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My wife and I are looking to move from Queens to Long Island, and Garden City is one of our prime choices given it's great schools and relatively good commute into the city. After doing some research on the demographics of the village, it obviously doesn't have the level of diversity that we are used to. As a young Asian couple with a 2 year old toddler, should we be concerned about moving into the village and not be welcomed by the community? I realize this is not a typical topic posted for discussion, but any honest feedback is greatly appreciated.
My wife and I are looking to move from Queens to Long Island, and Garden City is one of our prime choices given it's great schools and relatively good commute into the city. After doing some research on the demographics of the village, it obviously doesn't have the level of diversity that we are used to. As a young Asian couple with a 2 year old toddler, should we be concerned about moving into the village and not be welcomed by the community? I realize this is not a typical topic posted for discussion, but any honest feedback is greatly appreciated.
You are wrong. This is a VERY typical topic for discussion.
First of all, Garden City is becoming more and more Asian since many people like you are moving in from the rapidly expanding Asian epicenters in Queens. So there won't ZERO Asian families, but certainly not very many.
To answer your question, OF COURSE you will be welcomed regardless of your race! The decision is all on you. Do you mind living somewhere where there aren't many Asians?
I should let you know, Garden City is a bit of an odd town. Many families have been living in Garden City for generations. The schools place significant emphasis on sports, namely lacrosse and football, and there are many students who are encouraged by their families to focus on sports instead of academics to get them into college. Also, Garden City is not academically compatible to the more Asian districts of Jericho, Syosset, or Old Westbury.
However, Garden City may very well be right for you! I grew up there, and I don't have a very high opinion about it, but feel free to ask me anything!
As adults, you should be fine. Most adults in 2015 know to tolerate decent neighbors whether they like them or not.
As for the kids on the school-level, anybody who is "different" is especially prone to being bullied (which is common knowledge). I'm not saying your child is guaranteed to be bullied but is probably at much higher risk...the same goes for a white child in an all-asian school; or a white child in an all-black school, black in all-white, etc, etc, etc.
You are wrong. This is a VERY typical topic for discussion.
First of all, Garden City is becoming more and more Asian since many people like you are moving in from the rapidly expanding Asian epicenters in Queens. So there won't ZERO Asian families, but certainly not very many.
To answer your question, OF COURSE you will be welcomed regardless of your race! The decision is all on you. Do you mind living somewhere where there aren't many Asians?
I should let you know, Garden City is a bit of an odd town. Many families have been living in Garden City for generations. The schools place significant emphasis on sports, namely lacrosse and football, and there are many students who are encouraged by their families to focus on sports instead of academics to get them into college. Also, Garden City is not academically compatible to the more Asian districts of Jericho, Syosset, or Old Westbury.
However, Garden City may very well be right for you! I grew up there, and I don't have a very high opinion about it, but feel free to ask me anything!
I agree with a lot of what is written here...especially the part about the academics. While more and more Asians are moving into the village, I don't think the academic environment, once you delve deep, is on par with what you might see on paper. And the people who grew up there and moved back to raise their families there...some of them can be really insufferable. i knew a couple people who would find a way to drop it into every.single.conversation. It's like a credential to them, that must be displayed as much as possible.
As far as your acceptance, no one will have a problem with you moving there, the question is how comfortable will you be?
Along with the lines of what the above posters have said. DH grew up in GC, in the "poor", St. Anne's section. The real question for you to consider is not will you be accepted. You will, but how will the fact that you are the minority impact you and your family. Things that may not seem like big deals can become one, not because of what is done TO you but rather the sense of not belonging. For example, do you celebrate Christmas? (no need to answer, just for example sake) There are few in GC that don't. How will the little ones feel, when it is all about Christmas? This can be/is an issue for non Christians no matter where they live, but it depends upon how the family handles it.
I have a good friend that took her little one out of school in another district and sent her to parochial school only because she was one of two white children in her 2nd grade class. She chose not to move although the district is largely Asian and she explained that it was not a question of changing due to the quality of the education or not liking the people but rather to have her child feel more like the rest of the kids and not different.
I'm a guidance counselor, and I see kids splitting themselves along racial lines. Full-on bullying is rarer than it was a generation ago, but it's still there - just subtler.
But. Demographics all over LI are changing, and Asian populations are growing. You and your family will probably be fine.
OP, don't be concerned about being a minority. I'm a chinese dude and my parents moved to Great Neck in the mid 80's and there were literally only 6 other asian kids in my class among the majority of jewish kids. It builds character. I turned out fine (doctor). I personally think its better to grow up among white people because your kid will be better socially prepared for the real world. Its one reason I didn't move back to Great Neck since its literally half asian now, and instead I will be moving to East Hills which reminds me of Great Neck in 80's.
OP, don't be concerned about being a minority. I'm a chinese dude and my parents moved to Great Neck in the mid 80's and there were literally only 6 other asian kids in my class among the majority of jewish kids. It builds character. I turned out fine (doctor). I personally think its better to grow up among white people because your kid will be better socially prepared for the real world. Its one reason I didn't move back to Great Neck since its literally half asian now, and instead I will be moving to East Hills which reminds me of Great Neck in 80's.
East Hills has experienced the same changes all areas have but to a lesser degree.
You should be fine. Just make sure you get your toddler a Lacrosse stick right now. And redshirt him if he is on the small side.
hah so true. Well at least a soccer ball.
Anyway sports is a great way to keep life-long friends and be popular (aka accepted) in school. It's essentially the anti-bullying method. Then you just work on keeping them in check.
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