Lack of Black Americans in Southern California (Los Angeles, Oakland: living, restaurants)

[NYtoDC]

Originally Posted by West of Encino

Was she referring to Pacific Palisades? No surprise it's an overwhelmingly white neighborhood, so of course a lot of residents have that type of thinking.

Yeah it was some abandoned Nazi compound from the forties up in the hills of Pacific Palisades that is supposed to be somewhat of a tourist attraction. I thought that was a pretty nice area so I would never think that there would be major gang issues there but we even saw the gang markings spray painted in certain areas ourselves. Of course, we turned around before we got there because I'd rather be safe than sorry. Also, no other Black people in the area but that is often the case in many of the areas I venture into. Doesn't stop me from doing the activities I enjoy. (e.g. hiking, national parks, etc). You still have to live.

[NYtoDC]

Originally Posted by NyWriterdude

The flip side of this is that the white woman herself could be racist, and if you listen to too many people like her you might not be able to go anywhere outside of the housing projects (oh but there would be people who criticize you for that).

You also have to use your judgement yourself towards what areas you like, and what areas you don't like and there's not any one answer for this.

Very true but, again, I'd rather be safe than sorry and have encountered possibly armed gang members in a remote area like that. At the end of the day I still go where I want to go. I've been all across the country and never had an issue other than maybe strange looks in places like SD or Albequerque but I'm not going to let someone's ignorance stop me from traveling and enjoying myself. Of course, moving somewhere and dealing with it on an everyday basis is another story which is why I was interested in hearing about the experiences of other AAs from LA in this thread. I've been pretty much shielded from racism growing up in the multi-culti NE environment and I really don't want to encounter it on a regular basis at this point in my life due to making a hasty move without researching first. I'm do wonder if racism/discrimination could play somewhat of a role in why some many AAs are leaving the area. If I was born there, I would probably try to hang on because it is such a beautiful place but not having been exposed to it growing up would make it a very hard adjustment to deal with as an adult.

[NYtoDC]

Originally Posted by West of Encino

You'll find that most of Southern California is whitewashed. Also, a lot of blacks are leaving the west coast period. You'd be surprised how many (especially whites) are happy about this.

Yeah, I saw that there are NO Blacks for the most part outside of the major cities. Honestly, I've had mostly pleasant experiences though in other areas like Monterey, Salinas, Big Sur, etc. They may be initially surprised to see you but once they find out that you are a decent person, most people are pretty friendly. It could be all an act but as long as you don't bother or threaten me, I'm good. I've also noticed that there is a huge economic disparity amongst Blacks and other races as well on the West Coast (from WA state on down) which is sad. The South is probably the place where most of us could live comfortably but I am not crazy about the idea of living there which is why I am sticking to what I know living in the NE (for now) and slowly exploring other parts of the US to see what the vibes are. Obviously, we've seen the true feelings of many hidden behind the THIN veneer of being PC towards Blacks come out in the media with these Donald Trump rallies all over the US so I'm not surprised about the attitudes of other races in CA towards us. My whole thing is, I don't fit any of your stereotypes so you can't pin your racial accusations on me, lol. I'm well mannered, educated,have never been on welfare/section 8, never locked up, own a home, gainfully employed, etc. I live a nice quiet law-abiding life so I refused to be treated as "less than" by any other race.

[NYtoDC]

Originally Posted by NyWriterdude

What are the statistics on this?

It's purely anecdotal if you just say a lot of. Others have pointed out a lot of Blacks in Southern California and that can depend in part on one's perception.

It's all relative to one's experience, of course. I'm assuming that NYWriterdude still lives in NYC which has a HUGE AA/West Indian/West African/Afro Latino population so it can be a bit of a culture shock to transition down to only 9% AA in places like LA. Plus, NYC is much more dense so you will run into dozens if not hundreds of people of African descent on a daily basis during your commute, in the street and in the workplace. Of course, this is slowly changing but has been the case for at least the last seventy years in NYC (especially Brookyn/Harlem).

[NYtoDC]

Originally Posted by NyWriterdude

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I cannot believe what I read.

Go to Brooklyn.

All of the wealthy parts of Brooklyn are white (Gentrified Northwestern and Downtown Brooklyn in particular). Poor, DANGEROUS parts of Brooklyn are BLACK (or maybe Hispanic in the case of Bushwick). Bedstuy (Do or Die ) was a formerly dangerous Black neighborhood that is gentrifying, and YES there is tension there.

People on this forum are at least able to speak of Laedra Heights as an affluent Black neighborhood in Los Angeles. There are no affluent Black parts of Brooklyn.

Eastern Queens does have middle class to upper middle class Black neighborhoods.

North Bronx is predominately Black (with the exception of a few white neighborhoods) and HIGH CRIME to the point where 100 people got busted by a combination of the NYPD and FBI which rolled in armored vehicles and helicopters.

Other Northeastern cities have similar issues with inner city poverty among the Black population. This is a national problem and is certainly not unique to California.

