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I'm a young single mother to a 4 year old boy. We are still living with my parents at the moment, but I'll be earning my degree soon and I am beginning to research places to eventually move. I probably won't be moving for another year or so.
I was born in Oak Lawn. I loved it there, but my family moved us to New Lenox later on when my father got a promotion. Honestly, I do not like New Lenox at all. I'm a white female with a white son, but I do not want my son growing up in a Caucasian bubble like New Lenox. I would like my son to grow up in a more racially and culturally diverse city. However, I also need it to be a safe place for us to live with decent schools.
It's hard to find this in Illinois and the Chicago suburbs, but I was wondering if anyone had any input?
I'm a young single mother to a 4 year old boy. We are still living with my parents at the moment, but I'll be earning my degree soon and I am beginning to research places to eventually move. I probably won't be moving for another year or so.
I was born in Oak Lawn. I loved it there, but my family moved us to New Lenox later on when my father got a promotion. Honestly, I do not like New Lenox at all. I'm a white female with a white son, but I do not want my son growing up in a Caucasian bubble like New Lenox. I would like my son to grow up in a more racially and culturally diverse city. However, I also need it to be a safe place for us to live with decent schools.
It's hard to find this in Illinois and the Chicago suburbs, but I was wondering if anyone had any input?
I dont get this whole obsessionwith going out of ones way to seek out diversity. I actually live in a pretty diverse area not by choice so much as bc of home prices but I do enjoy having good ethnic restaurants thats about the only plus I see.
Not pc to say but the more diverse an area in my experience the more crime the worse the schools and the less people take care of and upkeep their property.
Put me in a white bubble like new lennox or naperville anyday. I can travel to the city or a surrounding burb when im feeling diverse.
In response to ur question tho bolingbrook is a decent area super cheap home prices and schools arent terrible. In my exp tho again the diversity of bbrook means u have a lot of sec 8 more crime and this admiration for gang/street culture in attitude and styles. Just dribe by lilly cache when school is letting out at bhs and see what I mean.
Im sure someine will call me a racist or sumthing crazy but thats just how I see it and this is comming from someone with a blck n hispanic roomate so I dnt hate anyone bc color if skin religion etc.
One oher thing I kno I generalized obviouslyhere are slobs of every color but the generalizatiins I madeout propertyupkeep n so frth are true ore often than not in my exp of living inseveral diverse vs non diverse locations
To me it is very important. Growing up where I grew up made me resent perfect little towns like New Lenox. It's important to me that my son grows up around different kinds of people, cultures, etc because I believe that it just makes you understand the world and the people that inhabit it so much better. Racial slurs were practically the accepted vocab in my "Top Rated High School". We'd have to have assemblies constantly about racism and why hate crimes are bad. I got in plenty of fights with friends because they'd say the most asinine things about other races.
Being very interested in sociology and cultural diversities in college, it's of extreme importance of me, even if it may not be to you. My dad's best friend is black and my boyfriend of 1 year is black. They come to our house in this "Perfect little town New Lenox" almost everyday. At least once a week we have groups of people speed by our house yelling "WHITE POWER" and other, even worse things in front of my 4 year old son. I've been asked at the grocery store if I knew where this year's "White supremacy meeting" was being held with my child in tow.
Well, if you actually mean "diverse," Homewood is a good example. If by diverse you just mean "not 90%+ white," Matteson is another good example. There are a bunch of south suburbs with crime rates around the national average that are not lily white. It's not hard to find. You must just not be looking in the right spots.. Go to the other side of I-57 and look around.
To me it is very important. Growing up where I grew up made me resent perfect little towns like New Lenox. It's important to me that my son grows up around different kinds of people, cultures, etc because I believe that it just makes you understand the world and the people that inhabit it so much better. Racial slurs were practically the accepted vocab in my "Top Rated High School". We'd have to have assemblies constantly about racism and why hate crimes are bad. I got in plenty of fights with friends because they'd say the most asinine things about other races.
Being very interested in sociology and cultural diversities in college, it's of extreme importance of me, even if it may not be to you. My dad's best friend is black and my boyfriend of 1 year is black. They come to our house in this "Perfect little town New Lenox" almost everyday. At least once a week we have groups of people speed by our house yelling "WHITE POWER" and other, even worse things in front of my 4 year old son. I've been asked at the grocery store if I knew where this year's "White supremacy meeting" was being held with my child in tow.
So yes, it matters to me.
Just because an area is white does not make it racist. I went to high school in Naperville which is majority white but I rarely if ever heard a racial slur I don't think I can even think of an instance. Not that there were a ton of black people but white guys dated black girls black girls dated white guys, nobody had any issues with it or made any issues of it.
