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Many of the cities you listed do have a diverse mix of cultures based on there census and based on the fact that they may have large cutlural festivals, but those people of different cultures all leave those festivals and go home to their segragated neighborhoods/communities. I personally am looking for a place to live where the neighborhood/community is diverse. Where i can walk out my front door and see many people of different cultures. Where my kids get on the bus and ride to school with their children and attend classes with them all day. Then go to their extra ciricular activities and see them there as well. Not wait for the annual festival to run into them.
Detroit and Philadelphia both were listed on the worst 10 cities list to live in for interracial families.
Just because they are large metropolitan cities does not classifly them as diverse or better yet accepting.
Very good points. Well, I can only speak for my neighborhood. The school bus has mostly white kids, a few black kids and korean kids.
But here in CLT - kids may be in private schools, so even if you are living in a neighborhood w/ a diverse cultural mix - doesn't mean the school they attend will reflect it.
When I bought our house, the owner was Taiwanese and one day (prior to closing) I had permission to come in and measure spaces/windows . . . and the man's brother was here. He said four brothers and one sister lived here in CLT . . . but they all send their children to a private Christian school (even tho they are not Christian) b/c they wanted their children to have smaller classes, a more personalized educational experience and mix w/ Christians. So - go figure. Everyone has their own idea of how to best expose their kids to other value systems, cultures, etc.
Very good points. Well, I can only speak for my neighborhood. The school bus has mostly white kids, a few black kids and korean kids.
But here in CLT - kids may be in private schools, so even if you are living in a neighborhood w/ a diverse cultural mix - doesn't mean the school they attend will reflect it.
When I bought our house, the owner was Taiwanese and one day (prior to closing) I had permission to come in and measure spaces/windows . . . and the man's brother was here. He said four brothers and one sister lived here in CLT . . . but they all send their children to a private Christian school (even tho they are not Christian) b/c they wanted their children to have smaller classes, a more personalized educational experience and mix w/ Christians. So - go figure. Everyone has their own idea of how to best expose their kids to other value systems, cultures, etc.
You are correct you can expose your children beyond your neighborhood. Which is definitely something i plan to do. I also have come to terms with the fact that i probably will not be able to afford private school for 3 children and will have to deal with the public school system. Which is why i have decided that if i relocate i will need to research their racial/interracial acceptance/integration. As well as the school district, a long with cost of living, crime rate, and proximity to job markets. I also have come to terms with the fact that i will need to be obsessively involved to make sure they are getting a good education with the deteriorated public school system we now have. We are still in Tampa Bay area which is where i grew up and there interracial families all over the place. But since i grew up here i always wanted to experience something else. But since i did not move before i had children having them has made add more items to the checklist of considering locations to move.
...another Northerner's opinion: when I moved to Charlotte in 1988, I was amazed to find that the only group of people that I met (anywhere) were from Charlotte or other Southern cities. Having grown up in Chicago where 1 in 5 people were from another country and there were literal neighbourhoods to attest to that...I was lost. People here called me a "Yankee"..which, literally speaking, I am not, (I am Midwestern). I was told that I was "too much of a Yankee" on jobs and was told that I did not belong. (and would never belong here) Those first years in Charlotte were not fun.
My "Diversity" question (or response) would have to do with people from other countries and the cultures that they bring to the area. That, actually, is why I moved to University City; for the diversity that the area provides. I don't care if people are black, white, or other...in fact, I embrace it to the point that I want to live around it. I truly enjoy learning about other cultures and languages. Maybe it is a "comfort" thing, this is what I grew up with and around. My grandmother was from Norway and she often told me how difficult it was when she came to this country because she did not know the language/culture. After she married my grandfather, they moved to a Scandanavian neighbourhood in Chicago so that she would feel more comfortable. My childhood was among Scandanavians when I visited my grandparents, Poles, Greeks, Latinos, Russians, Cubans, Puerto Ricans (among others) when I went to school. Almost none of my friends spoke English as their first language, so, when I went to their houses after school, (or on Saturdays...whatever) I naturally had to pick up enough of their language to blend in with their families. This has given me a sincere appreciation and admiration for people who have moved here from other countries and the obstacles that they face. IMHO, that is what diversity is about.
Isn't it ironic how so many northerners have the perception that we're a bunch of racists and don't integrate in the South, when in fact it is their neck of the woods that are more likely to resemble racist attitude and segregated neighborhoods.
I am only going to chime in because I have lived almost all my life in New Jersey and CT, although three years in college in Virginia and now California, but the Northeast is extremely segregated. The north is even used for case studies in segregation, based mainly upon immigration and the process of immigrants becoming white. MLK, Jr. said he never saw a city more segregated than Chicago, so the South takes a bad rap for segregation, but I have also seen a lot of people commenting about West Charlotte being predominantly minority, so it must exist to some degree? I have a friend moving to Charlotte and am considering it myself, but as a white person, the comments make me want to move to West Charlotte.
I am only going to chime in because I have lived almost all my life in New Jersey and CT, although three years in college in Virginia and now California, but the Northeast is extremely segregated. The north is even used for case studies in segregation, based mainly upon immigration and the process of immigrants becoming white. MLK, Jr. said he never saw a city more segregated than Chicago, so the South takes a bad rap for segregation, but I have also seen a lot of people commenting about West Charlotte being predominantly minority, so it must exist to some degree? I have a friend moving to Charlotte and am considering it myself, but as a white person, the comments make me want to move to West Charlotte.
Confused to how this works exactly.
As far as living in West Charlotte- if you like taking your life in to your own hands...
but I have also seen a lot of people commenting about West Charlotte being predominantly minority, so it must exist to some degree? I have a friend moving to Charlotte and am considering it myself, but as a white person, the comments make me want to move to West Charlotte.
Uh, West Charlotte IS predominantly minority. Mexicans live in Mexico, is that racist too?
Besides, it is also fact that crime is embedded in low income areas of Charlotte, and low income areas of Charlotte happen to be minority. Do yourself a favor and research before you come on here making ignorant slights.
I think it's pretty easy to see what people are hinting at. It's a question you cannot ask your real estate agent. Well, you can but they can't legally answer. I believe people are trying to determine what areas to avoid.
As far as living in West Charlotte- if you like taking your life in to your own hands...
I was just making a statement about the assimilation of becoming white in the U.S. (David Roediger, Univ. of Illinois, Working Towards Whiteness, How America's Immigrants Became White) The people in West Charlotte couldn't be that bad, I was a cop for 8 years in the projects and the people who lived there were trying to simply make it to the next week, and were always very truthful about their circumstances, even the drug dealers...they were always honest with me, that is where I am coming from...didn't mean to offend anyone.
Two points.
1) There are mixed-income neighborhoods. There probably is some self-selection going on because of housing prices, or perceived housing prices...but, for example on our street alone, there are condos for sale, single family homes in the $400K range up to $1 million, rental units...along with people who've been in their homes for decades and probably paid $30K.
2) West Charlotte is a big area. There are certainly areas that are a bit rough...however, there are people on this board who act as if simply driving down West Blvd is an extremely dangerous act. I take West to/from work and the airport, and have yet to be carjacked more than once or twice a week, so it's not all that bad.
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Segregation