Well, I admit that I moved in 2010 so I'm sure that gentrification has TREMENDOUSLY shifted the local demographics. I left Brooklyn in 2010 and back then, it was Chocolate City, lol. I lived in Boerum Hill and Crown Heights and I saw nothing but Black people (with the exception of the Lubavitchers across Eastern Parkway and some Arab-owned businesses on Atlantic Avenue). I've only been back a few times and I did see that mid Manhattan is basically white now. I was just up in Harlem though and the demographics have not drastically changed the way I thought the way they would have (based off of what people say online). I saw mostly Blacks and Latinos walking around the way it's been for the past few decades and only a few White people when I drove down 125th a few weeks ago). It does seem like the grittiness is gone a bit and it feels less like NYC in some areas. Most of my friends still live there but, then again, they live deep in BK (e.g. Canarsie/Flatbush) where it may not be so evident as in places like downtown BK and Fort Greene.

Yeah, Bedstuy and Crown Heights were becoming the new "in" place when I left once the hipsters got priced out of Williamsburg. Sad that longtime residents are getting priced out. Which is why Blacks have to figure out a way to compete economically so we aren't ALL pushed down South. I agree that there are no affluent Black neighborhoods in NYC. Unless you bought in when BK was no man's land and still own, of course. My friends mother got her downtown BK brownstone for $90k cash back in the eighties and now it is worth 2 million. She still owns it, fortunately.

[NYtoDC]

Originally Posted by NyWriterdude

The 1980s Bensonhurst was heavily Italian and there were definitely racist incidents there. The current Bensonhurst is heavily Chinese and Russian. So I don't know if a Black person would still have problems there just because they went to the neighborhood. Neighborhoods can go through rapid demographic changes. I am so rarely in South Brooklyn (I will go to Coney Island some summers) that don't keep up with what's happening there. That's another problem with talking to random people about areas, their areas could be based on old knowledge that isn't accurate today.

I think comparing home prices in Los Angeles and MD is pointless. If you're interested in being a homeowner in LA, if you aren't rich you'll need to find WORK that pays sufficiently for your to buy a home. So the real question is what are your professional career options in LA? Address that and THEN you can realistically explore the housing market in LA. It's really pointless without the income coming in.

Very true. The incident was back in the mid 2000s. I don't go into that part of BK often so I had no idea that the Italians had moved out.

Very true about comparison as well. Right now, I would only be able to rent in LA. I'm considering working on a CS degree in addition to Graphic Design so I definitely wouldn't go out here without some type of employment that pays well. I'm also working on buying investment properties out here in MD to up my passive income. Technology seems to pay the bills well enough and I can do art on the side. Although, I have heard of a lot of Silicon Valley guys being priced out of Cali as well and are moving up to Seattle and driving up the COL for Washington State residents. I guess it's a struggle everywhere these days and you have to keep upping your skill set to survive.

[theraven24]

I'm so confused. What obvious "racial tension" specifically is there in Los Angeles, or California???

[NYtoDC]

Originally Posted by theraven24

I'm so confused. What obvious "racial tension" specifically is there in Los Angeles, or California???

Well, again I'm not FROM LA and I'm not trying to make any blanket statements about anyone (disclaimer) but I have read accounts of Black people being targeted for violent crime in certain LA neighborhoods due to the fact that other races want to take over territories that have been historically majority black for the last few decades. Also, I've heard that there are pockets of areas in surrounding areas like the OC and Pasadena where KKK activity is prevalent. There was a news report where a Black family moved into a city in OC (can't remember the name but it can be Googled or I can find it later when I have time) and they were racially targeted and harassed to the point where they had to move from their home. I believe that people kept spray painting racial epithets on their driveway or something like that. I PERSONALLY haven't encountered these issues (thank God) but there are first hand accounts that you can Google that state that these issues are very real. I haven't been out to Pasadena in years but when I was there, there were some snooty attitudes displayed towards my friends and I when we went shopping. This was in the mid-2000s so I don't know if we would get the same reception today. Interactions in the OC were okay (in my case) but my male friend (who appears as AA and wears business casual attire) reported that he did get stared at by staff and customers when he went into a Starbucks in Laguna Beach and in Newport Beach. He also had r same thing happen in La Jolla (I know...not LA but just for reference) These events happened this past December.

Edit: I believe it was in Yorba Linda

[OceanViewer]

When the population of Black Americans are so low in a certain area, it has to be some form of racism underneath the surface. It's a fact and the reality we live in. I also expected the second largest city in the Great USA to have a higher population of Black Americans. California is beautiful and has a lot to offer. It should be more of us there enjoying the beauty and prospering.

[NYtoDC]

Originally Posted by OceanViewer

When the population of Black Americans are so low in a certain area, it has to be some form of racism underneath the surface. It's a fact and the reality we live in. I also expected the second largest city in the Great USA to have a higher population of Black Americans. California is beautiful and has a lot to offer. It should be more of us there enjoying the beauty and prospering.

Very true. But, most likely, economic disparity and subtle to blatant racism has pushed many AAs out. I don't think that AAs would willingly give up perfect weather, mountains and the ocean to move to the South unless there were extenuating circumstances. I know I wouldn't.

I plan to check with my family members that still live in Long Beach and get their opinions.