLien]

As a black male born and raised in Atlanta with family on both sides living in Atlanta and having been in several black/white hetero relationships I can say that Atlanta is something of a mixed bag.

I would sharply disagree with those that say no one cares or everyone is the same but I'm sure that if you are in an interracial relationship you didn't believe that stuff anyhow. People care about this kind of thing. Why do you think there are so few of them relative to the general population? Anyways, I live in Little Five Points, a white hippie and increasingly white hipster part of town. Here, interracial relationships are tolerated in most circles. In select circles they are celebrated.

Amongst black women, interracial relationships receive much shorter shrift. But that is changing in black middle class circles where black women are engaging more often in interracial relationships due to the cultural/social/economic/historic dynamics that have left far too few compatible black male companions. Lower or working class black women aren't really down with the interracial relationship deal unless it is black women with Latino males. They don't like the white female black male thing and some are openly hostile and rude when they see it. This is rare, though.

Black men tend to not have a problem with interracial dynamics as white women are still considered by society to be at the top of the beauty food chain. Most Atlanta black males buy into that belief and thus have no prob with black men and white women but do exhibit slight discomfort with black women with white men. But it is slight. This ranges throughout most class lines for men.

White women middle class women seem to have problems with interracial relationships but don't say anything. White working class women don't seem to have problems with it. Upper class white women don't seem to approve either but won't really show it too much.

White men don't seem to favor it much either. Although white/asian relationships seem to be tolerated a bit more than white/black. And again, the social order has made it so that there isn't a risk of a white male doing anything overtly hostile but you (or your spouse) may end up working for one of these guys and that might not be the most fun for your career.

My .02

[Missing GA]

Originally Posted by ATLien

I would sharply disagree with those that say no one cares or everyone is the same but I'm sure that if you are in an interracial relationship you didn't believe that stuff anyhow. People care about this kind of thing.

My .02

If anyone do care about people being in interracial relationships they need to grow up and get over it. Homebound, what you and your husband should concern yourself with is the feelings for one another. Forget what everyone else thinks. I am not from Georgia but I will say this follow your heart.

Originally Posted by ATLien

Lower or working class black women aren't really down with the interracial relationship deal unless it is black women with Latino males. My .02

I am a working class black woman and the interracial relationship doesn't bother me at all. My husband act up my next man will be a white man not a Latino. Not saying anything is wrong w/ Latinos, they are really nice people. Well, some of them.

[TakeAhike]

After reading Atlien's post --I know he is right about a number of things.

Decatur,Avondale, Clarkston, Stone Mountain, Tucker, Chamblee/Doraville--or Midtown--Candler Park/Inman Park--surely there is latitude in these areas.

sls

[dlh891]

My husband and I are an interracial couple and experienced a lot of BS when we lived in Miami, none here in the Atlanta area.

[JPD]

Originally Posted by bhs119

After reading Atlien's post --I know he is right about a number of things.

Decatur,Avondale, Clarkston, Stone Mountain, Tucker, Chamblee/Doraville--or Midtown--Candler Park/Inman Park--surely there is latitude in these areas.

sls

What does that mean?

[atlantagreg30127]

Originally Posted by ATLien

As a black male born and raised in Atlanta with family on both sides living in Atlanta and having been in several black/white hetero relationships I can say that Atlanta is something of a mixed bag.
I live in Little Five Points, a white hippie and increasingly white hipster part of town. Here, interracial relationships are tolerated in most circles. In select circles they are celebrated.

Amongst black women, interracial relationships receive much shorter shrift. But that is changing in black middle class circles where black women are engaging more often in interracial relationships due to the cultural/social/economic/historic dynamics that have left far too few compatible black male companions.

___________________________________________

Funny you should mention this. This past weekend I was at the Inman Park festival (right next to Little Five Points), and also ventured up into the LFP area as well. I saw a rather large number of interracial couples where there was a black female with a white male. This being a very diverse festival with many intown residents as well as a few tourists and suburbanites, no one raised any eyebrows as far as I could see at all.

However, living in West Cobb myself, near the Paulding line, I do see people react differently in this area. Here, the general attitude you find (but also sometimes see) is a black male with a white girlfriend/wife and sometimes see the, "Hey I got me a white girl" mentality from the man. I've heard negative comments by whites but also black women about this type of coupling out here, but all I get out of folks (especially the black women) is that it's a "southern black man" attitude thing about it that they don't like. If a black man/white women couple from elsewhere relocate here, they say you don't see that "trophy white girl" attitude. I can't answer to it any more than that - I'm basing that on comments I've heard from black women who live out here, as well as a few other surburban neighbors. As long as two people love each other I could care less what color they are or if they have 8 ears or not, but if someone is just doing it as an attention getter, then I have no good comments about it.

Keep in mind that in the rural south even futher out there ARE some real problems, though. I can't remember the name of the town, but it was only a few years ago that some small town Baptist church minister made it on the Atlanta news because he refused to allow an interracial couple to bury their baby in his church's cemetery. Yes, that still happens.

I know several people who live intown (Atlanta) and I've never heard anything from them about interracial problems, though. You tend to see more and more black/white, but also white/asian and black/asian couplings anymore too, so it's not like it's rare to see it. I mean geez, the average person in Little Five Points has neon red hair, tattoos up their rear end and 24 body piercings - an interracial couple is going to take attention away from THAT? LOL