Will everyone please stop saying Austin is diverse! (Houston, Dallas: neighborhood, school)
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I mean seriously, Austin is by far the least diverse big city in Texas(fact). It just has great P.R., but can we please be real about this.
I lived in Austin for over a year(I loved it!) but it is very far from being diverse unless you compare it to Midland, Amarillo, Salt Lake, Portland, or Seattle.
It is very layed back yes, racially and culturally diverse NO!
I know some people will take offense to this but its the HONEST truth.
and then....
Quote:
Originally Posted by man.hold.up.
Wow, I really wasn't trying to offend anyone on this board, just relaying how I felt about your great city.
I lived in South Austin, and I dug it
its just not what I consider diverse, racially, ethically, or culturally. Yes there are people who live what some would consider an alternative lifestyle and of course it's gonna be politically diverse because it is the capitol, but other than that i didn't see it.
The problems with APD, I-35 acting as railroad tracks a la "In the Heat of the Night" style, lack of diversity in eating establishments, night spots, etc..........
You say you really weren't trying to offend anyone, but in your first post you admitted you knew some people would take offense. I don't get your surprise at people's reactions.
It isn't the honest truth, it's just your opinion. Had you expressed it as such, that would have been fine. I mean, everyone has them, and you know what they say about those.
But I do believe it's the honest truth when compaired with other big cities in Texas, like Houston and Dallas, racial, ethnic, and culturally speaking. I do agree that is very different from those cities, some good ways, some bad, just like anywhere.
As a Black male(born an bred Texan), i have mixed feelings on the city. Sometimes i felt like it was two cities, one progressive and excepting, the other very old school. I loved the fact that people were generally friendly with slip ups here and there, but felt uncomfortable with the fact that to me everything seemed sort of homogeneous (except for the landscape).
But I do believe it's the honest truth when compaired with other big cities in Texas, like Houston and Dallas, racial, ethnic, and culturally speaking. I do agree that is very different from those cities, some good ways, some bad, just like anywhere.
I'd have to agree. I think the "popular" definition of diversity right now is not the literal one -- the popular one is referring to racial and ethnic diversity. That's what universities, employers, and city governments mean when they say "diverse". The are definitely not referring to political ideology, sexual orientation, or (for the most part) age or econmic status...
With that in mind, I took no offense to your post, as it is my experience too -- Austin is the least diverse city I've lived in. Liberal, yes (compared to Texas), but not diverse. It's also the smallest city I've lived in, so that could have something to do with it (I'm sure there are less diverse smaller towns).
But that's just my interpretation -- as an example of true diversity, I'd have to point to Houston, especially the central neighborhoods.
I mean seriously, Austin is by far the least diverse big city in Texas(fact). It just has great P.R., but can we please be real about this.
I lived in Austin for over a year(I loved it!) but it is very far from being diverse unless you compare it to Midland, Amarillo, Salt Lake, Portland, or Seattle.
It is very layed back yes, racially and culturally diverse NO!
I know some people will take offense to this but its the HONEST truth.
Just out of curiousity, when you say Austin is not diverse, what are you referring to? I live and work in Austin and I interact with people from all over the world on a daily basis (black, white, latino, indian, asian, etc.) This is certainly much more the case than when I lived in Dallas where about 95% of the people I dealt with were of my own race.
From my perspective, Austin seems to be much more diverse than Dallas was, but much less black. Some black people have a problem with this reality and thus the complaint about Austin's lack of "diversity" which I take be a proxy for Austin's relatively low black population percentage.
By the way, I too am black and while I do wish there was more of a black community in Austin, I can't say that Austin lacks diversity in the true sense of the word. And for those who claim that I-35 serves as some sort of racial railroad track, I'd have to say that the opposite is probably true. Study's have shown that most black people in Austin don't live in East Austin, but are rather dispersed throughout the city.
Study's have shown that most black people in Austin don't live in East Austin, but are rather dispersed throughout the city.
