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I have lived in all the cities mentioned (Dallas, Austin, Houston) and I'm not sure any of you discussing alternatives have the dynamics right. Experiences will vary based on an infinite number of factors but there's a lot of assumptions being made here that are just not valid.
Chief among them, one thing I've learned is that just because people look like you doesn't mean they're automatically in your corner or have any interest in socializing with you. Dallas and Houston may have higher black populations overall, but many Dallas natives are far "snootier" than anyone of any race you'll find in Austin or Houston...thankfully that's not true for Dallas transplants and there's a good number of those, which helps. Plus there's just not much exciting going on in Dallas overall. Houston has a much more laid back, almost sleepy, vibe but still it's like many Texas cities including Dallas that are very spread out so that even if you do find some people that you like, if they have homes they likely live in far-flung suburbs. It's not easy to get together, or to and from work, in the age of $3 gas. People are much more likely to speak to you than in Austin or Dallas, and are much more likely to get in your business and judge you too. It was also the fattest city not too many years ago and all those stinky chemical plants can't possibly be healthy in the long-term. But it's not like Atlanta where you're literally surrounded by AAs everywhere you go, which was too much for me. As for Austin, you are somewhat right, it is highly overrated for openness (among other things, like low cost of living which is rising fast) but I haven't been run off with a pitchfork or had the N bomb dropped on me.
Having lived many places it's hard to integrate socially pretty much everywhere in Texas, as there's not a specific urban construct like Chinatown or Little Italy or "South Side Chicago" for us to latch onto so it can be frustrating when you can't find your footing. How well you do depends on your preferences, interests, and attitudes. Not to be cliche but it reminds me of that saying that you get more with an open hand than a closed fist, so consider being more open to different things if you enjoy them. I don't presume to know where your ideas come from, but we get very powerful images from the media and our Facebook friends who never left their hometowns of what life for a young black professional should be which can be hard to square with the reality of being you. I struggle with this too but I try to focus on finding my own happiness, wherever that is and whatever that looks like. Good luck.
I agree with you about Dallas...not very friendly to a "sista"...LOL! I wondered where was the "southern hospitality"...
I visit Houston and each time the people were very friendly toward me.
Texas is conservative no matter what part you live in, and racism is everywhere, but not everyone is racist. I have lived and worked in Texas and have had friends of all races and never had a problem. I started in IT in the early 80's when there were no women or minorities, lived in different cities and traveled extensively. As a YP, I suggest you learn to play golf, no matter what your race is, and if you move to any new city, you will be an outsider. All YP's will have a hard time in this economy, so check around before making a decision. Austin is still a college town to me with old money, values and conservative points of view, which are not necessary racist in nature. People are often curious about new things so don't walk around with a chip on your shoulder. I believe that Atlanta, Chicago, Houston or other bigger cities are better for YP's in general and that Austin is more of a training ground for college graduates with local connections. Lastly, I would NEVER move to any city without a job beforehand. In conclusion, if someone has a problem with you, don't adopt it. It's theirs, not yours. Life is too short. BTW, I am expanding my golf business to Austin later this year, and I will be successful.
If you are AA and looking only looking for AA friends, then why not just move to a city with more AA's? That's a simple google search. Chicago, Atlanta, etc. It's pretty simple. Austin has 8% AA, well below the 12% average. Chicago has over 30%, Dallas 20%, etc. With that said, I'm not sure what else there is to talk about. Good luck.
Im skeptical that big companies would do as you described on a systemic basis. Do you actually have data or mostly anecdotes? I think that good managers know that even when hiring an experienced person you still need to train them because every company does things differently. If you hire an "overqualified" person, that person is going to leave for a better paying/more fulfilling job the first chance they get and all the effort that you have invested will be lost. I would much rather hire someone at the appropriate arc of their career for a particular job. I have had people who were making 150K apply for a 100K job and there is almost no way I would hire them because they would be gone within a year or two and I want to keep people for 7-8 years.
Darn. Young, Black professional at your service!
Lol. All jokes aside, I find Austin a pretty sweet place to be. I don't live there, but I'm thinking about it. I was there for a little more than a month on a rotation (I'm an Electrical Engineer for the fed. gov't) and I loved it. Tons to do. Lots of great people... I don't think I ran into any race-related problems... Then again, if I did, I probably didn't notice it as I'm one of those guys who usually throws the "race card" as a last resort. Besides, racism is present everywhere you go. That's not an excuse to just forget about it, but you have to accept it. I've lived in the most racist places you could imagine, but at the end of the day, it doesn't bother me all that much unless it prevents me from getting where I need to go or doing what I need to do.
If you are AA and looking only looking for AA friends, then why not just move to a city with more AA's? That's a simple google search. Chicago, Atlanta, etc. It's pretty simple. Austin has 8% AA, well below the 12% average. Chicago has over 30%, Dallas 20%, etc. With that said, I'm not sure what else there is to talk about. Good luck.
Or why not move where you want to move due to the fact that you are a free person and an American at that? I didn't have a problem coming to Austin Texas but it seems that SOME people in Austin had a problem with me due to the fact that I am African American. I understand what you are saying but integration needs to start some where and it usually starts with someone... I wouldn't tell you to move where your race of people are mostly populated, I'd tell you to live where ever makes you the happiest. The problem is that, not enough people in Austin have not been exposed to enough Black people and discouraging Blacks from moving there is not the solution its a temporary fix to a larger problem, and quite frankly it perpetuates racism and seperatism.
I did apply for State and County positions while I was in Austin. I actually started applying before I left Detroit and interviewing over the phone (which is why I moved to Austin) . I took and passed 6 different tests for six different positions. I paid $60 a piece for 5 background checks/finger printing.
