Are African Americans in Cali different?? (San Francisco, Fresno: fit in, homes, neighborhood)

[OC Investor2]

Originally Posted by Sanis

Hey all. I am a half black 30 year old raised in a small New England town. I have been out of America for the last 10 years and am considering moving back to the States. While I was visiting some friends in SoCal (LA/Riverside) I was totally shocked at the black folks in Cali. No attitude and mostly no "yo-yo" accents. I say I am shocked, because once I moved around on the east coast, I found that I was the "weird" one because I had more of a "white" accent. EVERYONE would always ask where I was from. It seems in Cali, no one cared where I was from and my accent didn't surprise anyone. I found everyone to be friendly and talkative, much more then the east coast. I was so pleasantly surprised that I am very much now considering moving to California.


Is this wonderful attitude like this everywhere in Cali, or just the LA area? Also, while I was there it seems that biracial relationships were very common. Is that also the true?

Thanks!

At the risk of getting "in trouble" here I'll throw out a few observations as a White Guy who used to live in the Northeast and is now in So Cal.

1. I agree with your observation on "Sounding white" 9 times out of 10 you can tell if you are talking on the phone with an AA back east. Out here its 1 in 10. Much less of the "ebonics" ("fity cent", "Aks" instead of ask) thing going on.

2. Back East alot of the racial dynamics revolve around the black/white divide. In So Cal the multi-ethnic environment washes that out. Most "racial" issues in the popular conversation revolve around Hispanics, not blacks.

So Cal is not some multiethnic love-fest and I am sure that if you talked to AA's here in So Cal they would say they encounter plenty of racial bias (From Asians in particular), but my impression as an outside observer is that their is not as much distance/tension between blacks and whites here in So Cal as there is back east.

I would also say that my observations apply only to So Cal. My impression is the dynamics are different in No Cal. There seems to be more polarization/tension there - particularly in Oakland.

Again, just $.02 from a white guy who has lived in both the northeast and So Cal.

[Sunnnee]

Originally Posted by Sanis

Hey all. I am a half black 30 year old raised in a small New England town. I have been out of America for the last 10 years and am considering moving back to the States. While I was visiting some friends in SoCal (LA/Riverside) I was totally shocked at the black folks in Cali. No attitude and mostly no "yo-yo" accents. I say I am shocked, because once I moved around on the east coast, I found that I was the "weird" one because I had more of a "white" accent. EVERYONE would always ask where I was from. It seems in Cali, no one cared where I was from and my accent didn't surprise anyone. I found everyone to be friendly and talkative, much more then the east coast. I was so pleasantly surprised that I am very much now considering moving to California.


Is this wonderful attitude like this everywhere in Cali, or just the LA area? Also, while I was there it seems that biracial relationships were very common. Is that also the true?

Thanks!

California is just simply more tolerant. Its more multi-cultural which helps and not so "segragated" like the south may come off. I have read so many silly things about other states, how backwards some states still are and how they frown upon alot of what californians could care less about when it comes to relationships.

Another reason why I live on the west coast.

[Nyse]

Originally Posted by City Boy

Because we as Blacks are not some homogeneous group that behaves one way, you'll find as you call it, "yo yo" blacks here just like anywhere. You'll find educated, uneducated, ignorant, genius etc , what ever.

While this is true, you cant ignore black culture in America. For the most part American black culture does come with an attitude and a talk. Some white people even share the culture, but I believe its only becasue they cant really identify with one. Which is ok I guess, just an observation.
You know it and I know it so dont act like it doesnt exist. This culture has evolved from many reasons and can be debated from now until doomsday. Since the late 80s however many people have debated that this culture has taken a turn for the worse. i.e Bill Cosby. So can you really blame him for wanting to better himself and not beat his woman, abandon his children and speak english so he can get a decent job? I would hope not. But whatever works for you.......

[ckhthankgod]

I actually disagree with the OP and I'm from Upstate NY. I think you will find Blacks that speak "proper" English on the East Coast. I think the OP has some notion that everyone on the East Coast speaks with a particular accent, in terms of Black people. You can sound "Black" while speaking proper English, you know. So, maybe it is a thing of thinking about East Coast Black folks speaking only in a stereotypical manner.

By the way-Where is the OP originally from, specifically?

[NorCal Dude]

Yes we blacks are different. We have three eyes six ears, dont get me started on the geni...nevermind. We have fangs and we bite.

[BayDude]

Originally Posted by Sanis

Hey all. I am a half black 30 year old raised in a small New England town. I have been out of America for the last 10 years and am considering moving back to the States. While I was visiting some friends in SoCal (LA/Riverside) I was totally shocked at the black folks in Cali. No attitude and mostly no "yo-yo" accents. I say I am shocked, because once I moved around on the east coast, I found that I was the "weird" one because I had more of a "white" accent. EVERYONE would always ask where I was from. It seems in Cali, no one cared where I was from and my accent didn't surprise anyone. I found everyone to be friendly and talkative, much more then the east coast. I was so pleasantly surprised that I am very much now considering moving to California.

Personally I could'nt disagree more. Alot of people make the mistake of thinking California is somehow more "friendlier" than other places in the country such as the east coast. What they mean is thats its more "politically correct" which is true for the most part.

I love the so-called east coast attitude. It shows character and confidence. They tell it like it is. I'd take that over fake political correctness anyday honestly.

And no its not a racial utopia where everyone magically gets along. There are points of racial tension and misunderstanding, (which is exasperated by the political correctness). The interracial dating also occurs mostly between asians/whites and hispanics/whites.

California is not what you are making it out to be. Come here and live here for a while and you'll see. Great weather, lots of problems however that visitors don't really see.

I love east coast black people and I'm a west coast black guy. They seem to have alot of character and confidence I don't usually see in folks out here.

[NorCal Dude]

Historically blacks are new to the population of California, largely a result of war jobs as well as the great migration of the 50's. Many blacks were attracted to california for the post war boom jobs in manufacturing as well as the lack of Jim Crow laws that were prevalent in the south. There was segregation in California, but no where near on the level of the south and no where near as dehumanizing.

I will give California that.

Northern california is a lot more PC than So cal that is for sure, but none of these things really make a difference.

As city boy noted, trying to generalize the whole black population in the bay would be pointless.

[vwxyz]

is it true that black girls/white american guys couples dont exist in LA and Cali like in the rest of Usa? i ask it cause i live in LA and never seen a bf/wm couple in general . also when i heard of such pairings the white guys involved are always foreign born , never american.

[BayDude]

Originally Posted by NorCal Dude

As city boy noted, trying to generalize the whole black population in the bay would be pointless.

Are you referring to me or OP?

[Sanis]

The reason I posted my question was because while traveling between the East and West I had two different experiences. East Coast, its questions of what you do and where do you come from because you talk different. West coast, its "Hi."

You can say this post is dumb or that there is no difference, but then i have to ask if you ever left your state of Cali or if you live in a bubble. Of course there are exceptions and one cannot generalize the whole population, but I am stating from my experience I have seen differences. This has NOTHING to do with education and social status. This is purely from an observation level traveling between the coasts, going into stores and meeting friends of friends.

Thanks for all the other points though. I will still move to Cali eventually. I felt more at home then any other place I've visited in America so far.