Can you please tell me which study you are referencing? I find it interesting that people seem to reference bogus studies or famous people when they are trying to add legitimacy to their claims. Sort of like "4 out of 5 dentist's recommend".
Just out of curiousity, when you say Austin is not diverse, what are you referring to? I live and work in Austin and I interact with people from all over the world on a daily basis (black, white, latino, indian, asian, etc.) This is certainly much more the case than when I lived in Dallas where about 95% of the people I dealt with were of my own race.
From my perspective, Austin seems to be much more diverse than Dallas was, but much less black. Some black people have a problem with this reality and thus the complaint about Austin's lack of "diversity" which I take be a proxy for Austin's relatively low black population percentage.
By the way, I too am black and while I do wish there was more of a black community in Austin, I can't say that Austin lacks diversity in the true sense of the word. And for those who claim that I-35 serves as some sort of racial railroad track, I'd have to say that the opposite is probably true. Study's have shown that most black people in Austin don't live in East Austin, but are rather dispersed throughout the city.
I'm sort of getting the same impression here. It's not NYC but it ain't Portland/Seattle either(60% white). I moved here from the Great Lakes area and have noticed a much larger Asian population. Again, it isn't California but it's noticeable for sure.
I think the issue in Austin is not so much lack of diversity but a segregation of ethnic/economic types. With the exception of higher income brackets, it seems folks kind of stick to their neighborhoods. Not too much mixing in the working/middle class. But to be fair, it's like that in most places.
In the not too distant past, I-35 was indeed a literal barrier between whites/blacks by city ordinance. While that no longer rings true, I think the perception hangs around - sort of like when you look at the sun, close your eyes and still see shapes
I was talking to a local business owner who lives east of Airport BLVD off of MLK. She said she's the only white person there and that the neighbors sort of avoid her but she keeps trying to win them over with friendliness It seems like a sort of voluntary segregation born of history and mistrust. I'm sort of interested in that area as far as buying a house goes, but I must admit I don't want to be perceived as a "gentrifier", coming into neighborhoods, driving up taxes and pushing out long-term residents.
Well, I have spent the last 15 years in Portland and Salt Lake, and being in the Austin Airport felt like the United Nations compared to where we've lived. I was watching the kids walk out of school yesterday here in Salt Lake (Technically it's a suburb called Draper). Not only were there no minorities, there were barely any brunettes! I grew up in Detroit where, as a white person, I was in the minority. It sure is different out here. So, to us, Austin feels like we're really exposing our kids to a lot of diversity.
All a matter of perspective, I guess.
With all the PC crap, I don't know what anyone is getting at anymore. Austin is 45% black and hispanic, which is pretty diverse to me. With Asians added, anglos are the minority in Austin. San Antonio is 40% anglo, and Austin is 49% anglo. Most people would consider SA a diverse city per hispanics and anglos. Why not Austin at 49%? And, Austin is getting more cosmo each year, per tech and all. I see nothing but asians at the H-E-B near me. Lots more than the area from Chicago I'm from. Plus, Austin has that slacker hippie element, which adds in a weird way to the overall vibe....Austin is just fine, diverse-wise.....It's no gateway to the world, but its no Salt Lake City either!
Well, I have spent the last 15 years in Portland and Salt Lake, and being in the Austin Airport felt like the United Nations compared to where we've lived. I was watching the kids walk out of school yesterday here in Salt Lake (Technically it's a suburb called Draper). Not only were there no minorities, there were barely any brunettes! I grew up in Detroit where, as a white person, I was in the minority. It sure is different out here. So, to us, Austin feels like we're really exposing our kids to a lot of diversity.
All a matter of perspective, I guess.
Hey, did you ever see that movie "Children of the Damned", with all the blond kids that take over the town via aliens? First thing that came to mind when you mentioned the lack even of brunettes in SLC. Sorry about that!
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It seems like a sort of voluntary segregation born of history and mistrust. I'm sort of interested in that area as far as buying a house goes, but I must admit I don't want to be perceived as a "gentrifier", coming into neighborhoods, driving up taxes and pushing out long-term residents.
