Racial Diversity?? (Denver, Colorado Springs, Castle Rock: neighborhood, school, living)

[Tensia 419]

I just visited Colorado the week after the 4th of July and I stayed out in Golden. It is not ethnically diverse in that area, but everyone I met seemed very nice. I am thinking about relocationg to Denver. I haven't had a chance to really get to know Denver, but I am looking forward to scouting out a place for my child and I to live.
I am used to a culturally diverse area and would like to live in a neighborhood with different ethnicities, as well as be close to various ethnic resturants. My child is 13 and will be attending the 8th grade this year. I would greatly appreciate anyone who could give me some ideas on where to look in the Denver area for a culturally diverse neighborhood with decent schools. Any and all comments will be appreciated.

Peace and Health

[Katiana]

I would say the Hispanic population is very dispersed, although there are areas with higher percentages of Hispanic folks than others. Ditto the African-American population. I believe, Tensia 419, you said on another forum you would be working in Wheat Ridge. I would suggest Wheat Ridge as a place to start. I recall that another single mom stated it was very hard to get her kids to activities living 30 min. away. I recall the middle/high school days as being very busy for kids, with many after-school activities. You really will want to be close to home in your work.

[zoonik]

Tensia. I would suggest Aurora. It's a diverse (by colorado standards) suburb in the east metro. It has a relativly distinctive suburban feel and offers access to all the shops and amendities of the city, schools are pretty good, generally any area south of Alameda or 6th is going to be made up of nice suburban homes and neighborhoods. The further south and east you go, the newer the construction. Traffic will be hit or miss depending on where you commute for work.

[Katiana]

Tensia will be working in Wheat Ridge, so Aurora isn't going to be too feasible. I'd still suggest just starting to look in the WR, Lakewood, Arvada area. Arvada has a cute little downtown and a nice "old town". Jeffco schools are good. The east side of these areas is probably more diverse, IMO.

[livecontent]

I live in Arvada on the eastern side which is much more mixed with different people and I have already pointed out that my neighborhood has all different people.

This thread has a number of comments about not finding experiencing diversity in Denver. Real diversity in Denver exist in areas where there are people of many economic backgrounds. If you are seeking new immigrants; if you are seeking Asians; if you are seeking African Americans; if you are seeking Hispanics, then you find less of these people in very expensive upscale neighborhoods or in venues that attract the wealthy. So if you are looking to find this diversity then Cirque de Soleil, a very expensive show, is not the place. That would go for example Microsoft Conferences, expensive hotels and restaurants. Certainly neighborhoods that are more reasonably economically with mixed use housing would have a diverse population.

Of course there are people in the categories I mentioned who have achieved great financial success and live in expensive neighborhoods and attend pricey functions and go to lush restaurants. However, when you get to that level of living, you become more isolated because of the bigger housing with more indoor living; homes less close together, and the tendency of the well off to separate themselves behind gated communities and to socialize in expensive clubs. These are all the measureable acheivements of success and successful people want to be so noted and many times it is required for them to maintain their status.

So what I am saying if you want diversity you have to live more in a less properous area. You may be poor and have no choice; you can be well off and live in these areas because you care not for the oustentious displays of wealth; or you very much enjoy the interaction of people of different economic backgrounds which by the nature has more diversity.

There are also some people that have lived and worked in a less ritzy area and became very wealthy and decided to stay because where they live is home. I have met these people, in Denver, that are very wealthy that live in smaller homes, in older neighborhoods and have simple pleasures and simple wants. They do not feel comfortable in displaying their wealth. For some it is safer because they are not bothered by people stealing, sueing or wanting a handout.

I met this older man, About 65 yrs., in Wheat Ridge. He lived in a house in an older neighborhood of Wheat Ridge--It was his first house. He grew rich in a business he owned and was worth about 50 million but he liked his old area, his old friends and the familiar stores he shopped. The neighborhood today is older is very diverse with Asians, Hispanics and many elderly--as you see in aging neighborhoods. He was happy and lived a simple lifestyle. I do not think many of the newer neighbors knew, other than his older discrete friends, that he was wealthy. Interestly he owed a number of rental homes in the area where he acquired over a number of years and they were managed by a company, so he would not be bothered by tenants and that his wealth was kept secret. Many of these wealthy people got to their level by hard work, being thrifty, most owned their own businesses and habits learned in getting wealthy are hard to change when you have got all the money to spend.

