Is There a Sense of Community with the African-Americans in Dallas, Texas? (Houston: middle-class)

[shontae]

I am an African-American professional woman in her early 30's and am strongly considering moving to Dallas. I currently live in San Diego, California and feel that there is a strong lack in community with the African-Americans that live here. People, in general, are very much into themselves and are not that much into helping eachother.

Is there a strong sense of community in Dallas amoung the African-Americans? What about African-American professionals? Do African-Americans do a lot together? Do they help each other? Do they hang out and have fun together?

I am an attorney in California and am thinking of practicing in Texas. What is it like to practice law in Texas?

What is the social scene like for an African-American woman in her early 30's? Are there lots of jazz spots and other things to do? I am not a club person and don't drink.

What are the churches like? I have been feeling a little spiritually bankrupt with the churches in California. I need more GOD and a city that does not scorn people who really want to love GOD, not party, and have fun at the same time.

Any comments would be greatly appreciated.

[grindin]

I'd say being the home of TD Jakes and Tom Joyner, D/FW ain't doin too bad!

D/FW may not have the critical mass of Black Professional Middle Class the way say, Atlanta or Washington DC has, but there is a large professional black middle class. When I was younger and traveled between Cali and Mississippi, I do remember that D/FW was the first city between San Diego and Mississippi where we could hear R&B or Hip-Hop stations if that matters.


DeSoto/Lancaster is a middle-class black enclave somewhat comaprable to Carson. Cedar Hill would be similar to parts of Baldwin Hills/Windsor Park. I don't know if there is an equivalent to a Leimert Park here though. BUT Dallas is the hometown of Erykah Badu, and she has bankrolled quite a few efforts towards the black arts scene in Dallas, especially with Neo Soul and Poetry. Historically, the 'black' part of Dallas is South Dallas, and you have the good, the bad and the ugly there. Black professionals are scattered about the North Side as well. I have friends that live in Lewisville (Diverse, middle class suburb).


Don't sleep on Dallas! DC is expensive (and not for everyone), and Atlanta (where I live now) is getting more and more crowded, cliche (you wouldn't believe all the old classmates I run into this metro area of 5 million people) and overrated every day.


Houston also has a major black professional population and has been the 'hot' place for black professionals who don't want to go to Atlanta, and think that Charlotte, Raleigh or Nashville (the other 'go-to' places in the South) are too small for them, but Dallas isn't too far behind.

I see you're from San Diego like I am, and I will say that moving to the south is a culture shock and will take some getting used to, but if you're a fairly well-adjusted person, you should be fine in Dallas. I moved from SD to Jackson, MS when I was 13 and I survived! Dallas is nowhere near as southern as Mississippi, but it IS different from Cali. It's not like you're moving to Vidor or Beaumont or something.


Here is a post I started a few months back and someone who moved here from Atlanta gave me a thorough answer: http://www.city-data.com/forum/dalla...ny-advice.html


Dallas Morning News | News for Dallas, Texas (http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/longterm/stories/062605dnmetbpcplano.462aee6c.html - broken link)

blackenterprise.com - City Insider: No. 6 Dallas, TX

www.dallasblack.com

www.blacksindallas.com

Dallas Black Dance Theatre

[Grainraiser]

Dallas is pretty diverse and I would say that majority of the middle class blacks live in the surburbs just like everybody else. The southern burbs will have a larger concentration of middle class blacks but for the most part we are pretty spread out around DFW. Dallas has had a black mayor, police chief, and School supertindent all within the the 15 years or so. There are some very large churches here that offer all kinds of social events. I would not just limit myself to events that cater to Afro Americans. If you do you will miss out on alot of great opportunities to meet some great people and network.

[caligurltotx]

Thanks Grindin, I was wondering what parts of Dallas would be equivalent to Ladera Heights and Baldwin Hills so you answered that question. I was weighing more towards N Dallas but really want to be around more culture. And honestly being a single black woman I want to position myself to meet as many single black men as possible!! It's kind of nice to go over to Magic's Starbucks, TGI Fridays area and see so many of us in a positive light.

[PennyGWoods]

Originally Posted by shontae

Is there a strong sense of community in Dallas amoung the African-Americans?

That's like asking if there's a strong sense of community in Los Angeles among the African-Americans. Dallas is pretty large, and we're scattered all over the place. The black people you're looking for probably don't live in the city at all - they work in the city and live in the suburbs.

What are the churches like?

Depends. Are you Baptist, Methodist, Episcopalian, Catholic? Is your primary language English, Spanish, Igbo, Vietnamese?

I was wondering what parts of Dallas would be equivalent to Ladera Heights and Baldwin Hills so you answered that question.

You won't find that anywhere in Dallas County, let alone Dallas.

[grindin]

Originally Posted by PennyGWoods

You won't find that anywhere in Dallas County, let alone Dallas.

Yeah, what I meant was that Cedar Hill/DeSoto have a large black middle class, but it's nothing like Ladera Heights/Baldwin Hills, but it would be the most similar. The black population in the Metroplex is quite spread out compared to other areas. As I stated in my previous post, the black middle class population doesn't have the critical mass like Dekalb County, GA or Prince Georges County, MD does.

[caligurltotx]

Originally Posted by PennyGWoods

You won't find that anywhere in Dallas County, let alone Dallas.

Well thanks for clearing that up!

[PanTerra]

Originally Posted by grindin

I'd say being the home of TD Jakes and Tom Joyner, D/FW ain't doin too bad!

Or Tony Evans.