I don't know much about new lenox its much more cookie cutter suburban now than in the past in the past I can see it maybe being more rural and having a rep maybe like plainfield used to have as being sorta racist but again I find your story very hard to believe, especially once a week.
Many people seem to think living around other races makes you more tolerant, personally I think it's the exact opposit. I used to live in the beverly mt greenwood area which is white but in the middle of a ton of diff races. That is the most concentrated group of racist people I have ever been around. Being around other races, especially in the city where there's more crime and stuff people seem to have bad experiences with other races and hate them more where as in a place like naperville its probably like oh wow there's a black person ive seen them on mtv before, thats so cool where as in the city people see a black person and are like hey a black dude broke into my car lets get him.
obviously exaggerating and being phecisious...im sure i spelled that wrong...but that is my experience and thoughts on that issue.
Many people seem to think living around other races makes you more tolerant, personally I think it's the exact opposit. I used to live in the beverly mt greenwood area which is white but in the middle of a ton of diff races. That is the most concentrated group of racist people I have ever been around. Being around other races, especially in the city where there's more crime and stuff people seem to have bad experiences with other races and hate them more where as in a place like naperville its probably like oh wow there's a black person ive seen them on mtv before, thats so cool where as in the city people see a black person and are like hey a black dude broke into my car lets get him.
obviously exaggerating and being phecisious...im sure i spelled that wrong...but that is my experience and thoughts on that issue.
This is a lot of truth to this. Although I disagree with the "especially in the city part". You just think that because that's where your experiences took place. There are some very racist people in the south suburbs - especially in those suburbs that are like 20% white or less. I've found that the most racist white people I've met come from overwhelmingly black areas. But then again, I haven't met too many people from places like Naperville..
There are no whole truths to either side of the argument. For every racist created by being affected by crime in a "diverse" area, I can find you another created from being ignorant in a pure white area. I understand OP's need to be in a place where everyone is not one color.
eandre31, when you say "diverse" are you only considering "color", or also talking about sexual orientation, economic standing...? I'f you're really concerned about "diversity" then these should be considerations also. If you ARE talking about "color", are you talking about more "black" or "hispanic" people, or are you talking about "any" color? It seems like a lot of times when people talk about "diversity" in the US (especially Chicago), they're really talking about the mix of black, white, and sometimes Hispanic people.
Oak Park maybe a good fit for you. There is a decent mix to Black and White people, with a splatter of other races... though it may not be THE ultimate racially diverse place in the US, it does seem also have a lot of bi-racial couples, same sex couples with kids, a gay population the rivals boys town, and economic diversity (though there is some divide between the haves and the have nots). As much as people like to **** and moan about Oak Park's diversity being overblown... One thing it DOES have going for it is that it's reputation attracts people who DO want to live in "diversity", much like yourself, so whether it starts off having an attitude of being accepting to all or not, accepting people move there because that's where they think like minded people live. It's relatively safe... just stay a few blocks away from Austin Blvd. Yes, it has more crime than somewhere further out west, but the closer you get to the city, the more spill over crime you get (mostly property crime), so it all depends on what you are comfortable with... saying THAT, kids play outside without much worry, properties are mostly well kept, people look out for each other, all the rich people that live there probably wouldn't have moved there if they thought they'd be victims of some monthly drive-by, or if they thought their kids would be walking ATMs for Austin thugs (though muggings do happen, mostly late at night and close to Austin Blvd).
There is no perfect place here, so I'd make a list of the most important things, things you're willing to bend on a little, things you are willing to bend on a lot, and then see what area fits the bill the most.
If you want diversity, you could check out aurora. it is Illinois' second largest city; has a diverse population, wide range of housing choices. I would look at the west side for housing and schools. West High is the public school, but on the west side there is also Aurora Christian, Aurora Central Catholic and Rosary(all girls). there are a number of elementary schools, both public and private. there is good access to I88 for travel to the city. Orchard road provides reasonable north-south county travel,some shopping and eating choices. On the west side of aurora, there is also Aurora University, Rasmussen college and further west in Sugar Grove is Waubonsee Community college.
hope this is useful info.
How your kids turn out and how tolerant they are is going to be based on the wxample you set for them, how they see you treat people and the values you instill in them.
That is what will make them good people NOT the fact that a kid in their kindergarden class has two moms or that you have a black neighbor.
Though it may help your white guilt to live in a diverse area just for the sake of living in a diverse area your kids are going to be the ones who may suffer from going to a subpar school or dealing with gang problems as they get into their teens.
Obviously do what you want but just some things to think about. Also I lived in a "lilly white" area growing up but my mom made a point of having me experience diff things, diff people, diff areas etc so I would appreciate other people as well as the opportunities and priveleges I had
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