Interracial couple coming to University of Cincinnati (Hamilton, Fairfield: home, neighborhoods)

[ositapiscita]

My boyfriend was recently accepted to a PhD program at UC, and we'll be moving there in June from Eugene, Oregon. I am originally from the Oregon coast, and Jose is from south Texas. He is Mexican and I am white. While I've found a lot of information about racial divides and issues with race, I can't seem to find people discussing interracial relationships in Cincinnati -- nor have we found anything about the Hispanic population.


We left Albuquerque, New Mexico in part because we would be refused service in multiple locations because of our interraciality. We were threatened on multiple occasions as well. It was a bit of a painful awakening after being in south Texas and in western Oregon where people barely registered our color differences. We will likely be living in family housing, or in the area around the University. I've read on another forum here that there seems to be stable racial integration in that area, but that was from 2006, and honestly, did not seem to include other races outside of the standard black/white.


We're not planning on settling down here for life, just for a few years, and we want to know what to prepare for. We'd like to live in a place where we are not rejected or threatened. I have fibromyalgia and Jose will be teaching and taking classes, so it isn't too likely that we'll be leaving our neighborhood all that often, and as much as we'd like to be visiting museums and (insert stuff that normal people do here), we probably won't get much time for that.

[kjbrill]

If you will be living in the UC area I would not be overly concerned. I believe it is a quite racially tolerant area and would be very surprised if you were denided entrance to any establishment due to your racial makeup. I hope others who live there will chime in and correct me if I am wrong, but I believe you will do fine.

[jgreco5]

Wow..I must be in a bubble where I live. I cannot believe that type of prejudice still exists out there. I am sorry you have to deal with that. My daughter and boyfriend have an interracial relationship and they've never experienced anything like that here in Florida. Good luck to you! A friend of mine whom moved here from Cincinnati does not have any kind of negative reaction to interracial couples, hopefully that is an indication of the people there.

[abr7rmj]

It's a non-issue. I see inter-racial couples every day and my friend is in an IR relationship. No one cares here.

[Zen_master]

Having spent five years on and around UC's campus as an undergrad in the prior decade I would be shocked if you experienced any sort of overt racial prejudice. As abr7rmj stated, it's a non-issue.

[goyguy]

"Affirmative" to all of the above. The area around UC has an accepting vibe as far as diversity is concerned. You'll also have ready access to some world-class health care through University Hospital and other facilities located in the vicinity.

Cincinnati is comparatively new to the game in terms of having any sort of Hispanic community. There was a fairly negligible population until no sooner than the 1980's. Because of that there's no established barrio to speak of. However, the heaviest settlement has been in Hamilton and Fairfield (adjoining cities in Butler County, north of Cincy) and the neighboring sections of Elmwood Place (a separate municipality surrounded by Cincinnati) and the city areas known as Carthage and Hartwell. Lower Price Hill, an enclave where successive immigrant groups have made their first entry to the city if not the country, also now is home to many Spanish-speaking people. You'd be most likely to find "ethnic" grocers within those communities. And the vast Jungle Jim's market in Fairfield is a sure bet for food from all over the world. Religion-wise, in addition to the inevitable storefront churches St Charles of Borromeo in Carthage is now San Carlos Borromeo and offers Mass in Spanish. (San Carlos Borromeo) On the Hamilton County Fair grounds - between Carthage and Hartwell - there's a "Hispanic Fest" toward the end of the summer each year.

Being the gateway to the Bible Belt (as well as the Gateway to the South, no coincidence) Cincinnati isn't all-embracing of all cultures everywhere you go. Sadly, the same can be said of most places. The more "intolerant" areas tend to be in the surrounding counties, not to mention transitioning neighborhoods. A bar in suburban Mason drew attention across the spectrum of attitudes not long ago for posting an "English Only" sign out front. Until angry reaction forced its removal, a lradio station was able to advertise itself on a highway billboard using a stereotypical cartoon character. A local high-school student became an unwitting poster child for the DREAM Act after he caused a minor car accident. But on the whole you should have no problems whatsoever, no matter where you venture. And after Eugene, the relative number of sunny days ought to be a refreshing change too!

[t45209]

Originally Posted by ositapiscita

I can't seem to find people discussing interracial relationships in Cincinnati -- nor have we found anything about the Hispanic population.

Maybe that's because nobody here cares. Just come here and live. It will be fine. If you aren't hung up about it, chances are no one else will be.

[motorman]

As mentioned by numerous other forum members, a non-issue to the OP's concern about race. Obviously, Cincinnati's no Midwestern San Antonio, nor will it become that anytime soon. Nevertheless, the city's Hispanic population is growing, and their presence and influence being felt and accepted.

In Post #6, goyguy has mentioned several Cincinnati inner neighborhoods (Elmwood Place, Carthage, and Hartwell) that are all growing in their Hispanic populations, but there are also others, including Norwood. Although, technically, this large community is a separate city from Cincinnati, it's also surrounded by it. Norwood's already home to a reasonable Hispanic population which is growing every day. Not only does this new population shop at Norwood's large and diverse Surrey Square Kroger food store, but more and more small Hispanic-centered businesses are opening in the immediate area along Montgomery Rd.

Norwood's also centrally located, near both UC and downtown, and served by two popular bus routes (Metro #4/#51) that could easily provide transportation to both destinations, if necessary. (And, not knowing how crippling fibromyalgia has become, I might add that all Metro buses are equipped with lifts.)

[Montrell]

Originally Posted by ositapiscita

My boyfriend was recently accepted to a PhD program at UC, and we'll be moving there in June from Eugene, Oregon. I am originally from the Oregon coast, and Jose is from south Texas. He is Mexican and I am white. While I've found a lot of information about racial divides and issues with race, I can't seem to find people discussing interracial relationships in Cincinnati -- nor have we found anything about the Hispanic population.


We left Albuquerque, New Mexico in part because we would be refused service in multiple locations because of our interraciality. We were threatened on multiple occasions as well. It was a bit of a painful awakening after being in south Texas and in western Oregon where people barely registered our color differences. We will likely be living in family housing, or in the area around the University. I've read on another forum here that there seems to be stable racial integration in that area, but that was from 2006, and honestly, did not seem to include other races outside of the standard black/white.


We're not planning on settling down here for life, just for a few years, and we want to know what to prepare for. We'd like to live in a place where we are not rejected or threatened. I have fibromyalgia and Jose will be teaching and taking classes, so it isn't too likely that we'll be leaving our neighborhood all that often, and as much as we'd like to be visiting museums and (insert stuff that normal people do here), we probably won't get much time for that.

It is a total non-issue in Cincinnati. I'm in an interratial marriage as is most of my family. It's true what others have said, nobody cares here.

[natininja]

motorman, FYI Elmwood Place is like Norwood, in that it's a separate municipality "within" the city. It is different in that it has a border with St. Bernard, but that's another municipality in a similar boat. St. Bernard & Elmwood Place, taken as a unit, are surrounded by Cincy on all sides. Just like Norwood is.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...hip_Labels.PNG

Hartwell and Carthage are city neighborhoods.