I was told by 3 recruiters that I passed everything and I would be receiving a phone call as to when I would be starting my new position and training. Needless to say, I have moved back to Michigan and have the same phone number and no one who I interviewed with in Texas has called me yet.
Meanwhile I came back to Michigan (a state who has had the highest unemployment rate for the last four yrs) on October 22 and I had three job offers by November 10... I started my new position as a social worker on November 15th. I respect everyone's opinion that has replied to the postings on this forum but I know the truth without a shadow of a doubt... LOL and what I do know, is that Austin Texas is one of the most racist places I have ever had the displeasure of residing. But I am grateful for the experience.
There are A LOT of people struggling to get jobs in Austin of all races. To say that you think being black played a large role in your unemployment is a cop out to me.
May I ask which universities you attended for undergrad & grad school? Austin has a very large population of college graduates- a lot from the University of Texas, which is a very highly ranked school. Detroit has a very small population of college graduates which may have been a reason why you were able to get offers quicker especially if you went to local schools.
Im originally from Detroit, then moved to Southfield then Bloomfield Hills then the Texas area. Texas is more openly racist whereas MI has more hidden racism but when compared to the rest of Texas, Austin is relatively liberal.
I do not live in Texas and have never been there. I definitely do not know anything about racism in
Austin or not. I will mention though that in your initial "Post" there are spelling and numerous
grammatical mistakes. My writing skills are poor so I am NOT comparing my skills to yours
but I would expect someone with your high degree of education to having better grammatical skills.
In todays' economy--anything at all can used for a reason not to hire. This could include attitude,
race, appearance, speech, and one million other factors. But, back to your original
point, I think that degrees of racism exist everywhere. I have also found MANY blacks to be racist
towards whites. I experience white racism on a DAILY basis. I guarantee you that racism
goes in both directions.
I am often quite uncomfortable when around blacks because of what I sense of their feelings about
me as a white. I am quite serious about this reverse racism from blacks to whites.
I am certain that you will find employment which values all that you do have to offer though!
As previously stated, I have never been to Texas. I live outside of D.C. in Virginia and I
guarantee you every single day I experience black racism towards me on public transportation, in the streets and I agree with you that many whites put out racist "vibes" as well.
Wrap-Up:: Your education and job experience and skills are VERY VERY impressive.
I do not live in Texas and have never been there. I definitely do not know anything about racism in
Austin or not. I will mention though that in your initial "Post" there are spelling and numerous
grammatical mistakes. My writing skills are poor so I am NOT comparing my skills to yours
but I would expect someone with your high degree of education to having better grammatical skills.
In todays' economy--anything at all can used for a reason not to hire. This could include attitude,
race, appearance, speech, and one million other factors. But, back to your original
point, I think that degrees of racism exist everywhere. I have also found MANY blacks to be racist
towards whites. I experience white racism on a DAILY basis. I guarantee you that racism
goes in both directions.
I am often quite uncomfortable when around blacks because of what I sense of their feelings about
me as a white. I am quite serious about this reverse racism from blacks to whites.
I am certain that you will find employment which values all that you do have to offer though!
As previously stated, I have never been to Texas. I live outside of D.C. in Virginia and I
guarantee you every single day I experience black racism towards me on public transportation, in the streets and I agree with you that many whites put out racist "vibes" as well.
Wrap-Up:: Your education and job experience and skills are VERY VERY impressive.
Surely you have to understand the difference in encountering "racism from blacks"on public transportation and randomly in from the streets to encountering racism from whites who are typically in power in the workplace or in schools.
There are A LOT of people struggling to get jobs in Austin of all races. To say that you think being black played a large role in your unemployment is a cop out to me.
May I ask which universities you attended for undergrad & grad school? Austin has a very large population of college graduates- a lot from the University of Texas, which is a very highly ranked school. Detroit has a very small population of college graduates which may have been a reason why you were able to get offers quicker especially if you went to local schools.
Im originally from Detroit, then moved to Southfield then Bloomfield Hills then the Texas area. Texas is more openly racist whereas MI has more hidden racism but when compared to the rest of Texas, Austin is relatively liberal.
Though I respect your opinion half of what you have stated is not completely true. I learned while residing in Texas that the University of Texas is a highly ranked school in Texas and I lived two blocks from the school. I also learned that most of the people that are enrolled at The University of Texas are residents of that general area (Austin and surrounding cities), which probably means they have not been exposed to a large African American population because they never leave Texas or their surrounding area. The Southeastern Michigan area (Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, and Washetenaw counties) have tons of schools that are well know and prestigious in their own respects (University of Michigan, Michigan State extention, Central Michigan extention, Eastern Michigan University, Oakland University, Wayne State, U of D, etc...). The difference is that students that graduate from these schools tend to expand their horizons and may chose to live elsewhere when Austin area graduates chose to stay in the Austin area. Since this is the case, employers tend to be territorial and less likely to hire outsiders.
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It was also the fattest city not too many years ago and all those stinky chemical plants can't possibly be healthy in the long-term. But it's not like Atlanta where you're literally surrounded by AAs everywhere you go, which was too much for me. As for Austin, you are somewhat right, it is highly overrated for openness (among other things, like low cost of living which is rising fast) but I haven't been run off with a pitchfork or had the N bomb dropped on me. 
The problem is that, not enough people in Austin have not been exposed to enough Black people and discouraging Blacks from moving there is not the solution its a temporary fix to a larger problem, and quite frankly it perpetuates racism and seperatism.