Another way to see diversity in Denver is to get out of your cars and get on a city bus, it will show you a very diverse crowd of people--not an express bus from the remote pricey suburbs but a local city bus--and if you do, you will experience much, and if you are tolerant you can learn as I have to
Livecontent

[nele]

Originally Posted by Tess20

My partner is in Denver right now for the Microsoft conference, and he couldn't agree more with you - the only minorities in the city seem to be working only as cleaners. Coming from Australia, he found this most disconcerting. Especially when he went to Cirque du soleil and the woman behind him made a racial slur against a Japanese couple in the audience who the clown was leading all around the tent. So far from the interactions he's had with the people of Denver, they seem very ignorant and arrogant - displaying no desire to learn about anything that they don't know or isn't American made. Whether this is a Denver trait or an American trait, he's not sure, but it does not make him ever want to go back to America for anything other than the most fleeting, necessary visits.

We had a similar reaction when we moved here 3 years ago, from D.C. We were in a foothills suburb, not Denver, but immediately noticed that very few African Americans were around. Hispanics, yes, but just like your partner we noticed they were only evident in menial jobs. Kind of disturbing...when we moved down into Denver, it was slightly more diverse. I haven't heard more racial slurs in Denver than in D.C., but still the lack of diversity, compared to DC, was striking.

[denverian]

Originally Posted by nele

We had a similar reaction when we moved here 3 years ago, from D.C. We were in a foothills suburb, not Denver, but immediately noticed that very few African Americans were around. Hispanics, yes, but just like your partner we noticed they were only evident in menial jobs. Kind of disturbing...when we moved down into Denver, it was slightly more diverse. I haven't heard more racial slurs in Denver than in D.C., but still the lack of diversity, compared to DC, was striking.

I guess it just depends on where you live. I'm in the Stapleton neighborhood and I'd guess it's 20% minorities. The surrounding neighborhoods are a majority minorities, so we interract with people of all races on a daily basis. I go to the 24 Hr. Fitness in Lowry and it's extremely diverse. From my point of view, Denver is very diverse, gay friendly, and open minded, but I don't go to the suburbs.

[Katiana]

Originally Posted by denverian

I guess it just depends on where you live. I'm in the Stapleton neighborhood and I'd guess it's 20% minorities. The surrounding neighborhoods are a majority minorities, so we interract with people of all races on a daily basis. I go to the 24 Hr. Fitness in Lowry and it's extremely diverse. From my point of view, Denver is very diverse, gay friendly, and open minded, but I don't go to the suburbs.

Two northwestern suburbs:

Races in Louisville:
White Non-Hispanic (88.6%)
Hispanic (5.0%)
Two or more races (1.9%)
Other race (1.8%)
Chinese (1.4%)
American Indian (1.1%)
Black (0.9%)
Asian Indian (0.5%)

Races in Lafayette:
White Non-Hispanic (77.6%)
Hispanic (16.4%)
Other race (6.8%)
Two or more races (2.6%)
American Indian (1.4%)
Other Asian (1.1%)
Black (0.9%)
Chinese (0.8%)

Where Tensia will be working:

Races in Wheat Ridge:
White Non-Hispanic (82.1%)
Hispanic (13.5%)
Other race (5.0%)
Two or more races (2.5%)
American Indian (1.9%)
Black (0.8%)

Nearby city:

Races in Arvada:
White Non-Hispanic (85.5%)
Hispanic (9.8%)
Other race (3.1%)
Two or more races (2.3%)
American Indian (1.4%)
Black (0.7%)
Other Asian (0.6%)

None as diverse as Denver, but with some diversity. It's not like some northeastern 'burbs, which are overwhelmingly white.

Inner ring suburb of Pittsburgh, similar to Wheat Ridge or Arvada, but a little wealthier:

Races in Mount Lebanon:
White Non-Hispanic (95.6%)
Chinese (1.0%)
Hispanic (0.8%)
Two or more races (0.6%)
Black (0.6%)
Asian Indian (0.5%)

[Youdontknodoyou]

being real young and growin up in denver i can tell you that alota the kids in tha suburbs of denver are real racist especially in towns between Denver and Colorado Springs. I guess there will be racist people everywhere you go, but denver is really lacking in diversity

[formercalifornian]

Originally Posted by Tess20

when he went to Cirque du soleil and the woman behind him made a racial slur against a Japanese couple in the audience who the clown was leading all around the tent.

So sorry he had that experience. Perhaps the woman was a tourist? I certainly hope so!